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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAging Advisory Board Minutes 111015ORANGECOUNTY ADVISORY BOARD ON AGING Minutes November 10, 2015 PRESENT: Mary Altpeter, Alex Castro, Teri Driscoll, Tana Hartman-Thorn, Winston Liao, Lorenzo Mejia, Yvonne Mendenhall, Donna Prather, Dick White EXCUSED: Peggy Cohn, Keith Cook STAFF: Myra Austin, Mary Fraser, Kathie Kearns, Janice Tyler The meeting was called to order at the Seymour Center by Chair Alex Castro. The minutes of the October 13 meeting were approved following the motion made by Winston Liao and the second by Mary Altpeter. Janice Tyler requested that the March 2016 meeting date be shifted to the third Tuesday (15th) to accommodate staff’s attendance at the NC Association on Aging annual meeting. The change was approved and will be reflected in the 2016 meeting calendar. Ms. Tyler began her Department Director’s report by announcing that the Board of Commissioners will review the recently-completed County Space Study at its November 11 work session. Discussion will include future growth for the Seymour Center as part of the Southern Human Services campus expansion. Her recommended priorities will be additional parking, the addition of lower level workout space to relocate the large wellness classes from the Great Hall, and filling in of the upper level alcove space. The priority for Central Orange facility expansion is the drop-in area and enclosing of the patio area. Discussion followed about the options being suggested to meet both Centers’ space needs. Dick White noted that there is a possibility of budgeting expansion projects through the Capital Improvements Program funding. Ms. Tyler added that the recent hit-and-run accident on Homestead Road that claimed the life of a Seymour Center participant emphasized the need for a sidewalk extension to the Weaver Dairy intersection. A similar need for a sidewalk extension exists between the Central Orange Senior Center and Eno Haven senior apartments. Janice Tyler stated that a press conference to announce the Administration for Community Living (ACL) Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative grant awarded to the Department on Aging will be held on November 18. Also, Area Agency on Aging Director Joan Pellettier’s retirement reception will be held on November 17. Deborah Lemmerman has been hired as the new COSC Front Desk Manager. And Richal Vanhook retired from his position as Building Maintenance Supervisor on October 31. Ms. Tyler reported that the Chapel Hill/Carrboro YMCA is discontinuing its participation in the Silver Sneakers fitness program sponsored by several supplemental health plans. Department on Aging staff has met with the Triangle Sportsplex Director and their Silver Sneakers program will be expanded to include the Seymour Center fitness studio. Ms. Tyler concluded her report by highlighting events scheduled for the next month. Lorenzo Mejia summarized the dementia-friendly business campaign for Orange County that is co- sponsored by the Department on Aging, Acorn Dementia Specialists, and the East Chapel Hill Rotary Club. During the pilot phase a total of four businesses have completed the 90 minute training and signed a pledge to adhere to the program guidelines. Discussion followed about the types of businesses that could benefit, strategies for using volunteers, and program evaluation. Dementia-friendly business campaign information will be shared at the November 18 Administration for Community Living press conference. Mary Fraser informed the Advisory Board that an Administration for Community Living grant advisory committee will be convened on December 2. This group will be composed of representatives from community partners, NC Division of Aging, Orange County Department on Aging, Carol Woods Retirement Community, and the Aging Advisory Board. Ms. Fraser emphasized that this funding is not a research grant but an opportunity to expand services. The outcome measures are flexible. She continued by stating that the fifth year of the current Master Aging Plan will focus on planning for the next five year cycle. The consensus was to make application for another UNC Capstone Team to assist with the MAP update preparation. That proposal will be submitted to UNC in early 2016. Myra Austin summarized the Department on Aging’s efforts to apply for National Institute of Senior Centers Accreditation for both Orange County centers. Recently a graduate intern compiled much of the needed information and staff is committed to completing this process within the next six months. Receiving national accreditation will result in a tripling in the Orange County share of the State Senior Center General Purpose funding. Mary Fraser announced the upcoming Project EngAGE Faith and Aging Symposium on Senior Hunger held on November 9 and 18. Yvonne Mendenhall reported on the recent Long Term Care workers training. The current Capstone Team will report the findings from their recent survey at the December Advisory Board meeting. COMMITTEE PROGRESS REPORTS • Donna Prather reported that the Music in My Mind users group continues to have good attendance and sharing of information. • Teri Driscoll announced that Commissioner Pelissier attended the November Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee meeting and that Regional Ombudsman Charlotte Terwilliger will retire on January 31. • Alex Castro stated that, although the Transportation Board has not met in the last month, his report contains activities of OPT and Complete Streets. • Janice Tyler represented the Friends of Central Orange in announcing they made $6,000 on a recent cruise while the Friends of Seymour are sponsoring a Holiday Fashion Gala on November 13. The Prime Time Players are donating the proceeds from their upcoming production to the Friends organizations. • There was discussion around the eligibility criteria differences between the two Orange County Meals On Wheels programs. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted. Janice Tyler, Secretary Music in My Mind Update for November 10, 2015 • Representatives from Carol Woods, the Soltys Center, Right at Home, Live Well, Charles House, and Brookshire met on October 14, 2015, to discuss their continued efforts to implement Music in My Mind. • Topics included integrating the program into usual care practices, dealing with staff turnover and the need for ongoing training, and the persistent issues of managing the iPods. Several of the programs are moving, enlarging, or reorganizing which add to their challenges. • Several participants commented on the helpfulness of the users group as a forum for addressing questions and getting support. • All of the participants described benefits from the Music in My Mind program. • The MIMM users group will meet again on Wednesday, December 9, from 11 AM to 12:30 PM at the Seymour Center. Report of: Orange County Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee Date: Nov. 3, 2015 The OCNHCAC had a meeting on Nov. 3, 2015. One new member (Martha Bell) was introduced. We approved a site visit reports from Carolina Pointe, Carol Woods and Signature of Chapel Hill. We had one of our County Commissioners , Bernadette Pelissier, attend our meeting. She thanked everyone for serving on the Board and promised to come back and visit again next year; maybe even go on a site visits with us. All 4th Quarter site visits are to be completed by December 31, 2015. We do not have a meeting in December. Our next meeting will be on January 5, 2015 at 5:30 pm at the Seymour Center. Respectfully submitted, Teri Driscoll Outboard Update: No board meeting since August. However changes in OPT service are of interest. Orange County Public Transportation, Go Triangle and Chapel Hill Transit can no longer use the North Hillsborough Park and Ride at North Hills Shopping Center. Commuter riders can utilize the Park & Ride located at Durham Tech Hillsborough Campus, which is served by the ODX, 420, Hillsborough Circulator, and Orange Chapel Hill Midday Connector routes. Effective November 2, 2015, the following route changes will be implemented: Hillsborough Circulator The Hillsborough Circulator will no longer enter the North Hills Shopping Center or serve the previous GoTriangle ODX stop on the property. The Circulator route will continue to serve the nearby stop at US 70 at the Kerr Drug/Walgreens entrance. It will depart Kerr Drug/Walgreens each hour starting at 8:00 a.m. and ending at 5:00 p.m. An additional stop has been added at US 70 and Rainy Street. This stop will be served each hour starting at 8:01 a.m. and ending at 4:01 p.m. Orange Chapel Hill Midday Connector The Orange Chapel Hill Midday Connector will continue to serve North Hills Shopping on Churton Street from the Northbound direction only, departing each hour at 10:34 a.m. and ending at 3:34 p.m. The connector will no longer stop at North Hills in the Southbound direction to Chapel Hill. A nearby stop and transfers to/from the Circulator route are available at a connection point at US 70 and Rainey Street. Schedules and route maps are available online GoTriangle ODX Orange-Durham Express https://media.campaigner.com/media/47/474660/Route%20ODX%20Change%20Flyer.pdf http://www.gotriangle.org/nov2015#ODX http://www.gotriangle.org/nov2015 COMPLETE STREETS: Chapel Hill voters overwhelmingly approved a general obligation bonds issue that includes $16.2 million for: Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety ($7.8M), Sidewalk construction ($2M), Street infrastructure ($3.4M) and Downtown Streetscape ($3M). MOWS Update: No new information to report. Alex Castro Jr. Nov. 10, 2015