HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-09-16-COA-min.pdf COUNCIL ON AGING BOARD MEETING - SEPTEMBER 16 1991
Present Dorothy Boggia, Harriet Onello, Barbara Rubin, Jim
Fenske, Beth Klarman, Monica Chang , Ed Grant Jack
Eddison (Selectmen liaison) , Lynne Lees & Suzanne Hill
( representatives to MMHC) , Muriel Taylor (guest ) and
Linda Crew Vine (staff )
Meeting was called to order at 4 35 p m
Remarks Dorothy Boggia
-Dorothy welcomed back board members and introduced new
faces
-Minutes were reviewed Clarification was requested on
comment by Jack Eddison regarding surplus in budget
Motion was made and seconded to approve minutes
Treasurer ' s Report - Jim Fenske
( -COA returned a surplus of $8343 11 to the town for
Fiscal 1991 Most of these funds were in the home care
area due to the start up lag A breakdown by vendor
was explained as shown on page 2 MMHC funds are
assigned as a local share payment
-The Social Day Care program showed an ending balance of
over $20 , 000 , this reflects an accumulative annual net
gain of about $2 , 000 per year over the past 8 years
-Jim defined the Selectmen ' s Gift accounts as special
accounts outside the town operating budget and apart
from giant monies These special accounts are revolving
and are not turned back to the town at the end of a
fiscal year These funds can be used for many purposes
( ie ) SDC surplus for day care scholarships
-Meals on Wheels (special account) revenues are declining
because of increased costs of meals The account still
has excess funds to fall back on for a time
-Unencumbered items to consider greater costs for the
Senior Health Monitor Program new floor for the dining
room, and emergency repairs
-Motion was made r.ecode•- report was accepted
Senior Health Monitor Report - Beth Klarman
-A smooth transition was accomplished between the
previous vendor , Visiting Nurse & Community Health and
the new vendor , Nurse ' s House Call The new vendor is
very accommodating Some complaints were express to the
Town Managers office regarding the change in agency
-Two clients did not continue with SHMP but chose to
hire VNCH privately
-Cost are currently high due to 37 clients requiring RN
assessments , Peg Jemison will delay processing intakes
to counteract costs short term
-Clients are becoming more frail and some clients were
lost due to nursing home placement and deaths
-Problems have occurred whereby Symmes Hospital would
assign a different agency for discharge care when a
person had been a former SHMP client
-Regarding current needs - as Lexington' s population
ages , the client needs become more pervasive requiring
increased case management and services
( Minuteman Home Care - Suzanne Hill & Lynne Lees
-Meal Plan change a cold evening meal will be available
to clients receiving frozen meals for $1 more per day
-A Walk-A-Thon fundraiser for the congregate meal program
is scheduled for October 16 at the Burlington Mall
Funds will be dispersed according to meals sites and
pledges of the participants
-Transportation to Meals in Lexington the use of
LexPress to get to the Center for lunch is being
encouraged Share-A-Ride will no longer deliver frozen
meals for MMHC so volunteers are needed for this
project
-Linda explained the three different meal programs
(Meals on Wheels , Congregate Meals , and frozen home
delivered meals ) to clarify for the board
-ELDERPLAN a MMHC service being marketed to corporations
and private organizations was explained as a plan to
assist the sandwich generation access service for elder
relatives A brochure was left for the board to read
-Home Care services may be consolidated in Massachusetts
from 27 to 20 corporations EOEA is working on a plan
but it is unclear when this might occur or if more
services will be created
-Barbara Rubin stated we must address nationwide , the
level of health care services
Education Committee Report - Barbara Rubin
-International Dinner planned for November 6 @ $10 00
/person, Linda Vine has assignments for board members
-Health Care and Education "A Health Care
Reform" is being held at Follen Church by the League of
Women Voters with Linda Vine coordinating PR
-Caring for a Frail Elder will be presentled by Nurse ' s
House Call staff on October 1 1991
-Housing Options a housing specialist is being sought
as a resource, Anne Novak, COA librarian, has started
a Housing Resource File a housing fair is in the
planning stages , and the committee looks to serving an
advocacy role for elders seeking housing
Director ' s Report - Linda Crew Vine
-The Title III-B grant funds will be reduced by an
unknown amount for FY 92 The Federal government
insists on targeting OAA funds to minority low income
persons , therefore the COA will need to consider using
funds from special accounts such as Social Day Care to
help offset transportation costs Many private pay
clients have been helped by the grant funding
-As requested by Linda Pauling Burke, LexPress
Coordinator , has summarized all transportation options
in Lexington The Town will be uutting transportation
up for bid (affecting Social Day Care transportation)
-The nutrition program is declining in numbers Over the
summer efforts were made to improve attitudes of the
volunteers and long time participants New ideas
generated were - a 2 _for. 1 special (bring a friend ! ) ,
and a pre-lunch Social Hour with assigned host/hostess
( -Linda announced the upcoming work hop offering on
"Understanding Your Aging Relative" to start in October
for five ( 5 ) weeks
-The Formula Grant increased this year because of the
increased number of seniors in Lexington All funds
will be applied to the Social Workers salary
-The Friends of the Council on Aging received a $62 , 000
bequest which will fund an endowment Jack Eddison
suggested consulting trustees of public trusts , Alan
Fields , Chairperson for investment administration and
management The FCOA will set up an operating budget
and provide more scholarships
-The new television is successful A committee of
volunteers will discuss other possible uses
-Recruitment & Training of volunteers Cathy is
developing a basic manual of policies and procedures
Cathy will elaborate at the October meeting
-Dorothy Boggia advised the use of fire drills at the
senior center One set of exit stairs have deteriorated
and ate not usable
-The Senior Citizen card given to people serves two
purposes
-increases loan time on library books
-merchant discounts
A new senior discount brochure is currently being
prepared
-Wellness Program a proposal was submitted to the
Board of Health and put out to bid Four responses were
received from which the Town Manager will select a
vendor
-The report was accepted by the Chair
The meeting adjourned at 6 15 p m
L