Senior Resource Guide

Services for seniors 60 years and over who need assistance to remain at home, in Fairfield County, Ohio.

This guide provides information to seniors and their family members about services available in Fairfield County. It is recommended that any senior who needs assistance to remain in their home request an in-home assessment by a social worker or nurse. Call the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-589-7277 to request a free in-home assessment.

For more information about this guide, or to talk to a Fairfield County geriatric social worker, call SOCIL at 740-689-1494.

Information contained in this document is subject to change. Select any section below to expand it.

Food

Meals

  • Meals on Wheels (740-681-5050) or apply online at www.mowfc.org
  • Home-delivered meals — hot, ready-to-eat daily delivery (mid-morning to early afternoon), Monday–Friday; frozen meals available for nights and weekends; fee: donation only
  • Congregate Meal Sites — for seniors who are still mobile, Monday–Friday (visit www.mowfc.org for the list of sites), noon-time meal, donation only
  • Private-pay (self-pay) meals are available for all ages by calling the agency
  • Supplemental Food Boxes for low-income seniors — fill out a simple application, open to all seniors age 60 and older living in Fairfield County
  • Granny’s Home-Delivered Meals (740-277-6445) — once-per-week delivery (frozen/fresh), 5-meal minimum; serves Fairfield, Franklin, Pickaway, Licking, Perry (limited) and Hocking (limited); self-pay pricing; funding available through Passport, Senior Options (Franklin County residents only), and Ohio Home Care Waiver dual agencies (Aetna, Molina, United Healthcare)
  • Mom’s Meals (1-877-508-6667, www.momsmeals.com) — priced per meal plus shipping; available in quantities of 7, 10, 14 or 21; ready-to-eat, refrigerated, 14-day shelf life
  • Passport Clients — Passport pays for ready-to-eat hot meals or frozen meals up to 14 weekly, as assessed
  • Church Resources — if you have an established relationship at that church

Groceries

Health

House Cleaning / Laundry / Grocery Shopping

  • Meals on Wheels Homemaker Services (740-681-5050, www.mowfc.org) — laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping; MOW contracts with home health agencies; provided on a cost-share basis
  • Passport Clients (1-800-589-7277) — services provided as assessed

Personal Care (bathing, toileting, dressing, grooming)

  • Meals on Wheels Personal Care Service (740-681-5050, www.mowfc.org) — grooming, bathing, laundry; cost-share basis
  • Home Health Agency — as needed; may refuse care at some point due to liability; accepts private pay
  • Passport Clients — services provided as assessed

Caregiver Support Services

Doctors’ Appointments

  • Home Visits — Dr. Doss (740-277-7570), Medicare with balanced billing to Medicaid; check with your family physician or Fairfield Medical Center
  • Foot Care — Olivedale Senior Center (740-687-6655), $30 for 30-minute foot care
  • Fairfield Center for Independence (740-653-1186) — door-to-door transportation to appointments anywhere in Ohio; fees vary; wheelchair-accessible vans
  • Fun Bus (740-653-8294) — door to door; can bring a home health aide (paid hourly) to accompany you into the appointment
  • Fairfield County JFS Non-Emergency Transportation (https://www.fcjfs.org/) — must be a Fairfield County resident and current Medicaid recipient; call 740-652-7682 or toll-free 1-800-450-8845

Medication & Treatments

  • Medication Administration — Passport clients: a licensed nurse can administer medications up to 2× per day as medically necessary
  • Medication Dispenser — approximately $49/month, 10-day supply, audio reminder, best for persons with mild dementia (MOW does not provide; Passport clients as assessed)
  • Treatments — aides can apply non-prescription treatments; a licensed nurse is needed for prescribed treatments
  • Checking blood sugar — a licensed nurse is needed to monitor (home health agency or private provider)
  • Pharmacy “bubble packs” — Medicine Shoppe (740-653-7779, free Lancaster city delivery); Risch’s (740-653-1324, free city delivery and scheduled county delivery)

Other Health-Related Services

  • Nursing Services — catheters; approximately $50 per hour after Medicare ends
  • File of Life — provided by Meals on Wheels (740-681-5050); ER info sheet (contacts, medications) magnetized to the refrigerator for emergency personnel
  • Exercise Programs — Parkinson Exercise Programs at the YMCA (740-654-0616); Olivedale Senior Center (740-687-6655); YMCA Silver Sneakers (740-654-0616)

Social Security Administration

  • Medicare Handbook — available from the Ohio Department of Insurance (OSHIIP)
Shelter

Housing & Home Modifications

Pay routine bills (mortgage or rent, utilities, tax, insurance)

Own Home: Meals on Wheels; Family; Bank Auto-pay; 2-1-1; Catholic Social Services (Licking Co.) 740-345-2565 (serves Fairfield Co.)

Senior Housing: Meals on Wheels; Family; Bank Auto-pay; 2-1-1; Catholic Social Services (Licking Co.) 740-345-2565

Landlord Apt/House: Meals on Wheels; Family; Bank Auto-pay; 2-1-1; Catholic Social Services (Licking Co.) 740-345-2565

Minor home repairs

Own Home: Meals on Wheels (740-681-5050); Community Action (740-653-4146); Purdy Handyman Services (740-503-3421)

Senior Housing: Purdy Handyman Services (740-503-3421)

Landlord Apt/House: Purdy Handyman Services (740-503-3421)

Residence inspection

Own Home: N/A

Senior Housing: Annual; notice for correction; eviction if it continues

Landlord Apt/House: As needed; concern of liability (fire, destruction, etc.)

General maintenance (snow, lawn, minor repairs)

Own Home: Habitat for Humanity (private pay or 2nd mortgage / lien); Fairhaven Place Lawn Care (http://www.fairhavenlawncare.com/, 740-808-4326); Passport clients as assessed; Meals on Wheels (volunteer-based, not always available); Purdy Handyman Services (740-503-3421)

Senior Housing: Included

Landlord Apt/House: Family; private vendor; Purdy Handyman Services (740-503-3421)

Major repairs

Own Home: Habitat for Humanity (cap $5,000, 2nd mortgage / lien); Community Action ($25,000 max, waiting list); Community Development Block Grant (CDBG — City of Lancaster only, waiting list); Veteran Benefits (VA, 740-652-7920); Passport clients as assessed; Fairfield Center for Independence (740-653-5501 — ramps, doorway widening, minor bathroom accessibility)

Senior Housing: Included

Landlord Apt/House: Landlord responsibility

Bed bug extermination

Own Home: Passport clients as assessed; Community Action

Senior Housing: Community Action

Landlord Apt/House: Community Action

Safety

  • Emergency response systems — priced per month; notifies a contact person and/or agency if you’ve fallen; Passport clients as assessed may be eligible; Meals on Wheels installation and monthly monitoring fee based on income; VA
  • Safe Return (Alzheimer’s Association) — 614-457-6003; free enrollment program; provides assistance when someone with dementia wanders and gets lost
  • Monitored smoke detectors — part of an ER response system; needed for anyone with dementia; Passport clients as assessed may be eligible
  • Free-standing smoke detectors — Meals on Wheels / American Red Cross / Lancaster Fire provide a free detector and installation to MOW clients (740-681-5050); American Red Cross provides a free safety visit, detector and installation (1-844-207-4509)
  • Lock boxes on the door — access code provided to the ER squad by dispatch en route; available at Meals on Wheels

Day Center

  • The Salvation Army — Samaritan Center (740-687-1921) — 7 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday–Friday; priced per day (4+ hours: breakfast snack, lunch, afternoon snack, daily activities) or per hour (under 4 hours); financial assistance available (may not include transportation); transportation priced per one-way trip; Passport / Meals on Wheels / VA up to 5× per week as assessed
  • Fairfield Center for Independence (740-653-5501) — fees based on income eligibility (private pay, Medicaid, Passport, DD); lunches from Meals on Wheels

Transportation

  • “How Do I Get From Here to There” transit brochure — contact SOCIL for a copy (740-689-1494)
  • Fairfield Center for Independence (740-653-1186)
  • Fun Bus (740-653-8294)
  • Lancaster / Fairfield County Public Transit — countywide service; fixed loop routes within Lancaster and Pickerington city limits; special rates for seniors and persons with a disability; 740-681-5086; www.ci.lancasteroh.us/dept/transit
  • OSU Dodd Hall (614-293-3833) — driving evaluation to confirm an individual can safely drive (doctor must order based on medical diagnosis)
  • Passport clients receive medical transportation as assessed
  • Fairfield County JFS Non-Emergency Transportation — Fairfield County resident and Medicaid recipient; 740-652-7682 or 1-800-450-8845

Legal

Bill Paying & Payee Services

  • Payee Services — Meals on Wheels (740-681-5050, www.mowfc.org): anyone over 60 in Fairfield County, no fee, all mail directed to MOW, provides Social Security and bank access
  • Catholic Social Services (1-800-536-5057 ext. 1) — service for physically and mentally disabled; Central and Southern Ohio; pays monthly bills
  • 2-1-1 — contact for a Payee Program Application; individuals with mental illness or addiction issues; free; at least one face-to-face meeting per month
  • Bank auto-pays; durable Power of Attorney; joint owner on bank account; bank alerts (bank can alert a caregiver of suspicious activity)

Tax Preparation

Identity & Medication Theft Prevention

  • Scams — stay aware; Ohio Attorney General (1-800-282-0515, www.ohioattorneygeneral.com)
  • Phones — get an unlisted number; route calls to a family member; use an inbound call blocker; join the Do Not Call list (1-888-382-1222); program the answering machine to pick up on the 5th ring
  • Freeze your credit line; monitor bank account transactions; use a payee (Meals on Wheels, or 2-1-1 if a mental health diagnosis)
  • Report identity theft to police / Sheriff / Attorney General
  • Medication theft — use a locked medication dispenser; a lock box for excess medications; avoid storing medications in high-traffic areas; have someone monitor usage
Supports

Information & Referral

  • Meals on Wheels (740-681-5050, www.mowfc.org) — OSHIIP Medicare application assistance; HEAP application assistance; forms available for voter registration and Homestead Exemption

Veteran Service Commission

  • Veteran Service Commission (740-652-7920) — call for eligibility and available services

Respite

  • Meals on Wheels (740-681-5050, www.mowfc.org) — for caregivers providing 24/7 care; adult daycare onsite placement; in-home respite
  • Nursing Home — private pay (priced per week); hospice candidates eligible 5 days per month (Medicare pays); Passport clients as assessed
  • The Salvation Army — Samaritan Center (740-687-1921); see the Day Center section for details

Support Groups & Counseling

  • Alzheimer’s support group (for caregivers) — www.alz.org for locations and schedule; free respite at the Salvation Army Samaritan Center during meetings
  • Parkinson support group — www.parkinson.org for locations and schedule
  • In-home counseling — Senior Support Program, New Horizons (740-687-0835)
  • Delay the Disease — YMCA exercise class for persons with Parkinson’s (740-654-0616)
  • FairHope Hospice and Palliative Center (740-654-7077)

Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging

Loan Closets

Reviewed January 24, 2024. Information subject to change.