Jennings Center For Older Adults

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION - ADDRESS: 10204 GRANGER RD., GARFIELD HEIGHTS, OHIO 44125 PROJECT DIRECTOR NAME: COLLEEN LAVELLE CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS (VOICE, FAX): (216) 581-2902, EXT. 2332; (216) 581-4505 EMAIL ADDRESS: COLLEEN.LAVELLE@JENNINGSOHIO.ORG WEBSITE ADDRESS: WWW.JENNINGSOHIO.ORG GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS REQUESTED: $700,000 JENNINGS CENTER FOR OLDER ADULTS HAS BEEN SERVING SENIORS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST OHIO SINCE 1942. ITS NON-PROFIT, FAITH-BASED MISSION ANNUALLY SUPPORTS OVER 1,300 OLDER ADULTS WITH CRITICAL HEALTHCARE, RESIDENTIAL AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES. JENNINGS HAS A SIGNIFICANT REGIONAL ECONOMIC IMPACT, EMPLOYING OVER 350 INDIVIDUALS AND PROVIDING A FULL CONTINUUM OF CARE FOR SENIORS—FROM INDEPENDENT LIVING RESIDENCES TO LONG-TERM CARE. THE JENNINGS-PROTECTING SENIORS AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS PROJECT WILL PURCHASE AND PLACE CRITICAL SAFE MOVEMENT EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING CEILING LIFT SYSTEMS, SIT-TO-STAND LIFTS AND FLOOR LIFTS, AT FIVE JENNINGS LOCATIONS IN NORTHEAST OHIO TO REDUCE LIFTING-RELATED INJURIES AMONG HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND NURSING HOME AND ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENTS. THIS EQUIPMENT DEMONSTRATED SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN HEALTHCARE WORKER INJURIES AND OVER $100,000 IN WORKERS’ COMPENSATION COST-SAVINGS DURING AN ON-SITE KENT STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH STUDY CONDUCTED IN 2009. HEALTHCARE IS THE FASTEST-GROWING SECTOR OF THE U.S. ECONOMY, EMPLOYING OVER 18 MILLION WORKERS. WOMEN REPRESENT NEARLY 80% OF THE HEALTHCARE WORK FORCE. HEALTHCARE WORKERS FACE A WIDE RANGE OF HAZARDS ON THE JOB, INCLUDING BACK INJURIES AND STRESS, AMONG OTHERS. THE U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS REPORTS THAT BACK INJURIES ACCOUNT FOR 42% OF ALL HEALTH CARE WORKER INJURIES COMPARED TO 27% IN ALL OTHER OCCUPATIONS INCLUDING TRUCK DRIVERS, LABORERS, AND CONSTRUCTION WORKERS. PREVALENCE OF MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES AMONG NURSING STAFF OFTEN CAUSES DEDICATED HEALTHCARE WORKERS TO LEAVE THEIR CAREERS PREMATURELY AND DISCOURAGES QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS FROM ENT ERING THE FIELD. MISSED WORKDAYS AND VOLUNTARY TURNOVER DUE TO LIFTING AND TRANSFERRING INJURIES IS OF CRITICAL CONCERN GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT CURRENT AND FUTURE DEMAND FOR THESE POSITIONS TO SUPPORT A GROWING AGING POPULATION. IT ALSO HAS SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS. ACCORDING TO BETTER JOBS, BETTER CARE, THE AVERAGE NATIONAL COST OF TURNOVER FOR DIRECT CARE WORKERS IS $4.1 BILLION ANNUALLY. ADDITIONALLY, ACCORDING TO TEAM NEO, HEALTHCARE-RELATED SECTORS IN NORTHEAST OHIO ARE AMONG THE TOP 10 EMPLOYMENT SECTORS TO GROW BY 2023 WITH MORE THAN 8,500 NET NEW JOB OPENINGS. THE PERSONAL CARE SECTOR RANKS THE SECOND HIGHEST, MAINLY DUE TO AN AGING POPULATION. THE SAFE MOVEMENT EQUIPMENT INCLUDED IN JENNINGS-PROTECTING SENIORS AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS PROJECT WILL ALSO PREVENT LIFTING AND TRANSFER-RELATED INJURIES AMONG NURSING HOME AND ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENTS. DUE TO THE FRAGILE CONDITION OF RESIDENTS AND PATIENTS WHO ARE UNABLE TO MOVE OR AMBULATE ON THEIR OWN, ACCIDENTAL INJURIES WHILE BEING MANUALLY LIFTED OR TRANSFERRED IS OF CRITICAL CONCERN, BOTH FOR RESIDENTS AND FOR THE CAREGIVER STAFF. ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION, ADVERSE EVENTS RELATED TO PATIENT HANDLING AND MOVEMENT INCLUDE PAIN WHEN LIFTING PATIENTS UNDER THEIR ARMS AND INJURY FROM FALLS, CONTUSIONS, BRUISING AND SKIN TEARS. THE GAP IN THE PROJECTED SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR LONG-TERM CARE WORKERS RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER THERE WILL BE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO CARE FOR OLDER ADULTS INTO THE FUTURE. THEREFORE, INVESTMENTS IN INNOVATIVE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, SUCH AS JENNINGS-PROTECTING SENIORS AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS PROJECT, ARE NEEDED TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN HEALTHCARE WORKERS TO SUPPORT OHIO’S AGING POPULATION.