OFFICE ON AGING BEGINS NEW OUTREACH FOR SENIOR RESIDENTS

The Franklin County Office on Aging announced this morning a new outreach effort aimed at bringing its resources directly to older residents who may not otherwise be familiar with what the office has to offer.  The new campaign, branded HOPE—Helping Our residents and families with Purposeful Engagement, will be an ongoing effort to support senior residents living independently by letting them know about services that can help them age in-place. HOPE will encompass direct outreach to seniors, families, and caregivers to check in on their health and inform them about services available through the Office on Aging.
 
“We have so many supports in place to help an older person to continue to live on their own, but not everyone knows about them,” said Office on Aging Director Orvell Johns. “Our HOPE initiative is a way for us to reach out directly to the people we serve to find out what they may need and let them know what we have to offer.”
 
During the HOPE campaign, staffers from the Office on Aging will be calling older residents on the phone in order to provide information directly to seniors and their caregivers. The focus in March is going to be on making COVID-19 and other vaccines available. The team will also be letting people know about the office’s direct supports, such as home-delivered meals for seniors as well as personal care, respite care, light cleaning, and minor home repair, and the Caregiver Support program, which supports people who are caring for older adults, including if they are themselves senior citizens.
 
In April, the Office on Aging will be spreading the word about the county’s Kinship Care program, which supports older adults who are caring for children other than their own, and the Home Repair service, which helps aged residents to stay in their homes by providing minor plumbing and electrical work, new smoke alarms, handrails, wheelchair ramps, and more. The outreach in May will focus on the agency’s Adult Protective Services. 
 
“Five million older Americans are abused, neglected, or taken advantage of each year, and many of them or their loved ones don’t know where to turn when they suspect that something like that is going on,” said Johns. “Our Adult Protective Services team investigates these cases thoroughly and discreetly to help protect our older neighbors while preserving their dignity.”
 
The Office on Aging’s services are offered free of charge to eligible residents through support from the Franklin County Commissioners and the county’s Senior Options levy. To learn more about eligibility and available services, visit OfficeOnAging.org or call 614-525-5230.