CELINA, OH – Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey reports a FREE new service for aging Ohioans called “Staying Connected”.

To help address isolation, the Ohio Department of Aging is offering a free, daily check-in by phone for older Ohioans to connect them with information and applicable live support. This service is available from 7am to 6pm seven days a week for Ohio residents age 60 and older who have a valid telephone number (whether landline or mobile).

Eligible Ohioans can sign-up at www.aging.ohio.gov or call 1-833-632-2428.

At the time of registration, participants choose the time they want to be contacted and identify an alternate contact. The alternate will be contacted if we do not make positive contact with the program participant after three attempts. If all previous attempts to contact the participant and the alternate are not successful, a call is placed to the participant’s county Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line to initiate a wellness check.

For those wanting to participate, please expect them to ask for the following information:

  • Name
  • Year of Birth
  • Street Address
  • Phone Number
  • Email (if available)
  • Their preferred one-hour contact window.
  • Name of alternate contact (if available), their relationship, and phone number.

When a call is generated to a participant during their requested call window and positive contact is made, they are asked to respond to the following questions via touchtone:

  • Confirm they are OK
  • Learn more about aging network services available in their area.
    • If yes, they will be referred to an aging network partner to help direct them to available services. The county Sheriff’s Office will not be contacted.

Please understand, this service is not for emergencies. If the participant requires emergency services, they should call 9-1-1 for immediate assistance.

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