05/26/2022

Ohio requests $4.9 million for healthy aging outreach centers

The Ohio Department of Aging (ODA) wants to address the current healthcare workforce shortage not just by increasing supply, but also by decreasing demand.

Director Ursel McElroy has submitted a request for $4,882,800 in the upcoming capital budget to fund five new Healthy Aging Outreach Centers that will provide training, certification, education, and outreach to providers, families, and older Ohioans.

Office of Budget and Management Director Kimberly Murnieks is expected to testify about the requests to the Senate and House Finance Committees Tuesday.

Director McElroy said in the request, "the goal of all programming is to empower older Ohioans to live longer, healthier lives." According to Director McElroy, AARP estimates that 1.5 million family caregivers provide unpaid care for loved ones in Ohio for an estimated annual value of $16.5 billion.

Additionally, a state-needs assessment found 20% of Ohioans provide care for someone, and one in three are working full time while doing so. Meanwhile, Ohioans continue to age and live longer lives, with the 60+ population expected to exceed 3 million in 2030.

In her request, Director McElroy stated Ohio must provide caregivers with the right resources to support their loved ones with increasingly complex care, but must also work to prolong when that care is required.

"We know that most people who reach the age of 65 as healthy adults will likely be active for 15 to 20 years beyond retirement, yet little attention is paid in state and local policy to the experienced resource this group represents," she said. "Targeted early intervention prevention will result in significant cost avoidance for the state and create healthier economies of scale."

The $4.9 million would fund one centrally located office ($1.73 million) and four mobile units ($3.17 million), allowing the department to reach Ohio's rural and economically challenged areas.

Director McElroy also identified that all stations would be equipped with advanced learning systems and a multidisciplinary team to provide digital and hands-on training to ultimately decrease reliance on state-funded health care, reduce nursing home demand, reduce rehospitalizations, decrease burden on family caregivers, and preserve generational wealth.

Increased training and support to caregivers would also lead to less provider burnout and turnover, Director McElroy stated.The center would take 18 months to design, build, and deploy from the point of funding and the department estimates a $36 return on investment for every dollar. 

"The capital investment requested by ODA has several pillars that will further commitments by Governor DeWine and the General Assembly to address healthcare workforce gaps," Director Ursel stated. "Healthy people lead to renewed communities and a thriving economy, underscoring the need for a stable caregiver network."