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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012 - Senior Advisory Board - Annual ReportFort Collins Senior Advisory Board 2012 Annual Report MISSION STATEMENT The Senior Advisory Board shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Fort Collins City Council on programs and policies that help aging citizens live full and interesting lives and continue to contribute, participate, and share in the life of the community. The Senior Advisory Board addressed its Goals and Objectives of the 2012 Work Plan as follows. Objective 1. Participate in a number of activities and respond to invitations to events that may impact and/or involve seniors, support agencies and organizations that provide services for seniors, encourage networking and cooperation, solicit input regarding senior needs and provide education regarding the Senior Advisory Board and its mission. - The SAB Communication Committee developed and delivered a presentation to the Economic Advisory Board called “ Aging as an Economic Driver” for the purpose of educating the community on the potential impact the a rapidly growing senior population. - The Board was a sponsor for the Elder Abuse Forum presented by the Human Relations Commission in October. - SAB members participated in many area events for seniors: “Growing Older in Fort Collins, Part 2, Planning for the Silver Tsunami” community conversations. Bridging the Gap networking luncheon. Elder Care Resource Day. Elder Abuse Forum. Senior Center Expansion Annual meeting. Senior Law Day. Senior Center Events: Sundance Festival and Chili Cool-off, includes creating items for the chili cook-off chef’s bags. Winter Whimsey. All American Picnic - The SAB had an educational table with information on its mission at the following events: Bridging the Gap. Elder Abuse Forum. - The Board heard from the following speakers: Anne Kirkner from SAVA about Elder Sexual Abuse Intervention and Protection. Lance Smith (city utility department) regarding Tiered Electric Rates. Martin Carcasson continuing the update on the outreach event of November 10 th and planning for future events in the series. Alan Heileman - Eldercare Network of Larimer County. Angela Condit - Adult Protection Team. Linda Rumney from the Area Office on Aging – the ARCH program. Claire Thomas - Mason Street Corridor and MAX service. Bob Adams - review/discuss proposal for Senior Center fee changes. Craig Foreman - Fort Collins Trail Study project. Joanne Johnsen – Elderhaus. Lindsay Ex - Urban Agriculture Land Use Code Changes. Emma McArdle of Transfort - Regional Transit Focus Group. Thea Sapienza - Health Care Matters Project. Yvonne Myers from Columbine Healthcare: Connecting Health, a new transportation service. Objective 2. Maintain a network of relationships with agencies, organizations and groups that provide service or impact older adults in the community. Develop relationships, maintain communication and partner with other boards, commissions, organizations and agencies that deal with senior and aging issues. - The Board co-hosted Bridging the Gap with the Loveland Senior Advisory Board and the Larimer County Office On Aging. - The Board was supportive of the Women’s Commission suggestion of an annual meeting to network and share information so as to increase the effectiveness of the Fort Collins boards and commission. Members attended the Board and Commission Collaboration meeting on October 29. - Members attended the November Annual City Recognition of Boards and Commissions. - SAB members volunteered or networked as liaisons to the following organizations: AARP ARCH Affordable Housing Board Aspen Club and Dinners Bicycle Committee Columbine Health Systems Elder Care Network of Northern Colorado Elder Care Resource Day Elderhaus Fort Collins city Council Foundation On Aging Human Relations Commission breakfast (and submitted a nomination) Larimer Center for Mental Health Larimer County Adult Protection Team Larimer County Office On Aging Advisory Council Long Term Care 2012 Loveland Senior Advisory Board Meals On Wheels North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization Pathways Hospice Poudre River Library, including opening after remodel of main library Professionals for Seniors PVH Transportation RSVP/VOA Senior Center/Senior Center Council Senior Center Expansion Committee Senior Law Day Taste of Mason Corridor Transportation Board Young Professionals in Senior Care Women’s Commission - SAB members contributed to the City Website on the Senior Center Expansion and the City Budget. - SAB members participated in the Alzheimer’s Walk and Memories in the Making. - The SAB recognized two outstanding community members’ service to seniors by nominating: Wade Turner for the Bridging the Gap Senior Service Award. He received this award at the September networking luncheon. Doug Hutchinson for the Human Relations Commission’s annual Senior Service Award. - In 2012 members of the Senior Advisory Board volunteered 1,528.5 hours helping seniors in various capacities. Objective 3. Maintain effective communications with the City Council, the Mayor and the SAB City Council Liaison. - SAB Members attended City Manager Darin Atteberry’s “State of the City Preview”. - A member of the SAB discussed senior issues in a video addressing Social Sustainability prepared by Cable 14 for the 2012 State of the City Address. - In January the Board advocated to City Council (via public presentation at a council meeting as well as emails) requesting the Council give strong consideration to passing an ordinance that would provide a discount program on electric rates for qualifying individuals in conjunction with the ordinance to amend the city code to establish a medical discount program for electric customers. - In July, the Executive committee met with City Council liaison Aislinn Kottwitz to update her on the SAB accomplishments this year. - In August, the Board advocated for including budget items for Senior Center Expansion and Program Activities in order to not only continue to offer high quality programming in a first class nationally recognized facility, but also to expand the building to improve its programs as well as to accommodate the increase of seniors in our community. - In October, the SAB hosted a social with City Council members and senior city staff at the October Sundance Festival and Chili Cook-off. Objective 4. Take an active role in promoting the Senior Center and the Center’s Expansion as well as working to develop the most useful design for the expanded Center. - A Board member acted as liaison to the Expansion Committee. - The Board received monthly updates on progress. - In November, members attended the expansion update gathering with the opportunity to give input toward the expansion design. Objective 5. Work with transportation entities to provide availability of a reliable public transit system which seniors can easily access to get to places they need to go (doctors, restaurants, shopping, Senior Center, etc.) in a timely and affordable way as defined in the current Transit Strategic Plan. - SAB members participated on the Senior Transportation Coalition, formed based on the “Silver Tsunami” events. - A Board member acted as liaison to the Transportation Board. - Board members (along with many other organizations) actively promoted a method of transporting people between PVH, the PVH south campus and MCR. Connecting Health is now providing this service. Objective 6. Engage the community to identify current and future services and resources to meet the needs of Fort Collins seniors (as visioned by the CSU Center for Public Deliberation community conversations and other initiatives). The SAB hosted a four-part series of Community Conversations exploring the future growth and impact of the aging population from November 2011 through June 2012. Three programs in the series, Growing Older in Fort Collins--Silver Tsunami as Golden Opportunity, were held in 2012. Nearly 600 people attended events in the Community Conversations Series, which generated an abundance of valuable data from participants and spawned a county-wide coalition to pursue improvements in transportation options for seniors. The Community Conversations Series was named Outstanding Program by the Colorado Association of Senior Centers and Colorado Parks and Recreation Association.