Below are the full success and client stories from the Clinton County Elderly Services Program (ESP) 2023 Annual Report. These stories illustrate the impact ESP has on older adults and caregivers in Clinton County.
Click here to view the program’s 2023 annual report. To request a paper copy, email us.
- ‘Guardian angel’ and ESP services help Allen remain independent at home
- Community-based partnerships bring health and wellness programs to Clinton County older adults
- COA brings flu and COVID-19 vaccines to Clinton County
- Grants improve accessibility at two area senior centers
‘Guardian angel’ and ESP services help Allen remain independent at home
The first thing you notice about Allen is his friendly face. The second thing is his home. Support from the Clinton County Elderly Services Program (ESP) has enabled him to stay there and enjoy all the comforts of his A-frame in the woods.
Allen has enjoyed every minute of his full life. A 65-year marriage – including 14 years traveling the country together in an RV – three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and military service, combine with his positive attitude and love of nature to give him many happy memories.
Allen has lived most of his life in Clinton County, not far from his birthplace in Warren County. His experience owning and operating a Blanchester gas station for more than 30 years taught him the value of hard work, as some 14-hour days began at 3 a.m. Fast-forward to his life today, and he still wakes early, is sure to make his bed and then fixes his cereal and coffee – Wheaties is a favorite.
I thank the good Lord every day for the life I’ve lived and everything I’ve been privileged to do. I am surrounded by wonderful people.
Allen, Clinton County ESP client
Allen began receiving ESP services when he was caring for his wife, Jay. Now, 94 and a widower, he relies on support from ESP – especially his Council on Aging care manager, Carla – to remain independent in the home he and Jay shared for nearly 40 years.
One of the benefits of ESP is care management. Each enrolled client is assigned a Council on Aging care manager. The care managers serving Clinton County ESP clients understand the unique needs of older adults in the county because they work exclusively in Clinton County.
Allen and Carla have a good working relationship. They communicate frequently to ensure Allen’s needs are met. When a need arises, Carla communicates with service providers and other community resources to find a solution.
Under Carla’s direction, ESP has helped make Allen’s home more accessible. For example, a ramp was installed to help Allen get safely in and out of his home. He uses it to get his daily exercise to gather the mail, which is left in a box at the end of the ramp. “I couldn’t get in and out of the house without it,” he says.
ESP also made accessibility improvements to Allen’s first floor bathroom, including a walk-in shower, grab bars and a raised commode. These changes eliminated the need for Allen to make the difficult trip to a downstairs bathroom.
Carla also arranged for home-delivered meals – Salisbury Steak is a favorite for Allen – and a home health aide to help with housework he is no longer able to do on his own, such as cleaning, vacuuming and changing linens. An ESP-provided Emergency Response System puts Allen at ease knowing he can get help in case of a fall or other emergency.
Allen refers to Carla as his “guardian angel” and often sends her messages showing his appreciation. When talking about Carla, he jokes, “It’s wonderful to have people like [her] to take care of us old folks!”
Allen truly appreciates the support he receives from ESP and Carla. “You know, if I wasn’t at my home, I wouldn’t even be alive, I don’t imagine.”
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Community-based partnerships bring health and wellness programs to older adults and caregivers
In addition to operation of Clinton County’s Elderly Services Program (ESP), Council on Aging (COA) also offers a variety of free health and wellness programs designed with older adults and caregivers in mind.
According to the National Council on Aging, approximately 80% of older adults have at least one chronic disease – and 77% have at least two – which require ongoing medical attention and may impact an older adult’s ability to perform everyday activities and limit their independence.
COA’s workshops are offered at community-based locations (host sites) across its five-county service area – including Clinton County. By holding workshop sites close to home, older adults and caregivers can easily participate in a familiar location.
Clinton County’s Blanchester Senior Center is one such host site. In 2023, COA offered two Tai Chi workshops at the center, which focus on fall prevention.
“They were two of the most successful [classes] we’ve had,” said Jo Slocum, the center’s president. Slocum said many of the Tai Chi participants had disabilities. “Through the class, they gained improved balance, increased mobility and socialization. To this day, people at the center often ask me, ‘When is Tai Chi coming back?’”
While each program curriculum is different and designed to meet a specific need, all programs share a common goal: to help older adults and caregivers better manage their own health. COA offers a variety of workshops, each focused on a specific issue or need (fall prevention, diabetes, chronic pain, etc.).
“Our health and wellness programs have a positive impact on participants’ lives, improving health outcomes and enhancing quality of life,” said Judy Eschmann, COA’s vice president of community and new business operations. “Our secret sauce is our relationship with our host sites. By partnering with organizations in our community that already have a base of members or participants, we extend our reach and impact the lives of even more than we could working alone.”
COA provides a trained facilitator(s) and program materials for each host site. Currently, there are 21 host sites, including health care organizations, YMCAs, faith-based organizations, senior centers and senior housing buildings. Together with host site partners, COA offered 33 workshops in 2023.
Organizations interested in partnering with COA to offer free health and wellness programs can contact Judy Eschmann.
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COA brings flu and COVID-19 vaccines to Clinton County
In 2023, Council on Aging (COA) received funding from the USAging-led Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative to conduct activities to connect older adults and people with disabilities to COVID-19 and flu vaccines.
The funding enabled COA in October to hold seven clinics, including three in Clinton County, where both types of vaccines were offered to older adults.
COA partnered with Clinton County Health District, which provided the vaccines and staff to register individuals and administer the vaccines at the clinics.
In Clinton County, 162 older adults received vaccines through clinics held at senior apartment buildings, and a clinic at the health department headquarters a COA representative attended.
These clinics will have a meaningful impact on the older adults who received vaccines. After all, older adults are more likely than most other age groups to become very sick or to die from the flu or COVID-19.
Judy Eschmann, COA
Attendees received more than just shots, however. During the waiting period after receiving their shots, they joined in a mini Bingocize class. Bingocize teaches about the importance of exercise and wellness, and is one of the no-cost health and wellness workshops COA offers throughout its service area.
Each attendee also left with a goody bag full of information about COA programs and services, some giveaway items and a Kroger gift card.
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Grants improve accessibility at two area senior centers
In 2022, the Clinton County Elderly Services Program Advisory Council worked with Council on Aging to distribute grants to local organizations for capital projects or one-time expenditures to deliver services to county residents age 60 and over. Funding for the grants came from the county’s senior services levy.
The goal of this effort was to help the county’s senior centers and other non-profit organizations rebound from the pandemic.
Similar to other levy-funded services, organizations were required to submit proposals to demonstrate how the funding would be used and its benefit to area older adults. Grants were distributed and projects were completed in 2023.
Funding was awarded to senior centers in Blanchester and New Vienna for capital improvement projects that have improved accessibility at each center. Additionally, project work was completed by local contractors.
In Blanchester, funding was provided to make much-needed improvements to the center’s parking lot. Approximately $10,356 was awarded to the center for repairs and repaving. The work was completed by Feirl Sealcoating, LLC, located in Blanchester.
Marty Garrison, a Blanchester trustee, shared this feedback to Council on Aging regarding the funding:
Thanks for your help in guiding us through the grant process…The parking lot repairs and sealing would not have been possible without the grant money. Please extend our thank you to everyone that was involved in awarding us the grant.
Marty Garrison, Blanchester Trustee
In New Vienna, the community center received approximately $16,600 to complete accessibility upgrades to the center’s bathroom. Thomspon Construction completed the work.
Staff at the New Vienna Community Center were thankful for the opportunity to apply for the grant and receive funding. As they reported, the grant made “a big impact on our small community.”
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