HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-15-2007-12Memorandum
To: Laura Blackmon, County Manager
From: Jerry Passmore, Department on Aging Director
Date: May 10, 2007
Re: Transition of Seniors from Northside to the New Seymour Center
This memo is in response to questions regarding the Northside Center that were raised at the
May 3, 2007 BOCC Regular Meeting.
Years in the Planning
Plans and preparations to bring together the two senior centers -the Chapel Hill Senior Center
on Elliott Road and Northside Center on Caldwell St. -were fundamental to the planning
process for the new Seymour Center. The Seymour Center was designed to serve all older
persons in southern Orange, including Chapel Hill and Carrboro and located in close distance
( approx. 3.5 miles or less) from the existing centers. Two representatives from Northside
seniors and the Director of the Chapel Hill Hargraves Center were included on the Design
Committee appointed by the BOCC to work with staff and the architectural team. Additionally, a
representative of Northside sat on the Friends of the Chapel Hill Senior Center board and was
involved in public input sessions and informational forums to promote the coming together of
seniors across southern Orange. Notably, hula Alston, President of the Golden Age Happy
Circle Club, was involved in the planning process and spoke at the ground breaking ceremony
for the Seymour Center in September, 2005.
For over a year the Department on Aging staff has been consulting with the Northside seniors
about the physical and emotional transition to the new Seymour Center, in recognition that
change is not easy. This planning process has also occurred with seniors at the Chapel Hill
Senior Center. Aging staff has scheduled the types of programs and activities at the new
Seymour Center that Northside seniors said fihey either wanted to see continued or created. The
basketball court, an arts/crafts room, and outside courtyard at the new Center were expressly
included because of their.importance to the Northside community.
Transition in Progress
Hands-on & Personalized ...Transportation
During May transportation arrangements have been negotiated by AI Terry, OPT Manager, to
provide every Northside senior, who is an Orange County resident, with ready access to the
Seymour Center via Chapel Hill Transit, Easy-Rider, or Orange Public Transportation. Drive-bys
have been conducted to familiarize seniors with the location, parking, and surroundings. At the
annual May Day Event (May 4t") co-sponsored with Recreation and Parks at Hargraves Center,
Jerry Passmore informed everyone, including Northside participants, of the upcoming move to
the New Seymour Center this month. As with the ground breaking ceremony for the Seymour
Center, Northside participants will be part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 24t" and be
tour guides for the day.
Spreading the Word ... Public Information
An information flyer is being prepared to mail to all Northside participants to make sure their
families are aware of the transition to the Seymour Center. Corina Riley, Dept. on Aging's
Northside Manager for the last 15 years, will be relocating with the participants to the Seymour
Center and will continue to work with participants on a one-on-one basis for smooth transition.
Food, Fellowship and Fun ... Carrying on Traditions
Aging staff, in conjunction with Joint Orange and Chatham Community Action (JOCCA) staff on
site, have planned to relocate all older adults and senior programs from Northside to the new
Seymour Center on Homestead Campus, opening the week of May 14th.
Congregate lunch meals will continue to be available through JOCCA contract five days a week.
Popular programs held in conjunction with Hargraves Center will continue such as bowling,
gardening, fishing trips, walking, card and domino tournaments, as well as May Day and the
Black History Breakfast. The Aging senior center staff members at Northside, a constant and
positive force with Northside seniors, will have their offices at the new facility along with the
JOCCA Nutrition Site Manager for Northside. County-wide administration services for JOCCA,
including their county-wide Nutrition Coordinator, will remain in their suite of offices at Northside.
For these reasons, Aging staff observe that the majority of Northside seniors are looking forward
to the move with the expected mix of anxiety and appreciation.
Re-visioning Northside -Unique Elder Service Possibilities
Aging staff contemplates re-using the Northside center office space to house the county-wide
Mobile Access Dental program for seniors as recommended under the updated Master Aging
Plan (MAP), goal G-2. This program is projected to begin in 2007 and includes a
receptionist/schedulerand dental technician. A dental equipped van would leave each day from
Northside and go to nursing homes, adult care homes, community centers and even
homebound seniors providing low-income (Medicaid eligible and others) with needed primary
dental care. No County funds would be required for this program, but is supported by the
facilities, private pay, medicaid, grants and state funds.
Another possibility inspired by the MAP was converting the meeting space at Northside into an
adult day health center for the growing fragile elderly in southern Orange. This effort would
require funding for facility design, specialized staff, and operating support.
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