Town Meeting with the Director of Aging, Joan Lawrence

The Ohio Department of Aging (ODA) Director, Joan Lawrence recently participated in a “Town Meeting” held at the Ross County Senior Center. Earlier in the day, Director Lawrence participated in Governor Taft’s Regional Cabinet Meeting held at Ohio University’s Quinn Library in Chillicothe.  The “Town Meeting” consisted of a panel of three, Director Joan Lawrence; Area Agency on Aging District 7’s Executive Director, Pamela K. Matura; and ODA’s Community Relations Director, Steven Proctor. They took questions and written statements from the audience.  

The main concerns were prescription drugs and the six percent budget cut of the home- and community-based PASSPORT program.  Paul Thurman of Ross County gave a written statement to Director Lawrence concerning the recent six percent funding cut for PASSPORT and questioned the economic reasoning behind this decision.  Director Lawrence promised to give his statement to Governor Taft.

Executive Director Matura thanked Director Lawrence and Steven Proctor for participating on the panel and for the advocacy work done by them for older adults.  Executive Director Matura also thanked Jodi Riley, director of the Ross County Senior Center, for opening her facility for this meeting.

The Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. represents the following counties: Adams, Brown, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, Ross, Scioto and Vinton.  Services are rendered on a non-discriminatory basis.

For additional information call the Area Agency on Aging District 7 at 1-800-582-7277.