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February 2006 Minutes

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SAN MATEO COUNTY COMMISSION ON AGING Health Department, 225 37th Avenue, Room 100, San Mateo MINUTES February 13, 2006   PRESENT: Andre Belarmino, Dorothy Borbidge, Bob Collins, Arline Elliott, Janet Hofmann, Ming Tak Leong, Treva Ludy, Jerry McCarthy, Sylvia Merkadeau, May Nichols, Mary Pappas, Annie Sadler, Aaron Straus, Leslie Wong, Kevin Worth, Fiona Wainwright and Claire Jun, Youth Commissioners   EXCUSED: Suzanne Black, Cheri Jackson, Rachel Sanchez-Parodi ABSENT:    Rubelia Horton, Janet Galeno   GUESTS:   Elizabeth Furber, CoD Liaison; David Koffman, Nelson/Nygaard; Michele Knapik, Peninsula Volunteers; Marshall Loring, MTC/EDAC; Marianne Mannia and Marvin Goldman, CSL Representatives   STAFF: Lori Sweeney, Program Services Manager; Mary Robblee, Administrative Secretary     1. CALL TO ORDER:9:05 a.m. by Chair Elliott   2. CORRESPONDENCE:  Discount Opera Program available contact Commission Merkadeau for more information.   3. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS:   Marshall Loring, San Mateo County elderly representative on the Metropolitan Transit Commission’s (MTC) Elderly and Disabled Advisory Committee (EDAC), asked Commissioners to contact him on transportation matters that affect older adults and persons with disabilities in the Bay Area, so he can bring back ideas to the workgroup that is developing guidelines for transit-oriented development projects. 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA:   M/S/C - Nichols/Sadler   5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:Approval of minutes from 1-9-06 – M/S/C- Pappas/Nichols   6. CHAIR AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT:  Chair Elliott reported on the following: Attended the CDA fiscal audit for Aging and Adult Services.  Final report will be public record.  Good checks and balances, everything checked out.  Some tweaks needed in a few fiscal procedures. Attended Commissioner Smyth’s funeral with CoA Commissioners Collins, Leong and Borbidge.  Lori Sweeney, Aging and Adult Services and Katy Rhoades, past commissioner from the Commission on Disabilities also attended. Attended the Disaster Preparedness Day along with Commissioners Straus, Sadler, Wong and CoD Commissioner Furber held on 1/21 sponsored by the City of  Pacifica.   7. STAFF REPORT: Lori Sweeney, Program Services Manager reported on the following:   CDA Fiscal Audit was conducted for Aging and Adult Services (AAS) the week of January 9th.  The audit went very well.   The Program piece was complete with no suggestions for improvement.  For Fiscal, there was some documentation that was not complete.  Auditors asked that more documentation be written to support the areas in which the providers spend their money.  AAS Fiscal Department will meet to rectify this problem.  An audit determination will be sent once all documentation from the auditors is complete.  This process usually takes a several months.  In addition, a Program audit will take place in March.  Aging and Adult Services is busy preparing all the documents required for this audit. One Time Only (OTO) provider contracts are almost finished and will be mailed shortly with a contract start date of March 15.  Hoping to get the contracts approved at the March San Mateo county Board of Supervisors meeting. On 3/13 a Public Hearing for the 2006-07 Strategic Plan will be held in Room 100.  A newspaper announcement will be advertised in the local papers. Fiscal year 2006-07 Planning Estimates have been received earlier than expected and reduced by $30,000.  By receiving these documents early, it will enable us to determine monies available for Fiscal Year 2006-07 contracts.  Presentation to the Commission will take place at the March general meeting. Caregiver Collaborative will meet on the Coastside on 2/25 from 1-3:00 p.m. Sandy Cohen, Community Program Specialist, has accepted another job with Employee and Public Services as ADA Title I Coordinator.  Her last day was Thursday, February 9.   8. PRESENTATION:  An “Overview of SamTrans Senior Mobility Action Plan was presented by David Koffman, Consultant, Nelson/Nygaard.  He asked the Commission to support the plan.  He had already presented the plan to the Commission on Disabilities (CoD) who voted to support the plan in conjunction with the Commission on Aging (CoA) if agreed.   9. DISCUSSION ITEMS: Recommendation from the Executive Committee for approval of: Support for the Senior Mobility Action Plan - M/S/C – Nichols/Sadler California Senior Legislature Elections – CLS Election Packets were distributed for Commissioners to distribute to interested parties.  A Public notice will be advertised in the local papers. A total of three people are needed to be representatives. There is an open period of 30 days for applicants to run. Applicants need to have a minimum of 25 signatures from seniors. Only CoA Commissioners over the age of 60 are allowed to vote. Suggestion to try to recruit people outside of the Commission by contacting AARP, Grey Panthers, League of Women Voters and possibly contacting Supervisor Adrienne Tissier for more suggestions.  Establishing Scott Smyth Annual Award – voted to have a yearly award given to a senior who has contributed numerous volunteer hours and/or support to enhance the lives of older people. This award will be handed out at the Poetry/Photography Contest in celebration of Older Americans Month.  Since this is the first year of the award and there is not much time, the CoA Executive Committee requests that they chose the first awardee.  Nominations can be submitted to Lori Sweeney for Executive to take a vote at the April meeting. M/S/C – Sadler/Ludy   10. COMMITTEE REPORTS: A. Community-Based Continuum of Care – Report Submitted B.  Legislative/Advocacy – No Report C.  Minority Elders – Report Submitted ·        Three panels for Minority Elders Conference will be Fall Prevention, Medication Management, Isolation/Socialization.   D.  Nutrition Committee -  Reviewed Work Plan ideas and discussed ways to increase the number of people attending the congregate nutrition sites.  Suggestion to have presentations held at the senior centers which may encourage more people to attend.  Some topics of interest include Healthy Eating, How to Prepare Meals for One and How to Read Nutrition Labels on Packaged Foods.   E.  Housing - Reviewed Work Plan and decided to hold three more public forums as follows: o       Affordable Housing Available o       Reverse Mortgage o       1st Time Homebuyer   F.  Sunshine Committee – No Report   11. LIAISON AND AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORTS: Ad Hoc Arts  Poetry – Plans underway.  Registration forms will be sent out – deadline to submit a poem is March 17.  Photography Contest will be held at the same time as the Poetry Contest. Ad Hoc Arts Photography -Meeting with College of San Mateo Photography teacher - more to report at next meeting.  Two categories have been decided - Landscape and Portrait. Commission on Disabilities- ·        Had same presentation as CoA by David David Koffman, a representative from Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates to look at ways to encourage seniors to take public transportation. Implementation Coordination Committee – Committee now meets quarterly.  Next meeting in April. In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority –Caregiver Appreciation Day will be held on 9/30 in Room 100 from 10:30-1:30 p.m.  The theme will be a Luai. Trying to find a person who can provide a Hawaiian menu. Legal Aid – No Report – minutes will be available at a later date Legal Aid’s Health Consumer Center– No Report ·        HICAP has an agreement with the Consumer Center to report any problems experienced with Medicare Part D.  Meals on Wheels – No Report Adult Abuse Prevention Collaborative – Report Submitted ·        SAIF letter?? New Beginning Coalition – No Report            Paratransit Coordinating Council (PCC) – Report Submitted ·        Need another person to attend February 14th  meeting at SamTrans – Commissioner Pappas will attend.  ·        Seniors are not aware that they can apply for a restricted driver’s license which will allow them to only drive to their day-day-errands (i.e. church, post office).                    California Senior Legislature (CSL) – Already reported under Item 9. Triple-A Council of California (TACC)    - Reported submitted by Chair Elliott CSL elections will take place in April for a 4-year term.  Most AAA’s are running the election. CSL is under the controller’s office and has a workman’s comp claim against them.  Simitian picked up Helen Karr’s bill to have a postage stamp on elder abuse. CCOA – received schedule for the year.  On 2/2 a Disaster Planning Workshop will be held in San Francisco for LTC facilities. Senate Bill 840 – single payer health insurance – opposing viewpoint White Conference on Aging – implementation is due in June but will probably come out in August.  All 70 resolutions passed because there was no voting. Legislation – recommended AB 1112 – Parking for the Disabled and Vets.  AJR 40- Extend Medicare Sign-Ups to December and AB1363 Conservatorships.  Five more bills are on watch. Medicare Part – “D” stands for disaster.  California Healthcare Associates Report states that they average 250 calls a day and Los Angeles averages a thousand calls a day.  Computer programs not working in conjunction making more headaches. PSA’s San Bernardino has training for CNA’s in elder abuse, Santa Clara has a free bus ride program from 9-3:00 p.m. for seniors, Los Angeles inserted a brochure for seniors into their water bills, Marin has a discharge planning program in place, Merced got a waiver from the state and has college students trained for HICAP work, Santa Cruz has a store with overstocked items (food, clothing, appliances) that seniors can access for free, Colusa Hospice is running the nutritional programs there, Ventura went from $8 a meal to $4 by going private, San Joaquin has no HICAP, the Ombudsman program is in trouble and the pool for seniors will no longer be available. Housing and Community Development Committee – Commissioner McCarthy will attend the first meeting on Thursday, February 16. Youth Commission – No Report Ombudsman – ·        Holding training in March - have 6 new trainees. ·        Volunteer Recognition Luncheon at Crystal Springs Golf Club on 2/23. Website – There is a lot of information to update. This will be done within the next few weeks.   12. OTHER:   One vacancy on the Commission.  Deadline to submit application is 2/24.   13. ANNOUNCEMENTS:  None   14. ADJOURN:   11:05 a.m. Next Meeting March 13, 2006 9-11:00 a.m. Room 100