Successful Aging and The Senior Services Roundtable with Fran Ryan and Cindy Farson

“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” - Sophia Loren

If you yourself are not “older”, you likely have family, friends, neighbors who are aging. Our two guests will be providing incredible information on the latest challenges for our seniors, but also the greatest opportunities open to assist and support individuals who are aging in our community.

Fran Ryan has been an advocate for Central Ohioans for over 50 years and now she is a major influencer in all senior services. She reminds each of us that living to support those around us is the key to living a long and prosperous life!

Cindy Farson, Executive Director of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging, has been the key to progressing senior services in our region. We no longer assume that nursing homes are the only alternative, she co-chaired the creation of Age-Friendly Columbus/Franklin County. She has met the demands of the pandemic, shifted gears to provide affordable healthcare and home care to seniors, and supported the hundreds of agencies that provide senior services.

In early 2020 you were likely making great plans for how this new decade was going to roll out. The economy was doing well. Senior services were increasing. Funding was “stable”. Age-Friendly programs were growing. Villages were sprouting. And all was going well in our world, then the bottom dropped when a pandemic hit. Particularly in our senior community.

Cindy helps us set the stage of how the situation stood in March 2020. What was the immediate reaction to the pandemic by COAAA staff and other supporters of our seniors?

One of the major issues we faced during the pandemic was an oversupply of information. We were saturated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! However, the information was not always accurate or comprehensive! Cindy and Fran talk about how they were able to guide organizations and the agencies supporting seniors. During a time when no one knew what to expect.

COAAA has so many programs and services to help seniors, and they had to continue through the pandemic. The association supports in-home services, transportation, and so much mores. And during the pandemic had to move staff to work-from-home. Cindy covers how the continued to accomplish this herculean effort and continue to provide these great services.

The Senior Services Roundtable has made an incredible difference in our senior services programs over the past decade. We have a much better handle on what services and programs are available. And what still needs to be done. With the pandemic disrupting all of the services, Fran talks about how the Roundtable was successful in filling in the gaps for our seniors.

Many assume that seniors cannot use technology. Yet we have viewed grandparents Zooming with grandchildren; seniors scheduling tele health appointments, ordering groceries! It seems that new technologies and communication tools made a huge difference in continuing to provide needed seniors services.

We are moving past the pandemic through the success of science. Specifically, the tracing and testing, and now the vaccines. With the widespread health issues from the pandemic, Fran and Cindy talk about the additional services that are necessary to continue having a healthy senior population.

Housing and transportation in Central Ohio has become a major issue for many. Housing with increasing rent and tax delinquencies, and increasing costs. And transportation with bad roads, too many cars, and not enough buses. Cindy talks about plans being put in place to help with both areas.

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Recorded in Studio C at 511 Studios. A production of Circle270Media Podcast Consultants.