Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutSenior Advisory Board - Minutes - 01/10/1979MINUTES COORDINATING COMMISSION FOR SENIOR CITIZENS January 10, 1979 The regular meeting of the Coordinating Commission for Senior Citizens was held on Wednesday, January 10, 1979 in the new City Council Chambers at 2:30 P.M. The meeting was called to order at 2:30 P.M. by Chairman Ed Chilcott. Members Present: Members Absent: Guests: Ed Chilcott, Chairman Lois Chung, Secretary Esther Stratton Wilson Wilmarth Chet Hommon Ann Azari Darryl Farrington Eleanor Hoag Louie LaRoche Mrs,Batterman Rod Starkey, USDA Forest Service The minutes of the December 13, 1978 meeting were approved as written. Roll call was taken. Ed Chilcott reported on the Larimer County Council on Aging. Dennis String has received funding for an additional six months. The Discount Program for Senior Citizens (merchants card with picture and names of merchants participating) is still being investigated. A taped report by Eleanor Hoag on the Larimer County Nursing Homes was presented by Mrs. Batterman. There are essentially five goals of the program: 1) to provide each of the approximately 50% of our nursing home residents, those who do not have regular visitors, with such visitors; 2) Task Force Problem Solving Committee to deal with nursing home complaints in constructive and innovative ways; 3) to raise the awareness in the community of the nature, potential and problems of nursing home living; 4) to alert the nursing home residents and their families to the techniques of self and group advocacy; and 5) an effort to establish a county -wide structure which will continue to achieve the foregoing goals after the Vista project is concluded. Also important is the support of useful nursing home legislation. The taped report is attached in typed form. The Recreational Director of the nursing home will advise who needs a visitor; Ed Chilcott's bridge club will select a person to visit four times a month and then another person will be selected. Ed Chilcott reported on Senior Opportunities and Safety (S.O.S.) meetings for 1979. Barry Selzburg, Administrative Assistant, will discuss Transfort February 9 at 1:00 P.M. at the Community Center. The idea is to attract people there for a hot meal. The subject: Transfort and how it affects the senior citizen. At the March meeting the subject will be: Insurance: What actual needs exist and do not exist. 0 04 Ed Chilcott reported on the Community Development Block Grant Program which will have its first meeting January 18. Officers will be selected at this meeting and a structure will be set up locally making budgets for the grant. Ed Chilcott requested guidance on programs for 1979. Several topics were brought up: 1) tax situation for senior citizens; 2) City Council make recommendations to Coordinating Commission for Senior Citizens for topics; 3) Councilman Bowling speak to the Commission in May; and 4) justification for COG. It was suggested that at the February meeting John McGraw, Human Resources -City, and John Houser, County, justify to the Commission what they're doing for the senior citizen. New Business: Rod Starkey, USDA -Forest Service, presented a program of free firewood - 25 cords, 2' lengths, of ponderosa pine which is available at the Red Feather Lakes Village. It will need to be picked up and brought down to the senior citizens. Ed Chilcott has coordinated this with the Fort Collins Police Dept. and they will pick it up and store it in the Police Firing Range Building. Rod Starkey can be contacted at 482-3834 at Oak and Remington. The February 14, 1979 meeting of the Coordinating Commission for Senior Citizens will be held in the City Council Chambers at 2:30 P.M. The meeting was adjourned at 3:20 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Enclosure r� Address to the Coordinati nZ Cocunission for Senior Citizens, Jan. 10, at 2:30 PM Taped by Elea-ior HoaE for presentation. Good Afternoon: I am Eleanor Hoag, Coordinator of the larimer County Council on A�inC Nursing Home Task Force. I don't recall exactly when or how extensively I have discussed this subject with you previously, so I hope you will forgive any repetitions. The Weld-Larimer area was chosen in June, 1977, as one of six pilot studies, of the value of volunteer efforts in nursing home life, by the National Council of Senior Citizens legal Research and Services for the Elderly. Weld County ceased to function in the project at the first training session. This left larimer with the beginnini of a project unique among the six pilot studies in that it was the only one west of the '?ississipni and the only one staffed by senior citizens. The ori,^inal sponsorship of the pilot study terminated at the end of August, 1978. The Task Force continued its work, staffed by a Green Thumb, a CETA and a V ISTA . On the 15th of January, 1979, The National Citizens Coalition for Nursing Home Reform will place four VISTAS in the Task Force to serve for one year. They are : A:i. Ralph L•lason, retired local farmer, teacher and educational administrator, will coordinate the project's work in Loveland and Berthoud. Rrs. Bee Travers, who developed and conducted for the past three years the County Employment Referral Service for the ;llderly, will undertake the difficult task of gathering organ- izations, businesses and individuals in the county into an organization which will continue to stimulate interest in and concern for the patients and residents in the county's nursing homes after the VISTA project has ceased to function. In this work she will be assisted by our Green Thumb, Ies. Grace Fagerberg, who has been diligently working toward this end for some months. Mrs. Jackie Houdesheldt, the one non -senior member of our group, but one with 14 years of professional nursing home experience, will be directing the educational program for the Task Force, for the community, the volunteer visitors and prospective and current nursing home patients and residents and their relatives. I will serve as coordinator of the Task Force, giving particular attention to the development of relatives €nouns for each nurs- ing home. The Task Force is fortunate in having as its supervisors this year Jim and Dana Hiatt. Ar. and ;Mrs. Hiatt are attorneys, Jim head- inF the local office of the Colorado Rural Legal Services and Lana having had experience in nursing home litipation. 'lursing Home Tas'c Force, nddress by lean_r Hoar to Cocrdivatin: Comm. for Sr. Ci_tz. Jan 10. Pa r-e 2. The Task Force staff is aware and anpreciative of the Treat variety and considerable extent of volunteer efforts already bein;- made in behalf of the nursing ho.ne natients and residents here. ;le have, therefore, defined our goals specifically so as to supnlement rather than duplicate work already in progress. These goals are: 1. To nrovide each of the approximately 50' of our nursin,: home residents, those who do not have regular visitors, with such visitors. It has been established that a visitor whose visit can be regularly predicted by the recipient will cause a statisti- cally significant improvement in the physical and mental health of that recipient. He are continually recruiting such volunteer visitors, providing them a training: session approximately once a month and receiving reports on their visits each month. 2. nursing home oo-nnlaints are received from whatever source, and the Task Force Problem ;;olving Committee does its best to respond to these complaints in constructive and innovative ways, holding referral to regulatory agencies or for legal action as last resorts. 3. A third objective is raisin, the awareness in the comnunity of the nature, potential and problems of nursing home living. 4. A further educational effort is to alert the nursinr home resi- dents and their families to the techniques of self and group advoca- cy. 5. Finally, as has been mentioned, there will be an effort to es- tablish a county -wide structure which will continue to achieve the foregoing goals after the VISTA nroject is concluded. Another im- nortant function of this structure will be the support of useful nursing home legislation. Of course the key to this project is volunteer dedication and effort. It is obvious that this community has been fortunate in beinfr selected by two national organizations for VISTA assignments and even more fortunate because of the nurner- oun and daily growing group of fine, able people who, with sufficient motivation, can urovide a truly health-givin,, service to the fragile but precious part of our population that resides in the county's 13 nursing homes. 1:ow ivh s. Batterman will entertain yo.ir questions. MEMORANDUM DATE: January 5, 1979 TO: Coordinating Commission for Senior Citizens Elm: Mary Ann Kennaugh, Acting Secretary W RE: Minutes of the December 13, 1978 Regular Meeting I. Call to Order Called to order by Chainnan C9vloott at 2:30 p.m. in the new City Council chambers, 300 W. LaPorte Avenue. II. loll Call Maobers Present: Ed Chiloott Esther Stratton Ann Azari Darryl Farrington Louie LaRoche Wilson W;lmarth Chet Harnon Manbers Absent: Irislois C'ing Eleanor Hoag Staff Present: Mary Ann Kennaugh Crests: Aru.tTa Arnold III. Consider Approval of the Novatber 8, 1978 Regular Meeting Minutes The minutes were approved by consensus. IV. Introduce Anita Arnold, Director of S.O.S. Anita briefly explained the operation of S.O.S. (Senior opportunities and Services). The program is federally funded with a goal of pooling senior resources to allow greater participation in the amity. The program's main emphasis so far has been rural and oeprates through senior centers in Estes, Berthoud, Bellvue, and Wellington. The program has a low -inane focus and canes under the auspices of the Buckingham Center. S.O.S. is not as broad in scope as the Larimer County Council on Aging. S.O.S.' aim is looking at activities and ways to support senior centers. Coordinating Cmnissio0or Senior Citizens Minutes of the December 13, 1978 Regular Meeting Page Two V. Report on Planning and zoning Commission - Darryl Farrington Darryl indicated he had attended the first meeting where Alternative Land Use Models were discussed. There is a need to gather data and make planning decisions regarding the growth of Fort Collins. The four models discussed were: 1. high growth rate/dispersed land use pattern 2. moderate growth rate/dispersed land use pattern 3. moderate growth rate/concentrated land use pattern 4. low growth rate/concentrated land use pattern The advantages and disadvantages of all four models were discussed. The Planning Commission welcomes recommendations. One of the alternatives will be adopted as a long-range plan by the Commission. Commission Member Wilmarth moved that Darrly Farrington write a letter to the Planning Commission indicating the Coordinating Commission for Senior Citizens' support of the third model (moderate growth rate/concentrated land use pattern). Commission Member Hamon seconded and motion passed 7 - 0. Ayes: Commission members Chiloott, Stratton, Azari, Farrington, IARoche, Wilmarth, and Hammon. Nays: None. VI. Report on Senior Opportunities and Safety Meeting at Senior Center - Wilson Wilmarth At the November 30, 1978 meeting, Susan Sanfillipo spoke on property taxes and senior citizens. The consensus of those at the meeting was to maintain the food tax and 1% sales tax. The next mooting is the second Friday in January at 1:00 p.m. Wilson was not sure of the agenda for the next meeting. VII. Report on Larimer County Council on A - Ed Chileott Ed indicated that Dennis String, Coordinator, has not been funded for next year. It was questioned whether or not a volunteer would be effective in this capacity. VIII. Discussion Regarding City Manager's Pxoposal on a City Sales Tax A draft letter written by Ed Chilcott was reviewed (copies distributed with agenda). The word "expenditures" in the first sentence was changed to "improvements". Commission Member Farrington moved that the letter be approved and sent to the City Manager. Commission member Wilmarth seconded and notion passed 7 - 0. Ayes: Commission members Chilcott, Stratton, Azari, Farrington, LaRoche, Wilmarth, and Harmon. Nays: None. IX. New Business The changing of Park Lane Towers from apartments to condominiums was discussed briefly X. Adjourmanent Meeting adjourned at 3:45 p.m.