PARTNERING TO HELP SENIORS

Aproven leader for more than a century, McGregor is renowned for providing seniors with the ability to age with personal dignity, respect and quality of life at home or in assisted-living or independent-living communities.

A pair of new initiatives ensures that mission remains steadfast as the boomer population ages and the need for certified health care professionals grows.

In 2021, the McGregor Foundation and Judson Services Inc. partnered to launch a paid Earn & Learn Program for those wishing to become state tested nursing assistants (STNAs). Upon completing the three-week training course — which includes 56 hours of classroom instruction and 16 hours of clinical training — students are fully prepared to take the state-licensing examination within four months of their last class.

Last fall, The McGregor Foundation and Judson Services added Eliza Jennings and Jennings Center for Older Adults as coalition partners in the quest to expand educational opportunities. The four organizations created a paid certified medication aide (CMA) training program that provides opportunities for individuals who have earned their

Our goal is to train 40 employees currently working with our organizations. They’ll have the opportunity to expand their skills and increase earning potential.”

— ANN CONN

STNA credentials to further their education and prepare for the CMA state-licensing examination. Curriculum includes 80 hours of classroom instruction and 40 hours of clinical practice.

Upon passage of the STNA or CMA exam, graduates will be offered employment options at the partnering organizations.

“The new CMA paid internship training program gives students the chance for career advancement between an STNA and an LPN [licensed practical nurses],” says Ann Conn, president and CEO of the McGregor Foundation, which was established in 2002 as a private grant-making foundation. “Our goal is to train 40 employees currently working with our organizations. They’ll have the opportunity to expand their skills and increase earning potential.”

Conn cites statistics indicating that in 2010, there were 4.8 caregivers for every senior who needed care. By 2030, that number will have dropped to 2.8.

“Northeast Ohio is a health care hub nationally and internationally,” says Susan Althans, director of philanthropy and secretary to the board of The McGregor Foundation. “The STNA and CMA programs represent a collaboration between four long-term-care providers, as well as the Fund for Our Economic Future and the Deaconess Foundation, to explore ways the project can grow.”

To assist with curbing the growing shortage of skilled professionals, McGregor has also partnered with 10 nonprofits to form Expand PACE Ohio, a coalition of quality-focused providers who care for more than 60,000 elders across the state. The goal: to expand the federal government’s PACE program (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) throughout Ohio.

Lobbying efforts paid off, and Gov. Mike DeWine signed Sub. House Bill 45 in mid-December. The bill includes $350 million for nursing homes and $50 million to expand PACE to underserved metro areas of Toledo, Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, Akron and Lorain, as well as other parts of the state if providers are interested. Additional funding includes $40 million for assisted-living services, $30 million for hospice care, $10 million for home-health and community-based services and $8 million for adult day services.

Most PACE participants are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid assistance.

Until the bill was approved, McGregor had been the only purveyor of the PACE program in Ohio.

“Navigating senior care for a loved one can be very daunting for family members,’’ Conn says. “We’re proud to have played a part in stepping forward and shining a light on the importance of making PACE quality care available across Ohio.”