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4 <br />Aging Advocate Florence Soltys <br />1935-2007 <br />Contributions to Orange County <br />Florence Gray. Soltys, a nationally recognized expert and advocate for the needs <br />of older adults, died unexpectedly on Sept. 27, 2007. Florence Soltys was a <br />tireless and fearless advocate for all older adults, including those in the long term <br />care setting, as well as those residing in the community. <br />According to Department on Aging Director, Jerry Passmore, who worked with <br />Florence for over 25 years, "Few people in the field of aging have made <br />things happen like Florence." She has had a major impact on aging services <br />and policies of our state and Orange County, but more importantly improved the <br />quality of life and quality of healthcare of the people she served. <br />As a recently retired associate clinical professor at the UNC Schools of Social <br />Work and Medicine, Florence Soltys exemplified how a university faculty member <br />can share and apply her expertise at the local, state and national level, inspire <br />and mentor her students to do likewise and make a remarkable difference in the <br />lives of older adults. Many of her students had their field placement within the <br />Orange County and eventually became county employees. <br />Over the years, Florence has made countless contributions. Listed below are <br />only a few that impacted Orange County's older residents. <br />1. Chair and long standing member of the Orange County Advisory Board on <br />Aging. <br />2. Chair of the first County Master Aging Plan Task Force- 2001-2006 and <br />co-chair of the MAP Update Task Force for 2007-2011 <br />3. President of Senior Care of Orange County, Inc., 2004-2007. This non- <br />profit agency was established by her in partnership with Orange County <br />to assume the operation of the Central Orange Adult Day Health Program <br />from Orange County which is the first and only day health program in the <br />county. <br />4. Chair and long standing member of the Orange County Nursing Home <br />Community Advisory Committee. This is the county's appointed <br />grassroots ombudsmen to visits facilities and advocate for quality care <br />and rights of residents. <br />5. Chair and long standing member of the Orange County Adult Home <br />Community Advisory Committee. This is the county's appointed <br />grassroots ombudsmen to visits facilities and advocate for quality care <br />and rights of residents. <br />6. Representative for Orange County on the NC Coalition on Aging, the <br />Area Agency on Aging Advisory Board and the N.C. Study Commission <br />on Aging. <br />