State funding could help seniors in Coshocton County

Leonard L. Hayhurst, Coshocton Tribune
·1 min read
William Phillabaum, a volunteer at the Coshocton Senior Center, stacks food commodity boxes from the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. The program serves about 300 seniors a month with non-perishable items.

COSHOCTON − Coshocton County commissioners are figuring out how to best use state funding for older residents with assistance from the Area Agency on Aging (AAA), Region 9.

Jim Endly, executive director of the agency based in Cambridge, recently met with commissioners regarding $39 million in Healthy Aging Grants part of the 2024 to 2025 State of Ohio budget. Coshocton is earmarked to receive $222,791. The funding will flow through AAA to the county commissioners.

The purpose of the one-time funding is to address the needs of older residents by fostering improved quality of life so they can remain in their homes and connected to their communities, delay use of Medicaid, preserve personal assets and promote a healthy and active lifestyle.

Commissioner Dane Shryock said the three biggest issues facing senior citizens in Coshocton County is housing, food and transportation. This is based on a survey done by the AAA every four years.

Shryock said the AAA had a list of 14 homes in Coshocton County waiting on improvements to make homes safer for seniors, such as the installation of ramps. Up to $140,000, or $10,000 per house, could be used for those projects through the AAA. This work would also support construction jobs improve the local housing stock, the agency touted.

Transportation needs in the county are addressed through the Coshocton County Coordinated Transportation Agency. Shryock said it could receive some of the money to help with transporting seniors to appointments and more as well.

How to best use the funds is still under consideration and the Area Agency on Aging has pledged support in determining use and assistance in providing services where they can.

Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with more than 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @llhayhurst.

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Healthy Aging Grant to assist senior citizens in Coshocton County