Senior's Wish to Come True of Being Home for the Holidays
Geraldine Yoxthimer has many blessings to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Top on her holiday wish list is getting out of Lake Park nursing home in Sylvania and being home for good for the holidays. With the help of the Ability Center and the Area Office on Aging's PASSPORT Program, Geraldine will be transitioned on Wednesday, November 23 from the nursing home to her home in Toledo. "All the people from the Area Office on Aging's PASSPORT Program and the Ability Center who are helping me to get out of the nursing home and come home for the holidays are such a great blessing," Geraldine said.
After being in the nursing home for nine months due to a fall that resulted in a broken leg, it looked like Geraldine was going to be in the nursing home for a long time since she needs assistance with bathing, dressing, meals as well as a ramp to get up and down any stairs. Until recently, Geraldine thought the steps to her home where an insurmountable barrier to her ever getting home again since she would need a ramp installed before coming home from the nursing home to get in her home and federal rules state that the PASSPORT Program cannot pay for a ramp to be installed at an older adult's home until after the older adult moves from a nursing home back home. Thanks to the Area Office on Aging providing the Ability Center funding for their innovative program to purchase and install a temporary aluminum ramp at Geraldine's home until a permanent ramp can be installed, Geraldine will be able to come home from the nursing home after all.
Instead of Ohio tax-payers paying about $60,000 a year for Geraldine to be in a nursing home through Medicaid, the Area Office on Aging's PASSPORT Program will bring services like she received at the nursing home right to her own home instead, at a cost to tax-payers that is only 1/3 of the cost of a nursing home. PASSPORT will provide a home health aide to help Geraldine with bathing and dressing as well as a permanent ramp to get in and out of her home. "PASSPORT is enabling me to be where I want to be, home" said Geraldine.
Instead of replacing the family, PASSPORT supplements the care Geraldine's daughter provides. For each older adult that transitions out of a nursing home onto the PASSPORT Program, the average savings to tax-payers is $40,000/year, but according to Geraldine, "the improved quality of life is priceless."
To get photos/video of the temporary ramp being installed on Wednesday morning or to arrange an interview with Geraldine either before she leaves the nursing home and/or when she comes home the day before Thanksgiving, please contact Justin Moor from the Area Office on Aging at 419-206-7738.
Press Release Contact Name: Justin Moor
Press Release Contact Email: [email protected]
Press Release Contact Phone: 419-725-6969
Organization Name: Area Office on Aging
Website or Link: www.areaofficeonaging.com
Organization Address: 2155 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43609