HOLDEN COUNCIL ON AGING
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Conference Room – Senior Center
Present: Rev. Dr. Jerry Heslinga; Louise Charbonneau; Sue Sullivan; Barbara Anger; Richard Mansfield; Rev. Dr. Paul Kennedy; Jim Robinson; Maureen Buffone
The minutes from the December 3, 2009 meeting were approved and accepted.
F.H.C.O.A. REPORT - Barbara Anger
Barbara reported that the account balances are as follows:
Commerce Bank |
$13,501.17 |
Leominster Credit Union |
$6,193.11 |
C.D. |
$22,837.13 |
The annual Valentine Cookie Sale will take place on Friday, February 12th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with a "White Elephant" table this year, for the first time.
Jerry asked Barbara what kinds of things the Friends use their money for. Barbara explained that a large amount is used for mailing the newsletters each month. In addition, the Friends have subsidized the Christmas Party, they make purchases to stock the cart, and from time to time, they help Louise with something that the town budget can't absorb.
HELP AT HOME ~ Jim Robinson
Jim reported that the books are not yet closed for December. The last update he had, showed receipts for December totaling over $10,000.00. In mid-December, Jean Berg made a request to have funds transferred from Welcome Aldrich to Help @ HOME. The Welcome Aldrich funds are kept in a separate trust account. She required a transfer letter signed by Brian Bullock, Karen Halley and Rev. Heslinga. The board members affirmed this action. Sue Sullivan moved to accept the transfer letter into the minutes, with Dr. Kennedy seconding the motion. The vote was unanimous. A copy of this transfer letter had been incorporated into the minutes. Louse received an email from Jean Berg advising her to make future deposits into the Help @ HOME account. Sue questioned Welcome Aldrich Funds being deposited to the Help @ HOME account. There was some discussion on
this, as well as the disbursement to Holden Recreation.
BOARD OF ELDER SERVICES REPORT ~ Rick Mansfield
Rick reported that the board members of elder services were given a tour of the nutrition center during their last meeting. Meals on Wheels are delivered to seniors who are 60 years and older and who are homebound. The suggested donation is $2.00. They have two (2) caseworkers, and the MOW drivers in Worcester are paid. There are 18 meal sites, and there are currently 145 people on the wait list. Rick also talked about budget cuts and Section 202 housing. There are two (2) possible projects in Worcester, one of which is associated with St. John's Church.
DIRECTOR'S REPORT ~ Louise Charbonneau
There will be a farewell party for Brian Bullock on Thursday, January 28th from 4:00 to 7:00 at Val's.
The activities for Janaury have been toned down. There will be an ice cream social on Tuesday, January 12th. The Senior Center will be closed on Monday, January 18th in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The US Senate Special Election will take place on Tuesday, January 19th. There will be no programs on that day, but the office will be open and the van will be running. The Greendale Men's Chorus will be here on Wednesday, January 27th. The movies for the month of January include "My Life in Ruins" on Thursday, January 7th, "Up" on Thursday, January 14th, "The Proposal" on Thursday, January 21st and "Julie & Julia" on Thursday, January 28th.
Louise held a staff meeting yesterday to plan events for the next six (6) months. We have decided to support the Shriners Hospitals in their project of providing care, free of charge by recycling of aluminum tabs. The money received from this project is used to buy medical and non-medical items. In the past 18 years, over 940 million individual tabs have been collected, which is 573,500 pounds. The current recycling price for aluminum tabs is 50-70 cents per pound. We will be placing a bin here in the Senior Center where individuals may bring their aluminum tabs. Removing the tabs from soda cans, as well as from other beverages, will not affect the ability to recycle the cans for the deposit. Tabs from other cans (such as soup, nuts, cat and dog foods) are also accepted. Collecting these tabs will take a small effort, but will make a major
change in the life of a child. Louise is hoping the seniors will participate in this program.
Louise was approached in early December by Tim Weinhold who sits on the Friends Board for Worcester Senior Center, with a program proposal called "Dine with a Doc." Dine with a Doc was developed and trademarked by Senior Education Ministries, a 501© (3) non-profit in Indiana. Starting four (4) years ago with a handful of attendees at the Terre Haute, Indiana Senior Center, Dine with a Doc has grown to include nearly 30 participating Senior Centers across the state. Attendance is impressive: in Terre Haute, for example, attendance now averages 150 people. Just as impressively, the popularity of
Dine with a Doc has been instrumental in growing membership at the Terre Haute Senior Center from approximately 300 to close to 1000. Senior Education Ministries is in the process of licensing Senior Impact, LLC to deliver Dine with a Doc throughout Massachusetts.
The concept of Dine with a Doc brings each month, a respected medical specialist to speak with seniors during a catered lunch at a host Senior Center. During each luncheon, the physician makes a presentation in the area of his or her specialty, targeted to the medical needs and interests of seniors. At the conclusion of the presentation, attendees are invited to ask questions-including ones that solicit personal medical counsel and direction. In some cases, this opportunity eliminates a senior's need for a doctor visit to discuss a specific medical issue. In other cases, the physician's answer makes clear whether a doctor visit would be a good idea. Dine with a Doc provides attendees not only with an opportunity for medical education, but also a unique opportunity for an abbreviated doctor consult. Several prizes like restaurant
certificates, gift baskets, etc are handed out at the conclusion of each event.
Senior Impact will take virtually total responsibility for the program. The intent is to provide Senior Centers a turnkey program with minimal impact on staff - yet with the potential to meaningfully expand each host Senior Center's mission, membership and funding.
The staff has decided to adhere to a stricter policy where access to the office is concerned. Not that many seniors ask to enter the office, but we have experienced at least one senior that comes and looks through the property around our desks, going as far as not only looking through bags/boxes, etc., but taking from them to give to recycling, etc. These items are not property of the Town, but rather our own personal property. To that end, we have decided to place a larger sign in the office door's window instructing people to go to the window and only give access to those who have actual business with a staff member. Those that come to mind would be members of the Board, and Helen Holmes who uses an available office computer to keep the Friends membership in order.
There were 113 seniors who attended the senior center Christmas Party, 136 seniors attended the Mountview Middle School Holiday Breakfast, and 411 seniors attended the Wachusett Area Rotary Holiday Breakfast.
OLD BUSINESS
None.
NEW BUSINESS
Rick Mansfield reported that Miles Funeral Home held a Healing Seminar on Saturday, December 12th here at the Senior Center, which was attended by 40 people, 90% of which were women. They try to hold four (4) seminars each year and is hoping to hold the next one around Valentine's Day.
CITIZENS' ADDRESS
ADJOURNMENT
It was unanimously voted to adjourn the meeting at 9:07 a.m.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. at the Holden Senior Center.
Respectfully submitted,
Maureen Buffone
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