HomeMy WebLinkAboutAging Board minutes 021308 1
ORANGE COUNTY
ADVISORY BOARD ON AGING
Minutes
February 13, 2008
PRESENT: Jack Chestnut, Peggy Cohn, Alice Gordon, Diane Henderson, Jerry Kruter,
Mary Ann Peter
STAFF: Bob Jones, Kathie Kearns, Jerry Passmore, Shante Taylor (MSW intern)
EXCUSED: Ellen Ozier-Hayes, Fred Schroeder
The meeting was called to order by Chair Jack Chestnut at the Seymour Center. He
reported that the Access Dental Project has been expanded to Orange County. The
program van will be stationed at the Seymour Center. The first priority for service will
be residents of long term care, beginning with the larger facilities. The program will
expand next to the residents of the smaller facilities and then to community residents.
Medicaid assignment will be accepted but there is no sliding scale for private pay fees.
Long term care facilities will pay a $6.00/bed/month retainer in order to have access to
this dental care service should emergencies arise. Board members were encouraged to
visit the ACCESSDENTAL.com website for more information. Jerry Kruter asked how
this program is being coordinated with the local dental society. Jerry Passmore
responded that there should be no opposition, since Access Dental is reaching an
unserved population. He added that UNC’s Dental School has been very supportive and
sees this service as a mechanism for educating future dentist about this need.
Mr. Passmore referred to the revised Aging Board meeting schedule for 2008 and
suggested that Steve Lackey might be a candidate for membership. He also announced
that the UNC Preventive Home Visit Project, a NIH-funded research project in which the
Department on Aging is involved, has begun. Eldercare Transitions staffer Vibeke Talley
is conducting home visits and gathering data for the two-year study. She is the only
occupational therapist on the staff of a county aging services provider in the State.
The Chair reported on the Board of County Commissioners public meeting where Robert
Seymour and Mary Ann Peter addressed the future space needs for the Department.
A motion was made by Peggy Cohn and seconded by Mary Ann Peter that the minutes of
the December 12, 2007 meeting be approved as mailed. Alice Gordon asked that the
minutes be corrected to record her absence as excused. The motion was approved with
that correction.
Jack Chestnut reported that the Friends of the Seymour Center are continuing their
fundraising through sponsorship of performing arts programs. He also noted that the
Orange County Arts Commission has set aside $5,000 for artwork at the Center and a
committee is working on selection. The Friends of Central Orange are involved in
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developing an equipment/furnishing list for their new facility. He noted that one board
member is particularly concerned that the front entrance has an overhang for protection
from the weather. He announced that the Friends of COSC have voted to recommend
that the new senior center be named the Leo Allison Senior Center and a room within be
dedicated to Mariah McPherson. Mary Ann Peter suggests obtaining a color palate from
the architect to aid in planning.
Peggy Cohn informed the Board that a review of the new UNC Geriatric Assessment
Clinic was given to the Wellness Board. Two persons are being assessed each Tuesday.
The Wellness Program offerings are so successful that space is becoming an issue.
Mr. Chestnut stated that the Adult Day Health Center is averaging nine participants per
day. In the absence of a program manager he and Mr. Passmore are sharing that
responsibility each afternoon. A new job description has been approved by the Senior
Care Board and the position has been advertised. Board representatives have met with
the Piedmont Health Services Director to explore benefits options. He noted that two in-
service trainings for staff have been held on recent Saturdays. Mr. Passmore has
submitted a grant application to UNC Health Care for $30,000 for equipment for the new
center. He added that the $50,000 received from Orange County Government is used to
subsidize the reduced-fee participants.
Peggy Cohn made a motion that the Advisory Board on Aging join the Senior Care Board
in recommending that the new adult day health program space be named in honor of
Florence Soltys. Mary Ann Peter supplied the second. Motion carried. Alice Gordon
informed the Board that the Commissioners have a process for naming facilities that
states that the County Manager will compile a list of suggestions and present them to the
Board for consideration.
Mary Ann Peter summarized the presentation the she and Robert Seymour made to the
County Commissioners at the CIP public hearing. Ms. Gordon reviewed the options
currently being considered for human services expansion. One option recommends
adding 25,000 sf to the Southern Human Services building. Another puts an additional
50,000 sf building on this campus. Both have implications for expanding the Seymour
Center in the future. She urged the Aging Board to document their request for additional
space, citing the doubling of the population. The Chair asked Peggy Cohn to prepare a
statement on the Wellness Program’s needs. After further discussion Ms. Gordon
recommended that the Board send a letter to the County Commissioners documenting the
need for expanded program space as soon as possible and also submit information for the
Manager’s Memo for the March 12 meeting. Jerry Passmore and Mary Ann Peter will
work on the letter, the board members will review it, and the Chair will sign.
Jerry Passmore announced that the first meeting of the Carol Woods Community
Connections for Seniors Steering Committee will be held the following day. The first
meeting for the United Way’s newly-formed County Profile Committee will also be held
on that day. He has been appointed to both planning groups.
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Mr. Passmore stated that the Seymour Center will begin showing the In Praise of Age
television program each Monday. He also said that a grant application is being
developed to award funds to Chapel Hill Transit to operate a cross-town senior shuttle
for those who cannot a maneuver public transit to the Seymour Center but do not need the
individual service provided by Easy Rider.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Jerry M. Passmore, Secretary