Council on Aging’s (COA) 53rd Annual Meeting and Awards celebration was held March 6, during the second day of COA’s Forum on Aging conference. In addition to presenting COA’s 2023 Impact Report and recognizing new and department board members, COA’s CEO Suzanne Burke, and Board of Trustees Chair Karen Brown, led a celebration of individuals who were recognized for their work to make life better for older adults and people with disabilities in our region.
2024 Award Winners:
- Ms. Tamra Foster, Home Health Aide with A Miracle Home Care, received the 2024 Home Health Aide Hero Award (Provider).
- Ms. Lorinda Curry, AddnAide caregiver, received the Home Health Aide Hero Award (AddnAide).
- Community First Solutions, Meals on Wheels Southwest OH & Northern KY, and Warren County Community Services, Inc. received the Community Partnership Award
- Representative Scott Lipps received the President’s Award
- Representative Bill Seitz received the Outstanding Advocate Award
The awards were presented in front of an audience of more than 350 individuals, including several state and local elected officials:
- Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus
- Hamilton County Commissioner Stephanie Summerow Dumas
- Representative Jennifer Gross
- Representative Dani Isaacsohn
- Representative Scott Lipps
- Representative Adam Mathews
- Representative Bill Seitz
- Representative Cecil Thomas
- Representative Jean Schmidt
- Nick Morgan from Senator JD Vance’s office
- Senator Catherine Ingram
- Senator Steve Wilson
2024 Home Health Aide Hero Award
It’s crucial to acknowledge the vital role home health aides play in our country’s long-term care system. These dedicated professionals offer personal and sometimes life-saving care to individuals who wish to stay in their own homes as they age. Additionally, they offer essential assistance to family caregivers who are juggling various responsibilities like work and raising young children. Council on Aging recognized two individuals for the 2024 Home Health Aide Hero award. Nominations for this award came from service providers, clients, family members, and Council on Aging staff.
“Our country’s older adult population is growing rapidly – and with it, the demand for in-home care services,” said Council on Aging CEO Suzanne Burke. “People like Ms. Curry and Ms. Foster will play an increasingly important role in helping older adults remain independent in their homes and communities.”
Lorinda Curry: Ms. Curry provides care for several Council on Aging clients through AddnAide, an app created by COA’s subsidiary, home52, to help grow the local homecare workforce. AddnAide provides an opportunity for people in our community – like Ms. Curry – to become a caregiver for an older adult. Ms. Curry was nominated by one of her clients
Tamra Foster: Ms. Foster represents traditional home health aides who are employed through Council on Aging’s service provider network. Ms. Foster is employed by A Miracle Home Care and was nominated by the daughter of one of her clients.
2024 Community Partnership Award
Community First Solutions, Meals on Wheels Southwest OH & Northern KY, and Warren County Community Services, Inc.
This award recognizes the unique partnership that exists within the aging services network and the service providers who go above and beyond to ensure older adults receive the services they need to remain safe and independent in their homes and communities.
In the summer of 2023, Council on Aging was forced to terminate its contracts with a major service provider, Central Connections. The three organizations who received this award stepped in with very little notice, and without hesitation, to ensure more than 1,300 impacted clients did not go without services.
“For the impacted older adults, the transition was smooth,” said Burke. “But we know there was a tremendous amount of work and coordination that went on behind the scenes to make the transition a success. These providers made what should have been a difficult transition look and run like business as usual.”
2024 President’s Award
Representative Scott Lipps: The President’s award is for people with gumption. It is reserved for individuals who, in their own unique way, have made outstanding contributions to the field of aging and have demonstrated an unswerving commitment to Council on Aging and the aging network.
Representative Lipps has devoted much of his life to public service and philanthropy. And, as representative of the 55th Ohio House District, he has demonstrated a priority for advocating for the needs of older Ohioans, individuals with developmental disabilities, and their caregivers.
Thanks to Rep. Lipps’ accomplishments in legislative leadership and advocacy on behalf of older Ohioans, the last state biennial budget included significant increases in funds allotted for home and community-based services.
“We are fortunate to have a legislative leader in our region who is such a passionate advocate for the needs of older adults and individuals with developmental disabilities,” said Council on Aging CEO Suzanne Burke.
2024 Outstanding Advocate Award
Representative Bill Seitz: The Outstanding Advocate Award is presented to individuals who, through on-going advocacy, have helped improve the lives of older adults in our region and across the great state of Ohio.
Through Rep. Seitz’s 24-year career as a legislator, he has displayed an unwavering commitment to serving fellow Ohioans – and in particular, older Ohioans. Through both advocacy and action, he has demonstrated support of the idea that older adults should have a choice when it comes to where they receive care. And, with a deep understanding of Ohio’s aging network, including Area Agencies on Aging, he has been a staunch advocate for the network.
“Thanks to Rep. Seitz’s support for cost-effective and compassionate in-home care programs, including local senior services levies, southwestern Ohio is better prepared to meet the needs of our older family members, friends and neighbors,” said Burke.