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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAging Advisory Board Minutes 041117 ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD ON AGING Minutes April 11, 2017 PRESENT: Heather Altman, Mary Altpeter, Colin Austin, Peggy Cohn,Winston Liao, Dick White EXCUSED: Keith Cook, Lorenzo Mejia,Yvonne Mendenhall, Donna Prather STAFF: Mary Fraser, Kathie Kearns,Yvette Missri,Janice Tyler The meeting was called to order by Chair Peggy Cohn. The minutes of the March 14 meeting were approved as corrected following the motion made by Winston Liao and the second by Heather Altman. Director's Report Janice Tyler began by announcing that recently-retired employee Judy Mathias had passed away. The new Seymour Center Evening Facility Manager will begin work on April 17. Corina Riley will retire April 28 after 30 years with the Department on Aging. And Bilingual Social Worker Zhenzhen Yu has resigned effective May 5 to accept a position in Beijing. During the recent annual monitoring visit the Triangle J Area Agency on Aging staff addressed the new State Division of Aging policy that senior centers must offer at least 60% of its classes at no cost. Discussion followed on the intent of this change and its impact on the activities at the Passmore and Seymour Centers. Contract Occupational Therapist Jenny Womack has received a UNC Public Service Award for her work with the Department on Aging. Advisory Board members are invited to attend the Volunteer Appreciation event to be held on April 28 at the Seymour Center for all Department on Aging volunteers. The Department will join other community organizations and the NC Food Bank to offer the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)for low income seniors. Outreach is being done to enroll qualified seniors in the program and the 301b. box of food will be distributed monthly at the senior centers. Yvette Missri announced that, together, she (representing the Department on Aging) and UNC's Tiffany Young, PhD, Center for Health Equity Research (CHER), North Carolina Translational Research &Clinical Sciences Institute (NC TRACS), have been awarded Community Based Participatory Research Partnership fellowships by the Detroit Urban Research Center, University of Michigan,Ann Arbor.This summer,the pair will attend a week-long intensive course in Michigan,followed by participating in year- long monthly learning activities,writing a non-competitive grant proposal, and becoming part of the National CBPR Partnership Academy Network. Mary Fraser announced that the Department on Aging is co-hosting a two day training for professionals working with adults with disabilities. The conference will be held at the Seymour Center. Old Business Ms.Tyler informed the Advisory Board that the Department of Social Services has agreed to take on all In-Home services Level II clients. This will reduce the deficit for the current fiscal year's Aging Transitions Division and clarify client referrals in future years. With this change the projected deficit is reduced to $20,000 for FY 17. New Business The Manager will present the Orange County budget to the Board of County Commissioners on May 2. During the budget process the Manager met with each of the outside agencies individually. She has since convened a meeting with the three meal-delivery agencies to discuss service area and eligibility requirements difference. 2017-22 Master Aging Plan Mary Fraser announced that the MAP Steering Committee will meet on April 12 to suggest changes to the draft Plan and discuss implementation strategies. Public comment sessions will be held at both Senior Centers on April 20. The document will be presented to the County Commissioners at the May 16 meeting. Presentation of the National Senior Center Accreditation plaques and the Older Americans Month proclamation will also be made at that meeting. Chair Cohn applauded the process, the plan and the format. Mrs. Fraser commented that the difference with this plan is using the Age Friendly Community guidelines as the framework. Heather Altman expressed the need for this MAP to be a living document and that we also have room for flexibility. Mrs.Tyler noted that Pat Sprigg will be announcing at the MAP Steering Committee meeting that organizations will be receiving commitment letters in the near future. At this meeting Mrs. Sprigg will also be asking the Towns to sign on with the WHO/AARP to become Age Friendly Communities. Chair Cohn noted that many of the strategies call for action from the Towns. Mrs.Tyler announced that some of the demographic data is being updated. Mrs. Fraser commented that this plan involved 160+ persons and it was definitely a grassroots written plan. Dick White shared how great it was to have so many community persons involved and to be able to put a face with name. Aging Board members were asked to review their tasks. Mary Altpeter suggested that the Aging Board assignments be included on future meeting agendas. Mrs.Tyler and Mrs. Fraser will be working on the implementation plan and the Steering Committee will be commenting during the July/August meeting. Colin Austin shared how important it is to keep the work group participants engaged. There are some naturally occurring teams resulting from the MAP process and they will be tapped to help with implementation. Ms. Altpeter suggested that the MAP would make a great presentation at the American Society on Aging's annual meeting. Continuing Projects Yvette Missri distributed flyers for the April 20 An Evening with a Physician and Author, Dr. Haider Warraich. The End of Life Choices team have worked very hard on this event. Mrs. Missri announced that Project EngAGE Class Four will be starting in September and recruitment will begin in May for class participants. Committee Reports With Lorenzo Mejia being absent from the meeting Mrs. Fraser announced that six Wells Fargo locations have signed on to become Dementia Friendly Businesses. We have been asked to do a webinar through the American Society on Aging on our Dementia Friendly Business program. The Direct Care Workers Award submissions are due next week. The awards ceremony will be held on May 25 from 4:30—6 p.m. at the Passmore Center. Mrs.Tyler announced that the Friends of the Passmore Center are hosting their Annual Las Vegas night on April 22 from 6-10 p.m. and there are tickets still available. For the Friends of the Seymour Center Mrs.Tyler announced that Betty and Henry Landsberge's estate contributed $2,000 to the Friends. Dick White questioned whether we had a representative from this board to the Transportation Board. If Alex Castro is reappointed to this board then he would fulfill this request. A discussion on light rail followed. There being no further business the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting will be held on May 9 at the Passmore Center. Respectfully submitted, Janice Tyler, Secretary