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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAging Board minutes 101210 1 ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD ON AGING Minutes October 12, 2010 PRESENT: Leo Allison, Heather Altman, Peggy Cohn, Mary Fraser, Steve Lackey, Thelma Perkins, Haryo Marsosudiro, Janice Wells GUESTS: Alexander Castro, Ed Flowers, Vince Stevens STAFF: Isabel Jackson, Kathie Kearns, Janice Tyler The meeting was called to order by Chair Heather Altman at the Robert and Pearl Seymour Center. Janice Tyler introduced Isabel Jackson as the new Food Services Coordinator for the Department’s Senior Lunch Program. The Advisory Board expressed its appreciation for her coordination of the 30th Anniversary Celebration dinner. Ms. Tyler reported that the slide presentation viewed that evening will be revised and used for Board orientation. Thelma Perkins asked that information about the Friends of Seymour concert series be added. Ms. Tyler added that a special thanks should be extended to the Johnson Interns who volunteered their time to serve and clean up after the event. Janice Tyler asked that the September 14 minutes be corrected to include schools and economic development as beneficiaries of the ¼ cent sales tax increase. The minutes were approved upon the motion offered by Peggy Cohn moved and the second by Leo Allison. In her Director’s Report Janice Tyler informed the Advisory Board that the County Manager has forwarded the proposal to rename the Central Orange Senior Center of Jerry Passmore to the members of the Board of County Commissioners. Leo Allison summarized the process to date. He reported that he has contacted Commissioner Yuhasz. Ms. Cohn has spoken with Commissioner Foushee. Copies of the educational flyer concerning the proposed 1/4 Cent County Sales Use Tax were distributed. Janice Tyler reported that two In Praise of Age segments were produced on this subject the previous week. Peggy Cohn asked if a public poll has been conducted. Heather Altman asked if the Dept on Aging will directly benefit from the increased revenue. In discussing membership Janice Tyler reported that reappointment has been requested for Janice Wells and appointment recommendations have been resubmitted for Mr. Symons and Ms. Fraser. The Advisory Board applicants who were in attendance were asked to introduce themselves. The Chair stated that the Board of County Commissioners had frozen new membership appointments while all Commissioner- appointed committees were re-evaluated. Thelma Perkins asked that copies of each 2 applicant be made available. Ms. Tyler reported that Jack Chestnut has declined the Advisory Board’s invitation to reapply for membership at this time. Ms. Tyler informed the Advisory Board that several members of the Dept on Aging staff will be attending the Governor’s Conference on Aging this week. Heather Altman and Janice Wells stated that they will be presenting in workshops during the conference. She also announced that the Department on Aging is co-sponsoring with Legal Services of NC, Inc. an upcoming workshop on aging issues for practicing attorneys. Janice Wells and Peggy Cohn expressed interest in attending and presenting the information at a future Advisory Board meeting. Ms. Tyler will inquire about that possibility. Ms. Cohn added that the Nursing Home and Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committees are interested in holding a joint meeting this fall and may ask for a presentation on these issues from Legal Services. Janice Tyler invited members to join the senior center listserv that highlights upcoming events and activities bi-weekly. She credited the Friends of Seymour for paying the Constant Contact service fee. She also reported that many senior centers are utilizing Facebook for program promotion. Peggy Cohn stated that she has asked Nursing Home Committee Chair Ed Flowers to apply for appointment to the Advisory Board on Aging. Mary Fraser shared her observation that most of this Board’s energy in the past had been focused on community services. She expressed her interest in seeing more focus on long term care issues, especially in light of the quality of long term care in Orange County. The Master Aging Plan stated that a roundtable of long term care providers and consumers be established. The MAP Plan update stated that this goal had not been accomplished due to lack of staff time. Ms. Fraser asked if this should be an area of concern for this advisory committee. Janice Wells added that this effort would be an attempt to partner with the lower-rated facilities to foster improvements in areas such as activities. Discussion followed on the facility rating system and the special populations that reside in the homes that accept Medicaid clients. Steve Lackey offered a motion that Mary Fraser and Janice Wells explore the possibility of establishing a Long Term Care Roundtable. Peggy Cohn provided the second. Motion carried. Ms. Cohn also asked that committee reports from both the Adult Care and Nursing Home Committees be included in the Committee Progress Reports section of the Advisory Board meeting agendas. Kathie Kearns informed the Advisory Board that Nantucket Café, Inc. had served notice of their intent to raise the per-meal cost for the Senior Lunch Program. The $.75 increase would be effective November 15 and a new contract will be necessary. Earlier in the day notification had been received that Orange County has $7,881 in additional Home and Community Care Block Grant funds available for the current fiscal year. A proposal will be submitted to utilize those funds to lessen the impact of the meal cost increase. Janice Tyler added that the caterer had initially proposed a rate increase of $1.00 per meal. Advisory Board members asked about the possibility of increasing the amount of donations collected for the meals to offset the rate hike. Ms. Tyler reviewed the regulations that govern the advertisement and collection of contributions. Discussion 3 followed on the impact of this cost increase on the actual number of meals served at each location. A suggestion was offered to ask the caterer if less expensive menu items could be used to lower the per-meal cost. Members asked for information about the meal prices in other counties in the Triangle J service area. Haryo Marsosudiro reported for the Friends of Central Orange. The Friends are sponsoring a monthly Contra Dance that is attracting many participants. Tickets for Saturday’s Harvest Ball fundraiser are still available. Leo Allison added that the Friends are upgrading the sound system in the Central Orange Senior Center. Steve Lackey distributed a Seymour Center Handbook developed by Friends board member Walter Mack. Heather Altman reported that the Chatham-Orange Community Resource Connections Project sponsored a luncheon meeting with UNC Hospitals discharge planners. Janice Tyler requested that the December Advisory Board meeting be cancelled and the January meeting be postponed from the second (11th) to the third Tuesday (18th). This schedule change was adopted by consensus. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Janice Tyler Interim Department Director