2022 Area Office On Aging Annual Report - Celebrating Successes

CelebratingSuccesses

ANNUAL REPORT

Over the last three decades, the Area Office on Aging (AOoA) has led efforts to develop the Lakewoods Campus in South Toledo. The AOoA has transformed this campus from a bunch of abandoned buildings to a thriving community supporting over 300 older adults, who have a safe, affordable, accessible and beautiful place to call home.

Successes Celebrating

Bill Harris Board Chairman Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio

Billie Johnson President/CEO Area Office On Aging

Northwestern Ohio

There are some successes which happen seemingly overnight and there are successes that are decades in the making through slow steady progress being made day-after-day. The pages of this Annual Report celebrate both of these types of successes that the Area Office on Aging has been able to accomplish with the help of our Board, staff, volunteers, family caregivers, public officials, provider network, and other partners. The beautiful Lakewoods Campus pictured on the cover is one of those accomplishments that has been decades in the making. We are delighted that this campus is continuing to grow and improve with the accomplishments over the past year including Ohio Housing Finance Agency providing tax-credit funding valued at $11 million to AOoA and its partner National Church Residences to build a new safe, affordable, accessible, and beautiful place to call home for at least 52 older adults on the empty land next to the Area Office on Aging’s building.

The cumulative effect of successes building upon prior successes has resulted in incredible accomplishments. Serving over 1 million meals and handling 25,000 calls for those needing to be connected with services are just two accomplishments over the last year. Having such a large impact as this was far more than we dreamed of accomplishing when we started as an Agency of four staff over four decades ago.

We deeply appreciate all of the Board, staff, volunteers, family caregivers, provider organizations, elected officials, and others who have joined us on this journey of helping older adults with living and better. We are confident that with your continued support, we will have even more successes to celebrate together in the future.

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Answering The CALL

Strengthening Families

25,000 Calls Handled

For many of the 50,000 northwest Ohioans the Area Office on Aging (AOoA) and its providers touch the lives of during the year, the first point of contact often begins with a phone call to the AOoA or stopping by the AOoA’s headquarters. During 2022, the AOoA handled about 25,000 calls, helping connect these callers with the information, programs, and services to meet their needs.

Retired nurse Jennifer Tillman said, “I just came to the Area Office on Aging for myself, as I have multiple sclerosis, and I have a twin brother who may need some assistance from here. Toledo has wonderful resources here. There are multiple programs available for just about

600 Received Care at Home through PASSPORT

4 PASSPORT

For Retaining and Gaining Independence

Over 600 older northwest Ohioans received care management through the Area Office on Aging’s PASSPORT Program as well as services such as home-delivered meals, a medical alert system, home care, and more to help them live as independently as possible in their homes.

“After going through multiple back surgeries, the Area Office on Aging and the PASSPORT Program have been such a blessing to me, helping me to continue to live as independently as possible in my own home.”

— Susan Coleman PASSPORT consumer

Grandfamilies

When a child’s biological parents are no longer able to raise them, they are often at risk of entering the foster care system. It is becoming more common for grandparents and relatives to step up to welcome the children in their home to help keep the children out of the foster care system. The AOoA’s Kinship Navigator Program helped about 250 families navigate staying together.

“The Kinship Navigator Program helps keep us sane. It’s good to know you have someone to call when you have questions or need help. The Kinship Navigator Program has helped us with school supplies, holiday meals, winter coats, Mud Hens tickets, educational programs, support groups, and with getting financial assistance.”

Helping About 250 Families Stay

— Grandma Astrid Halbert

$800,000+ Grant to Vaccinate

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Vaccines

Boosting Health One Shot at a Time

In 2022, the AOoA received the 1st place national Aging Innovation Award from USAging for its innovative older adult COVID vaccination efforts for giving vaccines to older adults like Carolyn Knolly-Coleman. The Agency also received an $800,000+ grant to provide 3,500 flu and/or COVID vaccines/boosters.

“The Area Office on Aging provided me with a vaccine right in my neighborhood has helped me stay healthy and the gift card I received helped me with getting groceries.”

— Carolyn Knolly-Coleman

Housing Service Coordination

Setting Older Residents Up for Success to Age in Place

In 2022, the AOoA expanded its service coordination from four to five affordable senior housing complexes. As individuals get older, their chances of getting a disabilities increases, which oftentimes times means they need additional care. This can result in the need to move into a more expensive care setting. AOoA service coordinators help residents

get connected with the services, supports, and benefit programs they need to be set up for success to age in place.

My service coordinator Charlene advocates with the property management to help get my needs addressed and also connects me with the services and benefit programs I need to keep me as healthy as possible.”

Expanding Service from 4 to 5 Housing Complexes

— Augustine Green

5,000 Over 5,000 culturally appropriate meals

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Senior Centers

Staying Connected at Senior Centers

Senior centers help enrich the lives of older adults by helping meet new friends, socialize with existing friends, enjoy a meal, get some exercise, participate in educational programming, activities, and more. Many senior centers have partnered with restaurants to provide culturally appropriate meals.

The Mayores Senior Center partners with a local Mexican restaurant to provide culturally appropriate meals. Over 1.1 million home-delivered meals and meals at senior centers were provided, including 5,000 culturally-appropriate meals.

TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART partnership

In partnership with the AOoA and five Toledo senior centers, The Toledo Museum of Art received a $119,000 grant from E.A Michelson Philanthropy to teach visual literacy and to provide free creative art classes taught by Toledo Museum of Art artists/educators at senior centers.

The demand for the Toledo Museum of Art classes at Senior Centers Inc., has been so great that they filled up soon after registration for the classes opened up.

Toledo Museum of Art provides free classes at senior centers.

Adult Day Care

For older adults in need of care and their family caregivers who have been struggling to find a home health aide, adult day centers have been a lifesaver.

With the State providing funding opportunities to expand up to seven new Programs for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) sites in Ohio, which have an adult day center as an essential service, the opportunity for more older adults and family caregivers to have convenient access to adult day care is looking encouraging for the first time in over a decade.

Adult Day Care Expansion Opportunities.

caring for the Caregiver

Being a family caregiver involves stress with the family caregiver spending over 20 hours a week providing unpaid care and spending over $7,000 out of their own pocket on paid care for their aging loved one. Sometimes the stress associated with this role will result in the family caregiver no longer being able to continue to provide care for their aging loved one.

The AOoA’s Caregiver Support Program helped over 200 family caregivers care better and longer for their aging loved ones last year.

“The Area Office on Aging has helped me with needed supplies, getting a temporary break, the peace of mind of knowing where to turn to get help when I need it, and that I am not alone in caring for Sam.

— Althea Baldwin Caregiver

Helping over 200 Caregivers with Caring Better and Longer.

19,000 Older Northwest Ohioans Received $50 in Coupons for Produce

Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program

The AOoA provided $50 worth of Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program coupons to over 19,000 older northwest Ohioans for them to use as cash at over 100 farmers’ markets and farm stands.

“At 94 years’ old it can be challenging to be able to afford healthy food on my fixed income. These coupons help me get the fruits and vegetables I need to stay healthy.”

— Melvina Hamilton

Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol Program

The Toledo Police Department and the AOoA partner to train volunteers age 55+ to visit older adults who are lonely in their homes to provide them with socialization. There were 17 new volunteers who

graduated the week-long training course and who now are visiting older Toledoans. This is the first new class of volunteers since 2019 and allows additional older Toledoans to be able to receive a visit in their home.

“Having these volunteers come visit my boyfriend and I gives us something to look forward to. This is our favorite part of the week. The volunteers are a reminder that someone cares enough to come visit us.”

— Rachelle White

2022 Total Provider Payments

* Report based on unaudited financial statements.

Creating the Successes of

Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio, Inc.

The Stranahan Foundation recently awarded the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio a grant to support the concept design and infrastructure preparation for a new Virginia Stranahan walking trail on the campus. The Virginia Stranahan trail will provide enhanced accessibility and walkability throughout the 46-acre campus. The goal of the updated trail is to make a walkable, rollable trail that is walker and wheelchair friendly complete with seating, lighting, picnic options, and directional signage throughout the AOoA campus. The trail will provide an accessible safe space dedicated to the physical as well as social emotional health and well-being of older adults. It will offer quiet spaces for meditation, reading, and visiting with others. The Virginia Stranahan Trail will meet all American Disabilities Act requirements.