HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-02-2010 - 8aORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: March 2, 2010
Action Agenda
Item No. ~- ~
SUBJECT: Acceptance of the County Master Aging Annual Report for 2009 and 2010
Priorities
DEPARTMENT: Aging/ Advisory Board on Aging PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
MAP 2009 Annual Report and Priorities
for 2010
Region J Population Projections
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jerry M. Passmore, Aging Director and
MAP Project Manager, 245-2009
Steve Lackey, Chair, Adv. Board on Aging
PURPOSE: To provide the Board of County Commissioners with the Orange County Master
Aging Plan Annual Progress Report for 2009 and priorities for 2010.
BACKGROUND: On May 15, 2007 the Board of County Commissioners adopted the five year
Master Aging Plan (MAP) covering the period 2007 through 2011. The MAP's overarching new
initiative was "Building Aging-Friendly Communities in Orange". The plan focused on three
functional population groups: the Well/Fit Older Adult, the Disabled /Moderately Impaired Older
Adult and the Severely Impaired /Institutionalized Older Adult. The MAP also identified and
addressed four broad issues: information/access, housing, transportation and transitional care
in arriving at the final goals, objectives and strategies.
The adopted Master Aging Plan required the Orange County Advisory Board on Aging to
monitor the progress of the Plan with the Department on Aging and submit annual update
reports to the Board of County Commissioners. The reports would describe MAP
accomplishments and would recommend priority changes (MAP Goal I:
Planning/Administration, Objective 1). It was recommended that MAP reports be submitted to
town elected officials in Orange County and the Triangle United Way.
On February 9, 2010, the Orange County Advisory Board on Aging approved the submission of
the attached Annual MAP Report for 2009.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: None at this time.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board accept the Master Aging
Plan Annual Report for 2009 and approve the priorities for 2010.
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Orange County Master Aging Plan
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2009 Annual Report
Period: July, 2008 to December, 2009
and
Priorities for Year 2010
Submitted to BOCC on March 2, 2010
Review and approved by
The Orange County Advisory Board on Aging
Prepared and staffed by
The Orange County Department on Aging
Jerry M. Passmore, Director
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Ct)NTENTS
I. Aging-Friendly Communities Initiative
II. MAP Work Plan covering 2007 through 2009
A. Introduction and Implementation Process
B. Work Plan Activities, Accomplishments and Recommendations
1. Focus: All Older Adults
2. Focus: Well-Fit Older Adults
3. Focus: Disabled/Moderately Impaired Older Adults
4. Focus: Institutional/Severely Impaired Older Adults
5. Focus: Legislation/Advocacy
6. Focus: Planning and Administration
III. Results of 2009 Adopted Priorities
IV. Recommended Priorities for 2010
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1~ AGING-FRIENDLY.. C~1VI UNITIES INITIATIVE
In 2003, the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services adopted a new initiative called
"Livable and Senior-Friendly Communities." Rather than follow the state's lead and focus solely
on the older population segment as implied in its initiative title, MAP chose the term "Aging-
Friendly Community," since aging is a process beginning at birth and ending with death. Thus,
Aging-Friendly Communities' designs should be livable for all ages. To promote healthy aging
for all, a preventive approach must be used. The central feature of aging-friendly communities
is the incorporation of active living features such as sidewalks, parks, and street lights, which
are close to essential services and are designed to accommodate different functional
capacities. (www.activelivingbydesign.org). Community and government services and practices
should also reflect the aging-friendly concept and "person-centered" approach as we age.
The adopted Master Aging Plan new Initiative: "Building Aging-Friendly Communities in
Orange" promotes and encourages the involvement of everyone, starting first with Orange
County government, all of its departments and advisory boards and expanding outward to
towns and community groups. MAP's Call to Action: Improve the infrastructure and services
to meet the needs of older adults who desire to age in place, especially those with functional
disabilities and impairments.
Why is the MAP initiative critical? The face of Orange County and its towns is dramatically
changing to a much older community with retirees moving here and older persons living much
longer lives. New growth projections just released by the state demographer indicate that
Orange County's older population over age 60 will be 41,398 in the year 2029 in comparison
with just 27,893 children from birth to 17 years of age. This translates in to 1 out of every 4
Orange County residents (24.67%) being over age 60 and only 1 out of every 6 residents
(16.63%) being a child or youth age 0 to 17. This demographic imperative will have a major
impact on every institution-- government, business and the faith community, etc., and requires
that we plan now. (See attached Region J-County Population Projections for 2009)
An Aging-Friendly Community AssessmentlAudit Too(
While the new initiative was adopted by the County Commissioners on May 15, 2007 and
endorsed by towns as a principle, no formal workgroup structure has been formed to
develop a community assessment/audit tool covering the major components of an aging-
friendly community that impacts quality of life. Those components, identified by the N.C.
Division of Aging and Adult Services, are: Physical and Accessible Environment, Healthy Aging,
Economic Security, Technology, Safety and Security, Social and Cultural Opportunity, Access
and Choice in Services and Supports and Public Accountability and Responsiveness. In
developing such a local assessment tool, the N.C. Division of Aging recommended the
assessment of each component on six dimensions: existence, adequacy, accessibility,
efficiency/duplication, equity and effectiveness/quality. (www.dhhs.state.nc.us/aaina).
An assessment tool should be developed in consultation with the N.C. Division of Adult and
Adult Services, the International City/County Management Association (www.icma.org) and
other professional organizations that have identified health and livable communities as an
important management strategy for older adults.
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Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. None- Graduate students and Dept. on Aging staff were not available to work on this objective.
Recommendation for 2010:
1. Recruit professional retired volunteers by RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) to
develop an assessment/audit tool for evaluating governmental departments' current policies and
practices in promoting an aging-friendly county government. Once completed, the audit tool
would be tested and evaluated on a limited number of county departments before widespread
distribution. The workgroup would be under the guidance of the Department on Aging Director.
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A. Introduction and Implementation. Process
The Master Aging Plan for 2007-11 covers 9 overall goals, 45 specific objectives and 173
strategies recommended to accomplish those objectives. The MAP objectives have all been
prioritized under each goal with 1 being rated the highest. In order to have a manageable plan,
the updated MAP reduced the number of goal areas and objectives, but increased the list of
potential strategies for consideration during the five-year implementation period.
New objectives or modification of existing ones will be recommended annually by the County
Aging Advisory Board and County Department on Aging. The MAP annual report is provided
to the BOCC, the towns and other community groups for their information, review and
comment. This MAP report covers the years 2007 to December, 2009 activities,
accomplishments and recommendations for 2010.
B: Work Plan Activities`and Accomplishments
1. Focus: A11 ~Ider Adults
Goal A: Inforrnation~Access- Enhance information & assistance options for all older
persons and their families who need access to services, especially those most in need.
Objective A-1: Improve marketing and evaluation of existing Information and
assistance services. (Broadly defined)
Lead Organization (s): Department on Aging-PAC with TJCOG-AAA , NC CareLink
&Triangle United Way 211
Activities Accomplishments and Recommendations: 2007-08
1. Orange County has worked in 2007-08 with NC CareLink in providing local resource/ service
information for the creation of a statewide database for agency and individual citizen access.
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2. Orange and Chatham Counties prepared a joint grant in 2007-08 to simplify access to
information and services for seniors and adults with disabilities. The three-year grant was funded
and is called Community Resource Connections for Aging and Disabilities (CRC). More CRC
description is under Goal D: Transitional Care.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. A seniors' community resource fair was coordinated by Orange County Department on Aging.
Forty-six public and private vendors and over 250 community residents participated in the event.
Revenue from vendors off-set the cost of the event and the publication of the guide.
2. Five thousand large refrigerator magnets advertising the information and Helpline, 968-2087
for Aging Information and Consultations, were distributed across the Orange County community.
3. As part of the CRC development process, the Aging Transitions' Division has participated in a
UNC CARES research project to gather data on customer satisfaction with the quality of
telephone and walk-in consultations. The returned surveys response rate from OCDOA was 80%,
much higher than any other participating agency. We await the analysis of consumers' feedback.
3. Four evening dementia education sessions were held at the Seymour Center in conjunction
with UNC Neurology, UNC Center for Health and Aging, UNC School of Social Work, and the
Alzheimer's Association. Attendance at three out of the four events was standing room only. 94%
of the participants responded that the series increased their understanding of Alzheimer's
Disease.
4. Orange County Department on Aging, Chatham Council on Aging, and Alamance Eldercare
participated in an outreach event in White Cross to provide information to rural families affected
by dementia.
5. OCDOA is actively involved in a community-wide committee of public and private agencies
devoted to marketing aging information and resources to the community.
Recommendation for 2010:
1. Schedule a Second Annual Seniors' Resource Fair for May 1, 2010. The event will highlight
the 30th anniversary of The Department on Aging and its long partnerships with community
agencies.
2. Distribute an updated senior community resource guide by May 2010 and install on web.
3. Continue the new refrigerator magnet campaign promoting the CRC participation, but
reinforce the County Aging Helpline's brand 968-2087 as one number to call for information and
help.
Objective A-2: Improve access to printed and website information to older persons,
families and service providers.
Lead Organization (s): Department on Aging-PAC with County Information Technologies
Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08:
1. The Department on Aging printed the Community Resource Guide for 2007-08, a valuable
desk resource for agency personnel assisting older adults. The updated guide is available on the
County Department on Aging website. (www.orangecountync.gov/aging)
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2. Due to budget reductions, the Senior Times was reduced from a bimonthly publication to a
quarterly one. The Senior Times was redesigned to make it more user-friendly and also in effort
to extend its shelf life. A new full-page column in the Herald Sun was negotiated and is printed
the months that the Senior Times does not print, in order to keep the public better informed of
senior activities and services. A direct link from the Department on Aging website to the Herald
Sun website has been established for easier public access to the current Senior Times on the
web.
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Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. Implemented a biweekly listserv on senior center activities with over 1000 persons
requesting this service. Persons interested in being on this listserv can email
jtyler ,~co.orange.nc.us and request to be placed on the list.
2. A new Chatham-Orange Community Resource Connections (CRC) website was launched in
2009. A general Aging Transitions email was created for easy consumer access from this
website. Website: www.chathamoranQecrc.org
3. An updated community resource guide (115 pages) was distributed to 500 community
agencies, churches and individuals beginning in May 2009. This guide is also available online.
Website: www.orang_ecountync.gov/aging The guide has been printed in large font with guidance
from disability advocacy groups. The cost was offset by advertising and charges to vendors at the
Community Resource Fair.
Recommendation for 2010:
1. Expand the CRC website to contain educational information about aging issues. It will also
enable consumers to find information from multiple agencies through a system of links.
2. Print an updated Community Resource Guide with private funds in May 2010.
Goal B. Nr%usinglS~elteir: Promote an adequate supply of safe, affordable, and suitable
housing options for older residents to age in place.
Objective B-1: Expand assistance in the retrofitting, repair and maintenance of
existing older adult homes.
Lead Organization (s): Department on Aging with County Housing and Community
Development
Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
1. A number of volunteer groups assisting older adults with home retrofitting, repair and
maintenance has increased. These include:
• Rebuilding Together of the Triangle: They have completed several projects in Orange
County and expect to increase their activity here.
• First Baptist Church of Hillsborough: This church has 2 weekends every year (spring
and fall) when several volunteer groups work on homes.
• Hillsborough Presbyterian Church: Small group of volunteers will build ramps and
railings. In the last year they completed 1 ramp and 1 railing.
This is just a partial list of the volunteer groups, as faith communities frequently assist their
members in need of home repair/retrofitting.
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2. Government programs include:
• Orange County Housing
• USDA grants and loans for homeowners in rural communities
• OC Dept. on Aging has a small budget to install ramps and grab bars. 2 ramps were
completed last year.
During 2007-08 new senior housing in Hillsborough received local approval, specifically, Eno
Haven and Corbinton Commons. The BOCC awarded $1,000.000 in housing bond funds to
Eno Haven LLC to assist in construction of a 76-unit multi-family rental complex on US 70
West to provide much needed housing for low-income elderly and disabled individuals.
The Town of Hillsborough approved Corbinton Commons' request to develop on US 70
Bypass 47 single-family dwellings and a Continuing Retirement Community (CCRC) that
would include 193 independent living apartments, 12 independent living duplex units, 23
independent living cottages, a 54- bed healthcare center and a wellness Center. Both project
were reviewed by the Orange County Advisory Board on Aging.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. Eno Haven in Hillsborough broke ground on the construction of 76 residential units
In Hillsborough on Hwy 70 Bypass close to the Central Orange Senior Center.
2. Housing for New Hope was established to assist people at risk for homelessness or those
living in substandard housing.
3. Department on Aging staff worked with JOCCA, Rebuilding Together and other agencies and
churches to assist seniors with improving their housing.
Recommendation for 2010:
1. Promote Eno Haven's availability to Orange County low-income seniors and arrange for senior
residents to participate in programs at the Central Orange Senior Center.
2. Research possibility of establishing a service coordination agreement with Eno Haven.
Objective B-2: Expand tax assistance for older adults who have difficulty paying their
home property tax over time.
Lead Organization (s): County Board of Commissioners with supporting County
Departments
Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
1. The Orange County Revenue Collector assists individuals with monthly payment plan options
and accepts credit card payments toward property tax.
2. The state Homestead Exemption program has been modified to provide tax reduction on
permanent homes to elderly (65+) and disabled whose income does not exceed $25,600.
Qualified persons are excluded from tax that is the greater of $25,000 or 50% of the appraised
value of their home. In addition, state has established a property tax Homestead Circuit Breaker
Deferment program for elderly and disabled whose income is less than $38,400.
3. The Orange County Tax Assessor allows for late applications for property exemption requests
completed through December rather than June, subject to BOCC approval.
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Recommendations for 2008-09: Promote the availability of new expanded Homestead
Exemption and Deferment Programs for low-income elderly and disabled. Research further
tax assistance strategies for elderly to aging in place.
Activities and Accomplishments 2008-09
(To be Completed)
Recommendation for 2010:
(To be Completed}
Goal C; Transit/Mobiliiy: Enhance mobility options for all older adults regardless of
functionality, through amulti-module vision that is acceptable, efficient, effective and
affordable.
Objective C-1: Increase funding sources for expansion and/or enhancements of
new or existing transit services for older adults.
Lead Organization (s): Department on Aging- Public Transportation Div. with Board of
County Commissioners
Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
1. A Cross Town Senior Shuttle application by Chapel Hill Transit and OPT for New Freedom
Funds was prepared, submitted, and funded in 2008. The proposed shuttle would pickup
seniors in high density areas and transport them directly to high demand service areas such as
the senior center, library, shopping centers, etc. This would be a third tier between bus
stop/transfer service which some seniors find difficult and the specialized, expensive EZ Rider
door-to-door pickup for certified handicapped seniors. This proposed route is still in the
planning stage.
2. During 2008, a TTA and OPT partnership promoted the use of the existing Hillsborough to
Chapel Hill 420 route with much success in increased. ridership.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. Held three joint public meetings between Chapel Hill Transit and Orange Public Transit in
September, 2009 to get input from older adults and persons with disabilities about improving
service and about developing a new Chapel Hill route to high demand service locations.
2. Improve the 420 Route with OPT, covering mid-day and Chapel Hill Transit operating the peak
hours with large buses. This route has shown a 2.6% increase in ridership.
3. Redesigned OPT's Hillsborough, Efland and Cedar Grove senior routes to new Central Orange
Senior Center on Jan. 1, 2009 allowing improved connectors to medical trips, shopping trips, and
senior day trips.
4. Applied for ARRA (stimulus) funds by OPT and was awarded $447,600 for replacement buses.
Recommendation for 2010:
1. Research possibilities for additional transit funding from NCDOT, local business, future
stimulus funds, and municipalities in order to expand and improve services.
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2. Plan a new Hillsborough in-town public route that would connect to the existing 420 route,
allowing seniors, low income, and the general public access to the 420 route and human agency
services in Hillsborough.
3. Plan an East/West public route from Mebane to Durham that would intersect with the 420
route, a proposed Hillsborough in-town route and allow seniors, low income, and general public
access to more mobility choices.
Objective C-2: Improve Orange Public Transportation (OPT) transit services and
the county`s emergency disaster transit provision for older adults.
Lead Organization (s): Department on Aging- Public Transportation Div. with Emergency
Management Services.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
North Carolina Department of Transportation has implemented~a state wide evacuation plan for all
transit systems. Orange County Emergency Management and Orange Public transportation have
arrangements to provide essential transportation during inclement weather conditions. Orange
Public transportation has also arranged to assist with Animal Control to move pets to shelters as
needed.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. The Emergency Management Director has become a voting member on the Transportation
Services Board. This allows better coordination of emergency transportation preparedness
between OPT and EM.
2. Some local institutional facilities have requested transit services from OPT. No formal
agreements are in place, however, demand response service is in place.
Recommendation for 2010:
1. Attend forums that concentrate on emergency preparedness.
2. Set standard meetings with Emergency Management and Animal Shelter administration to
ensure emergency plans are in place and up-to-date.
Goal D: Transitional Care- Promote the transition and maintenance of older persons in
the most appropriate health care provider setting.
Objective D-1: Maintain older persons in the most appropriate setting through the
development or expansion of innovative models of aging-friendly community
programs.
Lead Organization (s): Department on Aging- Aging Transitions Div. with Carol Woods-
Community Connections for Seniors Project.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
1. Orange and Chatham Counties prepared and received a grant to create Community
Resource Connections (CRC) formerly called ADRC (Aging and Disabilities Resource
Connections), to simplify access to a variety of information and services for seniors and adults
with disabilities within both counties. This model is designed to break down individual service
silos, which create fragmentation of services and frustration with the system. The CRC should
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result in information sharing among agencies within the CRC. As a result, the consumer should
receive access to a full array of services with reduced paperwork and reduced wait time.
2. Carol Woods has awarded the CRC a $10,000 award for its first implementation year from
its Community Connections for Seniors project, funded by The Duke Endowment.
3. The CRC (Orange County and Chatham County) agreed to participate in a Nursing Home
Modernization Grant submitted by the N.C. Division of Aging and Adult Services to the federal
government. If funded, the grant would create an Orange County pilot program in which
persons who exceed poverty level can be granted limited federal funds to create an
individualized in-home long-term care plan. The goal is to design programs that cost less than
placement in a nursing home while providing greater personal freedom and satisfaction.
4. A group respite demonstration program called "Caregivers Day Out", which provides a one
day per week break for caregivers, continues to be held at the Seymour Center. The goal is to
have local faith groups visit the program and consider replicating in their faith communities.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. Weekly group respite at the Seymour Center provides highly cost-effective therapeutic care to
frail seniors with a unit personnel cost of $3.90 per client hour - a stark contrast to the traditional
per client unit hour rate of $14.40 for an in-home aide.
2. Aging Transitions developed a mild dementia support and exercise group at Seymour Center
for 2009 and 2010. This group helped alleviate social isolation of newly diagnosed individuals
and to enable them to use the senior centers for structure, socialization and therapeutic exercise.
There was no personnel cost to the county since MSW students facilitated the group under
clinical supervision from staff LCSW.
3. Aging Transitions staff has been actively engaged in the Transitions subcommittee that has
been developed in response to the 2-day community meeting in Hillsborough. This transitions
group has been working closely with CRC, UNC Hospitals, a Duke Endowment Grant, and
multiple public and private agencies.
Recommendation for 2010:
1. Continue outreach to churches with the goal of replicating the group respite in churches
throughout Orange County.
2. Continue working in tandem with the CRC, Hospital Discharge Planning Grant, and the
Transitions subcommittee.
3. Enlist graduate students to develop and create ashort-term support group for individuals with
mild dementia.
4. Carol Woods awarded the Chatham-Orange CRC an additional $10,000 from its Community
Connections for Seniors project, funded by The Duke Endowment.
5. In conjunction with the CRC, the Orange-Chatham area was selected by the NC Department of
Health and Human Services (DHHS) to be a pilot site for a new CMS-funded grant: Person-
Centered Hospital Discharge Planning.
Objective D-2: Improve the coordination of transitional care through increased
contact and training of health care and community care providers.
Lead Organization(s): Department on Aging- Aging Transitions Div. with Carol Woods-
Community Connections for Seniors Project.
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Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
1. The CRC project will significantly improve the communication and cross training of health care
providers in the aging and disability fields.
2. Volunteers in the group respite demonstration program are being trained to recreate this
weekly caregiver respite program in their churches.
3. Three MSW students and one Johnston Intern are working at the Seymour Center this year.
The three MSW students are all participating in a program designed to create practitioners in
the field of aging.
4. The Mood, Memory and Mobility Clinic, (3M clinic) a model project funded under the UNC
Hospitals Futures Grant, is a joint Department on Aging and UNC program that provides a
multidisciplinary screening clinic that includes: medicine, pharmacy, occupational therapy,
physical therapy, and social work. This "3M Clinic", offered at the Seymour Center, provides a
user-friendly approach in dealing with inter-related aging issues for older adults and cutting-
edge training for future aging practitioners.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. The 2-day Transitional Care meeting was held in Hillsborough under the facilitation of staff
from UNC Center for Aging Research and Educational Services (CARES). The community
identified three major areas of concern: a} Smoothing transitions from various levels of care,
especially home to hospital and hospital to home a) easy access to accurate information for
consumers and providers and c) Transportation.
2. A Transitions Performance Team was created as a result of the community meeting on
transitions. To date, approximately 70 health and social service providers and consumers in
the community have joined one or both of the Transitions Performance Team committees. One
committee focuses on patient advocacy at transitions at UNC Hospital and the other is working
on outreach and education to consumers and providers of community services. The
committees meet monthly.
3. Department on Aging serves as a training center for UNC students in: Social Work,
Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Nursing, Pharmacy, Medicine, Recreation Therapy
and Nutrition.
Recommendation for 2010:
1. Continue as a training center in aging for college students.
2. Continue working in tandem with the CRC, Hospital Discharge Planning grant and the
Transitions subcommittees.
2. Focus: Well-Fit Older-Adults
Goal E: Well-Fit Older Population - To Improve and/or Maintain the Health and Well-
being of Orange County's Present and Future Well-Fit Older Adults. (Prevention focus)
Objective E-1: Provide preventive community-based services which assist older
adults in maintaining good health and to age in place.
Lead Organization(s): Department on Aging's Senior Centers' Wellness Program with
Public Recreation & Parks (Orange County, Carrboro and Chapel Hill), Triangle SportsPlex,
Health Dept. and UNC Wellness Center
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Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
1. New Facility for Wellness: The new 15,000 sq. ft. Central Orange Senior Center is in
construction and scheduled to open in early January, 2009. It will be co-located with the
county-owned SportsPlex and a partnership will be developed to expand wellness services
with the use of the pool, fitness studio, classes and ice rink for seniors. The announcement of
special senior fees will be in the Dec-Feb 2009 issue of Senior Times.
2. Wellness Activities: A large number of services are provided in the community for citizens
to help maintain health and contribute to aging in place. 62-health education
programs/lectures were offered throughout the county, at different sites in 2007-08. Examples
include: "Ask the ...Health Care Professionals", 7 new exercise classes, hearing workshops,
healthy cooking demos, Feldenkrais workshops and Aging 101 Series.
3. Fitness Activities: In 2007-08, 2629 individuals participated in fitness and exercise classes in
the past year (50% increase from 2006), provided by 17 contracted providers who delivered an
array of services that appealed to a wide variety of client interests and functional levels.
Examples of new classes are:, Inspired Movement, Boomer Yoga, Pilates, NIA, Balance Class,
Fit & Fun, Stretch & Tone, and Qi-Gong.
4. Walking for Health: The University Mall walking group has continued to grow, averaging 28
walkers per monthly event and added an outdoor walking club at the Seymour Center in 2007.
The Central Orange Senior Center has promoted a walkers group with weekly program led by
volunteers.
5. Functional Screening: More than 350 participants completed a free required assessment
functional screen to use the new fitness room at the Seymour Center in 2007-08. Before
beginning a fitness program, the screen provides valuable personal information for health and
safety on key functional elements- flexibility, balance, agility, strength and physical
endurance. Since the screen is part of a national study, each participant receives comparable
fitness data to other persons of the same age and gender. Part-time personal trainers have
been added to assist clients in the Fitness Studio at selected hours.
6. Heath Immunizations and Screenings: In 2007-08, 2882 older adults participated (duplicate)
in immunizations/screening programs. In addition, blood pressure screenings occurred weekly
at both Senior Centers, and bimonthly at 2 Community Centers. Volunteer nurses monitored
an average 10-15 people per week per site. Examples of screening areas include: vision,
hearing, glucose/cholesterol, flu shots, "Fit Feet" clinics, and massage therapy. "Ask the
Pharmacist or Nutritionist", dental hygienist services are also provided at a nominal charge or
no charge to clients. 720 flu shots were administered on 9 different clinical dates at four
different locations. (150 more shots were administered than 2006). Monthly foot care clinics
served an average of 547 clients in 2007-08. (That's 5,470 toes O - up by 40 clients over
2006).
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. New Facility for Wellness: The new 15,000 sq. ft. Central Orange Senior Center opened in late
January 2009. Being co-located with the SportsPlex ,the Department on Aging's Wellness
Program developed a partnership to expand fitness services with a special senior use fee for the
pool, fitness studio, classes, and ice rink. The fee is comparable to Seymour Center's fitness
room charges. Each Senior Times issue promofes these special senior fees. Of the 339
individuals who completed the physical function screening at the Central Orange. Senior Center in
2009, 293 joined the SportsPlex during the year. About 120 seniors were screened at the
Seymour Center during 2009 and about 100 joined the facility.
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2. Chronic Disease Self-Management Courses have been held at the 2 senior centers in 2008
and 2009. Diabetes education has continued to be offered quarterly throughout 08 and 09 years,
alternating between the 2 senior centers. In 2009, there has been a concentration on offering the
Living a Healthy Life, Chronic Disease Self-Management course, a program developed by
Stanford University Patient Education Research Center. In mid-2009, two Department on Aging
staff became certified trainers and offer the course quarterly during the year, alternating between
the Central Orange Senior Center, Hillsborough and the Seymour Center, Chapel Hill. Additional
self-management courses offered are: Diabetes Self-Management, a course offered in
collaboration with the OC Health Department, private providers and corporate entities (i.e. Kerr
Drug) and supported with funding from the K. B. Reynolds Foundation and the NC Dept. of
Health and Human Services Diabetes Branch and Arthritis Foundation Exercise Classes.
4. Wellness Activities: A large number of services are provided in the community for citizens to
help maintain health and contribute to aging in place. 35 health education programs/lectures
were offered throughout the county, at different sites in 2008-09. Examples include: "Ask the
...Health Care Professionals", 7 new exercise classes, hearing workshops, healthy cooking
demos, workshops for providers working with Clients with Parkinson's Disease workshops, and
a special forum on Discovering New Relationships in Mid and Later Life.
5. Fitness Activities: In 2008-09, 1958 exercise programs were offered with more than 23,046
participants (duplicate number), provided by 19 contracted providers who delivered an
array of services that appealed to a wide variety of client interests and functional levels.
Examples of new classes are: Balance Class, Tai Chi -seated, Tai Chi for those with arthritis,
Belly Dance (Raks Sharki), and Stability Ball.
6. Walking for Health: The University Mall walking group has continued to grow, averaging 45
walkers per monthly event and added an outdoor walking club at the Seymour Center in 2008.
The Central Orange Senior Center has promoted a walkers group with a weekly program led
by volunteers.
7. Functional Screening: More than 459 participants completed a free required physical
assessment functional screen to use the new fitness room at the Seymour Center and the
SportsPlex in 2008-09. Before beginning a fitness program, the screen provides valuable
personal information for health and safety on key functional elements- flexibility, balance,
agility, strength and endurance. Since the screen is part of a national study, each participant
receives comparable fitness data to other persons of the same age and gender. Part-time
personal trainers have been added to assist clients in the Fitness Studio at selected hours.
8. Heath Immunizations and Screenings: In 2007-08, One thousand nine hundred two (1902)
older adults participated (duplicate) in immunizations/screening programs. In addition, blood
pressure screenings occurred weekly at both Senior Centers. Volunteer nurses monitored an
average 10-15 people per week per site. Examples of screening areas include: vision, hearing,
glucose/cholesterol, flu shots, Fit Feet clinics, and massage therapy. "Ask the Pharmacist or
Nutritionist", dental hygienist services are also provided at nominal charge or no charge to
clients. Four hundred twenty-six (426) flu shots were administered on 5 different clinical dates
at two different locations. Monthly Foot Care Clinics served an average of 547 clients in
2008-09. (That's 5,470 toes O).
9. A Preventive Home Visit Pilot Program was conducted by Aging Transitions staff as part of a
National Institute on Aging grant to determine the feasibility of an occupational therapist
conducting community home visits to assess well seniors and make recommendations for
environmental and personal changes to maximize safe aging-in-place and reduce the need for
institutionalization.
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Recommendations for 2010:
1. Introduce "Telehealth" to center clients, a free user-friendly computer-monitoring health care
system. Participating clients will be screened for risk factors of cardiovascular disease and
diabetes. The screening includes answering health questions and obtaining blood pressure,
pulse, and weight. Clients are assigned a secure passcode in the system. The Carol Woods'
Community Connections Project made the Telehealth monitor possible. This project is funded
by The Duke Endowment.
2. Interpret the Preventive Home Visits Pilot Program research analysis done by UNC
Department of Occupational Sciences and incorporate lessons learned into Aging Transitions
procedures as appropriate.
Objective E-2: Improve access to affordable healthcare for all older persons.
Lead Organization (s): Health Department with the Department on Aging's Aging
Transitions and Senior Centers' Wellness Program Divisions.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
1. The Department on Aging, in cooperation with the UNC Medical School Program on Aging
established in 2007 at the Seymour Center the "Mood, Memory and Mobility Clinic", afree-of-
charge health service funded by the UNC Hospitals Futures grant.
2. The Aging Transitions division of the Department on Aging collaborated in 2007-08 with
Piedmont Health Services on increasing the senior use of Piedmont Health whose mission is to
serve individuals with limited incomes.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. Served 107 clients in the 3-M clinic since it opened in January of 2008.
Recommendation for 2010:
1. Identify and secure funding for continuation of the Mood, Memory and Mobility clinic.
3. Focus: Disabled/Moderately Impaired OlderAdults
~,.~
Goal F DsabledlModerately Impaired Older Population -Maximize the safety,
functional ability, and quality of life for impaired, community-dwelling older persons and
their family caregivers.
Objective F-1-: Increase community recognition, support, education and
empowerment of family caregivers.
Lead Organization (s): Department on Aging- Aging Transitions Div.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
1. An initial meeting of the Community Caregiver Alliance was held. Caregivers have been
incorporated into the community engagement task force.
2. Support Groups: The Aging Transitions staff has promoted the value of self-help and group
support by offering several support groups, such as weekly group respite at the Seymour
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Center, a Parkinson's Support Group in Central Orange Senior Center, three supports groups
for Caregivers of people with dementia, and a weekly group for individuals with mild dementia.
3. Dementia Outreach: Apart-time coordinator of African American caregiver outreach
conducted research of the literature and met with many minority community leaders to prepare
culturally sensitive presentations for use in minority communities. Over 25 formal
presentations in 2007-08 were delivered in minority churches, to increase awareness of
dementia symptoms and management.
4. Caregiver Class/Workshops: "The Powerful Tools for Caregivers" class was presented in
early 2008 and will be replicated in fall 2008. The workshops are a joint endeavor between the
NC Cooperative Extension Service and the Department on Aging. Three new community
workshops were designed and implemented in 2008 for family caregivers by the Department
on Aging's Transitions/Eldercare Division.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. Support group attendance continues to grow in all three groups. The Seymour Center Groups
routinely run 15-25 members each month.
2. The number of caregiver counseling sessions each month range from 29-85 with a monthly
average of 62.
2. Aging Transitions staff collaborated with UNC physician staff, the Alzheimer's Association,
Jewish Family Services, UNC Social of Social Work, and Orange County family caregiver
spokespersons to present four evening classes on dementia at the Seymour Center. Three of the
four presentations reached audiences of 100+ individuals. Surveys indicated 94% of participants
reported that the classes increased their understanding of dementia.
3. The dementia outreach coordinator to African Americans has presented classes in 17
churches and has provided instruction for 306 individuals in giving good dementia care. These
are follow-up classes to the first sessions which focused on recognizing dementias.
4. The group respite program at the Seymour Center serves 10 seniors with physical and/or
cognitive disabilities, with programming and socialization for 5 hours one day per week. The
personnel cost for this program is $3.90 per client per hour. 100% of caregivers have reported
satisfaction with this group respite program.
5. Two churches, First Baptist and St. Paul's in Chapel Hill have meet with the dementia outreach
coordinator to discuss recreating group respite at their churches. Thus far, neither church has
agreed to pilot a similar program.
6. Twenty African American church leaders have committed to attending the Alzheimer's
Conference at Duke in February 2010 to deepen their knowledge base to become lay leaders in
their church communities.
7. A regular aging column in the News of Orange did not materialize due to conflicting time
commitments on staff.
Recommendations for 2010:
1. Continue programs, based on attendance and responses from participants.
2. Develop a group of 20 African Americans going to the Duke Alzheimer's conference with the
goals of creating dementia volunteers in multiple churches.
Objective F-2: Offer best practices in mental health care for older persons in
affordable, stigma-free, non-psychiatric settings.
Lead Organization(s): Department on Aging- Aging Transitions Div. with UNC
Geropsychiatry, OPC Mental Health and Faith Communities
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Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
~. Mental Health Planning: Meetings were held with OPC Mental Health, a UNC geriatric
Psychiatrist, a representative from the N.C. Division of Aging and Adult Services, and the
Department on Aging to create a plan to implement the IMPACT program at local physicians'
offices. The program focuses/treats clients with depression. Based on national research in the
difficulty of gathering primary care physicians' support, a decision was made to implement
IMPACT in auser-friendly senior center setting. To explore this new approach, the UNC Program
on Aging paid for Kate Barrett, Aging Transitions Administrator, and Jan Gerard, MSW at the
Seymour Center to attend Effective Programs to Treat Depression in OlderAdults:
Implementation Strategies for community Agencies on May 19-20, 2008. This conference was
sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Healthy Aging Research Network,
Preventions Research Centers Program, the University of Washington, and the Carter Center for
Mental Health. A local coalition attended including: 2 social workers from OCDOA; Lea Watson,
MD, geriatric psychiatrist; Rebecca Hunter, MPH, UNC Geriatric Education Center and Mary
Edwards, NC Division of Aging and Adult Services. The University of Washington presenters
have researched and written extensively about the IMPACT depression management program
and other evidence-based programs for depression in older adults. This community coalition of
OCDOA, UNC, and the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services returned from the conference
with a plan to implement a geriatric depression treatment program at the Seymour Center. The
Department on Aging's Transitions staff attended afollow-up IMPACT training in Seattle, funded
by the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation and UNC.
2. Community Mental Health Education: The Aging Transitions Staff presented best practices in
mental health for the NC Healthy Aging Network in September 2008, conducted a workshop for
Piedmont Health Services social workers on diagnosing and treating geriatric depression and
taught UNC medical students on a} recognizing geriatric depression and b) evidence based best
practices for geriatric depression.
3. A Model Mental Health Clinic: The UNC Mood, Memory and Mobility Screening clinic that
began in 2007 is being staffed by a UNC geriatrician, physical therapist, and a pharmacist. The
Department on Aging provides an occupational therapist and a social worker. When a patient is
screened in for depression, if appropriate, follow-up sessions are scheduled with a clinical social
worker.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. Using a variation of the IMPACT model of depression care, 196 geriatric (non-caregiver)
counseling sessions were held at the Seymour Center and provided by Aging Transitions staff.
Geriatric consultation was offered free of charge from Lea Watson, MD.
2. An LCSW in the Department on Aging has been provided clinical supervision to a provisionally
licensed clinical social worker on staff as she provides counseling to geriatric clients to fulfill
requirements for state licensure as a LCSW.
3. Support group for individuals with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia ran for 12 weeks,
using MSW students, receiving clinical supervision from LCSW. Response from the 8 people who
completed the program was 100% satisfaction.
4. The NC ACCESS program for dually eligible Medicare/Medicaid has engaged Dr. Lea Watson
for 30% of her time, to coordinate mental health care within the stigma-free setting of primary
care.
5. An Aging Transitions staff member served on Mayor's Foy's Mental Health Task Force, to
inform the community and providers of the unique challenges of geriatric mental health issues.
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Recommendations for 2010:
1. Continue offering the Mood, Memory and Mobility clinic with follow up services, including short-
term geriatric counseling for mood and adjustment issues.
2. A second social worker in the Orange County Department on Aging will become a licensed
mental health therapist in 2010, capable of billing Medicare and private insurance.
3. Continue offering groups for people with mild dementia and concurrent depression/adjustment
issues, as long as graduate students are available and appropriate.
4. Provide consultations as requested to NC Access re: coordination of mental health care in a
stigma-free setting.
5. Develop cross training through CRC for staff from multiple agencies on geriatric and caregiver
mental health issues.
4. Focus: /nstitutionalized/Severely Impaired Older Adults
Goal G: Institutionalized/ Severely lmpaired:Older Po~uiation-Improve services,
information access, education and outreach to long term care residents and
families/caregivers that are affordable, accessible and that promote quality of life
through person-centered care. This includes the retention, recognition and training of
.paid facility staff, thereby improving quality and continuity of care for residents.
Objective G-1: Continue a Long Term Care Facility Roundtable (OCLTCFR)
comprised of service providers, consumers, advocates, and regulators, who will
work to define, address, and resolve current priority issues related to the quality of
care and quality of life of the long term care facility population.
Lead Organization (s): Department on Aging-PAC with TJAAA Ombudsman Program,
Nursing Home and Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committees.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
NONE- Due to lack of staff time to support the Roundtable.
Activities and Accomalishments: 2008-09
1. NONE- Due to lack of time to staff to support Roundtable.
Recommendations for 2010:
1. The Department on Aging would establish regular meetings of the Long term Care Facility
Roundtable.
Objective G-2: Begin operation of mobile Access Dental Unit for senior residents
in Orange, Chatham and Durham counties, with priority given to long term care
facilities, the homebound and senior centers.
Lead Organization(s): TJAAA Ombudsman Program and Access Dental Coalition with the
Department on Aging-PAC.
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Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
1. Dental Activities: This objective is a continuation of the previous MAP in 2001-06 designed
to develop a mobile access dental unit for severely impaired and institutionalized older
adults/disabled in long term care facilities and the homebound in Orange County, as well as
Chatham and Durham counties.
The Regional Access Dental Coalition, chaired by Jill Passmore, Lead Regional LTC
Ombudsman, last met on Oct 18, 2007 at the Seymour Center with Access Dental, anon-profit
organization that operates mobile dental units out of Greensboro. With a recent
$200,000 allocation of state funds to expand access dental services, the Coalition confirmed
its interest with Access Dental to expand service in Orange, Durham and Chatham
counties. The Coalition is comprised of representatives from the three counties. Orange
County representatives included Jack Chestnut (Carol Woods), the late Florence Soltys
( Aging Board), Angela Cooke (Health Dept.), Laura Deloye (Adult Care Home Community
Adv. Com.), Gwen Phillips (DSS), Myra Austin (Dept. on Aging Wellness Program), Mary Ann
Peter (Nursing Home Community Adv. Com.), and Betty Stevens (Brookshire Nursing Center).
Bill Milner, dentist and director of Access Dental, supported expansion into Orange County,
and applied necessary state funds. Plans are to operate the mobile dental van out of
Greensboro, with a possible need for storage space in Orange County for dental supplies.
Accomplishment: Funding was secured in January, 2008 and program operations
began in May, 2008.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1: Access Dental mobile van served four facilities in the region including Carol Woods, serving
187 patients with a total of 454 patients visits.
2. 1093 patient services that included diagnostic/ preventive, restorative, oral surgery and
denture procedures.
Recommendations for 2010:
1. Maintain service to the existing four facilities in the three county area.
2. Expand service operations to an additional four skilled nursing facilities and senior centers in
Orange County in consultation with the Health Dept.
5. Focus: Legislation/Advocacy
Goal H; Legislation/Advocacy, - Promote a legislative/advocacy Aging Agenda that
supports Orange County's Bill of Rights for Older Persons.
Objective H-1: Establish alegislative/advocacy mechanism to involve older persons,
local county boards, ofFcials and the public in .improving the lives of older persons.
Lead Organization(s): Orange County Advisory Board on Aging and Board of County
Commissioners with the Department on Aging.
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Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
1. To date no activities or accomplishments have occurred due to a "short session" of the N.C.
General Assembly in 2008.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. In the fall of 2008, the Orange County Advisory Board on Aging (OCABA) convened a
legislative subcommittee to review state aging legislative issues for 2009. The subcommittee
considered 33 statewide issues which were recognized as important by various senior advocacy
groups.
2. March 10, 2009, the OCABA adopted the subcommittee's recommendations and prepared a
legislative comparison chart of various advocacy groups recommendations.
3. In May and October 2009, the Coalition for the Continuity of Care in the Geriatric Community
met with consumers and providers from both Orange and Chatham counties to discuss legislative
issues and new programs focusing on older adults.
4. Actively participated with TJAAA Advisory Council on Aging and NC Coalition on Aging.
Recommendations for 2010:
1. Establish a permanent Advocacy/Legislation Committee of the County Advisory Board on
Aging for year-round monitoring
2. Prepare, by the Aging Advisory Board's Legislation/Advocacy committee, a 2010 Aging
Legislative report for the Aging Board's review and approval for submission to the BOCC.
Objective H-2: Increase the educational opportunities for older persons, local
officials, legislators and general public to be exposed to legislative issues related
to aging.
Lead Organization (s1: Orange County Advisory Board on Aging with the Department on
Aging.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
1. An Aging Legislative Update Forum was held June 16, 2008 which was sponsored by the
Orange County Advisory Board on Aging, the Triangle J Area Agency on Aging, the TJAAA
Ombudsman Program, AARP's Chapel Hill Chapter, and the Orange County Nursing Home
and Adult Care Home CACs. Arrangements were made by the Department on Aging with over
50 participants. The purpose was to educate the public to advocacy issues, organizations, and
specific legislation.
2. The Legislative Forum was taped, edited and broadcast on the In Praise of Aging TV Show
in a two part series -Advocacy, Sept. 13, 2008 and Bills and Issues, Sept.20, 2008.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. Held a 2009 Legislative Update Forum on March 23, 2009 at the Seymour Center that was
moderated by Alice Gordon, BOCC member, and co-sponsored by Friends of the Seymour
Center & Central Orange and the Orange Co. Nursing Home & Adult Home Care Community
Adv. Committees. The forum shared the Aging Advisory Boards' recommendations which were
submitted to the BOCC by Chair Steve Lackey.
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Recommendations for 2010:
1. Hold an annual, public Aging 2010 Legislative Forum to present advocacy issues and any
recommended legislative priorities for submission to the BOCC and other aging advocacy
groups.
~6, Focus: Planningand Administration
Goal I: PlanninglAdministration -Enhance the planning, administration, coordination
and funding of a response system to the changing needs of Orange County's older
persons.
Objective 1-1: Planning/Coordination -Improve the County's planning and
coordination efforts for the growing aging population.
Lead Organization(s): Orange County Department on Aging with the Advisory Board on
Aging and the Triangle United Way with the O. C. Manager's Office.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
1. Several Planning initiatives occurred in 2007-08. The United Way established an Orange
County Profile Committee to identify issues to fund through a new funding plan. Carol Woods
received athree-year Community Connections for Seniors Project grant that focuses on aging
transition issues and the County Comprehensive Planning was undertaken. All of these major
planning initiatives impact older adults. The Department on Aging Director and staff
participated in various committees in an effort to coordinate them with the MAP.
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Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. Worked with Carol Woods' Community Connections for Seniors Project on transition issues,
leading to a "Telehealth" computer health monitoring system located located at the Central
Orange Senior Center in 2010.
2. Participated in the development of the Chatham-Orange Community Resources Connections
project (See page 20 -Results of 2009 Adopted Priorities).
Recommendations for 2010:
1. Continue planning and coordination efforts with various groups.
2. Explore potential for Department on Aging and DSS/Adult Services to collaborate on the
assessment, prioritization, and allocation of funds for the most efficient, effective, and equitable
utilization of county resources among the most needy residents.
Objective I-2: Administration- Improve the service delivery of the Department
on Aging's services as well as other county departments and other non-profit
agencies that serve older persons.
Lead Organization(s): Orange County Department on Aging and the Orange County
Advisory Board on Aging with the County Manager's Office.
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Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
1. In 2007-08, a catered food model project of a soup/salad option began at the Seymour
Center, underwritten by the Friends. This led to further discussion of food service improvement
and the Dept. on Aging taking leadership in a major food service initiative.
2. In 2007-08, construction of the new Central Orange Senior Center including the Day Health
Program was begun, providing over 19,000 sq. ft. of service space, adjoining the SportsPlex.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. Consolidate Central/Northern Aging Services to the new Central Orange Senior Center
(COSC) adjoining the SportsPlex in January, 2009 for improved efficiency.
2. Held a Central Orange Senior Center grand opening event on January 29, 2009 with
Over 350+ in attendance.
Recommendation for 2010:
1. Continue planning and. coordination efforts with various groups.
Objective I-3: Funding- Increase appropriate public and private funding for aging
services that are affected by a growing older population.
Lead Organization(s): Orange County Department on Aging and the Orange County
Advisory Board on Aging with the County Manager's Office.
Strategies for 2007-08:
A. Analyze the past and current funding of aging services by the county, towns and
Triangle United Way, comparing it with the projected growth of the older population and
recommend necessary funding changes based on service needs.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2007-08
1. No work was done on this strategic objective.
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. No work was done on this strategic objective due to lack of staff time. However, the Friends of
the Seymour Center provided funds for two nights a week center coverage and donations to the
frail Elderly Fund have increased ($11,000).
Recommendations for 2010:
1. The Aging Advisory Board's planning/coordination committee will conduct the analysis and
report on senior service funding by various sources.
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111. Results of 2009 Adopted Priorities
Objective A-6: (New Initiative for 2009) Begin the three-year Community Resource
Connections(CRC) project for improved access to services for older adults and
persons with disabilities.
Lead Organization(s): Department on Aging's Aging Transitions Div. with County Social
Services' Adult Services Unit and County Information Technologies
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. The Chatham Orange CRC was launched on November 30, 2009, as was a new website:
www.chathamorangecrc.org/.
2. Staff from Chatham and Orange Aging, Social Services, OPC, UNC Hospitals, NC Access
Care, Alliance for Disability Advocates/Center for Independent Living, and numerous consumers
representing the interests of the aging and disability communities worked together to cross train
staff and develop procedures to make consumer access to information and services person-
centered rather than agency-centric.
3. The Chatham Orange CRC has been awarded additional funding to participate in a developing
person-centered hospital discharge plan.
4. Carol Woods' Community Connections grant project held atwo-day consumer input forum in
Hillsborough with transitions in care identified as a community priority among older residents.
Recommendations for 2010:
1. Information Technologies support for CRC confidential communication among departments.
2. Establish CRC policies and procedures that enable the state's mandate of "No Wrong Door" a
reality in practice.
Objective E-6: (New Initiative for 2009) Improve food service at Senior Centers in
conjunction with supporting the local economy and environment.
Lead Organization(s): Department on Aging-Senior Center Operations Div. with the
County Advisory Board on Aging, Friends of the Senior Centers (Seymour & Central)
Activities and Accomplishments: 2008-09
1. Senior Lunch Program: Beginning on July 1, 2009, Orange County Department on Aging
began administering the Senior Lunch Program, a federally funded meals service to older adults
60+ on a donation basis. With the assistance of the Food Services Innovations Committee, the
program went "Green", becoming more environmentally friendly by no longer using disposable
products (ex. plates, silverware, and cups) as in the past. Both Friends of the Senior Center at
Seymour and Central Orange helped by purchasing dishes, cups and plateware and the
Department purchased the chemicals for the commercial dishwashing machines, saving an
estimated $8000 per year. The program began "Employing Local" by hiring and training Title V
Senior Employment workers to work in the kitchens and operate the dishwashing machines. On
November 1, 2009, the program began "Buying Local" by contracting with Nantucket Grill, a
local restaurant in Chapel Hill, to cater 150 meals per day to the senior centers and adult day
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health program. Since implementation, attendance has increased at both locations resulting in
the delivery of almost 200 meals daily.
2. Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program: On July 1, 2009 the Department on Aging
joined with the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services and the NC Department of Agriculture
to participate in the statewide Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program. This project provided
$24 of coupons to low-income seniors, age 60+ enrolled in the senior centers' lunch program
to help them eat "local fresh food" and support the local farming economy. Approximately
100 Orange County Seniors were issued coupons to redeem at state certified local farmers
markets. The Carrboro and the Hillsborough Farmers Markets became certified and accepted
coupons in 2009. Program information was sent to the Eno and Estes Drive farmers markets to
encourage their participation.
3. Farmers Market outreach to Senior Centers: In order to help seniors with coupons that could
not get to the certified local farmers markets Saturday sites, the Department on Aging arranged
with the Hillsborough Farmers' Market to offer a monthly farmers' market at each of the Senior
Centers. All farmers markets were informed of this outreach effort.
Recommendations for 2010:
1. Continue lunch program improvements with periodic meetings of the Food Service
Innovations Committee.
2. Post the monthly lunch program menus on the County Department on Aging website.
3. Expand participation of low-income seniors and all farmers markets in the N.C. Senior
Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.
4. Expand the Farmers' Market program at the Senior Centers to twice monthly at each
location with invitations to all four Orange County farmers markets.
5. Study of the feasibility of composting and gardening at senior centers.
Objective F-7: (New Initiative for 2009) Initiate program leadership and planning in
geriatric mental health care.
Lead Orctanization(s): Dept. on Aging's Aging Transitions/Eldercare Program Div.
Activities and Accomalishments: 2008-09
1. The many activities and accomplishments are covered under Objective F-1: Increase
community recognition, support, education and empowerment of family caregivers and
Objective F-2: Offer best practices in mental health for older persons in affordable, stigma-free,
non-psychiatric settings.
Recommendations for 2010:
1. Continue mental health programs, based on attendance and responses from participants
(MAP Objectives F-1 and F-2).
2. Continue planning to implement the IMPACT Program in the user-friendly senior center
setting.
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{V. Recommended Priorities for 2010
The MAP priorities for 2010 described below focus on improving the efficiency and
effectiveness of aging services in Orange County, with a holistic and preventive approach to
meeting the needs of older adults. Because of the weakened economy in 2009 and 2010, it is
imperative that little or no county funds are requested. Instead, other public and private
sources from the federal to the local level will be sought to achieve these MAP priorities.
Priority #1 was adopted by the Board of County Commissioners in May 2007, but has been
reevaluated as a top priority for 2010. While priorities #2 and #3 are new initiatives, the goals
behind them are embodied in the adopted Master Aging Plan. These priorities have arisen as
a result of increased demand for transportation services in the Hillsborough area and the
overcrowded conditions occurring during the day at the Seymour Center, resulting from
increased attendance in wellness and preventive programs.
#1 Develop, administer and evaluate an aging-friendly community assessment tool with a
limited number of Orange County departments by Retired and Senior Volunteer
Program (RSVP) professional volunteers. (See page 3 -Aging-Friendly Communities
Initiative)
#2 Develop a concept business plan for the BOCC and the Town of Hillsborough to
establish a Hillsborough in-town route to serve older adults and disabled and low
income persons in disadvantaged areas, as well as commuters pursuing job
opportunities. (MAP Objective C-1: Increase funding sources for expansion and/or
enhancements of new or existing transit services for older adults)
#3 Develop a concept plan for BOCC approval to expand the Seymour Wellness Center
wing with non-county funds, to be sought and procured by the Aging Advisory Board
partnering with Friends of the Seymour Center. The growth in attendance
at wellness classes and programs requires the use of the Seymour Center great room,
our largest space. A competing need for this space has been presented by the 2009
dramatic growth in participation in the Senior Nutrition/Luncheon Program and
attendance at other major special events. (MAP Goal E: To improve and /or maintain
the health and well-being of Orange County's present and future well-fit older adults)
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REGION J POPULATION PROJECTIONS
60+ used for
2010
Allocation* Old Projections
2007 2030
60+ % 60+ 0-17 60+ 0-17 60+
Chatham 13,322 5.7 12,869 12,329 20,188 24,608
Durham 36,745 15.8 61,449 33,938 85,422 68,205
Johnston 23,209 10 42,083 21,220 73,341 53,305
Lee 10,385 4.5 14,351 9,762 20,261 18,084
Moore 24,840 10.7 17,607 23,480 23,279 38,138
Orange 18,019 7.8 25,699 16,516 30,573 33,943
Wake 105,537 45.5 215,555 93,178 388,937 285,295
232, 057 100 210,423 521, 578
2008
Total Pop 60+
Chatham 60,881 12,239
Durham 260,420 36,493
Johnston 162,746 24,721
Lee 57,500 10,174
Moore 85,280 22,083
Orange 129,296 18,682
Wake 864,429 113,009
1,620,552 237,401
New Projections
2008 2029
°I° 60+ 0-17 60+ 0-17 60+ % 60+
4.7 13,529 12,239 20,855 23,120 3.8
13.1 65,749 36,493 107,495 81,849 13.3
10.2 42,216 24,721 71,607 61,276 10
3.5 14,760 10,174 21,426 17,617 2.9
7.3 18,098 22,083 26,524 29,339 4.8
6.5 24,433 18,682 27,893 41,398 6.7
54.7 216,700 113,009 383,072 358,850 58.5
100 237,401 613,449 100
60+ % of
Total
20.10
14.01
15.19
17.69
25.89
14.45
13.07
14.65
Total Pop
93,799
406, 895
289,240
82,489
116,509
167,679
1,609,306
2,765,917
2029
60+
23,120
81,849
61,276
17,617
29, 339
41, 398
358,850
613,449
60+ % of
Total
24.65
20.12
21.19
21.36
25.18
24.69
22.30
22.18
* Allocation formula is based 50% on 60+, 30°I° on number 60+ in poverty, 10% on number 60+ minority and 10% on number 60+ rural.
N
07