HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-12-10-COA-min.pdf COUNCIL ON AGING BOARD MEETING - DECEMBER 10 , 1991
Present Dorothy Goggia, Harriet Onello, Monica Chang, Barbara Rubin, Beth
Klarman, Jim Fenske, Kevin Grimes , Jack Eddison (Selectmen
liaison) , Donna Hooper (Human Service Committee liaison) , Suzanne
Hill & Lynne Lees (Minuteman Home Care Representatives) , Peg
Jemison & Linda Crew Vine (Staff)
Meeting was called to order at 4 40
Remarks Dorothy Boggia
Good Wishes for the Christmas and Hanukkah Holidays were expressed
Dorothy noted that this would be Linda Vine's last meeting before
her maternity leave
The meeting today will be brief so that the President may also
attend the meeting of the Muzzey High Condo Association
Minutes were read and corrected as follows
The COA Budget was not specifically presented at the Selectmen's
Breakfast meeting, rather the budget was discussed in general
Jack Eddison corrected the spelling of Alan Fields and noted that
the report was about successful management of Library Funds rather
then an increase in Library Funds
The minutes were accepted as corrected
Minuteman Home Care Report Suzanne Hill & Lynne Lees
The representatives reported on each town's contribution and its
use For the $4 , 137 00 from Lexington for FY 92 , Minuteman Home
Care provides $333 , 595 00 of services to Lexington residents thru
state, federal and private resources
Lynne Lees explained the content of services to Lexington as State
Homecare services , case management , and, thru the Older Americans
Act , federal funds for meals , legal aid and transportation
The local share assessment is based on a formula dependent on the
60+ population for each community
Jim F - regarding questions on the report , the number of residents
served is a duplication of individuals not the actual number of
people; ie maybe 1000 persons are served from a population of
6500 people 60+ in Lexington
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Kevin G inquired how we should interpret the Minuteman Home Care
figures Lynne Lees responded that Lexington has made excellent
use of services and expressed concern about the continuing threat
of state reductions currently under rheteric of "consolidation" of
Home Care Corporations
Kevin G also asked what services and what coordination enters into
discharge planning
Linda V explained that the COA uses the Minuteman Home Care report
to analyze funding sources for COA activities
Barbara R asked how many Minuteman Home Care hours are volunteer
hours; the answer was not known
Senior Health Monitor Program Peg Jemison
The number of SHMP clients has averaged thirty-six (36) over the
past two months Clients have become unstable lately with seven
(7) of the thirty-six now hospitalized Others are Protective
Services and/or Elder at Risk clients Most clients now typically
have multiple problems
The new health care agency (Nurse's House Call ) has had some
staffing changes including the program supervisor Weekly meetings
( will be resumed
The SHMP needs marketing which will begin in January 1992
Some competing agencies are creating some loss of clients
Kimberly Quality Care performs Medicare services, but then does not
follow up and place the client after Medicare services end
Beth K suggested obtaining client 's consent for SHMP to get the
discharge plan for them which could assist in the transition to
the SHM program
Kevin G suggested talking with the physicians at Symmes Hospital
Beth K , Linda V and Peg J will meet on Tuesday, December 17
regarding the program especially in relationship to other programs
Treasurer's Report - Jim Fenske
The Meals on Wheels program is running a consistent deficit not
covering expenses especially the salary of the Coordinator A $ 50
increase of meal cost puts it back on even footing but the figures
do not reflect scholarship clients Because there is still a cash
reoerve in the program, the treasurer is not recommending an
increase at this time
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Npecial diet requests are increasing and this may lead to a cost
increase
Linda V commented that collection is complicated by the frailty
and confused state of many of the clients The Meals on Wheels
population has changed and we are seeing more short term, post
hospital clients which require more record keeping and juggling of
of routes, diets , etc
Beth K asked if a volunteer could assist the Coordinator with some
of the administrative duties
Director's Report - Linda Crew Vine
Peg J visited the Lend-A-Hand group at the First Parish Church and
suggested they contribute to the Meals on Wheels Program, however,
she feels that the Social Day Care program may receive their
contribution
The Dining Room floor will be installed beginning December 20st and
the center will be closed until December 27th Peter Kelley is
coordinating the project
Pat Ross (Middlesex Community College LIVE program) has been
selected to intern for four months for 25 hours per week, Mon-
( Thurs She has 135 volunteers to get to know and work with The
programs and trips are scheduled and set up for that period of
time
Linda will ask the Town Manager about letting the Senior Center
provide its own cleaning through the Dept of Public Works
Outreach with the Arlington and Woburn COA's has been initiated and
a grant proposal submitted to Minuteman Home Care A copy of the
proposal was circulated to the board The grant has been approved
and the program will be coordinated with Arlington, with the staff
(1 or 2 persons) housed in Arlington A planning session is
scheduled for December 11th and the program will start in January
1992
The Literary Council has requested to use the Center for training
sessions The group will use older volunteers and will meet four
times on Saturdays and Sundays They will clean and reset the
space they use
Monica C suggested a security deposit in case of damage
Barbara R expressed concern that this opens the door to more
requests
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The board discussed ways to tie the acceptance of groups using the
Center to Center subscribers They approved and voted that groups
using the Center should provide information for outreach to seniors
and should use the newsletter to recruit participants
Muzzey Trustees Pres apologized for the sod removal and said the
board wanted to vote to remove the individual responsible from
their board The sod was replaced
The Volunteer Handbook is still being edited So far only Jim F
and Beth K have commented with changes Other board members are
encouraged to do so and return their comments as soon as possible
Long Range Planning Meeting - scheduled for January 21, 1992 at 4 30 , Rm 615
At the Town Hall The committee thanks Anne Novak for the outstanding report
she prepared while being hospitalized Thanks and best wishes were extended
from the board
The meeting adjourned at 5 45 p m
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