Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAging Advisory Board Minutes 010813ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD ON AGING Minutes January 8, 2013 PRESENT: Leo Allison, Heather Altman, Virginia Brown, Alex Castro, Peggy Cohn, Ed Flowers, Dan Hatley, Donna Prather, Jeane Suddarth, Richard White EXCUSED: Thelma Perkins STAFF: Mary Fraser, Kathie Kearns, Janice Tyler GUEST: Frank Montes De Oca The meeting was called to order at the Central Orange Senior Center by Chair Heather Altman. The minutes of the December 10 meeting were approved following a motion made by Alex Castro and a second provided by Ed Flowers. In her Director’s Report Janice Tyler announced that the Department on Aging had submitted two grant applications prior to the end of December: a Mobility Management request to the NC Dept. of Transportation and a Peer to Peer Caregiver Support application to the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services. Mary Fraser added that a funding proposal is being submitted by UNC to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for the Falls Prevention Project developed through the Orange County’s Emergency Management and Aging Departments. The Resource and Benefits Specialist position, vacated when Latonya Brown was selected as the new Wellness Program Coordinator, is currently being advertised. Ms. Tyler recognized Carol Woods Retirement Community for its recent donation of $11,000 to be used to support the UNC Summer Practicum students working with the Department and the current Capstone Team’s proposal to promote fitness activities. She distributed copies of the new Orange County Smoke-Free ordinance. The Health Department will be offering smoking cessation classes during this six month period of public education. Penalties for non-compliance will be assessed by the law enforcement agencies in the County. Janice Tyler announced that the applications for human services funding from both the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill must be submitted by late January. The Department’s Senior Lunch and Retired Senior Volunteer Program divisions are requesting continuation funding from each municipality. The Advisory Board will be asked to consider requests for MAP implementation at its February meeting. Any requests relating to Orange County funding should be included in the Department’s budget request for FY 2014 that must be submitted by March 6. Ms. Tyler reported that the Board of County Commissioners will consider Virginia Brown’s appointment to this Advisory Board at its January 24 meeting. The Chair recognized retiring Emergency Services Director Frank Montes De Oca as a potential future candidate for Aging Board membership. Ms. Tyler reviewed the length of terms of the current Board members. She requested a volunteer to replace Jan Wells on the Triangle J Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council and Senior Tar Heel Legislature. Richard White agreed to serve on these committees. The Chair suggested a meeting with Mr. White, Ms. Wells, and delegate Jeane Suddarth to provide orientation. Mary Fraser summarized the progress made in meeting MAP Year One goals and objectives as follows: 1. The Department on Aging has established a collaborative arrangement with COMPASS (formerly the Women’s Center) to provide financial planning and counseling 2. A Chinese Advisory Committee has been established to improve communication and programming with the Seymour Center participants who are from this community 3. Orange County Emergency Management is acquiring a new mapping service that can incorporate information about the location of Special Needs Registry clients 4. UNC Healthcare is striving to meet new standards for hospital transition programs which lessen readmissions 5. The Long Term Care Roundtable will be resurrected in the Spring of 2013 6. Senior Centers can be advertised as safe locations for frail older adults during emergencies since the capacity for generators has been established 7. The new Resource and Benefits Specialist will serve as the Department’s communications coordinator and the Department Director is working with Orange County’s Public Information Officer to secure digital signage for the Senior Centers that will be program-specific 8. Carol Woods has developed a program to engage high school students in senior services 9. A forum is being planned to bring people together who might like to create senior living options as alternatives to CCRC’s Issues identified for further study include: • An Advisory Board representative needs to be identified to replace Jan Wells as liaison to the Carolina Villages Project • There is a need to identify the medical practices that have been designated as ‘medical homes’ for comprehensive patient-centered care and publicize this information • Efforts to coordinate with public mental health providers have been put on hold due to the restructuring of the service network and the retirement of the local area agency Director • Staff is still researching successful strategies for approaching the faith-based communities and other groups to share information on needs and resources Each Board subcommittee that met prior to today’s Advisory Board meeting was asked to summarize their discussion. The Transportation group represented by Alex Castro discussed the Mobility Management funding possibility, the need to contact health clinics in rural Orange and the Emergency Management Department to survey the need for medical appointment transportation. Information from questionnaires completed by both providers and consumers could produce the data to pursue the development of a software package that could assist with rural volunteer transportation. The Housing group expressed the need to meet with developer Roger Perry to talk about the plans for the proposed Obey Creek housing near Southern Village. Susan Levy needs to be contacted about the resources available through Habitat for Humanity. Questions arose about the status of the Hillsborough Circulator and the involvement that Community Home Trust has with housing services for older adults? The Long Term Care group questioned whether their goal should be to improve the quality of care with existing providers or change the model for care in Orange County. LTC administrators must become engaged in the MAP process and issues. The Advisory Board should extend an invitation to Area Agency on Aging Director Joan Pellettier to discuss how the regional office could assist in efforts such as conducting a study about the future of long term care in the region. Mary Fraser raised the question about the lack of regulation for the in-home care industry. Another issue was the lack of a mandated ‘living wage’ for care providers in Orange County. Background check should also be required. Should these issues be presented to the Board of County Commissioners? A local study could assist in determining the look of the service delivery system in 2020. During Committee Reports Dan Hatley stated that the Adult Care Home Committee still had one vacancy to fill. He expressed his concern about the impact of the new Medicaid rules on the current resident population. He added that a number of residents may be displaced of the new rules are implements. Mary Fraser invited all Advisory Board members to attend the next meeting of the MAP Steering Committee on February 8 at Carol Woods. They were also invited to join Department staff on January 25 for a conference call with a representative of Haywood County’s Project Engage. She announced that February 1 is the deadline for proposals for an academic year 2013-14 Capstone Team. The concept of an Aging Preparedness campaign is being considered. Peggy Cohn volunteered to assist in the proposal development again this year. Alex Castro agreed to assist. Ed Flowers reported that Kindred Healthcare, the management company for Chapel Hill Rehabilitation, has announced its intention of terminating its services at that location. The new management company has not been revealed. The Friends of Seymour have been given three cars for their fundraising campaign. Alex Castro announced that the Orange Unified Transportation Board has included review of the MAP transportation strategies in its 2013 work plan objectives. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Janice Tyler, Secretary