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November 2019

Nov 25
Love1

Safelite AutoGlass Foundation Grants $25,000 for Unfunded Meals

By Featured News, Meals-on-Wheels

New grant funding from the Safelite AutoGlass Foundation will allow LifeCare Alliance to deliver more than 3,500 meals to clients for whom traditional funding does not exist.

Funding for nutrition services to low-income, underserved populations is typically linked to eligibility requirements such as age. Oftentimes, individuals who are most in need of consistent, nutritious meals do not meet these requirements. Additionally, a senior or medically challenged individual may qualify for a hot meal at lunch, but they may require help to prepare their dinner due to mobility, financial, and/or support system limitations.

The $25,000 Impact Grant that LifeCare Alliance received from the Safelite AutoGlass Foundation will provide 3,571 unfunded client meals. This is a critical safety net for clients who need an increased level of service where other community support does not exist. Meals-on-Wheels continues to expand based on growing need in the community, and the Agency is dedicated to accepting all clients in need, regardless of the presence of a funding source for their meals.

In addition to the support from its foundation, Safelite AutoGlass also partners with LifeCare Alliance through volunteer efforts. In fact, this past Wednesday, a number of Safelite employees volunteered in our Groceries-to-Go nutritional program. Groceries-to-Go provides both fresh and shelf-stable food, personal hygiene products, and household cleaning supplies to clients of the Columbus Cancer Clinic living with active cancer. In 2018, the program provided 46,503 meals to 382 clients and their families. Volunteers help stock shelves and shop for clients.

This group of dedicated volunteers also donated $2,000 to purchase turkeys for the Groceries-to-Go nutritional program to distribute to clients for Thanksgiving. We are so thankful for their willingness to Nourish the Human Spirit, especially during the holidays when many may not be able to afford their own turkey.

Safelite AutoGlass also adopts a Meals-on-Wheels route each week and has faithfully delivered since April 1, 2011. Over the course of a year, Safelite employees volunteer 1,040 hours and deliver 3,900 meals. As of their 8-year anniversary on April 1, 2019, Safelite has saved the Agency around $100,000 because each meal route delivered by volunteers instead of a paid driver adds up to $12,000 annually.

Safelite AutoGlass’s support of LifeCare Alliance’s nutrition programs is truly an investment in the community: the health and nutrition services the Agency provides play a key role in keeping clients safe and independent in the comfort of their own homes. AARP calculates that Ohio taxpayers fund nursing home care at an average annual cost of $78,840 per person. By serving these same individuals at a fraction of that cost, LifeCare Alliance saves taxpayers money while serving the community. For example, when the Agency helps to keep 100 clients in their home, Ohio taxpayers save more than $7.8 million. These services equate to a multi-billion dollar effect on the community.

LifeCare Alliance clients also average five fewer days a year in hospitals than those with comparable demographics, saving funds which equate to the cost of more than five years’ worth of client meals. When clients receive consistent, nutritious meals, potentially debilitating and costly health outcomes are prevented, leading to lower rates of hospitalization. Providing clients with their most basic need — food — regardless of their ability to pay for services, allows these individuals to better manage their finances. This ensures that clients no longer face the difficult decision between paying rent/mortgage to remain in their home and buying groceries to feed themselves. LifeCare Alliance’s services are vital in preventing unnecessary homelessness, hospitalization, and institutionalization.

Nov 20
Love1

Food 911: How Meals-on-Wheels Redefines Population Health

By Diabetes Education, Featured News, Help-at-Home, Meals-on-Wheels, Wellness

In September 2019, LifeCare Alliance was awarded a 3-year $750,000 grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Community Living (ACL) to expand our innovative model of care. While this model has been piloted and in progress since June of 2018, the grant will allow us to increase internal case management and referral infrastructure, collect health outcome data to measure the effectiveness of LifeCare Alliance interventions, and complete a thorough evaluation of collected data. Once concluded, LifeCare Alliance will publish and disseminate the findings to seek reimbursement for our holistic, one-stop-shop service model. Ultimately, the goal is to produce research that will allow for replication of our model across the nation.

Certainly, agency volunteers, staff, and supporters know firsthand the incredible impact of our services, as they partner in serving clients 365 days a year; however, the ability to quantify the successful outcomes and results will pave the way for future sustainability, relevance, and leverage in the ever-changing healthcare industry. This innovative network of referrals and information sharing is for clients who frequently depend on emergency services for basic needs.  This innovation is critical to ensuring that members of our community can age safely in place through a collaborative approach to care.

Meet Jerry and Marsha:

Jerry and Marsha, who live with the challenges of diabetes, were referred by their physician for an in-home consultation with LifeCare Alliance’s registered dietitian.  The couple, 74 and 68 years old, respectively, deal with many health concerns that began about a year ago. During that time, Marsha suffered a collapsed lung during surgery.  A month later, she tried the surgery again, but this time it was even worse—her organs began to shut down and her surgery was delayed again.  During Marsha’s healing process, they learned that Jerry needed back surgery and a pacemaker.  Because Jerry was Marsha’s only caregiver, this presented a challenge. That’s when Marsha contacted LifeCare Alliance’s Meals-on-Wheels program to sign up for the frozen meal program.

 “Meals-on-Wheels saved us,” said Marsha.  “Jerry and I are both diabetic, and we learned we could have a registered dietitian come to our home to help with meal planning as clients of LifeCare Alliance, we both took advantage of the service.  Now we know how to take control of our carbs and plan our meals with confidence.”

Jerry and Marsha are one story of many positive outcomes of Food 911: How Meals-on-Wheels Redefines Population Health. The impact of remaining together, independent, and in their own home—where they want to be—is significant, especially during this holiday season.

Meet the Faces of Innovation:

Molly Haroz, Director of Nutrition Programs, and Melinda Rowe, Wellness Services Director, are part of the incredible team at LifeCare Alliance that is implementing this innovative project. Understanding the challenges that many of our older adult neighbors face every day to maintain a healthy independent lifestyle, with dignity in the comfort of their own homes, the two directors have worked closely together to lay the groundwork that led to receiving the grant.

We know that the need is great!  There are still many in our community—including older adults, medical professionals, first responders, and insurance and health systems—who are not yet aware of this innovative approach. We are eager to continue spreading the word to help intercept those who are managing chronic, or even crisis, health situations. During the pilot process, we have seen that the majority of these citizens call 911 or visit the nearest emergency room to receive help with food, home repairs, etc.—services which hospital or paramedics are unable to fulfill. LifeCare Alliance’s goal is to make sure that our neighbors in need do not slip through the cracks, as they navigate complex health situations. By partnering with local fire departments and healthcare providers to refer “frequent flyers” or repeat visitors for ongoing in-home services, we are able to welcome new clients through our comprehensive array of health and nutrition programming.

Randy Little, Fire Chief of the Jackson Township Fire Department in Grove City, Ohio said of the initiative, “we have seen anecdotally how valuable LifeCare Alliance’s services are to our township residents and we look forward to continuing to grow and enhance our partnership, especially since we’ve seen such improvements in the lives of those we have referred to LifeCare Alliance.”

Tim Hill, Regional Manager-Ohio East of American Health Network of Ohio, LLC, said, “our patients come to our providers repeatedly for the same types of injuries that could have been prevented with proper nutrition, homemaking help, or even simple home repairs such as grab bar installations.  We have found that when needs are met, elderly patients often can function safely in their own homes without making multiple visits to our healthcare facilities on a weekly or monthly basis.”

Our heartfelt thanks to you, our supporters, who help make it possible for LifeCare Alliance to be innovative in meeting the needs of more than 30,000 clients each year. We look forward to sharing continued updates about the progress of this exciting project!

Nov 14
Love0
Senior Petcare

How to Select a Charity for Year-End Gifts

By Featured News, Legacy

The end of the year is a common time for charitable giving. For many, the question isn’t whether to give, but how to designate a gift to have a significant impact on the community.

In central Ohio, there are hundreds of non-profit organizations helping to make Columbus the city it is today.  The first step in making sure your donation makes an impact is to research organizations. This may sound like a daunting task, but is not as difficult or as time-consuming as you might imagine.  Take advantage of information from organizations like Guidestar, Charity Navigator, and the Better Business Bureau. These are widely trusted sources for information about non-profit organizations across the United States. You can search by cause and location to find local non-profits that align with your giving objectives.

Now that you have the names of organizations that interest you, it’s time to learn more about the charity you plan to support. Determine whether the services provided will make the community a better place.  Is the charity sincerely making a difference in our society? Once you have researched the organization, consider the following points before you sign the check:

  • Determine whether the organization is mission-driven.
  • Make sure it fiscally sound.
  • Review the Agency website.
  • Look into speaking with the organization’s CEO or staff.
  • Tour the organization or participate in a volunteer activity to learn first-hand about the organization.
  • Consider what is important to you, such as what your passion is and what motivates you as a donor.
  • Find out whether the organization has a good standing in the community.
  • Determine what percentage of your gift will pay for overhead.

Once you have made your decision, remember to trust your instincts.  Take a moment to examine whether the charity you have selected has secured future funding for the clients they represent.  Investigate whether the charity offers a gift-matching program or has an ongoing endowment campaign.  If the organization has implemented a gift-matching program, this can be enticing to the donor and it presents an opportunity to amplify year-end gifts of cash, checks, securities to endowment funds, or provisions in an estate plan.

Remember: Take time to research the charity you have selected. Some work in the beginning could save you time, but more importantly it could allow your gift to impact many lives of in our community.

Nov 14
Love0
Camp Hamwi camper Samantha

White Castle Foundation a longtime supporter of CODA youth diabetes camps

By Central Ohio Diabetes Association, Featured News

Nov. 14 is World Diabetes Day, and what better way to celebrate than to highlight a longtime supporter of the Central Ohio Diabetes Association’s camp programs, the Ingram-White Castle Foundation.

Since 1951, the Ingram-White Castle Foundation has been providing “nourishment to those throughout central Ohio who hunger for knowledge, independence, and self-sufficiency.” The Foundation further believes that young people should be able to realize their full potential. At CODA’s camp program, children with diabetes experience all of the above.

CODA camp programs include:

  • Camp Hamwi, the weeklong, residential program for children ages 7-17
  • Stepping Stones Camp, a transitional day camp with one overnight outing for children ages 8-12 new to the summer camp experience
  • Kids Day Camp for children ages 3-7, and their parents.

At camp, participants learn to manage their disease, avoid its complications, and improve their health with the education and skills they learn. Camp programs teach skills that significantly decrease the risk of heart attacks, strokes, amputations, kidney disease, and vision loss. These risks can be reduced by up to two-thirds if detected early. There are many components to managing diabetes and preventing its progression, but none more important than education provided in a way that individuals grasp and use. Without the education necessary to care for one’s condition, diabetes will progress.

One such child that has benefited from multiple CODA camps is Samantha. Samantha was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was only 9 months old. She grew up without knowing many other kids with diabetes, but that experience changed when she went to Stepping Stones. Samantha shares, “At Stepping Stones, I learned that I’m not the only diabetic, and there are other people that are going through the same thing as me.” Her experience at Stepping Stones laid such an impact on her that she has gone on to attend Camp Hamwi for the last few years.

Because of supporters like the Ingram-White Castle Foundation, campers like Samantha are able to develop a personal diabetes management plan that includes a healthy meal plan, regular physical exercise, regular checks of blood glucose levels, and taking diabetes medications as prescribed. Also, as Samantha mentioned, going to camp helps children with diabetes no longer feel isolated, and gives them an environment where they can cultivate friendships that last a lifetime.

Thank you to the Ingram-White Castle Foundation for helping children with diabetes live their best life!

Nov 14
Love0

LifeCare Alliance joins Subaru, Meals on Wheels America to Share the Love

By Featured News, Meals-on-Wheels, Press Releases

LifeCare Alliance is proud to announce that it will be participating in the 2019 Subaru Share the Love Event as a member of Meals on Wheels America – one of four national Share the Love charitable partners supported through the campaign. From November 14, 2019, through January 2, 2020, Subaru of America will donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle purchased or leased to the customer’s choice of participating charities.

“We are proud to partner with Subaru of America for another year of Share the Love,” said LifeCare Alliance President & CEO Chuck Gehring. “Their enthusiastic support is invaluable as we continue to serve all eligible clients in need.”

Participating Meals on Wheels America members, like LifeCare Alliance, will receive a share of the donation raised by Subaru in their state. LifeCare Alliance has partnered with Central Ohio Subaru Dealers to raise awareness for the popular year-end sales and giving event, and drive support for Meals on Wheels.

“Meals on Wheels America is proud to partner with Subaru of America for the 12th consecutive year to enable more seniors to live with independence and dignity,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO, Meals on Wheels America. “Since 2008, the Subaru Share the Love Event has helped deliver more than 2.2 million meals and friendly visits to vulnerable seniors nationwide. We’re enormously grateful to Subaru and its retailers for their long-standing commitment to Meals on Wheels and the millions of seniors who depend on it for nourishment and companionship.”

Over the last 11 years, Subaru of America and its participating retailers have donated more than $145 million to its charity partners. This year’s Subaru Share the Love Event is on track to bring that total to over $170 million, proving there’s no limit to the amount of love we can all share.

LifeCare Alliance will receive a share of funds raised through Subaru of America’s Share the Love campaign.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS

This November 14, 2019, through January 2, 2020, for every new Subaru vehicle purchased or leased, Subaru will donate $250 to the customer’s choice of participating charities.* Meals on Wheels is one of four national participating charities and has been since the inception of the event. Through this event, as a member of Meals on Wheels America, LifeCare Alliance will receive a share of the donation from Subaru vehicles sold at participating Subaru Retailers.

You might not be in the market to purchase a new car, but if you are, please look into the Subaru Share the Love Event to learn more. If you’re not shopping for a new vehicle, you can still help by spreading the word to your family and friends. A few quick and easy ways to do that:

And remember: this holiday season you can ensure our senior neighbors are not forgotten, when you purchase or lease a new Subaru and select Meals on Wheels as your charity of choice.

For more information, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/sharethelove.

*Disclaimer: Subaru will donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased from November 14, 2019, through January 2, 2020, to four national charities designated by the purchaser or lessee. Pre-approved Hometown Charities may be selected for donation depending on retailer participation. For every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased during the campaign period, participating retailers will donate a minimum of $50 in total to their registered Hometown Charities. Purchasers/lessees must make their charity designations by January 15, 2020. The four national charities will receive a guaranteed minimum donation of $250,000 each. See your local Subaru retailer for details or visit subaru.com/share. All donations made by Subaru of America, Inc.