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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAging Advisory Board Minutes 121316ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD ON AGING Minutes December 13, 2016 PRESENT: Heather Altman, Mary Altpeter, Colin Austin, Peggy Cohn, Teri Driscoll, Winston Liao, Lorenzo Mejia, Yvonne Mendenhall, Donna Prather, Dick White EXCUSED: Keith Cook STAFF: Mary Fraser, Kathie Kearns, Yvette Missri, Janice Tyler The meeting was called to order by Chair Peggy Cohn. The minutes of the November 8 meeting were approved as distributed. Director’s Report Janice Tyler announced that the National Senior Center Accreditation Site Visit was conducted on November 30 and December 1. The reviewer indicated to staff that Orange County’s Senior Centers will be awarded accreditation. Currently there are only 120 senior centers with this designation nationally. Discussion followed on the subjects discussed during this review process, including partnerships, facilities, programming and fundraising. Department on Aging staff have been meeting with Triangle Sportsplex representatives as part of the Field House expansion planning process. Requests for a senior walking track and pickle ball courts are being considered. The Homestead Road sidewalk extension from the Seymour Center driveway to Weaver Dairy Road is under construction. All Orange County Government departments are developing business continuity plans in response to the disruption of service due to last summer’s fire at the OC Tax Office. Ms. Tyler and Mary Fraser were presenters at last week’s Triangle J CoG Smart Growth Committee meeting. New Business Janice Tyler asked Advisory Board members for additions or corrections to the draft Annual Report/Work Plan for the Board of County Commissioners. Following suggestions for BOCC goal activities the motion was made by Dick White and seconded by Terri Driscoll to submit the report as edited. The Chair asked for feedback on the request for inclusion of more content in the Nursing Home and Adult Care Home monthly Committee Progress Reports to the Advisory Board. ACH Chair Teri Driscoll explained the challenge of meeting this request given the current reporting process with the Regional Ombudsperson. Mary Fraser noted that written committee reports had been requested to ensure that the Advisory Board was made aware of the affiliated Committees’ activities. Following further discussion it was recommended that the Advisory Board will receive verbal reports from these two committees as a separate agenda item on a quarterly basis. The Chairs will take this request to their next committee meetings. Master Aging Plan Mary Fraser reported that suggestions for the workgroups were solicited during the November MAP Steering Committee meeting. The five facilitators have been identified. The Leadership Committee will meet tomorrow and again in January. Workgroups will begin the week of January 23 and continue bi- weekly for 10 weeks. The specific schedule will be emailed to Advisory Board members. A listing of workgroup invitees was circulated. Continuing Projects Yvette Missri announced that volunteers are being recruited for the fourth Project EngAGE class that begins in September 2017. Volunteer Connect Handihelpers have constructed three ramps this month. The Chair cites the End of Life Senior Resource Team’s recent Planning To Die seminar as great tool for providing information through the sharing of personal stories. Discussion followed about the number of PE graduates still involved with Senior Resource Teams and the number of other communities who have adopted the Project EngAGE program model. Mary Fraser announced that the OC CARES grant funding continues to allow the Department on Aging to offer new and different opportunities for care partners in Orange County. The challenge is publicizing its availability in the medical community. The Dementia-Friendly Business campaign has trained more employees in the public than the private sector, with more than 500 persons participating. Discussion followed on incentives that would inspire more businesses to become a DFB. Committee Progress Reports if needed The Long Term Care Learning Collaborative hosted a luncheon recognizing three organizations that had shown innovation in providing palliative care. Donna Prather praised the Collaborative as a mechanism for sharing of ideas among the providers of long term care in Orange County. Yvonne Mendenhall added that the Nursing and Adult Care Home Committees support continuing this effort. Dick White reported that the Senior Tar Heel Legislature will focus on increasing funding for the Home and Community Care Block Grant programs when it reconvenes in 2017. Teri Driscoll announced that the Adult Care Home Committee completed the 2016 annual visits of all Orange County Family Care Homes. Janice Tyler reported that interviews for the new Orange Public Transportation Director are being conducted this week. There being no further business the meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Janice Tyler, Secretary NAME OF BOARD/COMMISSION - Orange County Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee Report Period - January through December 2016 ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ANNUAL REPORT/ WORK PLAN FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS The Board of Commissioners appreciates the dedication of all the volunteers on their boards and commissions and welcomes input from various advisory boards and commissions throughout the year. Please complete the following information, limited to the front and back of this form. Other background materials may be provided as a supplement to, but not as a substitute for, this form. Board/Commission Name: Orange County Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee Person to address the BOCC at work session- if applicable- and contact information: Teri Driscoll, Chair; 422 Hampton Pointe, Hililsborough, NC 27278 E-Mail: driscoll323@nc.rr.com; Telephone: 919-245-1127 Primary County Staff Contact: Autumn Pittman, Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Triangle J Council of Governments, Mary Fraser, Aging Transitions Administer, County Department of Aging both provide staff support to our committee How many times per month does this board/commission meet, including any special meetings and sub- committee meetings? Bi-monthly committee business meetings and quarterly subcommittee visits to nursing home facilities. Brief Statement of Board/Commission’s Assigned Charge and Responsibilities. • Staying informed about living conditions for residents living in nursing homes. • Make official unannounced quarterly visits to each nursing home in Orange County. There are 4 nursing homes that are currently operational in the county. • Prepare and submit official reports on visits to nursing homes. Approved reports are posted on the county website. • Advise and assist the County Department of Aging and the Triangle J Ombudsman about programs they devise to help improve care for residents living in county nursing homes. • Foster increased community volunteerism in Orange county’s nursing homes. • Promote community awareness of the needs of residents in nursing homes, and inform the public about emerging developments in nursing home care in Orange County. What are your Board/Commission’s most important accomplishments? 1. Completed quarterly advocacy site visits for nursing homes in Orange County. 2. Encouraged and monitored organized activities for nursing home residents. List of Specific Tasks, Events, or Functions Performed or Sponsored Annually. • Attendance at all Triangle J Leadership training sessions. • Continuing meetings and site visits by our CAC volunteers. • Preparation of detailed site visit reports after visit to each nursing home. • Partnering with the Department of Aging’s 2016 Long-Term Care Learning Collaborative on Palliative Care: The Comfort Zone. Describe this board/commission’s activities/accomplishments in carrying out BOCC goal(s)/priorities, if applicable. See above answers Describe the collaboration relationship(s) this particular board has with other advisory boards and commissions? We have a very close relationship with the Orange County Department of Aging, If your board/commission played the role of an Element Lead Advisory Board involved in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan preparation process, please indicate your board’s activities/accomplishments as they may relate to the Comprehensive Plan’s goals or objectives. (The Element Lead Advisory Boards include: Planning Board, EDC, OUTBoard, Commission for the Environment, Historic Preservation Commission, Agriculture Preservation Board, Affordable Housing Board, Recreation and Parks Advisory Council) N/A Identify any activities this board/commission expects to carry out in 2016 as they relate to established BOCC goals and priorities. If applicable, is there a fiscal impact (i.e., funding, staff time, other resources) associated with these proposed activities (please list). None of the activities or functions have a fiscal impact. What are the concerns or emerging issues your board has identified for the upcoming year that it plans to address, or wishes to bring to the Commissioners’ attention? The committee plans to continue encouraging all levels of planned activities for nursing home residents. This is easily done with privately owned facilities. We are concerned with care of residents in Medicaid-dependent nursing homes due to the quality of caregivers and the high turnover of staff. Some facilities struggle in continuing to provide basic service. We will continue to advocate for fair wages and proper treatment of staff. Facility management challenges, vacancies and turnover of key administrative positions at Orange County’s Nursing Homes is of much concern. The CAC will continue to provide consultation to recently appointed administrators to help them address these challenges. Decreases in census at some nursing homes creates some fiscal difficulties at the facility.