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6 <br /> z <br /> Jerry Passmore's Contributions to Orange County:A Brief Summary <br /> ferry Passnnore has been a major force for improving the lives of older adults in <br /> Orange County and across.North Carolina for over forty years.He began his career as a <br /> sociologist with a specialty in far-WV/community gerontology,by teaching at Greensboro <br /> College.He then started the Guilford County Council on Aging as their first Executive <br /> Director in 1973. • ..� <br /> Jerry moved.to Orange County in 1976,and has since been a visionary/pioneer in the <br /> planning.coordinating and establishing of needed senior services in Orange County. <br /> Some of Jerry's pioneering efforts are listed below, <br /> 1,Jerry oversaw(as Executive Director)the merger-of the Chapel Hill Council on <br /> Aging with the newly formed Orange County Council on Aging(COA)into a unified <br /> county-wide system of programs/services.(1976) <br /> 2.He prepared/presented with the COA to the BOCC for approval,the Orange County <br /> ordinance establishing the first county Department on Aging and Advisory Board on <br /> Aging. (1980) <br /> • <br /> 3.He promoted the development of public-private partnerships in serving older <br /> adults,with the goal of involving•the entire community,and initiated efforts/provided <br /> leadership in incorporating nonprofiit groups and developing bylaws for: <br /> a Friends of the Central Orange Senior Center(2000) <br /> o Friends of the Robert&Pearl Seymour Center(1991) and <br /> a Senior Care of Orange County,Inc. (20Q4),that operates the Soltys Adult <br /> Day Health Program <br /> 4. He developed,prepared and implemented,with a BOCC-appointed committee of <br /> over 100+citizens,two five-year Master Aging Plans (MAP),the first of their kind in <br /> 1V.C.,that provided a comprehensive&coordinated delivery of community services <br /> to senior citizens over the life span,that focused on different levels.of functional • <br /> capacity;well fit,moderately impaired/disabled and the severely impaired/ <br /> institutionalized. (2000 and 2006) <br /> 5. He engaged all departments of Orange County Government,towns,service <br /> agencies and the broader conununfty,in the process-of improving the infrastructure <br /> and services to meet the needs of older adults who desire to age In place,especially <br /> those with functional disabilities and impairments. . <br /> 6.He was instrumental (with an MSW intern)in the research,planning and start-up of <br /> the firstAdult Day Health program in Orange County,that opened in February,2004, <br /> before transferring operations to tthe.nonprofit Senior Care of Orange,Inc,which then <br /> named the center the Florence Gray Soltys Adult Day Health Center. <br /> 7.Jerry advocated,educated and prepared key reports for elected officials and the <br /> community that pointed out the benefits/unpartance of highly visible, , <br /> . 4 <br />