Orange County NC Website
o The County's Master Aging Plan meeting to discuss goals was attended by Jackie <br />Podger and Carol Kelly. The meeting began the process of identifying how people <br />like those of us on the committee, as well as others in the county can assist with <br />providing life enrichment opportunities for residents in long term care housing. Our <br />state, like the national councils, is emphasizing the importance of quality <br />improvement in addition to planned program activities. The DOA is looking for <br />ways to recognize such events and persons involved in addressing actions that can be <br />noted to raise the quality of living in ways other than those only focused on physical <br />or emotional care. Subcommittees will continue to meet at least quarterly to <br />continue making optimal plans that can work across the county. The next meeting is <br />scheduled for October 4. <br />o There is another county group wanting to raise recognition and work towards <br />improving advance for the direct care givers, AKA Certified Nursing Assistants <br />(CNAs). The bulk of efforts regarding a resident's quality of his /her daily living fall <br />to this group of specially educated personnel. While Orange County, and <br />particularly Chapel Hill, has adopted a minimum "living wage" (currently <br />$13.75 /hour) for the providers, there is also a need to improve the advancement for <br />direct care givers, e.g., promotions, further education and achievement recognition. <br />Further discussion ensued re; ways in which Orange County's DOA has worked to <br />recognize CNA accomplishments and remuneration. <br />o Further discussion by both the County Commissioners and thus, this committee, was <br />made re: Objective 3.5: Improving the Quality of Life through more public activity. <br />Mary related that our County Commissioners have very positive views about the <br />work of the OCNHCAC members as advocates for residents. We are asked to <br />examine ways in which OCNHCAC expertise /strategies can help successfully move <br />this objective along. Examples might include calling for volunteers to come into <br />facilities to visit with residents who are unable to leave the buildings and /or who <br />have no other opportunities for family visits. This prompted a lengthy discussion at <br />the meeting re: ideas for interventions as well as potential liabilities that might be <br />faced by either committee members and /or volunteers who may wish to take on such <br />roles. <br />Activity Program Questions. (Attachment 1) This has been an agenda item for several <br />meetings. Committee members want to respectfully ask residents and staff about success <br />of activity /life enrichment programs. Susie Dieter, Carol Kelly and Jackie Podger made <br />outstanding progress to develop questions that were more substantive rather than ones <br />asking for a "yes or no" answer. Attachment 1 is the result of their collective work. All <br />agreed it will be very helpful. <br />• Reminders: <br />o Quarterly Activity Reports Due: end of September, 2017 <br />o Quarterly Site Visit Reports Due: When visit is completed. Autumn mentioned that <br />while regulations require a "mandatory" quarterly visit with a written report, we are <br />still able to do "friendly" visits to respective sites in order to be better known to <br />