The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2021-11-01 Council on Aging Minutes6�11 Meeting Minutes Town of Reading Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Council on Aging Date: 2021-11-01 Building: Address: Fall Street Faire Committee Purpose: Council on Aging Attendees: Members - Present: Time: 6:30 Location: Session: Version: RECEIVED TOWN CLERK READING, MA, XV_ 2028 JAN 10 PM 3: 32 Council On Aging Marilyn Shapleigh(M), John Parsons(M), Barbara Carney(M), Karen Pinette(M), Debbie Small(M), Jacquelyn Behenna(A), Joan Coco(M), Nancy Ziemlak(M) Members - Not Present: All other members/associates not present Others Present: Amy O'Brien, Kevin Boymiller, Mark Dockser, Jeanne Thompson, Margarett Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Nancy Ziemlak Topics of Discussion: Member Clarification - Brenda Cashman is listed as an associate member but has never attended due to a communication mix-up. John Parson's will reach out to her to clear up the issue. Also, at issue is Sally Hoyt membership, TBD Amy O'Brien Elder and Human Services Report(EHS) • EHS has received a lot of positive feedback on the Pleasantries Newsletter which is good news and the so I figured that the word is getting out there. Nov's newsletter was 10 pages and we are working on the December Newsletter. The Harrows drive by event is a week from tomorrow and tomorrow is the last day to rsvp. The waiting list was reopened we estimate we are currently around 217 hundred. • November 21 save the date for Thanksgiving Dinner drive by at Hillview Country Club sponsored by Representatives Brad Jones and Richard Haggerty, Elder Services, Reading Cooperative Bank, the Savings Bank, and other businesses. • A Holiday Event, facilitated by Reading's Tin Bucket scheduled is for December 3. Participants will be able to make a craft project either to keep or give as a gift. Additional activities are being planned for December we're looking to do movies pizza add a couple more in house activities • A flu clinic was held and well attended. • Recently couple people have fallen at PSC. The Center is emphasizing the need to be careful. Fortunately, the people will be okay. • It has been discussed that we need to generate reports of usage at PSC and the other services offered by ESH. So, the staff will be attending two days of intensive training, so the My Senior Center software can be better utilize to generate meaningful and detailed reports. Page I 1 The Receptionist position, 8:30-1:30, remains to be filled. Volunteers will staff the afternoon but we can always look at expanding it if we have to as we have learned the phone is very demanding. we're just trying to plan a new things, planned for the first of the year holidays.—and planning wise, you know we're already planning for them Marilyn Shapleigh Outreach Mailing Update- • Several options to conduct an outreach mailing to all town residents was researched by Marilyn and Nancy. This would be a less expensive alternative to mailing the monthly newsletter (as done in the past) out to all the Reading households was explored (1) postcard format, (2)one page/front & back flyer for which the purposes of both would be to inform every household in the Reading of the services available from the Elders and Human Services. A cost sheet was developed. • A draft postcard was drafted and included in the meeting packet. Several suggestion were made (i.e. add dementia info). It was difficult for people to find this in the packet so comments were limited but duly noted. _ • Kevin spoke with Laura Gemme and the COA will be able to include a one page flyer in the January'22 town census mailing. So, a draft flyer will be circulated by email prior to the next meeting so that we will be able to vote at the Dec 6'^ meeting. When you receive it please send your comments directly to Marilyn so that we can make changes prior to the meeting. COA will need to get the final flyer to Laura Gemme by 12/18. Marilyn Shapleigh Role and Responsibility of the COA- • Amy, Marilyn and Nancy attended a meeting/tour of the Lynnfield Senior Center. The Director emphasized how important the Board of Directors was to her in supporting all the programs and services of the Senior Center. Her Board plays an integral role in setting up policy and supporting it. This led us to think about Reading COA and its role. The COA is identified as a BOD on the town website which led us to question just what does a board of directors do. John Parsons commented that he has brought up this topic in past meetings. The responsibilities listed on the website are very consistent with what the state and other towns are doing. Kevin will look into this in more detail. Checkout the links below for additional information. • Marilyn has also visited Winchester, Lexington, Wakefield and Woburn COA facilities. The actual implementation and the operational management of the Senior Center is the Director's job but whenever there are issues like masks, for example, or behavior issues so that a policy is needed they turn to their Council on Aging boards. John Parsons agreed he has found the same thing when visiting other centers. He also mentioned that every new member gets a manual which should be reviewed and updated to ensure info is correct. This led to a discussion on a mask mandate for the Senior Center. Mr. Dockser asked if the Senior Center has been assessed to determine the level of filtration, etc. Kevin responded in the affirmative. Kevin explained that COA's authority does not extend to establishing mandates as we are under the Board of Heath. The Libraries mandate fall under the library Board of Trustees which allows it. A suggestion was made that the COA could send a letter to the Board of Health but not hearing a consensus no motion was made on this. Kevin Bohmiller: volunteered to draft a letter for the COA if he sees things going the wrong direction again. Other resources available for you from the Inspector General's Office: Please see our downloadable Guide for Members of Boards and Commissions at hftps'//www mass oov/resource/cuide-for-members-of-public-boardsand-commissions Please view our 24 -minute YouTube video for public governing board members at next online class on 2/24/21 at Page 1 2 Kevin Bohmiller: Dementia Friendly Reading updates - November is Alzheimer s Awareness month, Nov. 1 is the first night that the Pleasant Street Center will be lit with purple lights on the trees. We also installed, with help from Megan Putney, the memory garden again today in front of town hall. The Select Board is going to be getting trained on this and, ultimately, we want to work on town hall and getting everyone else trained because this is so important. The Memory Cafe, due to the pandemic and low enrollment was not scheduled after the summer but other options are being explored. Helpful Resources: httos://dfmassachusetts.oro/ Mark Dockser-RECALC Update (refer to handout in the packet for more detailed info) o At the last meeting, we talked about the Select Board creating an ad-hoc committee that will meet to work on a needs assessment, as well as looking at what's available in other communities and report back to the select board and then eventually town meeting with recommendations on determining facilities needs and other related needs. The focus is defined as being age 60 plus in terms audience so it is consistent with COA concerns. Volunteers should expect a commitment will be about one year. The committee is going to have seven members, Mark Dockser will represent the Select Board. A motion was made to nominate John Parsons to represent the COA on the RECALL committee. A roll call vote was taken of all members present and all voted in the affirmative for John to represent the COA on the Committee. Refer to the handout in the Packet for detailed information about the process. Members are encouraged to talk to friends to get people involved in this process to speak on behalf of senior/community needs. Questions included: ✓ John Parsons: Could somebody on the COA apply for an at -large slot? ✓ Mark Dockser: They can certainly apply absolutely But there's no reason why other folks can't come to the meetings and participate and and have a voice in what's going on here. ✓ Marilyn Shapleigh: What do people have to do if they want to apply for one of the at - large seats ✓ Mark Dockser: You must fill out a volunteer form. Go to the town website and at the top of the website there is a request for ad hoc committee volunteers wanted, click for more info Helpful Resources. httos../Av .madinama.aov/pleasant-st2tcenter/naaes/mcalc-madina-center-for- active-living-committee John Parsons made a motion to adjourn at 7:38pm. A roll call vote was taken and all members present voted in the affirmative. Page 1 3