State Fiscal Year 2012
Introduction
By 2020, the population over age 60 in Ohio is projected to increase by 25 percent and almost double by 2040.
(Scripps Gerontology Center’s Coming of Aging report, June 2011)
Last year’s passage of the Jobs budget helped to position the Ohio Department of Aging to serve Ohio’s elders in the most cost effective and responsive manner. Our efforts have focused on maximizing the use of public funds for our citizens, creating jobs, improving health for all Ohioans and reforming Medicaid.
Our strategic plan (Figure 1), developed and implemented this biennium, identified goals and key strategies to help us meet the needs of our older population and reach our ultimate outcome: that Ohio is on the leading edge of innovation and responsiveness to the growing and changing aging population. With the strategic plan as our guide, we continue to refine our mission, looking carefully at what purpose is served by everything we do as we work closely with our local, state and national partners to help all Ohioans grow, thrive and contribute throughout their lives.
With our ultimate outcome clear, the Department has shifted resources, time and talent to meet the needs of an expanding 60+ population. In July 2012, Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University released updated demographic projections for the next 40 years that will have staggering implications (Figure 2). According to the researchers at Scripps, the number of older Ohioans with severe disabilities could nearly double by 2040. Today, about 49 percent of the 146,000 of those Ohioans rely on Medicaid. Thus, tinkering will not do; it will take bold new approaches, coupled with innovative thinking to meet their needs.
This report presents our major accomplishments in SFY 2012 in the context of our five key strategies:
- Advocate for the rights and choices for aging Ohioans
- Promote and provide resources for healthy, engaged aging
- Prepare and build a responsive statewide infrastructure for Ohio’s rapidly growing aging population
- Ensure that Ohioans needing long-term services and supports receive well-coordinated, person-centered care
- Deliver high quality products and services efficiently
Download the Annual Report.
