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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAging Advisory Board Minutes 090815ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD ON AGING Minutes September 8, 2015 PRESENT: Mary Altpeter, Alex Castro, Peggy Cohn, Teri Driscoll, Ed Flowers, Winston Liao, Lorenzo Mejia, Donna Prather, Dick White STAFF: Mary Fraser, Kathie Kearns, Yvette Missri, Janice Tyler The meeting was called to order at the Seymour Center by Chair Alex Castro. He expressed appreciation to Donna Prather for her presentation of the Long Term Care Quality Service Awards at the Board of County Commissioners meeting on September 1. The minutes of the August 11 meeting were approved as distributed following the motion made by Ed Flowers and the second by Winston Liao. Janice Tyler began her Director’s Report by announcing that Central Orange Senior Center Facility Manager Lisa Berley has been promoted to the Mobility Manager position vacated by Eileen Nilsen. Applications are now been accepted for a new position established in the FY15-16 budget to work jointly with the Aging, Health, Housing and Social Services Departments on informatics projects and analyzing h demographic data. Ms. Tyler stated that the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Inter-Faith Council’s transitional housing facility will be September 21. She also listed upcoming staff training opportunities and the formation of County functional leadership teams. Under New Business the first topic for discussion was the $125 million bond being considered by the Orange County Commissioners for 2016 for public school improvements. The Advisory Board agreed that a letter should be presented at the September 15 Board of County Commissioners meeting questioning the process for determining the use of the bond funds and requesting consideration of bond funding for senior center expansion. Advisory Board members were invited to stand with the Chair as he presents the letter at the County Commissioners meeting. The Project Engage Senior Resource Teams will be notified of this opportunity to make public comment. Volunteer Connect Manager Yvette Missri announced that Project EngAGE will begin its third training class of 13 senior leaders on September 10. The Chair encouraged Advisory Board members to review the course schedule and attend any session that might be of interest. A Senior Resource Team subcommittee is sponsoring a Falls Prevention outreach session at the Hillsborough Wal-Mart on September 22. Mary Fraser promoted a new resource book compiled by the Aging In Community series co-sponsor Bolton Anthony, who will be the featured speaker at the forum on September 17. The focus of the next Aging In Community semester will be long term care. Long Term Care Quality Service Awards were presented on September 1 to six community agencies based upon their achievements in implementing the Music In My Mind program in Orange County. Year Three of the Awards will target palliative care training. The UNC Capstone Team assigned to the Department on Aging staff for academic year 2015-16 met with staff for the first time last week. During the fall semester the Team will conduct a literature review of the factors that allow older adults to live a long and healthy life. In the spring the deliverable will be a marketing campaign on changing behaviors to foster a long, happy and healthy life. Discussion followed on the age and cultural subgroups to be targeted. Mary Fraser summarized the grant application process for the Administration for Community Living Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative funding. The Department on Aging applied for one of ten grants that will be awarded nationally for a three year period at roughly $300,000 per year. Ms. Fraser stated that she has received positive feedback from the federal project office, but no formal award announcement has been made. Committee Reports: • Yvette Missri distributed a monthly activity summary for Project EngAGE. Discussion followed on the imminent growth in public transportation options and Advisory Board members’ interest in riding the new rural routes. • Janice Tyler announced that discussions have begun about senior housing in the new Waterstone development. • The Friends of Central Orange will receive the proceeds from an upcoming bag sale at Lulu’s Reduz consignment shop. • The Friends of Seymour are planning a Fashion Show gala fundraiser for November. • An MSW student is working with the LGBT group who meets at the Seymour Center to determine if there is interest in continuing to schedule activities. • A weekly Spanish Social Club has been established as a method to outreach to the Latino community; a Zumba class marketed for Spanish-speakers continues to meet at Seymour on Saturdays; a Spanish outreach line has been established and departmental brochures have been translated. Before adjourning Peggy Cohn shared her blog address for her three month travels in New Zealand. There being no further business the meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Janice Tyler, Secretary September 8, 2015 Committees Progress Reports submitted by Alex Castro Jr. Chapel Hill Carrboro Meals on Wheels A total of 3238 meals delivered in August 2015 versus 1697 in 2010. The Contingency Plan which provides for continuation of operations under all conceivable scenarios was updated. The Project Engage Senior Hunger SRT is working with OCIM the creation of a new route in the northeast (Caldwell) part of the county. Volunteer drivers are needed. Orange County Unified Transportation Board Orange Public Transit (OPT) launched on Monday August 17 a new Orange – Chapel Hill Midday Connector that expands service northward to Cedar Grove and go south as far as the UNC Hospital complex on Manning Drive. There is hourly service (six trips) between 10 AM and 3 PM in each direction. Two additional buses are en route and when commissioned in October, additional routes in northern Orange County will be added. The Outboard voted not to charge seniors over 60 a fare of $1.00 for fixed route service. Music in My Mind Update for September 8, 2015 • Members of Project Engage, the Advisory Board, and staff met on August 10, 2015, to review applications for the 2015 Long Term Care Quality Improvement Awards. The reviewers were Yvonne Mendenhall, Teri Driscoll, Mary Fraser, Cheri Richmond, and Donna Prather. • The MIMM Users Group met on August 12, 2015. Agencies continue their efforts to implement MIMM. Reports about the impact on care recipients continue to be positive. • The Long Term Care Quality Improvement Awards for 2015 were presented at the Board of County Commissioners meeting on September 1, 2015. The recipients were o A Helping Hand o Brookshire Senior Living o LiveWell Assisted Living o Right at Home o Florence Gray Soltys Adult Day Health Program o Carol Wood Retirement Community. • The users group will continue to meet bimonthly as long as the agencies find it helpful. The next meeting will be October 14, 2015, at 11:00 AM at the Seymour Center.