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May 2006 Minutes

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SAN MATEO COUNTY COMMISSION ON AGING Health Department, 225 37thAvenue, Room 100, San Mateo MINUTES May 8, 2006 PRESENT:Andre Belarmino, Dorothy Borbidge, Arline Elliott, Janet Galeno, Cheri Jackson, Ming Tak Leong, Treva Ludy, Jerry McCarthy, Sylvia Merkadeau, May Nichols, Mary C. Pappas, Fiona Wainwright, Leslie Wong EXCUSED: Suzanne Black, Bob Collins, Janet Hofmann, Rubelia Horton, Annie Sadler, Aaron Straus, Kevin Worth ABSENT: Claire Jun, Youth Commissioner GUESTS: Elizabeth Furber, CoD Liaison; Michele Knapik, Peninsula Volunteers; Marshall Loring, MTC/EDAC; Lorraine Simmons, Supervisor Tissier’s office; Michelle Knapik, Peninsula Volunteers; Marvin Goldman, California Senior Legislature STAFF: Lisa Mancini, Director, Aging and Adult Services; Marsha Fong, Health Services Manager 1. CALL TO ORDER: 9:05 a.m. by Chair Elliott 2. CORRESPONDENCE: None 3. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: M/S/C – Galeno/Jackson 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Approval of revised minutes from 4-10-06 with one correction, Commissioner Belarmino was listed as absent, he attended. M/S/C – Nichols/Leong (one abstention-Mary Pappas) 6. STAFF REPORT: Lisa Mancini, Director, Aging and Adult Services, reported on the following: • May 15 – Deadline for Medicare Part D. It has been a very difficult process as I experienced with my mom. HICAP has been very busy helping people understand the process and to make the right decision when signing up. Marsha Fong, Health Services Manager, reported on the following: • Ethics Training – The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on May 2ndpassed an ordinance which requires ethics training in accordance with government code 53234 beginning January 1, 2007. Local agency officials must receive 2 hours of ethics training every two years. The Commission is considered “official”. There will be a training conducted for the Commission late summer or early fall. More information will follow as soon as dates are confirmed. Some areas that will be covered are: laws related to personal financial gain by public servants, including laws prohibited conflicts of interest and bribery; laws relating to claiming prerequisites of office, such as gifts and travel, use of public resources or gifts of public funds. Commission on Aging May 8, 2006 Page 2 7. CHAIR AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT: Chair Elliott reported on the following: • 5-2-06 – In honor of Older Americans Month, the Commission presented the Annual Report 2005-06 to the Board of Supervisors. Many Commissioners attended to show their support. Thank you to all. • Ming Tak Leong is the recipient of the Francis Scott Smyth Award. • Interviews for Commissioners are scheduled for the morning of May 16 - four slots are open. Arlene asked me to include her notes from Executive Meeting: • San Mateo County Times ran an article in the newspaper for the Photo & Poetry Contest that was incorrect. Another article will run at a later date that should help to clarify the information. • I told Commissioner Leong that he is the recipient of the first “Francis Scott Smyth” award. The award is given to a senior who has contributed countless time and effort to enhancing the lives of seniors in San Mateo County. • Plans for the Minority Elders Conference are underway and receiving good publicity. An article about the conference appeared in the South San Francisco Senior News. • Commissioner Horton’s mother and husband passed away – card was sent. She is also not well. Commissioner Elliott will contact her to see how she is doing. • May 18 & 19, 2006 – Forum entitled “Building Community Resilience” sponsored by the Hospital Consortium of San Mateo County will be held. I will attend on May 19along with Commissioners Ludy and Sadler. • Attended funeral for Commissioner Marquez along with other Commissioners. Commissioner Belarmino provided some kind words in Alicia’s honor. 8. COMMITTEE REPORTS: A. Community-Based Continuum of Care – No Report • Holly Brown Williams, UC Berkeley, will be the guest speaker at the next meeting to discuss a comprehensive study entitled “Hospital to Home,” a study done around discharge planning in the Bay Area that she conducted. Study included focus groups and research on best practices. Study is now complete and recommendations will be published. She is bringing with her copies of the report and will discuss the recommendations from the report. She is now approaching the second stage of the study and is looking at who she can partner with and look at what she can do to implement some of the recommendations. Committee meets on Wednesday, May 10that 1:30 p.m. in Room 100 and Holly will present first.   • Committee continues with its two workgroups. B. Legislative/Advocacy – • Committee will take a look at AB360 (Frommer) Skilled Nursing Facility – quality assurance for health care. • Will evaluate 16 other bills and decide which bills we wish to act on. C. Minority Elders – Continue to plan the conference for June 29, everything is on schedule. The theme is “Safety at Home”. Topics include “Fall Prevention, Medication Management and “Staying Active”. We are still working on confirming panelists for last two topics. Registration forms are being mailed at the end of the week. Commission on Aging May 8, 2006 Page 3 D. Nutrition Committee – • Working on who needs transportation to get to the Farmer’s Markets. • Looking at nutrition education materials on the website. • Looking into providing nutrition presentations at senior housing facilities beginning in July. E. Housing – • Housing Forum was held on April 20 in Room 100. It provided useful reference materials from different agencies. Problem was lack of attendance. Committee is looking at ways to do outreach and get more people to attend. Committee will look over evaluation forms for ideas. F. Sunshine Committee – No Report. 9. LIAISON AND AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORTS:   Ad Hoc Arts Poetry – We have a total of 63 entries. The San Mateo County Times ran an article and a picture of the first place winner in the “rhymed” senior category, Errett Stephenson. Article was passed around for all to enjoy. Ad Hoc Arts Photography – Received 19 entries to display. Craig will purchase gift certificates from Ritz cameras as gifts. Commission on Disabilities- Early voting plan formulated with the help of CoD Commissioners is being presented around the County. Warren Slocum’s office contacted Lisa Mancini and asked her to send a notice about the presentations to all senior centers. A notice was sent out last week to all the directors with the information needed to schedule a presentation. Implementation Coordination Committee – No Report In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority – • Caregiver Appreciation Committee is busy preparing for the Caregiver Appreciation Day scheduled for September 30 in Room 100. The theme this year will be a Luau and will include massage therapists. We are also looking into lei making and hula dancers. • IHHS Advisory Committee held a retreat to re-focus and look at what their mission and focus is, and what they have accomplished within the last year, and where they would like to go. They reviewed reports from other stake holders and decided what they would focus on for the next year. They will “expand our scope,” meaning not just looking at IHSS but to take a look at the gaps (i.e. time it takes when a person is discharged to the time it takes to get on IHSS). There is about a 30 days wait, and what they could do to shorten this? Legal Aid – No Report Legal Aid’s Health Consumer Center   – Discussed problems with the Medicare Part B. Good News! Legal Aid and HICAP have a formal arrangement for referrals for people who are having difficulty getting their prescriptions and being asked by the pharmacy to pay for the full prescription. Legal Aid will interview some people on Medi-Cal and Medicare to see what problems they are experiencing but most of their intervention will be for information only for state-wide associations to do something with legislature to address these problems. Meals on Wheels (MOW) – No Report Adult Abuse Prevention Collaborative – Report Submitted New Beginning Coalition – No Report Paratransit Coordinating Council (PCC) – Report Submitted • Will attend the SamTrans meeting on Wednesday and will accept the annual proclamation for Older Americans Month. • Still need someone to attend May PCC meeting at SamTrans. Commission on Aging May 8, 2006 Page 4 California Senior Legislature (CSL) – Marvin Goldman reported: • SB 1249 Senior Legislature passed. Will now go to the full Senate for vote. • Still need members, many caucuses around the state need more people. Triple-A Council of California – • Chairs do not attend C4A meeting • Discussed “hot topics” what we would like to have presented to us as a Triple A. Some ideas included; the future of Medicare, housing issues, transportation issues, hospital issues and shortage of nurses, bank reporting and mental health for older adults (where the Prop 63 money is going). • A new group will start on May 23 who wants to change institutionalized nursing homes into the Eden Alternative way. A system which makes nursing homes more home-like. If interested, please see Arline for more information. • Reminded that prescription monies that add up to the donut hole amount are the FULL cost of the drug and not what a client may be paying. Housing and Community Development Committee –   Attended funding meeting last week. About 80 affordable housing units will be constructed in Daly City. Youth Commission – Still working on needs assessment. Getting it analyzed by the Public Health Department. Regarding the individuals projects, talked with Larry Tischard from San Mateo Adult School who is very interested. So I think it will start there. Ombudsman – • Planning a Board retreat to evaluate what we’ve accomplished. We will also have a consultant come about “board building” and what we need to do to strengthen the board and recruit and retain board members. • Planning a breakfast for the community, religious community and corporations to help to build a fundraising base. • Held a volunteer recognition luncheon. Picture was taken of volunteers and board and used on a “Save the Date” flyer. • Holding training for new volunteers. Website – No Report 10. OTHER: Leadership Conference – Attended by May Nichols and Marsha Fong from the Commission. Both reported about the sessions they attended, what was covered and what the topics were. Focus of this year’s conference was transportation. 11. ANNOUNCEMENTS: • Mary Robblee will be out for six-weeks for surgery. There will be coverage during that time. • Commission Belarmino motioned the Commission to adjourn the meeting in honor of Commissioner Alicia Marquez who recently passed away. M/S/C – Belarmino/Pappas ADJOURN: 10:05 a.m. Next Meeting June 12, 2006 9-11:00 a.m.