About Us

CES is ...
an organization that provides training, education, and information regarding home and community based services to seniors, caregivers, families, professionals, and providers in order to strengthen the home and community based options for aging Ohioans. This is important because of the growing elderly population and their desire to remain independent as long as possible.

What We Do . . .
We are developing a group of senior advocates to become a part of our initiative. This group will receive formal training from experts in the field (including elected officials) about the aging network and the legislative process. This group will be the foundation for what will develop into a larger, grassroots based advocacy group that will highlight and bring the needs of our older adults to the attention of elected officials

Ohio Senior Advocates
At Citizens for Elderly Services, Inc. we believe advocacy is an educational process that helps us stand alongside an individual who is disadvantaged and speak out on their behalf in a way that represents the best interests of that person and contributes to informed public and private policy.

CES focuses on services such as the county levy programs, PASSPORT, Medicare, Social Security, the Older Americans Act, Administration on Aging, and other programs which support older persons living independently in their chosen community environment.

Purpose of Advocacy

-Representation and work with a person or group of people who may need support and encouragement to exercise their rights, in order to ensure that their rights are upheld.
-Speaking, acting or writing on behalf of another person or group.
-Differs from mediation or negotiation because these processes aim to reach a mutually acceptable outcome between parties.
-Has no prescribed or clearly determined method. What constitutes advocacy will differ in different circumstances and according to the skills and needs of the individual or group.
-May involve working against established or entrenched values, structures and customs, and therefore needs to be independent of service providers and authorities.
-Advocates are not impartial because they work entirely from the perspective and interests of the older person. Their role is to assist older people by representing the older persons needs in a society.

Aims of Advocacy

The common aims of elderly advocacy are to:

-Increase the older persons control over their quality of life
-Overcome barriers that restrict opportunities
-Ensure appropriate societal and service delivery responses
-Protect human rights
-Ensure independence and dignity as we age
-Be responsive to and emphasize individual needs and wishes
-Be oriented towards outcomes for older people
-Aim for empowerment of disadvantaged individuals and groups
-Challenge stereotypes and stigma

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