Council on Aging’s outreach bureau is a service available to area businesses and organizations to educate people about available programs and services for older adults, people with disabilities and their caregivers.
Our outreach bureau focuses on educating individuals – usually professionals who work with older adults and people with disabilities – about our programs and services so they may 1) feel more informed about the breadth of services available in our community, and 2) be better prepared to make a referral for services.
What We Offer
Our outreach bureau includes COA staff who are knowledgeable about programs and services available to older adults and people with disabilities.
COA’s outreach bureau is available to the following:
- Hospital systems, physician’s offices, fire/EMS/law enforcement departments, municipalities and other social service organizations whose staff should be informed about COA’s programs and services and understand how to make referrals.
- Large area employers that are interested in providing education to their workforce about caring for aging parents and the importance of long-term care planning (a donation is suggested for for-profit organizations, see details below).
Due to limited resources, we are not able to accommodate requests from senior groups, service coordinators, or health/wellness fairs (unless offered by one of the groups noted above). Additionally, we are rarely able to fill evening and weekend requests.
Through our outreach bureau we provide:
- Presentations: A PowerPoint presentation tailored to your organization’s specific needs. In most cases, presentations can be customized to meet CEU requirements (COA does not provide the CEUs).
- Events: A COA information booth staffed by an educated volunteer to share information about in-home and community-based services for caregivers, seniors or people with disabilities.
- Information and answers on aging and independence: We produce fact sheets, brochures and other literature that describe our programs and services, share our clients’ stories, and call people to action. Call or visit us online for a list of available materials and then let us know what you need for your event or organization.
Special note: During the COVID-19 panedmic, we continue to spread the COA good news with virtual presentations as well as material distribution (brochures, fact sheets, etc.). Please call our Outreach Coordinator, Lisa Kruse, at (513) 345-2019.
Cost
COA’s outreach bureau is a free service. However, it takes considerable time and resources to prepare for each presentation or event. Please follow the requirements listed below, including completing and submitting a request form. For for-profit organizations, if you are pleased with the level of service and information you receive through our outreach bureau, please consider making a donation to Council on Aging. Donations can be made securely via Paypal on our Donation page OR you may give a check to your speaker. Make the check payable to Council on Aging. Thank you!
Requirements
For your request to be considered, we ask the following:
- Complete the Outreach Request Form.
- Provide at least 30 days notice for your event/speaker request.
- For speaker requests, the audience must include at least 30 people. We may make exceptions in special situations, but in most cases, speaking to larger groups makes the best use of our resources. If your group is small, please consider collaborating with another organization to bring in a larger audience.
- For events, at least 100 people must be in attendance.
- In general, we are best able to accommodate events and presentations that are scheduled during normal business hours, Monday-Friday. Our weekend and evening availability is very limited and is reserved for large groups and events (100 or more people for a presentation; 500 or more people for an event).
Due to staffing and other factors, we are not able to fill all requests. Our outreach bureau focuses on educating those individuals – usually professionals – who would be in a position to refer older adults and people with disabilities to our programs and services. Because of the amount of requests we receive, we must consider things such as date/time/location of event, audience type and size, and staff availability. In general, we are not able to accommodate requests from senior groups, service coordinators, or health/wellness fairs. Additionally, we are rarely able to fill evening and weekend requests.
Available Topics
Council on Aging Programs
What help is available for seniors, people with disabilities and caregivers in our community? Learn about the breadth of services available to seniors, people with disabilities and caregivers in our community. You will learn about Ohio’s Aging Network, including the role of your Area Agency on Aging; affordable programs that help seniors and people with disabilities remain independent in their homes and communities; support for family caregivers; and programs that help people transition from one care setting to another.
Long-term Care Planning
Why should you plan early for long-term care? Because 70% of us will need long-term care at some point in our lives and planning ahead can help ensure your wishes are met. This presentation is ideal for adult children who are thinking about their own long-term care needs, or the needs of their parents. You’ll learn about: what can be gained from planning ahead for our long-term care needs – for ourselves or our parents; long-term care options, costs and payment options; community resources; Council on Aging’s in-home care programs; and caregiving.
Submit a Request
Click here to complete a request form for a speaker, information booth, literature or one-one-one meeting.