The Area Agency on Aging District 7 (AAA7) in Ohio was honored recently with an Aging Achievement Award by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a). The awards program was supported by WellCare Health Plans. The AAA7 was among 45 local aging programs to receive honors at the n4a Annual Conference & Tradeshow that was recently held in Chicago, IL. The AAA7 was recognized for achievements with their Hospital2Home program.
The 2018 n4a Aging Innovations and Achievement Awards recognizes Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and Title VI Native American aging programs that develop and implement cutting-edge approaches to support older adults, people with disabilities and their family caregivers. A part of the criteria for the selection of the honorees was the ease with which other agencies could replicate the program in their communities.
(Pictured are AAA7 representatives Nina Keller, Assistant Director; Donna Hurt, Options Coordinator; and Vicky Abdella, Director of Community Programs.)
“With the health care landscape changing at a rapid pace, our members continue to meet the needs of America’s rapidly growing older adult population by finding new ways to position themselves in the long-term and health care marketplaces while strengthening the services they already offer,” said n4a’s Chief Executive Officer Sandy Markwood. “Our members work tirelessly, with little fanfare in their communities, and this program enables us to shine a well-deserved spotlight on their critical work to support older adults’ health, safety, independence and dignity,” said Markwood.
As the name indicates, the AAA7’s Hospital2Home program helps older adults in the AAA7’s 10-county district transition from the hospital to their homes. The program gives eligible patients vouchers for services like personal care and home-delivered meals. To determine those who could benefit from the program, hospital discharge planners and/or social workers identify recently admitted patients who are age 60 or older, not currently on Medicaid, and have a high risk of being readmitted to the hospital. Currently, the AAA7 is working with six hospitals in the district with the Hospital2Home program.
In Hospital2Home’s first year, over a three month period, 89 percent of patients were not readmitted to the hospital and 80 percent reported that the services they received as a result of the Hospital2Home program helped their recovery process.
The 2018 n4a Aging Achievement Awards honored traditional and new strategies in a range of categories including Advocacy, Agency Operations, Caregiving, Diversity and Cultural Competency, Elder Abuse Prevention, Health-LTSS Integration, Healthy Aging, Home and Community-Based Services, Information & Referral/Access to Services, Intergenerational Programs, Nutrition, Social Engagement, Technology, Transportation and Mobility, and Workforce Development.
For more information about the Hospital2Home program through the Area Agency on Aging District 7, contact Vicky Abdella at 1-800-582-7277, extension 22254, or e-mail info@aaa7.org.