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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2007

Strickland, Department of Aging To Present Elder Caregiving Award to Garnet Barker
Columbus Resident Honored in Columbus at Annual Award Ceremony

COLUMBUS - Governor Ted Strickland, Barbara E. Riley, Director of the Ohio Department of Aging, and members of the Ohio General Assembly will honor Garnet Barker, of Columbus, and 11 other caregivers for their dedication and compassion at the fourteenth annual Elder Caregiving Awards ceremony at the Statehouse Atrium in Columbus from 4:00 - 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23.

"Family members and informal caregivers truly are the backbone of our long-term care system. Ohio caregivers provide 80 percent of all long-term care services that would otherwise cost Ohio taxpayers more than $10.4 billion each year," said Riley. "When she was told she was being honored, Garnet Barker was surprised. 'I was just being a mother,' she said."

Garnet has been the caregiver for her son, David, since his birth with spina bifida in 1940. Barker and her husband Clay, who died eight years ago, surrounded David with family and friends. At 87, Barker helps David with all his daily care and helps him transfer to bed and chair.

The Elder Caregiving Award symbolically honors the thousands of Ohio caregivers who lovingly take care of family and friends day after day. Although the award is given only to a few caregivers, it heightens public awareness of the contributions of all caregivers.

Bios and photos of the 2007 Elder Caregivers of the Year are on the Department of Aging's Web site. Thirteen individuals will also be inducted into the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame at the event.

About ODA

The Ohio Department of Aging serves and represents two million Ohioans age 60 and older. The Department advocates for the needs of all older citizens, with an emphasis on improving the quality of life for older Ohioans, helping them live active, healthy and independent lives, and promoting positive attitudes toward aging and older people. The Department provides services to older Ohioans through 12 area agencies on aging, home- and community-based Medicaid waiver programs such as PASSPORT, the long-term care ombudsman and the Golden Buckeye Card. For more information, visit www.goldenbuckeye.com.