ELYRIA, Ohio — Lorain County seniors are getting a free treat to help them with aging and caregiving. The County’s Office on Aging Seniors is hosting its “Aging Well Senior Expo” for the first time since pandemic mandates kicked in. The event is being held at the Lorain County Community College (LCCC) Spitzer Conference Center on November 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Lauren Ksiazek, Executive Director of the Lorain County Office on Aging, told News 5 that her team conducted a 2021 Needs Assessment where 350 were surveyed, specifically seniors. She says it revealed an emphasis on awareness and support surrounding scams targeting seniors, Medicare, caregiver burnout, aging affordability, including insurance, etc.
“Lorain County is an interesting county. We’re a relatively large county, but we’re an intersect of urban, rural, and suburban. So, we have so many different needs…we have to be very proactive in thinking about the needs how to reach those seniors in the various locations and how to meet them where they’re at,” Ksiazek said. “The needs assessment sort of got this started again and we really wanted to target our education and outreach to those things that we believe are needs and questions in the community.”
Ksiazek says older adults make up 25% of the county’s population, which is expected to reach 30% before the number drops off.
“Roughly half of the older adults in Lorain County cannot afford the recommended service level that they need. We don’t have adult daycare in Lorain County. We have an age shortage, which I know everyone has an age shortage [but] we don’t have a levy. We don’t have additional funding for aging services.”
The support for older adults is fueled by non-profits and local programs, including the Center for Lifelong Learning program offered at LCCC.
As the program’s website states, “The Center for Lifelong Learning offers non-credit programming that is designed especially for those who are at least 50 years old and/or retired. These programs and courses offer learning opportunities in computers, the Internet, estate planning, career enrichment, fitness and recreation, world cultures, astronomy, gardening, history genealogy, antique collecting, creative writing, and much more. All courses provide adults 50 plus the opportunity to attend classes with their peers.”
Tom Lamoda enrolled in this quarter’s Basic Drawing class after retiring in January.
“I looked for things to do and we received a flyer in the mail indicating there was some great classes and I always wanted to take a drawing class because I had a difficult time drawing even a stick man. So, I figured this would be a great time.”
News 5 was able to sit in on the last class of the five-week course, where Lamoda, a Vietnam veteran, was joined by about a dozen other older adults.
“It brings me back to my old days back in school and it’s kind of refreshing too,” said Lamoda. “You hear about folks when they retire you need to find some kind of activity to keep you going or as early indicated your mind will go. So, I want to stay busy as much as I can.”
The class is taught by their peer, Earl Smith, who started teaching at LCCC in 2009.
“This is what gives me the inspiration of it to show you that you can draw. When you leave my five sessions you’re going to draw,” he said. “A lot of time you feel like okay, well I’m a certain age so I can’t do this anymore, wrong? As long as you got breath in your body you can do what you need to do.”
Lamoda says aging to him means to be fearless in making the most of everyday life on campus at LCCC, where his granddaughter also attends, and is helping him do just that.
“It’s a great environment here It’s a safe environment. The people are just wonderful. They strive to help and they want to help you,” he said. “This has been a shot in the arm for me and I just truly enjoy it.”
