HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-03-07-COA-min Town of Lexington Council on Aging Board Meeting
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
2:30pm to 3:30
Lexington Community Center, Dining Room#139
Present:Julie Ann Shapiro (Co-chair), Ellen Cameron (Vice-chair), Nancy Adler,Sophia Ho, Rich
McDonough, Bonnie Teitleman
Staff: Charlotte Rodgers (Human Services), Hemali Shah (Senior Services), Melissa Interess (Senior
Services)
Public Comments:
• Anne Frymer enjoys coming to Council on Aging(COA) meetings.
• Jyotsna Kakullavarapu introduced herself, described her professional activity at Interim
Healthcare, a company that provides homecare. She expressed interest in becoming a board
member.
• Sudhir Jain, from Indian Seniors Lexington Group, described issues of flexibility in the taxi service
and made some recommendations for enhancements.
• Mimi Aarens asked for people to submit creative material to Lexington LifeTimes journal.
Approval of Meeting Minutes:The January 2018 minutes were approved. (February 2018 meeting
canceled due to snow storm.)
Staff Reports:
Hemali Shah
• Enthusiasm for the 3-session educational Elder Care Program, offered in collaboration
with the Senior Resource Council,to help people remain independent and purposeful
while aging.
• A June overnight trip to Quebec is scheduled and will likely fill up.
Melissa Interess
• $10,000 gift was received by the Friends of the Council On Aging and is to be used for
Senior Wellness programs and the Fix-it Shop in the memory of Dolores Furnstahl.
• Submitting a grant proposal with Minuteman Senior Services and other area COAs for a
mental health outreach team that would provide crisis stabilization, in home counseling,
and follow up after discharge from medical or psychiatric facility or Protective Services
intervention.
• New staff: Susan Barrett is the new Transportation Manager. Heather DeRose is the new
Volunteer Coordinator.
Charlotte Rodgers
• Received $85,000 grant to coordinate with Burlington and Bedford to explore how
senior transportation can be more efficient from a regional perspective. Utilization of
transportation is down.
• Received $15,000 grant through Lahey Health for a consultant on mental health best
practices, which has the option for multi-year funding.
• Dana Home Foundation grant request submitted for funding for a mobile computer lab
and partial funding for Dietitian and Volunteer Coordinator.
New Business:
• Sophia Ho noted that Waltham and some other communities offer relief to seniors from having
to pay the parking meter to park in downtown areas, especially helpful with snow piles. Others
Board and Community members were interested in looking at this idea further for feasibility in
Lexington.
• Nancy Adler and Julie Ann Shapiro attended a meeting about expanding the Community Center.
This initiative will require a study and a strategy to accomplish this, given the current demands
on the Town's budget. They suggested advocacy for the feasibility study at Town Meeting if
community members were in support of it.
• Bonnie reported on the COA Board training by Executive Office of Elder Affairs.
• There are currently two Board vacancies. Carl Valente,Julie Ann Shapiro, and Senior Services
staff will be interviewing candidates in the coming weeks.
• Sophia Ho resigned her position on the COA Board.When her term ends, she will not seek
renewal.
• Discussion of guest speakers for future meetings. LCB Senior Living may present in April. Bonnie
will invite Koren Stembridge, Director of Cary Memorial Library,for a future meeting as well.
Liaison Reports:
Commission on Disability Bonnie Teitleman
• The cart path at Willards Woods will be repaired.
• Koren Stembridge, Director of Cary Memorial Library, described efforts for the library to be safe
and accessible for all, including the disabled. Commission members were encouraged.
Lexington Housing Partnership- Rich McDonough reported on meetings of Lexington
Comprehensive Housing and plan for series of educational panels on housing, economic
development, and transportation.
Minuteman Senior Services-Gary Fallick
• Panel discussion on inadequate funding, need for advocacy with state legislature.
• The Minuteman Legislative breakfast included a multi-disciplinary case discussion of protective
services including a family, Marian Riley, Middlesex DA, and staff from Minuteman.
• Areas of focus for Massachusetts Home Care are professional services, nutrition and workforce
challenges (low pay for HHA/PCA).
Meeting Adjourned 3:30 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Bonnie Teitleman
Secretary