The Future of Suburban Senior Centers in Cincinnatti
By Barry Zimmer on August 1st, 2017 in Elder Law
A Cincinnati elder law attorney helps seniors to understand what benefit programs and services are available to them in their local area. Many seniors need varying levels of help and support, while others simply need assistance with remaining connected to their communities. Senior centers can provide a lifeline for older people who are still healthy and living independently but who need to maintain more social connections. Unfortunately, Cincinnati.com recently published an article about risks to senior centers in the Cincinnati area.
If you are getting older and you need help determining what benefits you may be entitled to through Medicaid, Zimmer Law Firm is here to help. Call today to talk with a Cincinnati elder law attorney at our firm to find out about the different kinds of assistance we can provide with securing benefits.
Considering the Future of Senior Centers in Cincinnati
According to Cincinnati.com, a popular senior center nearly was forced to shut down recently. Anderson Senior Center was managed by a group called Senior Independence, but in early 2016, that group had announced that it would no longer continue management. They indicated they would not be renewing the contract they had with Anderson Township, which put the future operations of the senior center in jeopardy.
Members and visitors to the senior center made a decision to try to keep the center open. They organized a petition drive and they encouraged attendance at meetings that were being held by town trustees. In response to their efforts to save their center, the township leadership decided it would take on the management responsibility. The township already owned the building where the senior center was located, so it took responsibility for making sure the center was managed. Then, in late July of 2017, the township decided to renew a contract with Cincinnati Area Senior Services.
Although this was good news, not all senior centers have been able to continue operations. A senior center in Blue Ash, Sycamore Senior Center, had to close last year even amidst public outcry. The building the center had been located on, along with 11 acres, was sold and it is now occupied by different companies so seniors who had visited the Sycamore Senior Center are no longer able to take part in activities and enjoy social opportunities that the center had previously provided.
Neighboring communities are now offering some of the services which were previously provided at Sycamore Senior Center, but not all services have been picked up by other centers and it may be difficult for seniors to get to centers in more distant places.
Some senior centers are still thriving, and a lot depends upon how effectively centers are managed and whether there is good community outreach to draw in enough local seniors. Unfortunately, even with the strong support that seniors had showed for Anderson Senior Center, and even though the management contract has been renewed for a year, the Center’s continued operation is still not necessarily a given. The center has grown to more than 400 members now, but the town is hoping that the center will eventually become self sustaining and it has not yet reached that level. Hopefully, funding will continue to be provided even if the center remains a financial cost to the town, but there are no guarantees.
Continued operations of senior centers are vital to allowing an aging population to maintain the highest quality of life. From 2010 to 2015, there has been a 15 percent increase throughout the United States of the total number of seniors who are being served at senior centers. There has also been a 19 percent increase in the number of services that these centers are able to deliver to their older clientele. Seniors come to depend upon these centers for nutritious meals, social connections, educational programs, and more. Their continued operation is of the utmost importance and threats of closure can be very concerning for seniors who rely upon the centers.
Getting Help from A Cincinnati Elder Law Attorney
A Cincinnati elder law attorney at Zimmer Law Firm will offer assistance not just with finding out about community programs in your area, but also in qualifying for additional benefits that could provide you with valuable assistance with your medical needs as you get older. To find out more about the services that our firm can offer to seniors as they age, join us for a free seminar. You can also give us a call at 513.721.1513 to get personalized help and advice specific to your situation.