Everyone loves a good deal. To receive a small token gift for free or even at a reduced price brings contentment to the recipient.

Just consider the freebies one gets when going to a health expo or an event at the Trumbull County Fairgrounds where you can pick up any number of fun giveaways upon visiting the booths on the grounds.

Through the years, I have learned that I better order the Senior Levy Services fans for fair attendees to help fan off the hot and sticky air while enjoying the sights and sounds that fill the fairgrounds. If you don’t know where to pick up your fan, visit the Trumbull County commissioners’ booth.

The property tax levied for Senior Services is also a good deal for Trumbull County as a whole when reviewing the statewide situation that exists in Ohio. In a March 2024 Miami University Scripps Gerontology Center report Profile of Home and Community Based Services in Ohio, our state has the sixth largest older population in the nation.

The Youngstown region has the highest proportion of older adults with three in 10 individuals aged 60 and older.

The size of Ohio’s older population today is unprecedented in our history, but a 24% increase in those aged 80 and older over the next two decades will continue to have an impact.

Another study found that individuals receiving congregate meals were less likely to be admitted to nursing homes or to be admitted to hospitals when compared to a group of older people not receiving meals.

Trumbull County Levy Service Meal Programs, a meal delivery program different from congregate sites, is one of the largest areas of funding. As a cost-saving measure and to increase the number of people receiving services, Trumbull County introduced frozen meals two years ago if a recipient can reheat, in addition to the program for daily hot meal delivery.

The hot meal service allows for a daily wellness check by the meal delivery personnel. This contact has been a lifesaver in several situations when the delivery person noticed a medical difference in the senior.

A recent Scripps study found that high levy counties had fewer residents in nursing homes and a lower utilization rate of Medicaid. In particular, when families, who are providing the bulk of care in this country, can no longer hold up to the pressures of caregiving, nursing home or assisted living care is required for the older adult.

Today, 74 of Ohio’s 88 counties have levy initiatives. The cost of a nursing home stay is far greater than the $28.50 per year to keep a senior safe in their own home and as independent as possible.

The point in all of this is that the senior levy costs the owner of a $100,000 home only $18 per YEAR.

Recently, the Senior Services Advisory Council, an 11-member volunteer board appointed by the Trumbull County commissioners that meets regularly to review levy-provided services in Trumbull County and advise the commissioners, recommended that a levy replacement be placed on the fall ballot.

This was a hard decision as the replacement will increase the tax by $10.50 per year per $100,000 valued property owner, less than $1 per month. This is because the levy has collected the same dollar amount since 2005 when the levy first came into effect.

In that time, costs have increased 30%.

The senior population has increased due to the largest segment of the population, the baby boomers, now are retiring. The senior levy is servicing fewer people due to this conundrum. The recommendation to request a levy replacement versus a levy renewal is needed to service this growing population.

In my opinion, SSAC has been prudent in recommending funding for senior service contracts over the years searching for ways to stretch the dollars. The greatest change made was in 2019 when SSAC changed the contract process with transportation.

Since then, thanks to a Trumbull County transit administrator securing ODOT grant funds to supplement senior and disabled transportation, and securing multiple contractors, the cost of transportation has been reduced by 30% for senior levy and added proper reporting and oversight.

Because of the savings, the dire need to increase levy collection was delayed. If this change had not occurred, because of the high cost of the prior system, cuts or the request for an increase would have been needed sooner.

SSAC and I are deep in the trenches, listening to the requests for service, and having to tell those with very basic needs that they will be placed on a waiting list.

The homemaker / personal care waiting list is more than a year. Families have to step in to take care of their loved ones, but family members don’t always live in the area anymore. With the rising costs and growing population that waiting list will only grow.

Everyone loves a good deal, and this levy cost pales compared to the cost if paid out of pocket for that service.

Thank the commissioners for appointing 11 volunteers from all over the county to assist them with difficult decisions to invest in taking care of our senior population.

For additional information, contact Trumbull County Senior Levy Administrator Diane Siskowic-Jurkovic at 330-675-7846 or sljurkov@co.trumbull.oh.us.