Ohio Department of Aging Aging Connection - December 2009

• Director's Notebook: Managed Enrollment For Home- and Community-based Programs
  
  The Ohio Department of Aging closely monitors enrollments and dis-enrollments from our home- and community-based services, such as PASSPORT, Assisted Living and PACE. Our recent calculations have determined that the department's budget can no longer support 680 enrollments per month, which has been the statewide maximum since the budget bill went into effect in July.
• Teeth Are Meant to Last a Lifetime: Simple Steps Can Help Ward Off Oral Disease
  Tooth decay and gum disease can happen at any age, but oral health is particularly important among the elderly. They are more likely to develop oral diseases that can lead to malnutrition, altered communication and further susceptibility to infectious diseases. Recent research has determined that the quality of life of older adults can be compromised by the pain caused by dental and oral disease. Today, approximately 40 percent of older adults have lost all their teeth.
• Ohio's Energy Assistance Programs
  The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), administered by the Ohio Department of Development's Office of Community Service (OCS), is designed to help eligible low-income Ohioans meet the high costs of home heating. The eligible income for households was raised this year to 200 percent of the federal poverty level from 175 percent. Thus, many people who were over income in the past now will qualify. All consumers are encouraged to apply.
• Medicaid Look-Back Period
  Transferring money and property to trusts or other family members in order to reduce individual assets and qualify for Medicaid has long been an estate planning practice. The goal is to make the money last as long as the care is needed, if possible, without totally impoverishing the person. Hiding assets in order to qualify for Medicaid is a crime, but it is not illegal to structure assets in an effort to qualify for Medicaid nursing home benefits.
• Ohio Senior Levies Revenue Tops $136 Million: All 16 Senior Services Property Tax Levies Pass on Nov. Ballot
  Ohio voters approved all 16 senior services property tax levies on the Nov. 3 general election ballot, which included 14 countywide levies and two municipal levies. Passage of these levies will generate more than $20 million in additional annual revenue for local programs and services.

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