ONTARIO — Gorman-Rupp has received the o4a Partnership Award at this year’s Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging (o4a) conference in Columbus.
The statewide award recognizes collaborations between Area Agencies on Aging and community partners that improve services and quality of life for older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers.
The award recognizes Gorman-Rupp’s partnership with the Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging, Inc. (AAA5), through a pilot project focused on supporting employees who balance the demands of their jobs with caring for an older adult family member or friend.
Funded by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the University of Southern California Center for Advancing Family Caregiving Financial and Workplace Security (CACFWS), the pilot uses a caregiver support toolkit to help employers identify the needs of working caregivers, raise awareness, and connect employees with available resources.
Through the pilot, Gorman-Rupp employees may voluntarily complete a survey to help identify working caregivers, better understand their challenges, and increase awareness of services available through AAA5.
The initiative recognizes that employees caring for loved ones often face significant demands while maintaining their professional responsibilities.
As a lead employer partner, Gorman-Rupp will help test the toolkit and provide feedback to inform future efforts.
AAA5 hopes to build on the pilot to engage more employers across the region and better support the growing number of employees who provide care for older adults.
Located in Ontario, the Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging, Inc. provides leadership, coordination, and services that support older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, and community partners, helping individuals maintain choice, independence, and dignity.
Learn more at aaa5ohio.org.