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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAging Board Minutes 011811 1 ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD ON AGING Minutes January 18, 2011 PRESENT: Leo Allison, Heather Altman, Alex Castro, Peggy Cohn, Ed Flowers, Mary Fraser, Steve Lackey, Haryo Marsosudiro, Mike Symons, Janice Wells STAFF: Kathie Kearns, Janice Tyler The meeting was called to order by Vice-Chair Mary Fraser at the Central Orange Senior Center. A motion was made by Janice Wells and seconded by Leo Allison that the minutes of the November 9 meeting be approved as distributed. Motion carried. Interim Director Janice Tyler reported that interviews for the Department on Aging Director position have not yet been scheduled. She has notified the Assistant County Manager that the Advisory Board is interested in having a representative participate in this process. Ms. Tyler informed the Advisory Board that the County Manager and Financial Services Director are not recommending any reductions in departmental operating budgets for fiscal year 2011-12. Triangle J Area Agency on Aging is not anticipating news about the status of Home and Community Care Block Grant funds in the near future. She also announced that the recommendation for Alex Castro and Ed Flowers’ appointments to this Advisory Board will be considered at the Board of County Commissioners meeting this Thursday night. Kathie Kearns distributed a summary of the Senior Lunch Program performance for the first half of fiscal year 2011. She stated that the present level of participation will allow for accommodation of the twelve persons currently on the waiting list. Ed Flowers shared his observation that there is some confusion at the lunch reservation desk at the Central Orange Senior Center. Janice Tyler added that the reservation system also is confusing to some Seymour Center participants. Staff continues to make adjustments to the process in an effort to make it efficient, fair and as user-friendly as possible. After Chair Heather Altman arrived Mary Fraser summarized the activities of the Long Term Care Task Force. She stated that the consensus of the group is that the Task Force should evolve into a subcommittee of the Advisory Board and become a part of the larger Master Aging Plan for Orange County. The Task Force identified three initiatives to pursue; • Apply to become a UNC School of Public Health Capstone Project to evaluate the long term care system in Orange County, focusing on service gaps 2 • Promote enrollment in the upcoming person-centered training to be sponsored by Triangle J for long term care service providers • Appoint a subcommittee of the Advisory Board on Aging that focuses on the issues of long term care on an on-going basis Discussion followed on the lack of Family Care Homes in Orange County and the funding to support them. Peggy Cohn suggested that the demand for small homes will grow with the increase in the older adult population. Durham’s “Just For Us” program was suggested as an option for bringing a range of support services into senior housing complexes. Mary Fraser summarized the Capstone Project agency orientation that she and Janice Tyler attended the previous Thursday evening on the UNC-CH campus. This School of Public Health project provides a team of 3-5 students for 6-9 hours per week, with 2-6 hours of supervision expected from the applicant agency staff. Ms. Fraser suggested that the Master Aging Plan Update might be the right kind of proposal for Capstone Project approval. Project selection will be made before the end of the spring semester and the assigned students would begin their work in the fall. Discussion followed on how the MAP planning process might differ from the last update. Peggy Cohn referenced a livable communities assessment guide that is available through AARP. By consensus the Advisory Board approved the concept of a proposal to UNC for a 3-5 student team to assist with the MAP planning process. Ms. Fraser offered to complete a draft of the application and send to the full Advisory Board for its review prior to the deadline in 10 days. The Chair emphasized that Orange County residents will develop the Plan with the assistance of the UNC students. Janice Tyler reported that she and Kathie Kearns will prepare a draft of the 2010 MAP Annual Report for the Advisory Board’s review at its February 8 meeting. The document will be submitted to the Board of County Commissioners in March. Heather Altman informed the Advisory Board that she had obtained copies of aging plans from three other counties: Buncombe, Durham, and Wake. The Area Agency on Aging Director Joan Pellettier suggested that Orange County might consider a more streamlined report as is being required by the NC Division of Aging. Members who had expressed interest in reviewing other Counties’ plans were provided hard copies. Discussion followed on the possibility of following the State Agency’s plan structure as announced at the Governor’s Conference on Aging last October. In this structure discussion centered around six major issues affecting North Carolina’s older adult population. Janice Tyler stated that she has included an announcement of the upcoming MAP planning process in the next issue of the Senior Times. In discussion with Assistant County Manager Gwen Harvey it was noted that MAP Planning Committee members need not be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. The Advisory Board on Aging could make these choices. Ms. Tyler suggested that the Commissioners could be informed of plans for a MAP Update when the 2010 Annual Report is presented in March. 3 Heather Altman reported that Carol Woods CEO Pat Sprigg is considering the invitation to co-chair the MAP Steering Committee again. She has offered to meet with interested Advisory Board members to share her suggestions based upon her previous experience as co-chair. Ms. Altman will schedule a meeting and send a notice to all Advisory Board members. Janice Wells asked Leo Allison for his input based upon his past involvement with the process. Ed Flowers stated that the Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee currently has two vacancies and he asked Board members for assistance in recruiting new members. Peggy Cohn, who announced her resignation as Chair of the Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee, stated that this group also has vacancies. Committee member Mary Fraser has agreed to assume the chairmanship. Both Leo Allison and Haryo Marsosudiro have tickets available for the upcoming Friends of Central Orange Las Vegas Night fundraiser. Janice Tyler distributed the Advisory Board meeting schedule for 2011 which included changes for the meeting date in March and May to the third Tuesday, due to schedule conflicts. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Janice Tyler Interim Secretary