Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine says that he wants to make Ohio one of the best places in which to age. Ohio is currently ranked nationally as having the sixth highest number of older adults, having 2.8 million residents who are 60 years of age or older.
With this goal in mind, the state has created the Ohio Aging Compass. This program was developed to be a simpler, more streamlined way to navigate aging resources in Ohio.
Ursel McElroy, the Ohio Department on Aging director, believes that this Healthy Aging Resource guide can be a one-stop shop for healthy aging information. The program simplifies access to resources that fit an individual's life, giving them more choice and more control over how they plan and live at every stage of their life.
To get access to all of this valuable information, get on the Internet and go to Compass.Aging.Ohio.gov.
It is once again time to sign up for the Farmers Market Senior Nutrition program. The program is still giving $50 in vouchers to qualifying senior citizens to purchase locally grown produce.
The Farmers Market Senior Nutrition program is available to those individuals who are 60 years of age or older with a one-person household income of $29,526 per year (two-person household income of $40,039 per year).
The vouchers (or a Snap card) are available on a first-come, first-served basis. It may take four to six weeks to get a card from the state, so do not wait to get on the Internet (Home Grown Benefits website).
The program runs during the local growing season (May through October).
A couple months ago, I reported that Ohio had created a PACE (Program of All Inclusive Care for Elderly) program for Ohio residents.
Portage County still has not developed a program to coordinate these services, but 80 other counties in Ohio have programs up and running. The program, when it gets to Portage County, will enable an individual to access state money for in-home care, rather than having to move into a long-term care facility. This money will help pay for daily bathing care, home delivered meals, and homemaking services, in other words, services which would help an individual remain in their own home, in their own neighborhood, rather than having to move into a facility, when they are no longer able to care for themselves independently.
For this program to be available, it will take the coordination of the various social service and health agencies to get together to create a working plan to offer to the community.
I have mentioned over the past few months that there are various financial discounts available for services and purchases for individuals over the age of 60.
What I have not really promoted is Ohio’s Golden Buckeye Card. The cards are free, and most of us who were living in Ohio when we turned 55 were mailed the card.
I did some research and found that there are 26 establishments in Portage County who accept the Golden Buckeye Card. Most of the discounts are 10% on a purchase, but that purchase can vary from a cemetery plot, to parking fees at Kent State University, to a car repair at Klaben Auto Services, to electric work on your home, to meals at a restaurant.
Once again, get on a computer and access the Internet, then go to the Ohio Department of Aging’s website, scroll down to Golden Buckeye Card, and check out the section on what establishments in Portage County accept the card.
Do not forget to ask for your discount … a lot of places do not want to ask you if you qualify because they might be insulting you (saying that you look old enough to qualify).
A special vote of appreciation for those local professionals who invested their time and energy in trying to get the Human Services Levy passed in this last election. A levy which is so needed, it is hard to understand how so many of us can turn a blind eye to the services that this program could provide for you, and me ... we are all getting older.
Contact Sally Kelly with your senior news at 330-687-9501 or sentrip65@yahoo.com.
