Bottom line improving for local adult day care

SANDUSKY — The Erie County Health Department believes it can now save its adult day care, which had faced being shut down after it lost money for months. Compass Point Senior Enrichment Center, 795 Bardshar Road in Sandusky, provides a safe environment for older people and provides a break for people who usually have to care for them. It operates from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, although most customers are there from about 8 a.m. to about 4:30 p.m. Launched in late 2023 with the aid of grants, it has been losing money. The county health commissioner, Pete Schade, had talked about closing it if the situation wasn't turned around. For a couple of months, Compass Point was losing $28,000 a month, Schade said. At one point, it had only six people a day, he said. But the census has risen to about 14 people a day, and that appears to still be trending upward, Schade said. It concluded a recent month by finishing $3,000 in the black, he said. The adult day care goal is 25 people a day, he said. Schade said much of the turnaround is because of the efforts of Shari Greene, chief operating officer at the health department. Greene has worked hard to attract more customers for Compass Point, Schade said. Schade said the health department also has been able to obtain new grants and was able to save on personnel costs by shifting around staff assignments. Earlier this week, Greene said she believes there is momentum in place to have a daily census of more than 20 people a day. She said efforts continue to make the community aware of Compass Point. She has met with the local Alzheimer's support group. Local churches have been told about the program and church officials have been invited to tour the day care. Margaretta Township's trustees have toured it, Greene said. The health department is also working with Tory Thompson, director of Ottawa County Senior Resources, she said. The fee for the adult day care is $81 a day and $45 for a half day, but there are resources available to help many people with the cost, Greene said. While Medicare does not pay for respite services, a pilot program for people enrolled in traditional Medicare, not Medicare Advantage plans, provides $2,500 a year for respite services. Medicaid enrollees more than 60 years old may be able to get help from the PASSPORT program, which "helps Medicaid-eligible older Ohioans get the long-term services and supports they need to stay in their homes or other community settings," according to the Ohio Department of Aging. In addition, the health department recently got a $10,000 grant from the Wightman-Wieber Foundation and a $118,000 grant from the Alzheimer Association's Center for Dementia Respite Innovation. Both are to help people pay for respite care at the daycare. In addition, Serving Our Seniors can also sometimes provide help. Greene said people who want to inquire about the adult day care or about financial assistance to use it may call Compass Pointe at 419-502-1020. They can also set up a tour of the facility, she said, meeting the staff to ask questions.