Putnam expo helps seniors get what they need

OTTAWA — Demographic trends show that a greater percentage of the population is getting older, with research from Miami University predicting that more than one in four Ohioans will be older than 60 by 2030. To help meet the changing needs of that growing demographic, more than 50 businesses and community organizations gathered Friday at Ottawa Elementary for the Putnam County Senior Expo to help seniors obtain the needed resources to make the most of this time in their lives.

“There are a number of agencies that come together to put this on: The Meadows of Leipsic, Ottawa and Kalida, Putnam County Homecare and Hospice, the Putnam County Health Department, the Putnam County Council on Aging and also the Ottawa Senior Center,” Meadows of Leipsic Director of Sales Janelle Herrera said. “Things are ever-changing when it comes to healthcare and needs for senior citizens, and we always want them to have the most up-to-date information. So putting this on and giving them access to that all in one spot is key.”

Some of those changes may center around issues like insurance, Herrera said, or around in-home medical or non-medical care.

“They don’t necessarily know what their options are or what their needs are until they’re facing them, and so many things have changed over the years,” she said. “With the cost of living and everything going on in our economy right now, people are really trying to find resources to get them through.”

Andrea Becker, the manager of Blanchard Valley Putnam County Primary Care, said she hopes to help seniors be more aware of preventative measures that can be taken to help them live healthier lives, both physically and mentally, while preventing more serious conditions down the road. For her, access to primary medical care is an important part of that.

“Primary care is becoming one of the major access points [for senior care],” she said. “They’re managing more chronic conditions than they had 10, 15 years ago. So having that access to a primary care provider is definitely the most important thing, and we’re trying to offer that in our office as much as we can.”

The expo also brought non-medical resources to area seniors, from insurance to housing to financial literacy.

“We have started doing financial literacy [outreach] in the community and talking to senior citizens about scams and fraud,” First Financial Bank Ottawa branch manager Sarah Klausing said. “Somebody tries to get close to them and maybe get their online banking information, or maybe they want them to send things like gift cards or cashier’s checks. That’s what we see on a daily basis.”