HomeMy WebLinkAboutAging Board Minutes 091311 1
ORANGE COUNTY
ADVISORY BOARD ON AGING
September 13, 2011
Minutes
PRESENT: Heather Altman, Peggy Cohn , Ed Flowers, Mary Fraser, Haryo Marsosudiro, Jean
Suddarth, Mike Symons, Jan Wells, Kay Wilbourne, Don Willhoit
EXCUSED: Leo Allison, Alex Castro
STAFF: Kathie Kearns, Janice Tyler
The meeting was called to order by Chair Heather Altman at the Robert and Pearl Seymour Center.
Following introductions the minutes of the August 16 meeting were reviewed. Ed Flowers reported that
the minutes should be amended to state that Carol Woods is preparing to provide bookkeeping services
for Senior Care’s Adult Day Health Program. Mary Fraser requested that the list of attendees at the Long
Term Care Roundtable be revised to include Brookshire and delete Britthaven. Peggy Cohn offered a
motion to approve the minutes as corrected. Jan Wells provided the second. Motion carried.
In her Director’s Report Janice Tyler highlighted the special events promoted in the Senior Times for the
month of September. She noted that the new Senior Times distribution racks that have been placed
around Orange County and she welcomed additional location suggestions. Currently there is no
mechanism for persons to continue to receive the newspaper by mail. However, the Senior Times is still
inserted quarterly in the Herald-Sun.
Ms. Tyler announced a system for online facility rental was implemented County-wide September 1.
Web-based class registration will be available in the near future. Johnson Intern James Helton has been
assigned to the Department on Aging for the new academic year. The internship is co-funded by the
Friends of Seymour and an anonymous private donor. The Department has also been assigned an NC
State Masters Social Work student intern for three days per week with the Aging Transitions Division.
And the Senior Wellness Clinic co-sponsored with UNC Healthcare has been reinstated at the Seymour
Center in September. In concluding her report, Ms. Tyler announced the Parenting A Second Time
Around (PASTA) workshop series planned for the Central Orange and Info 101– Planning for the Future
course at the Seymour Center beginning October 3.
Kathie Kearns summarized the appointment process for Advisory Board on Aging membership that
begins when interested Orange County residents submit an application to the Board of County
Commissioners office. The Chair recognized the Advisory Board applicants in attendance. Each was
asked to give a brief statement. Don Willhoit expressed his interest in expanding transportation and
aging-in-place services. Kay Wilbourne is interested in resources available for seniors in northern Orange
County.
Master Aging Plan (MAP) Co-Chair Mary Fraser provided a progress report. Six graduate students from
the UNC Health Behavior/Health Education Capstone graduate program have begun working on the MAP
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Update. They will draft the Plan and serve as the Management Team along with Department on Aging
staff and representatives of the Advisory Board. The draft Plan deadline is February 2012. The first
meeting of the MAP Steering Committee will be held on September 14, hosted by Carol Woods and
convened by its CEO Pat Sprigg. Orange County Chair Bernadette Pelissier has agreed to represent the
Board of County Commissioners on this Committee.
The community assessment component of the planning process is nearly complete. The survey of long
term care residents will be added to the information gathered from the focus groups, Orange County
department heads and employee surveys.
Plans are underway for the MAP Community Kick-Off on October 5 and a publicity campaign has been
implemented by the Capstone team. The Kick-Off will produce a prioritized list of issues that will be
reviewed by the Steering Committee at its next meeting. An electronic copy of the priority list will be
made available to Advisory Board members. The students are also working on the process that will be
used to determine the priorities at the Community meeting. Discussion followed on the processes used to
solicit input from individuals not able to attend public meetings. Janice Tyler stated that, in addition to
the online surveys, she conducted personal interviews with each Orange County department head to
assess that department’s readiness for the demographic shift. She also informed the Advisory Board that
the County Manager has requested that dollar amounts be assigned to all MAP Update recommendations
prior to its presentation to the Board of County Commissioners.
Haryo Marsosudiro reported on behalf of the Friends of Central Orange. He announced that the Legacy
Wall at the Central Orange Senior Center was being dedicated that afternoon and the Harvest Moon Ball
fundraiser will be held on October 1. Tickets are still available. Mike Symons announced that the
Friends of Seymour will meet this Thursday and its fundraiser Yard Sale is October 1.
Heather Altman reported that the Chatham-Orange Community Resource Connection has executed 22
formal memorandums of agreement with local agencies. The CRC’s priority areas are access, awareness,
assistance, and discharge planning.
Ed Flowers announced that the Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee currently has two
vacancies. Mary Fraser added that vacancies exist on the Adult Care Home Community Advisory
Committee.
Jean Suddarth informed the Advisory Board that the next session of Senior Tar Heel Legislature will be
held the following Tuesday. Jan Wells urged those present to contact their legislators in support of the
reauthorization of the Older Americans Act.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Tyler, Secretary