Senior Living News
Cleveland State University School of Social Work’s 2019 Anna V. Brown Community Forum is set for 8 a.m.-2 p.m. May 17 at McGregor Home in Cleveland. The topic is “Connect, Create & Contribute: Reassessing the Needs of Black Elders.”
Seating is limited. The cost is $50 General, $25 for adults over age 60.
McGregor is located at 14900 Private Dr., Cleveland.
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The Cuyahoga County Division of Senior and Adult Services is partnering with the Cleveland Clergy Alliance to launch a new program to connect seniors with County services. An unveiling of the partnership was held last Friday at St. Aloysius Church in Cleveland.
The collaboration, funded through the County’s Health and Human Services Levy, will deploy church ‘navigators’ to connect seniors in need to services such as: health care benefits; property tax and prescription drug discounts; home energy, food and housing assistance; and legal and employment services.
“One of the County’s top priorities is to ensure all residents are safe, supported and able to care for themselves,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish. “The new church navigator program will help connect seniors to services that are already available to them to help meet their immediate needs.”
The Cleveland Clergy Alliance is a non-profit organization that serves as a hub for faith-based community engagement. Chief Executive Officer Reverend Lorenzo Norris expressed his pride in the new program by saying, “We are coming together to make the City of Cleveland and the County senior friendly.”
The program originated in 2015 when the partners conducted a need assessment among seniors in their congregations and identified that many of them were not aware of services available to them or how to access them. The partners determined that the best way to reach the seniors was in their homes and at their houses of worship since they did not frequent senior centers or other venues due to transportation issues.
Jacquelyn Adams, the program’s outreach administrator, will lead a team of ten navigators from churches throughout the County, as they reach out to seniors in their communities. “The navigators are community members who are trained in the issues of aging and the resources available,” Adams explained. “Their role is to help the seniors identify needs and connect with the right resources.”
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By Liz Pencak
When it comes to finances, most people feel a sense of accomplishment when their income exceeds their expenses and their checkbook balances. In fact, most of us follow similar daily paths: work, play, pay.
We work hard for our money, save money when possible and research our options before making major purchases. What happens when our typical routine suddenly takes on a very different path? Have we looked far enough ahead to be prepared for the detour? Do we know what options are available and what to expect?
Preparation Counts
Let’s face it, there are many variables that come into play when planning for the future. Some of these variables may be planned, like buying a home, getting married, having children or paying for college. Others may be unforeseeable, like losing your job, sudden medical expenses or becoming a caregiver for a loved one. Whether planned or not, one thing is certain: each detour will impact our pocketbooks and may change final outcomes.
Statistics show that only about 50% of Americans are planning for the future, have a retirement income plan, or have an emergency fund set aside for the unexpected. Some will say their income prevents them from planning ahead. Or, they may feel prepared having already experienced an unexpected detour and prevailed. Regardless of the excuse, Americans need to take an active role in preparing for their personal future. After all, no one will ever have more of a vested interest in you than you will.
Beyond healthcare service options, you also need a solid understanding of how financial decisions today impact healthcare needs tomorrow. The complexity of the healthcare system, coupled with the ever-changing rules and regulations imposed by governmental agencies, requires the need to keep yourself educated.
For many people, Medicaid will become their primary source of income/payment as they age.
...Under Construction
The Montrose area near state Route 18 and Interstate 77 is the site of a new senior living complex now under construction by Omni Senior Living.
The continuum care facility in Copley Township will include independent living, assisted living and memory care apartments, along with independent living villas.
The VITALIA Senior Residences of Montrose will open later this summer.
New Logo and Website
Ohio Masonic Home, a non-profit, 55-plus living community and healthcare provider that owns and operates three campuses in Ohio, including one in Medina, has refreshed its corporate branding with a new logo and the launch of its newly designed website, ohiomasonichome.org
Originally founded by the Masonic Fraternity to care for Ohio Masons, their families and children, Ohio Masonic Home evolved over time into a senior living provider. While still serving Ohio Freemasons and their families, Ohio Masonic Home, and its subsidiaries, opened its doors to the public over 20 years ago.
Learn More
Hilltop Senior Living in Euclid has started College Course Fridays by joining Cuyahoga Community College’s Encore 55 program. Every Friday, residents can take as many courses as they choose from 9 a.m-3 p.m. Encore 55 is available to others, too. Check it out at tri-c.edu.
Hispanic Senior Help
Catholic Charities through the Diocese of Cleveland operates the Hispanic Senior Center at St. Augustine Towers, 7800 Detroit Ave. The program is free and open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-4:40 p.m. The Hispanic Senior Center serves seniors in the Greater Cleveland area with an emphasis on the culture and linguistic needs of the older adults of the Hispanic community.
Funding is provided in part by the City of Cleveland Community Development Block Grant, Community West Foundation, Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging, and Catholic Charities donors. To learn more, go to ccdocle.org.
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The Board of Directors of Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging has named Orion H. Bell IV as President and CEO of the 110-year-old Cleveland-based nonprofit organization. Bell, who will join Benjamin Rose April 22, 2019, was selected through a national search facilitated by Waverly Partners.
Bell comes to Benjamin Rose from CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions, Indiana’s largest Area Agency on Aging, where he served as President and CEO, overseeing a staff of 240 and an operating budget of $27 million.
“We are happy to welcome Orion Bell to Cleveland and look forward to working with him on leading Benjamin Rose as we continue to grow in our second century,” said Board Chairperson Cynthia H. Dunn.“He brings a breadth of experience in nonprofit management and aging services to Benjamin Rose and understands the challenges and opportunities in the field of aging.”
“I am honored and grateful to the Board for this opportunity to serve the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging and its mission to advance support for older adults and caregivers,” said Bell. “We will continue to build on the existing foundation of excellence and innovation to address the challenges before an aging population and to promote better care and better health outcomes for a diverse population.”
Bell has more than 25 years of leadership experience in not-for-profit management. During his tenure at CICOA, the organization grew to have an annual economic impact of more than $100 million through services, grants and vendor payments. CICOA’s care managed population grew from 2,753 to 8,528, and the organization achieved accreditation for its Flourish care management service.
In addition to CICOA, before joining Benjamin Rose, Bell served the American Red Cross in a variety of capacities including the Director of Chapter Operations Support for the Great Lakes Service Area; CEO of the Fort Worth, TX, chapter; Executive Director of the Topeka, KS, chapter; and Assistant General Manager of the Louisville, KY, chapter.
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