Complete Story
06/30/2022
LeadingAge Ohio convenes adult day, AAA leaders to discuss rebuild
Statewide, numerous adult day centers have closed over the past two years, as a result of prolonged COVID-related closures and the challenges of rebuilding amidst lagging reimbursement, new infection control practices, and public fears about congregate settings.
This week, LeadingAge Ohio teamed with the Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging (o4a) to host a gathering of leaders within the adult day services (ADS) sector, as well as area agencies on aging (AAAs) and Ohio Department of Aging staff. The two-hour virtual gathering was facilitated by Holly Dabelko-Schoeny of the Ohio State University’s College of Social Work, and began with a level-set on the status of adult day services in the state of Ohio, which has seen outlays decline by nearly 50% since pre-pandemic times and the numbers of providers declining by roughly one-third over the same span. Attendees began to map key changes that would need to take place for adult day to become a more sustainable model for older Ohioans.
Attendees had the opportunity to weigh in on five different area for potential actions, including: Transportation solutions, regulatory and contracting changes, referrals and partnerships, “bricks and mortar” (which included discussions of one-time capital investments and strategies around collocating adult day with other aging services sites), and workforce solutions.
LeadingAge Ohio invites all adult day members to stay informed of developments by becoming part of the Adult Day Subcommittee, which meets monthly on the second Friday of the month. To join the next meeting, reach out to Patrick Schwartz at pschwartz@leadingageohio.org.