HomeMy WebLinkAboutAging Advisory Board Minutes 011315ORANGE COUNTY
ADVISORY BOARD ON AGING
Minutes
January 13, 2015
PRESENT: Heather Altman, Mary Altpeter, Alex Castro, Peggy Cohn, Keith Cook, Ed Flowers,
Winston Liao, Lorenzo Mejia, Donna Prather, Richard White
EXCUSED: Virginia Brown
STAFF: Mary Fraser, Kathie Kearns, Janice Tyler
The meeting was called to order at the Central Orange Senior Center by Chair Heather Altman.
Following introductions the minutes of the December 9 meeting were approved on the motion
provided by Keith Cook and the second made by Peggy Cohn.
In the Director’s Report Janice Tyler announced that the second Project EngAGE graduation had
been held the previous week. The number of graduates now totals 28. She stated that Aging
Transitions social worker Carla Allison will retire January 31. Orange County Financial Services
Director Clarence Grier has accepted a position with Guilford County. Audrey Spencer-Horsley
has been hired as the Housing, Human Rights and Community Development Director. She was
recruited from the Maryland area. It was suggested that she should be invited to a future
Advisory Board meeting to become familiar with the housing emphasis in the Master Aging
Plan. The Orange County budget process for FY15-16 has begun and the Department on
Aging’s request will be presented at the February Advisory Board meeting. The Orange County
Space Study is continuing with on-site surveys of space utilization. Ms. Tyler added that the
Department has submitted a request to Asset Management for a golf cart to shuttle participants
from the Southern Human Services Building parking lot when needed as an interim solution to
the parking problem at the Seymour Center. She concluded her report by announcing that
Triangle J Area Agency on Aging will be conducting its annual monitoring of Block Grant-
funded services on February 19 and 20.
Mary Fraser distributed the Year 3 Master Aging Plan Goal Implementation Status Report. In
reviewing she made the following comments regarding recent achievements:
• Plans are underway to disseminate information about community resources to UNC
physicians and patients; another Project EngAGE class will begin in September.
Discussion followed on the benefits and drawbacks of waiting until the Fall and the
value of measuring outcomes.
• The Latino outreach activities have increased; the budget request will include increasing
the bilingual social worker position to full-time; a Latino geriatric clinic is being
established by UNC; the Saturday Zumba class for Spanish speakers continues at the
Seymour Center.
• The October 2014 Senior Housing Fair at Seymour was very successful; the next Aging
In Community session, Tiny Houses, will be held on March 25 at the Seymour Center.
• The volunteer driver program being developed by the Mobility Manager will be
advertised in the next Senior Times and on the Department’s Facebook page.
• Exercise classes were expanded to community locations utilizing volunteers through the
‘train the trainer’ process.
• The Stay Up and Active campaign through Orange County EMS has conducted 1,000
screenings in its first year of operation.
• Music In My Mind is the focus of the Long Term Care Collaborative Year 2 awards.
• The Department’s volunteer division is shifting focus from the federal mandates
required by the Corporation for National and Community Services grant funds to the
Volunteer Connect 55+ initiative for volunteer needs identified by the Master Aging
Plan.
• A One Stop Shop Clinic for Community Living is being implemented monthly at each
Senior Center led by Aging Transitions staff. Keith Cook requested a listing of
upcoming dates and times.
• Applications for the Direct Service Worker awards, sponsored by the LTC collaborative,
will be available in February.
In concluding her MAP report Ms. Fraser announced that the Faith Based Community Outreach
Symposium will be held on Thursday March 5.
The Chair announced that the deadline for UNC School of Public Health – Health Behavior
Capstone project proposal is early February. Mary Fraser suggested a social marketing
campaign on aging preparedness with application emphasis on the implementation and
evaluation skills instead of the benefits to older adults. Peggy Cohn, Alex Castro, Mary Altpeter
and Winston Liao volunteered to serve on the proposal development subcommittee.
There being no further business the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Tyler, Secretary