HomeMy WebLinkAboutAging Board minutes-November 9 2021 Orange County Advisory Board on Aging
MINUTES
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Location: Virtual
In attendance: Heather Altman, Colin Austin, Rachel Bearman,Jeff Charles,Jenny Womack.
Staff: Myra Austin, Brandi Beeker, Cass Dictus, Anshu Gupta, Mike Komives, Shenae
McPherson, Cherie Rosemond, Beverly Shuford, Janice Tyler, Kenesha Wood (intern).
Absent: James Harris
Excused: Jerry Gregory, Dick White,Vibeke Talley
1. Introductions and Announcements
a. Heather Altman welcomed everyone followed by roundtable introductions.
Shenae invited everyone to attend the Advanced Directives Made Easy
presentation today 4 - 5:30 pm
b. Add to the agenda
i. "We're Still Here Campaign" to advertise our services and programs
encouraging folks to reengage with OCDOA or to discover us for the
first time
ii. 7th Annual SHARP Direct Care Worker Awards - honored 29 Orange
County direct care workers
2. Approval of Minutes - September 14, 2021
a. Minutes approved without change
Director's Report
3. Staff updates
a. New staff
i. Aging Transitions/Volunteer Connect 55+ Specialist- Lydia Arnold-
is now onboard
ii. 5 5+Volunteer Connect Coordinator-Alison Smith- previously part
of our team and now returned, welcoming back
iii. Seymour Center Facility Manager -Alexandra Burress - replacing
Robin Bailin's position,will be onboard Monday, November 21
b. Job postings - Office Assistant II - Passmore Center Front Desk Manager- as
of this morning our Front Desk/facility Manager position was posted and will
remain open until Nov. 23
c. We have been given the go-ahead to post/hire an Evening Facility Manager
for Seymour Center for evenings and Saturdays
d. DSS/Aging Social Worker- interviews currently underway. This position has
been vacant for a long time. It has been difficult having this position vacant
and will be happy to have the new person on board to assist getting people
connected to and signed up for assistance programs and support
4. "We're Still Here" Campaign to promote that we have been and continue to be here
for older adults, caregivers and families to access services and programs. Our senior
centers are open with social distancing, masks and limited occupancy. The campaign
will utilize multiple marketing venues and methods. Janice will meet with the OC
Health Department Director, Quintana Stewart the first week of December to see if
by March we can have folks sitting closer, sharing cards, eventually eating together,
etc. The question was asked, how is this different from going to a restaurant?
S. Soltys Center reopened on October 19 and serving caregivers by providing respite
during the day. New name - Soltys Place. There is a waitlist due to a shortage of
staff to meet the staff/client ratio. When fully staffed Soltys Place will be able to take
more people into the program. The program model is the Positive Approach to Care
(PAC) with Teepa Snow. Teepa has partnered with Soltys Place offering new ideas
and opportunities in the dementia care and training.All Aging Transitions staff have
received the PAC training at no cost. The space and daily happenings have received
updates/renovations.
6. 7th annual SHARP Direct Care Worker awards were held virtually on Nov. 4th. 29
Orange County direct care workers were honored, including 6 awards given for
special distinction. Close to 200 direct care workers have been honored over the
past 7 years.Janice stated that, "It is so important to recognize these unsung heroes
Continuing Business
7. Appointment of delegates to TJCOG -Area Agency on Aging Board
a. Thank you to Vibeke Talley and James Harris for volunteering to serve as our
TJCOG AAA Board delegates. The BOCC have signed off and they are officially
appointed. Their 1st meeting will be next week virtually
b. Janice announced that Dennis Street is retiring from Chatham County
Coalition on Aging.
New Business
8. 2022 Meeting Schedule
a. Distributed -We are not approved to meet in person, even in a hybrid
format. BOCC will be trying a hybrid meeting for the 1st time this week. Then
we might be able to go hybrid with our meeting. Those without good internet
broadband can come into one of the senior centers to get on the meeting.
Janice will update us on if and when hybrid or in-person meetings can
resume. The board meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month,we do not meet in
December and July is reserved for a called meeting if needed
9. Board Vacancies
a. We have 3 vacancies on the board. There are 3 applications on file that are
not new.Janice asked board members to reach out to their networks and to
file an application to the BOCC.We would love to have a representative from
the Asian community. The vacancies include one spot for a person under 60,
and 2 over 60 spots. 3 applications on file do not meet some of the necessary
criteria: 1) A couple of applicants are too young; 2) One application is from
2019 and needs to be updated; 3) Another one also dates back to 2019. Since
the applications are so old,we do not know if they are too old. The question
was asked, "How do we remove the old applications or follow-up?" Janice will
talk to the new Clerk to the BOCC to see. It was mentioned in previous board
meetings that we would use the Senior Resource Teams (SRT) and Master
Aging Plan (MAP) workgroups as ways to identify engaged aging advocates.
b. We are still serving —1000 meals a week
c. Received $90k in CARES grant funds to be used for home delivered meals.
We have contracted with Orange County Meals on Wheels.
d. The punch list from Seymour's renovation/expansion is still being worked on
e. Winter issue of Endless Possibilities activity guide covering Dec- Feb will be
out next week
2022-27 Master Aging Plan
10. Update on Community Engagement Events
a. There were 9 events with 53 people total: Seymour- Event#1 - 5 people,
Event#2 - 11 people; Passmore - Event#1 - 2 people, Event#2 - 1 person;
Hargraves - 1 person; Efland-Cheeks Community Center-4 people; Cedar
Grove Community Center- 15 people; Rogers Road - 0; and virtual event- 7
people. Compared to last MAP community events which included 13 events
with 63 attending
11. Posters shared at the Community Engagement sessions, including findings from the
Community Assessment Survey
a. Workgroup leaders shared their accomplishment/survey results posters
with the board and answered questions:
i. Community Assessment Survey- Cass Dictus, Fellow PiAP, completed
and presented the Community Assessment Survey results
ii. Transportation - Brandi Beeker, OCDOA Transportation Specialist
iii. Housing- Cherie Rosemond, OCDOA Consultant
iv. Community Supports and Health Services - Shenae McPherson,
OCDOA VC 55+Administrator
v. Civic Participation and Employment- Mike Komives, OCDOA
Employment Specialist
vi. Outdoor Space and Buildings - Myra Austin, OCDOA Senior Centers
Administrator
vii. Social Participation - Myra Austin, OCDOA Senior Centers
Administrator
viii. Communications and Information - postponed to January 2022 Board
meeting
12.Workgroups - Representatives needed (reach out to folks that you know that would
be good for these groups):
a. Transportation -Jeff Charles
b. Housing- Dick White
c. Community Supports and Health Services - Rachel Bearman
d. Civic Participation and Employment- Colin Austin
e. Outdoor Space and Buildings - needed
f. Social Participation - Jenny Womack
g. Communication and Information - needed
13.Working on Key Informant Interviews
a. Interviews have begun and will continue through the winter, early spring
until completed
14.Timeline
a. Five workgroup meetings beginning the week of January 24 meet every other
week and ending week of March 28
b. Submit MAP to BOCC on May 3 or 17
Committee Progress Reports if needed:
15. Dementia Friendly Business Campaign
16. Senior Tar Heel Legislature - Dick White
17.Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee - more intensive requirements &
training to be required of ACHCAC members - 30 hours orientation & 18 hours
continuing education required
18. Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee -Vibeke Talley- more intensive
requirements &training to be required of NHCAC members - 30 hours orientation &
18 hours continuing ed required
19. Friends of the Passmore Center
20. Friends of the Seymour Center
Adjournment
Next meeting: January 11, 2022 from 1:00-3:00 p.m.