2025 Legislative Update

AARP Ohio is fighting for Ohioans 50-plus and ensuring they have the resources to age as they see fit in the place they call home. As we head into the state budget season, we have put in action a dynamic plan to gain support and momentum for our initiatives.

Support for Family Caregivers
Many older Ohioans rely on family members and friends for care, and we must build support for caregivers throughout the state. They need support through respite care programs, financial assistance and access to resources and training. We need to make it easier for family members to continue to work and assist their loved ones. Implementing a tax credit for family caregivers who spend on average $7,200 annually out of their own pockets to help care for their loved ones would provide some much-needed financial relief to those who care for aging family members.

Building Age-Friendly Ohio
We are also helping to create communities that are more inclusive and supportive of older adults, as well as promoting improvements in housing, transportation and social engagement, enhancing the quality of life for our seniors.

Additionally, the state should promote community programs that encourage social interaction, volunteerism and lifelong learning opportunities to combat social isolation. We also need to strengthen programs that provide financial education, protect against fraud and abuse, and ensure access to benefits and services that support economic stability.

Open Invitation to Get Involved
Simply put, this is a lot of work. But it is important work. We need dedicated volunteers to help with this multifaceted and important work. If you’re interested in supporting our efforts at the Ohio Statehouse, visit our volunteer page.

If you’re in the Cleveland or Columbus areas, you can sign up to attend one of our volunteer open houses:

• March 18, 2-3 p.m.
  Cuyahoga County Public Library–Garfield Heights Branch
  Register here
• March 20, 3-4 p.m.
  Bexley Public Library
  Register here

Highlighted below are key measures we support in the state budget bill:

• Funding the Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, which plays a critical role in advocating for the rights and well-being of residents in long-term care facilities.
• Funding for Alzheimer’s and other dementia respite that will help alleviate the physical, emotional and financial burdens caregivers face, ensuring they have the resources and support necessary to continue their vital work.
• Investing in community centers to support a wide range of programs and services designed to help seniors remain active, engaged, and independent within their communities.
• Funding Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) that are essential for supporting older adults and individuals with disabilities, allowing them to receive care in their own homes and communities rather than in institutional settings. They include programs such as the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), PASSPORT and the Older Americans Act.
• PACE is a Medicare and Medicaid program that provides comprehensive medical and social services to older adults who meet the criteria for nursing home care but prefer to remain in their own homes.
• PASSPORT is Ohio’s Medicaid waiver program that helps older adults receive long-term services and supports in their homes instead of in nursing homes. The program provides a range of services, including personal care, homemaker services, home-delivered meals and transportation.
• Funding for quality, monitoring and inspections, which include long-term care facilities.
• Funding Nurse Aide Training for direct care service providers.
• Funding for adult protective services.
• Increase in the personal needs allowance for Medicaid recipients in a nursing facility from $50 to $100 per month.
• New funding for the Ohio Housing Investment Opportunity Program, to increase housing options throughout the state.