POMEROY — Being provided services in their own homes through PASSPORT or in an assisted living setting means many elderly Meigs Countians can continue to live in the community instead of going into a nursing home.

Meigs County which has a high percentage of older residents, is one of seven Southeastern Ohio counties provided PASSPORT services through the Buckeye Hills Area Agency on Aging 8 with offices in Marietta.

That agency is currently enrolling older adults into both PASSPORT and Assisted Living on a “first come, first served basis.” The other counties receiving services through the Area 8 office are Athens, Hocking, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry and Washington Counties.

The cost of providing services through PASSPORT or in an assisted living setting has been determined to be less expensive to taxpayers than nursing home placement. Enrollment, however, has been limited to about 80 percent of previous levels.

According to Rick Hindman, AAA8 Director with offices in Marietta, all Area Agencies on Aging processing referrals are working with the State of Ohio to make that status only temporary.

“Even though State budget concerns have resulted in limiting openings for new enrollees, we still have capacity to add quite a few older adults to our PASSPORT and Assisted Living rosters” said Hindman.

“All of the Ohio Area Agencies on Aging are working with State officials and legislators to lift the limit on enrollments as a substantial cost-saving measure for Ohio, as well as a meaningful and much preferred choice for older Ohioans.”

PASSPORT and Assisted Living waiver programs are funded through Medicaid under nursing home eligibility rules, as are many of the nursing home placements in Ohio. These two programs allow about 28,000 older Ohioans to remain at home for one-fifth to one-half the cost of a nursing home placement.

“If a qualifying older person is in a nursing home now and ready for community living instead, the Home First option allows all of them to transition home through PASSPORT or Assisted Living programs immediately, with no limits,” Hindman added.

“If older people are forced to go into a nursing home for lack of alternatives like PASSPORT, it drives Medicaid spending higher and higher, costing the State and each taxpayer more with each new nursing home resident who could be at home.

“We will come out to a person’s home or nursing home to do a Long-Term Care Consultation, which can be helpful in planning on professional, family or self-care until we can get them on one of the programs,” Hindman emphasized.

Anyone interested in learning more about an in-home consultation, PASSPORT or Assisted Living options should call AAA8 at 1-800-331-2644 or visit www.areaagency8.org. There is no cost for the call or the consultation.