Aging Advisory Board Minutes 081313

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1 ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD ON AGING Minutes August 13, 2013 PRESENT: Leo Allison, Virginia Brown, Alex Castro, Dan Hatley, Donna Prather EXCUSED: Heather Altman, Ed Flowers, Lorenzo Mejia, Thelma Perkins, Jeane Suddarth, Richard White STAFF: Mary Fraser, Kathie Kearns, Janice Tyler . The meeting was called to order at the Central Orange Senior Center by Vice-Chair Alex Castro. He noted that his name was omitted from the excused members of the previous meeting. With that correction the minutes of the June 11 meeting were approved following a motion made by Dan Hatley and a second by Donna Prather. In her Director’s Report Janice Tyler announced the launch of the Orange County Community Giving Fund and distributed information packets. Leo Allison asked if Triangle Community Foundation, the OCCG Fund manager, will charge a processing fee for contributions. Ms. Tyler noted that all donations to Orange County either made through Triangle Community Foundation or directly are tax-deductible. She also summarized the recent meeting of the Executive Council for the Uninsured, hosted by UNC Hospitals. Mary Fraser noted that the Department on Aging’s role will be to assist the 55-65 year old applicants with enrollment in national health insurance through the Senior Health Insurance Information Program. Information Specialist and Orange County SHIIP Coordinator Beverly Shuford will also represent the Department on Aging at future health insurance meetings. She will be asked to provide an update on this new health option available for uninsured adults at a future Advisory Board meeting. Discussion followed on the lack of leadership on the State level, Piedmont Health’s involvement in promoting the new initiative, and the time involved for both being a counselor and completing the application. Janice Tyler announced that the Senior Wellness Clinic (formerly known as the 3M-Mood, Memory and Mobility Clinic) has been discontinued. Dr. Jan Busby-Whitehead, UNC’s Director of the Center for Aging and Health, informed Department on Aging staff that discretionary funding was no longer available for the off-campus clinic. Mary Fraser added that participation in the Clinic had dwindled and that UNC has moved its geriatric screening program to a new building off-campus and increased service availability. Alex Castro raised the issue of accessibility for seniors dependent on public or OPT transportation for their medical appointments. Ms. Fraser suggested that staff involved with UNC strategic planning should serve on the MAP Steering committee to address these challenges. Ms. Tyler stated that the Board of County Commissioners approved the Department on Aging’s operating budget for FY 2013-14. She added that the Town of Chapel Hill’s support of the Senior Lunch Program was reduced by 20% and sequestration funding cuts continue to impact the Home and Community Care Block Grant funds available for Orange County. She also announced that Cheryl Young is the new Assistant County Manager, filling the position made vacant by Gwen Harvey’s retirement.