Ohio State Plan on Aging – 2012-2013

Overview

By 2020, Ohio’s total population is presumed to increase by five percent, with the number of 60+ residents expected to increase by 34 percent. Additionally, by 2030, the number of Ohioans 85+ is projected to increase by 82 percent. In order to be on the leading edge of innovation and responsiveness to this booming older population, the Ohio Department of Aging, in compliance with the Older Americans Act, created this plan.

Key Points

The Ohio Department of Aging organized this plan around specific strategic issues that they felt were most important to address in order to support their mission of promoting choice, independence and quality of life for senior Ohioans wherever they choose to age. These issues include economic and policy trends, local service delivery needs, new efficiencies, a unified long-term care system and senior civic engagement.

Based on this focus, the following are key plan highlights to note:

1. Ohio is expected to continue with modest growth and recovery from the economic recession, with the unemployment rate dropping from 2010 to 2011; however, although the rate of unemployment among older workers is lower, they spend more time looking for work when they do become unemployed.
   
2. As is the problem in many states, a number of Ohioans are admitted to nursing homes in part because they are “unaware of or unable to access other, more cost-effective services, such as those provided in their own homes.”
   
3. In order to be as efficient as possible, Ohio has required that area agencies more effectively monitor that services being used are necessary, develop care plans that are truly individualized, analyze and address factors that lead to increased costs, and share data and best practices across planning and service area boundaries.
   

How to Use

Local officials looking to organize a unified long-term care system based on primary care and prevention should review this plan. There is information on how Ohio is working towards this goal, with a specific focus of moving from a clinical-based model to one based on person-centered values and practices. Additionally, the measurable efficiencies noted in the plan are a great tool for every local official and planner organizing aging initiatives. They serve as an easy starting point for analyzing the services being offered in your community. Lastly, the information provided in the plan about Ohio’s Senior Engagement Initiative is important to note, as encouraging senior involvement gives them a chance to take personal responsibility for their health and to contribute toward the services they receive.

View full report: Ohio State Plan on Aging – 2012-2013 (PDF – 2.6 MB)