Agenda - 08-31-2004-2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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In addition, the dementia problem has been increasing with the population getting older, The National Alzheimer's Association reports almost 50 percent of the 85+ population has dementia or Alzheimer's disease. The issues of the impaired older adults become even mare demanding with the recent projection for Orange County's 65+ population to increase by 219 percent between 2000 and 2020. Maintaining the independence of impaired alder persons and their ability to live at home as long as possible is an important County responsibility that the Department on Aging attempts to carry out, To address this M.A.P, goal with additional supportive services, the Department on Aging sought and has received additional federal/state funds from the National Caregiver Support Program. The Department of Aging has used these funds over the past two years to hire a temporary eldercare social worker and most recently for a time limited appointment to help the permanent Eldercare staff with service delivery. Annually, this eldercare social worker has served over 70+ frail elderly clients and their caregivers, providing social work assessments of clients for all Department on Aging services. The eldercare social worker has created, implemented, and followed upon care plans; managed the eldercare information line one day per week; coordinated client care with contract home health agencies and maintained records and reports for in-home service delivery and federal/state reimbursements, This additional eldercare social worker staff support has proven its benefit to the overall success of the Eldercare Division, Attached is a mare specific list of the impacts of having this additional staff. Board of Commissioners' action to authorize the permanent staffing request will result in maintaining an additional qualified professional social worker to serve the elderly. Offsetting Funding For the Position The projected annual cost of the permanent part time Eldercare Manager position is $38.802 (salary and benefits), There are offsetting grant funds of 26 374. The net additional annual County cost is $12,428. OPT Driver Position Realigning the OPT Driver position to serve as Eldercare Manager would not have a negative impact on the Orange Public Transportation (OPT) program. In 2003-04 OPT was not able to renew its contract with the Head Start program for transportation of children. Head Start decided instead to provide the funds to individual families rather than using local transit services. With the loss of this contract, OPT had not filled the OPT Driver position, waiting for new or additional contracts to increase ridership and cover the cost of Driver position. The 2004-05 budget was prepared with the knowledge that the Head Start contract would not be reinstated and that there were no additional contracts requiring that the OPT Driver position be filled, Meanwhile, using the position in Eldercare Services would provide many positive outcomes for the elderly citizens in the County. FINANCIAL. IMPACT: Based on the proposed start date of October 1, 2004, the Manager's Recommended Budget requested a net amount of $9,322 to fund the position for 2004-2005.