St. Mary’s County Approves Nearly $931,000 In Grants To Support Older Adults

LEONARDTOWN, Md. — More older adults in St. Mary’s County will receive help remaining safely in their homes under two major funding measures approved by the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County.

During their Aug. 18 meeting, commissioners approved a $296,107 Supporting Older Adults with Resources (SOAR) grant and a four-year plan supported by more than $634,000 in federal and state grants for fiscal 2027.

Together, the awards provide nearly $931,000 in grant funding for programs serving older residents, people with disabilities and family caregivers.

Department of Aging and Human Services Director Lori Jennings-Harris presented the requests alongside Gauri Apte, the department’s fiscal manager, and Rebecca Kessler, manager of the Home and Community-Based Services Division.

More Help For Seniors At Home

The $296,107 Supporting Older Adults with Resources grant, known as SOAR, will help residents 65 and older who may be at risk of placement in a nursing home.

The Maryland Department of Aging established SOAR beginning July 1 by combining three previously state-funded programs: Senior Care, the Senior Assisted Living Subsidy program and Congregate Housing Services.

Kessler said the local program will continue operating much as the former Senior Care program did for more than 20 years.

“Our consumers that are enrolled in this program benefit from having services in their home, elongating the need for institutional care, preventing it for many people,” Kessler said.

Eligible residents must meet financial and medical criteria. Participants receive an assessment, case management and assistance paying for services that are not covered through other programs.

Those services may include personal care, housekeeping, medications, medical supplies, adult day care, respite care, home-delivered meals, transportation and emergency response systems.

Many of the people served by the program rely on others for their daily care, Kessler said, and some are homebound.

Homes Can Be Modified To Meet Changing Needs

The increased funding will allow the department to serve more residents and make additional improvements inside seniors’ homes.

Environmental modifications can make a home safer and more functional for an older adult while also giving family members and professional caregivers more room to provide assistance.

“We’ll be able to do more inside people’s homes to make it more usable and helpful to caregivers to provide care in the space, and we’ll also be able to increase our caseload,” Kessler said. “This is a good expanding year for us.”

The department plans to place a greater focus on housekeeping, adaptive improvements and interior modifications, including bathroom expansions when appropriate.

Unlike many programs with eligibility decisions made at the state or federal level, Kessler said SOAR gives local staff more flexibility to evaluate residents and respond to their needs.

“We can serve our people as needed here with this program,” she said.

The grant covers the period from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Commissioners also approved a related $107,262 budget amendment. The county had budgeted $188,845 in state funding and $12,088 in additional county funding for the program. Because the final state award increased to $296,107, the additional county contribution is no longer needed and will be returned to the commissioners’ emergency reserve.

A Four-Year Roadmap For Senior Services

Commissioners also approved the Department of Aging and Human Services’ fiscal 2027-2030 Area Plan.

Jennings-Harris described the document as the department’s “four-year roadmap.” The Maryland Department of Aging requires local area agencies on aging to complete a new plan every four years and submit annual updates during the intervening years.

The federal and state grants total $634,619. The department has received notices of award for the state grants and expects to receive the federal notices later.

“These grants support a wide range of programs, including home-delivered and congregate meals, elder abuse, caregiver support, community outreach, guardianship,” Apte said.

The department has served as the county’s local authority and provider of aging programs for more than 41 years.

Meals, Caregiver Support And Protection

The plan is intended to help the department keep pace as the county’s older population grows and more families face the challenges of caring for loved ones whose ability to live independently has declined.

Funding will support home-delivered meals for qualifying residents who are homebound and unable to shop or cook for themselves. The program provides balanced meals as well as regular contact with delivery volunteers.

The department’s congregate meal program also provides weekday lunches at the county’s three senior activity centers and an additional nutrition site.

Other services outlined in the four-year plan include caregiver respite assistance, health and wellness programs, transportation, benefits counseling, guardianship services, elder abuse prevention and the long-term care ombudsman program.

The plan also supports the county’s Aging and Disability Resource Center, also known as Maryland Access Point. The program helps older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers navigate health care, housing, transportation, public benefits and long-term care options.

Helping Residents Age In Place

At the heart of both approvals is the goal of allowing older residents to remain in their homes and communities for as long as safely possible.

The department’s programs connect residents with services before their needs reach the point where institutional care may become the only option. They also provide relief and guidance to relatives who may be balancing caregiving responsibilities with work, children and other demands.

Commissioners approved both funding requests without opposition and authorized the commissioner president to execute the related documents.

Watch the full meeting below at 1:29:00.

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