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Randy is a 76 year old older adult who moved to the Akron area in 2024 to be closer to the Cleveland Clinic/Akron General Hospital due to severe health challenges (both physical and mental health needs). He had no support system in his life when he arrived. He was estranged from his family with the exception of his brother who occasionally provided financial assistance. The home his brother purchased for him in East Akron was in very poor repair and unsafe. He had no transportation. He had personal care needs that were going unmet. Randy reached out to Jewish Family Service for assistance applying for older adult supports through Summit Co., coordination of health care, and transportation to his medical appts.

Jewish Family Service social workers quickly assessed that he was a vulnerable older adult with complex needs. They ascertained that his self-reported goal was to stay in his home, and age at home for as long as possible though he was worried about the poor repair of the house being a stable, safe option.

A service plan was developed with his input and he was assigned a therapeutic behavioral health support specialist from JFS Akron due to his mental health diagnosis of severe and persistent anxiety. The social worker facilitated his application to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services for Medicaid health insurance, which he was awarded. This reduced the medical bills he had been receiving.

A referral to Direction Home Akron Canton Area Office on Aging was made and he qualified for the PASSPORT program which has provided for all of his in-home and hands on care needs, including home health aides who visit Randy weekly.

To take care of the structural needs of the home, JFS social workers made a referral to Habitat for Humanity’s new program that enables home repairs to be completed for free to qualifying older adults in Summit County.

Grab bars were installed throughout his home, along with a new toilet, a new front screen door, front door, and back house door that lock properly and safely. New house numbers were put on the front of his house so that emergency medical services could easily identify his home in case of medical crisis. Habitat is currently assessing the drafts in the home which cause it to be quite cold and devising a plan to help.

Today, Randy is thriving. Randy is now physical and mentally stable, safe, and is even experiencing qualify of life events that he was never able to before. His home is in better repair, and is a safer environment for him to age in. All of this support allows him to be in the community to do his own grocery shopping and attend social events. JFS staff are currently working to arrange transportation for Randy to attend his local synagogue.

Randy says to his social worker, “My whole life has changed for the better because of JFS Akron!”