HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-05-01-COA-min Town of Lexington Council on Aging Board Meeting
Wednesday May 1, 2019
2:40-4:07
Lexington Community Center
Present: Bonnie Teitleman, Rich McDonough, Betty Borghesani, Sandra Shaw,John Zhao,
Camille Goodwin, Ellen Cameron
Staff: Hemali Shah, Melissa Interess
Public Comments: None
Approval of April minutes
New Business
Alicia Grunes, Human Services Nurse and Brian Savage, Police Detective—Community needs of seniors
• Perform well-being checks together at request of family, neighbors or Minuteman Senior
Services
• Assess and refer for services; elder can refuse services if of capacity
• Confidentiality, need Release of Information for communications
• They are mandated reporters and able to file Protective Service report if necessary
Alicia works 20 hrs a week, does home visits monthly, high blood pressure clinics,flu shots at CC and
public housing,fall prevention. Joins Hemali in co-facilitating caregiver's support group.
• Sense of community, caring for neighbors diminished in recent years
• Board members brainstormed ideas: Call in service, lifeline, enhanced technology etc.
Staff Reports
Melissa Interess, Director of Human Services
• Outreach coordinator hired out of 45 applicants
• Senior Services coordinator position in process
Hemali Shah,Assistant Director for Senior Services
• UMass Boston has 413 surveys returned out of 3,000 sent; survey closes 5/10
• Looking for volunteers for May 5/14 and June 6/13 lunch
• Dana Home Grant: $14,645 for outreach materials for caregivers, driving, memory loss, home
care, respite care
For Christine Dean Community Center
• Walk for Ease program led by Ellen meets Monday,Wednesday,Friday at 10AM for 6 wks has 22
registered seniors—FCOA provided grant to cover cost of instructor
• Dana Home grant:
o $17,500 grant to continue Forever Fit-popular
Liaison Reports
CC Advisory-Sandra Shaw-committee dissolved,will have annual meeting w/several committees instead
Minuteman Senior Services-Gary Fallick-idea of neighborhood associations to keep up with neighbors.
Lexington at Home has buddy well person checks; many Protective Services cases in Lexington
FCOA- Ellen Cameron-OWLL attendance high; planning for fall courses; FCOA Bright Ideas paid for raised
garden beds,which were made by DPW; Bright Ideas opening again in Fall,ADA access for garden is a
potential project for the future; FCOA would like to purchase a bench in memory of John Furnstahl to be
placed at LCC
• Annual meeting 6/20
Recreation Committee- Ellen Cameron-artificial turf was approved
Disability Commission-Bonnie Teitleman, discussion of topics for Town Meeting, safety of surface
materials and curb cuts
Lexington Housing Authority-Camille Goodwin-Greely Village replacing generator. Pine Grove has
architect hired, RFP to contractors for modernization.
Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee-Camille Goodwin-reported on community data around
housing
• State housing production down; housing in MA is highest in USA, affordability concerns
• Need to look at rezoning laws to allow for more development; prevalence of NIMBY(Not in my
backyard)
• 60%of Lexington residents moved here since 2003
• Program of subsidizing private home landlords not well known
• Lexington is listed as having 10%of total housing be subsidized/low-income. In reality the true
number is only 5%when looking at what truly constitutes subsidized/low-income housing.The
discrepancy is due to reporting regulations.
Housing Partnership-Rich McDonough
• Special permit hearing to allow more in-law apartments, Governor Baker pushing
• 186 Bedford Street project did not pass, back to Planning Board
Mental Health and wellness TF—Ellen Cameron meeting in May
Meeting adjourned 4:07 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Bonnie Teitleman