CLEVELAND, Ohio – Faced with a prolonged spike in inflation, record numbers of older adults in Cuyahoga County are flooding the county’s senior support hotline in search of help meeting their basic needs.

The Division of Senior and Adult Services (DSAS) fielded nearly 28,000 calls last year from residents over 60 needing help with essentials like food, rent, and utilities — the highest volume since its Connection Center opened in 2015.

And with more than 14,000 calls already logged in the first half of this year, the demand shows no sings of slowing.

“People are financially strained and they’re looking for resources,” Natasha Pietrocola, DSAS administrator, told cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer during a recent interview. “I’ve noticed a substantial increase in my bills, so if I’m feel

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