AAA8 Partners with Marietta Health System
on Care Transitions Pilot   

The Area Agency on Aging 8 (AAA8) and the Memorial Health System are piloting a free Care Transitions service to assist patients when they are sent home from the hospital.

The Care Transitions program is designed to assist patients as they transition from the hospital to home and help reduce recurrent hospitalizations by providing key resources. Participating patients are supported by a Transitions Coach for four weeks after discharge. The goal is to empower patients and caregivers with tools, skills and information to develop long-lasting health management skills.

"Care Transitions is a program that has been tested in other states and proven to be effective in helping prevent folks from returning to the hospital," said AAA8 Director Rick Hindman. "We are very excited about the Marietta area pilot and the partnership it is creating across the health system."

The Transitions Coach works with the family to identify caregiver supports and review key needs as well as to refer to a variety of community resources. Key components also include a close monitoring of medication management, getting patients to key follow-up medical visits and keeping good records.

According to Memorial Health System CEO Scott Cantley, "Care Transitions supports patients in learning more about their illness and healthcare needs. We encourage our patients to ask questions to better understand and manage their illnesses, to know their medications, and to communicate and follow up with their doctors."

"There is an obvious underlying goal to reduce unnecessary hospital readmissions and reduce Medicare costs, but more importantly, the goal is to put in place proven supports for individuals to help them heal and be at home - where most people say they would rather be. The Area Agency on Aging is focused on connecting individuals to key home and community-based care resources," added Hindman.

Marietta-area resident Patricia Uhl benefitted from the Care Transitions program following her recent stay in the hospital. "It was very helpful to have these nice people help me," said Patricia. She explained that she returned to Marietta to be near her three daughters following 18 years in Florida.

The Care Transitions program is supported by the Southeast Ohio Aging & Disability Resource Network (ADRN) and provided at no charge to patients. For more information on the AAA8 or ADRN, contact 1-800-331-2644 or visit www.areaagency8.org. 

Housing Program Benefits Perry County Couple

With support on projects that address access issues for clients that have mobility needs and with minor home modification to provide safer home environments, the AAA8 is helping residents in Southeast Ohio stay at home and saving the taxpayers money in the process.

Ronald and Wilma Dusenberry live in the Village of Crooksville in Perry County. The AAA8 Housing program partnered with USDA to complete a project on their home to enable Ronald to remain at home.

"We were so excited to have this support," said Wilma. "We moved into our home about five years ago and when this project was finished, I was as excited as the day we moved in!"

She explained that on their limited incomes, a project like this would've not been financially possible. She was very appreciative of the support it provided their family.

Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging to Host DRIVE Train the Trainer Courses

The Train the Trainer session for both DRIVE Courses (the eight hour DRIVE: Transporting Older and Disabled Passengers for new and inexperienced drivers and the four hour DRIVE Refresher Course for experienced drivers) will be available once this spring.These events are intended for those who will be training drivers, not for drivers themselves.

The DRIVE Courses fulfill quality assurance standards for Older Americans Act Title III services and for PASSPORT services as well as standards for ODOT providers. The session is interactive and offers hands on experiences. The Train the Trainer session will cover information on training skills as well as how to use the DRIVE curriculum.

The DRIVE Train the Trainer course will be offered March 27 & 28, 2012 from 8:30am-5 pm. Participants must attend the entire two day course to be qualified to instruct DRIVE. The cost will be $200 and include all materials, refreshments, and lunches. This course is subsidized by the Ohio Dept. of Aging. Because of this fact, the course will only be open to those providers holding PASSPORT or OAA Title III contracts and providers funded by the Ohio Dept. of Transportation. This course fills up very quickly. Therefore no more than one trainer per agency/company will be permitted to attend.

In order to receive a refund, cancellations must be made 48 hours prior to the event. If the course fills up, we do maintain a waiting list on a first come, first serve basis. The Centroal Ohio Area Agency on Aging will maintain a waiting list once the slots for this course are full.

Previously in 2005, additional optional DRIVE modules on the needs of two special populations were offered. They are Transporting Passengers with Mental Illness and Transporting Passengers with Developmental Disabilities. These are optional for you and for your drivers, and would best be used as in-services for drivers who have already had DRIVE. There is a separate Train the Trainer session for these optional Modules. It is Wednesday March 29, 2012 from 8:30am-12:30pm. The fee for this Train the Trainer is $20 and includes all materials. Outline of the new modules.

The sessions will be held at the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (174 E. Long, Columbus). Directions and parking information will be sent with a confirmation letter when registration with payment is received. Columbus Hotel information is enclosed. Participants should dress casually and wear comfortable closed toed shoes. Some lifting is required.

Register with COAAA by March 9, 2012. Upon registration, participants will receive written confirmation. Once this training fills up, COAAA will maintain a waiting list on a first come, first serve basis. For questions, please call (800) 589-7277 or e-mail ptaliaferro@coaaa.org. Fact Sheet