Agenda - 05-15-2018 8-a - Minutes

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7 1 • Hillsborough Planning Board: not in attendance 2 3 • Mebane Planning Board: not in attendance 4 5 Internal Boards 6 7 • ABC Board: previously presented at January 23rd BOCC meeting 8 9 • Adult Care Community Advisory Board: No report submitted, but if one can be by next 10 week, this item may be able to be added to agenda on May 3. 11 12 • Advisory Board on Aging: Lorenzo Mejia, Vice-Chair 13 Lorenzo Mejia thanked the Board of County Commissioners for its support for the 14 Department on Aging (DoA), and said Orange County attracts the elderly and retirees. He said 15 he works in this industry too, and DoA is recognized at a national level. He said there are 16 currently three areas of concern: 17 • Affordable housing 18 • Affordable care 19 • Transportation 20 21 Lorenzo Mejia said many of the elderly are not affluent residents, and there are real 22 needs. 23 Commissioner Burroughs asked if more could be shared about the need for affordable 24 care. 25 Lorenzo Mejia said if you are over 65, Medicare covers most needs. He said if one is of 26 limited needs, one is covered by Medicaid, but these two agencies do not cover everything. He 27 said an example is in home care (health assistants, post surgery care, etc.), which is not 28 covered at all, and this is the greatest need nationwide. 29 Commissioner McKee asked if the Advisory Board receives specific feedback on what 30 type of transportation is needed. 31 Lorenzo Mejia said seniors living at home need transportation, especially in rural areas. 32 Janice Tyler said door-to-door transportation in central and northern Orange County is 33 most needed. She said transportation for medical appointments is covered, but going to get 34 groceries, or other errands/social activities, is not. 35 Commissioner McKee asked if any consideration has been given to using a model like 36 Uber or Lyft. He said he is concerned that running a 15-passenger van to rural Orange County 37 is not the most efficient way to satisfy this need. 38 Janice Tyler said she would have to refer that idea to the County Manager. 39 Janice Tyler said there is a volunteer driver program to fill in the gaps, and UNC 40 Healthcare has used Lyft on a limited basis for some of its clinics. She said in years past there 41 have been contracts with taxi services. 42 Bonnie Hammersley said staff is looking at curb-to-curb service, as well as mobility 43 coordinators. 44 Commissioner Price asked if elderly residents are having difficulty aging in place, and 45 thus needing additional housing. 46 Janice Tyler said yes, this is a daily problem because affordable housing is scarce in 47 Orange County. 48