Council on Aging reports enrollment limits, service gains and new utility‑assistance portal

Ken Wilson, representing the Council on Aging, updated commissioners Jan. 21 on senior services and said the agency slowed new enrollments in 2024 to keep the ESP program within its budget while prioritizing highest‑need older adults.

Wilson said the Council targeted people with high needs — for example, those in cancer treatment, on dialysis, in hospice, referred by adult protective services, in need of emergency home‑delivered meals, or recently discharged from a hospital or nursing facility — and, more recently, those with cognitive impairment. He said the Council averaged 260 new enrollments per quarter into the ESP program and 406 new enrollments per quarter into the Fast Track Home program (which serves people leaving nursing facilities or hospitals).

Wilson reported improvements in cost and workforce metrics. He said a competitive procurement for electronic monitoring systems and regional purchasing produced a 20% reduction in costs starting Oct. 1 and that the Council is “paying under the market rate and also under the Medicaid rate” for that service. He said workforce capacity has improved markedly: as of Jan. 21 there were 32 people waiting for a home‑care aide, versus about 730 two years earlier.

On home repairs and modifications funded by a mix of the Senior Services Levy, Healthy Aging funds and the county’s housing repair program, Wilson said the Council completed 261 jobs in 2024 at an average cost of a little more than $3,000 per job; common work included stair lifts, ramps, grab bars, HVAC repairs and plumbing. For utility assistance, he said 961 individuals received a credit on their utility bill in 2024 and the Council streamlined credits by working with Duke Energy and Greater Cincinnati Water Works.

Wilson said the Council successfully advocated at the state level to remove a requirement that certain meals needed a doctor’s prescription, a change he said reduced per‑meal costs about 7%. He also thanked the commission for ARPA funds approved in December and announced the Council’s online application for utility assistance and home‑repair programs had gone live.

Commissioners asked about transportation, fraud protection and safety in senior housing. Wilson said the Council has strengthened in‑house transportation scheduling and contracts with local transportation providers for the Council’s programs, but that private Medicaid and Medicare Advantage transportation providers often offer lower‑cost service with inconsistent quality. He agreed to provide commissioners a list of the transportation entities used by Council programs. Commissioners also praised the 513 relief bus outreach and Healthy Aging Day events; Wilson said the bus participated in 54 events and connected 349 resources with attendees, and that the Council received a national innovation award for that outreach.

Wilson concluded that financial projections for the Council’s programs are improving and that the agency plans to increase new enrollments in 2025. He offered to return with more details on transportation partnerships and other operational topics. No formal vote or policy change occurred during the update.