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Sandy Griggs, Senior Center
Director, was present for her departmental update and presented
the following:
Activities
Educational programs on such things as “Identity Theft,” “Scams
and Frauds” by the local police department, presentations by the
Better Business Bureau, OSHIIP, the Fulton County Health
Department and the OSU Extension Office are always
well-attended. Bingo continues to be very attracting at the
Center and each of its four Sites. Activity Directors continue
to schedule other programs, but attendance is often best for
bingo. Snowbirds will be leaving over the next couple of months
so hopefully some new or returning clients will be joining us
again. Wii games continue to be popular, and the bowling league
has resumed! Competition is tough. INTV has been coming
regularly to tape the programs in Wauseon to be broadcast on
their station. We have had positive comments from the Seniors
that are no longer mobile how much they enjoy the presentations
they can watch from the own living room. Health screenings for
blood pressure and blood sugar checks are done monthly at the
center and each Site. Stop in during the afternoon and see the
tables full of Seniors playing Bridge, Manipulation or Hand and
Foot There are now groups meeting regularly here
-
PERT, SERO and
the Wauseon Women’s Club. The Seniors seem to have taken
ownership of our facilities and are enjoying the socialization,
education and entertainment more than ever.
Housekeeping
Another housekeeper was hired a couple of weeks ago. It appears
that demand is increasing, so new persons will be assigned to
the new housekeeper if location is feasible. Two reports
received regarding the new person have been very positive. Most
of the current housekeepers have a full schedule or a maximum
number of clients that they wish to serve.
Information and Referral
OSHTIP has its final
class today. This is a culmination of fours weeks of
training from Ohio Department of Insurance, with eight people
from hospitals and clinics and other Senior Centers
participating. Check up days for Medicare will be held on
November
10th
Representatives from Columbus will be here to educate our
Seniors with Part D and Medicare changes for 2010. Things are
gearing up for the Medicare Part D enrollment/change period
beginning November 15th. This department is seeing more
individuals asking questions about insurance coverage and more
individuals have been seeking help with medical bills.
Information about the Senior Center and the services provided
has been “word-of-mouth”. More and more of the Seniors tell me
that someone told them about the services provided by the Sr.
Ctr. Jan Roloff is now a certified OSHIIP coordinator for Fulton
County; she has two volunteers that will depend on her for
direction. REAP enrollment has started. Those on the program
previously are easy to serve, but new clients take slightly
longer to get set up. PERS is facing some change in their
benefit package so that is one of the new problems being taken
care of, along with changes in SERS, Medicare and Medicaid.
05BhP has its final class and testing today from 10-12.
Transportation
Demand seems to be
increasing but the dialysis facility here in Wauseon has
drastically reduced the number of miles being driven, but the
number of trips has increased for dialysis. There are a minimum
of three escorts daily, with some days as many as eight or nine
being done. Volunteer drivers remain committed to us, but some
of them also leave for the winter so hopefully we can recruit
and train some new drivers. These people are invaluable to this
program.
Vehicles
It seems as the second
half of each year more maintenance and service is required.
Brake replacement is the number one service problem. Starting
and stopping while delivering meals contributes to this. Regular
maintenance and service keeps the vehicles on the road safely
along with the continued vehicle replacement program that was
established a few years ago.
Food Program
The word is out about
the meals that are served. The menus and quality of the food
served is attracting more and more people. Numbers are climbing
and the preparation of 300+ meals is the norm. The staff takes
great pride in the products they produce and the many
compliments received feed this pride. They enjoy providing the
little extras and it is appreciated by the Seniors, such as
serving a variety of breads in baskets with bright and colorful
cloth liners, new and different entrees, and pastries and
cookies available with coffee most mornings.
Flu shots are coming to the Center and some of the Sites:
Wauseon is October
7th
Fayette is October
13th
Shots are available in each of the communities but on those two
dates the clinics are
being held at the Sites. A schedule was included with the
October B-zz.
The Senior Center, as part of the Aging Consortium, has been a
leader in the preparation and planning of the “Road to Wellness
—
Mapping out
Health Care Decisions, “in conjunction with the Fulton County
Health Department, the Fulton County Health Center, Community
Professionals of Fulton and Williams County and Heartland of
Ohio. It is a health care conference for mature adults and
caregivers being held on Tuesday, October 6, from 10-2 at St.
Casper’s Church Parish Life Center. There will be local
pharmacist from a local drug store and a physician from a clinic
and rehabilitation center. Also, the Better Business Bureau out
of Toledo is providing a speaker, and OSHIIP is sending someone
from Columbus. This has been in the planning for the last four
months, with many meetings and phone calls.
This is also the time of year that
Northwest State sends their nursing students out to interview a
community service agency. The Senior Center has been selected by
three students so far. The student is instructed to do an
interview with a staff person. Discussion centers around our
purpose, services provided how we work with community agencies,
etc. They leave with their questions answered, a program
brochure and a current newsletter and an invitation to come back
to meet the Seniors.
The Senior Center has been invited
to the Trinity Lutheran Church in Delta by Tom Hall. They are
having a “fair” for their Senior parishioners. I will be going
on Sunday, the 6th and setting up a table with
information on our services via the Program Brochure and current
newsletter. It is to be set up by 9:00 a.m. for before church
viewing and then until about 1:00 p.m. during their after church
potluck.
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After her report, Commissioner
Genter stated that they have been awarded a grant through the
Area Office of Aging for ARRA funds and asked where we are at
with that as far as doing our due diligence in getting this
going. Ms. Griggs stated that she has a meeting with some of
the representatives from AoA on Monday the 5th. He
inquired of the guidelines associated with this. Ms. Griggs
stated that they are the just like the regular food program,
which she believes is not to be pursued. Commissioner Genter
clarified that the regular food program is for congregate meals,
home delivered nutrition, education and nutrition assessment.
It is to be pursued and the application is due November 6th.
Ms. Griggs stated that it was her understanding that with the
basis of the carryover, this would no longer be pursued.
Commissioner Genter stated that that is not his understanding.
Their carryover is adequate. He stated that they need to
continue to pursue this. Ms. Griggs stated that nothing has
been done on this as she was under the assumption that this was
not being pursued.
Ms. Griggs stated that the ARRA
grant has the same regulations as the other grant. The amount
is $4140 and it will take every bit of that to meet the
requirements of the program. They will have to contract with a
dietician who will approve the menus. She stated this may cause
a decrease in attendance as the seniors seem to be happy with
the current menu. The volunteer vehicles will require
inspection and be forced to be equipped with fire
extinguishers. This may cause her to lose volunteers. That
will require the use of paid personnel to fill these positions.
She stated that increasing funds will increase mandates.
Commissioner Genter stated that he doesn’t understand why this
works in other counties but doesn’t work in Fulton County. He
further stated that we need to be prudent to get every subsidy
we can to help offset the local tax responsibility. We need to
make every effort to pursue these grants and find out what the
requirements are. He has not heard of any issues with other
counties.
Ms. Griggs stated that because of
the regulations associated with these programs, she feels they
are able to operate more efficiently independently. She stated
that based on their budget, they may not even qualify.
Commissioner Short stated that he
thinks it would be beneficial for her to have a weekly meeting
with the County Administrator to better communicate these
concerns to avoid situations like this. He directed the Clerk
to coordinate this meeting with Mr. Hall and Ms. Griggs.
Commissioner Barnaby stated he
would be happy to help gather information needed to help with
the application that way it can be submitted on time in
November.
The Board thanked her for coming
in. |
