HomeMy WebLinkAboutWUSSB Minutes 11-08-2012West University Senior Services Board Meeting November 8, 2012 Present: John Neighbors (Chairman), Stan McCandless, Mary Ryerson, Michelle Moore, George Baker, Virginia Lootens, Selby Clark, Sarah Ballanfant, Janet Vrancken, Pieter Vrancken. Absent: Joe Mi tchell. Staff: Toby Brooks, Rachel Moody. Guests: Councilwoman Joan Johnson, Councilman Dick Yehle, Becky Arnold. The Meeting was called to order at 2:03PM. The Minutes of the previous meeting were approved with minor amendments. Activities (Toby Brooks) A ntiques (David Lackey) drew an attendance of 50, Monstermash 50, Quilts 7 and the Ship Channel Tour 27. Later this month there will be a presentation of Real Estate for Seniors. APAC (Virginia Lootens) AAA reported that Intake (832 -393 -4301) is open for in -home services for persons over 60, also respite services, vision services, hearing services, dental services and legal services, all of these provided that one qualifies as disadvantaged. There is a slight backlog for dental services. Persons with queries on open enrollment for Medicare can call a counselor until December 7. Non -medical supplies such as Ensure, adult diapers etc. are available after in -take approval. Ensure (up to 90 cans per month) requires a statement of need. An investigative program (“Calmer Life Program”) is available for stress issues from Baylor College of Medicine. The Meals on Wheels program provides 2,000 meals per day at congregate centers and 4,200 per day to persons living at home. There are plans to expand centers where food i s served to include other activities such as exercise. National Council on Aging is partnering with AAA for the healthy heart program which plans to open in spring 2013 in the Denver Harbor area. Persons interested in volunteering for Thanksgiving Meals on Wheels this November should call AAA at the #above. The Texas Agency on Aging annual conference will be held in the Westin Galleria June 16 -20, 2013. A presentation of the work of the Complete Streets program was given: this encompasses awareness of obsta cles for the aged (telephone poles, lack of access for wheel chairs and walkers etc.) Council (Joan Johnson ) At their Nov 5 meeting, Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding with each of the following parties: West University Athletics (for the Rec C enter pool); West University Baptist Church (Community Center) and Tri -Sports Athletics (Athletic Fields at the Rec Center and campus of WU Elementary Schools) Council continued to support a “Yes” vote on the Metro Referendum on Funding. The Referendum pas sed. Council approved amendments to the City’s 2013 Fee Schedule. The rates for seniors remained the same. Council approved replacement of a section of Community Street where there was a large void under the existing concrete (a safety issue). Council appr oved Street Closures in the City for the 2013 Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday January 13, 2013. The Christmas Tree will be illuminated on December 3 at 6:30PM opposite the Community Center. Good Neighbor Team (Michelle Moore) Becky Arnold (co -chair of t he GNT) has been proposed for membership of the Senior Services Board. This was accepted by co -chairs Jon Neighbors and Stan McCandless and agreement of all Board Members present. There are currently 149 seniors receiving assistance from the GNT (15 of the previous 164 have either died or moved). Volunteers take care of roughly 5 -6 each. Thanksgiving cards will be addressed on Thursday November 15. Poinsettia deliveries are scheduled for December 12. PARD (Toby Brooks) Members were asked to refer to the wee kly activity reports previously circulated. Tree moving took place last week. The Halloween movie was a big success . Old Business (Becky Arnold) Hearing Loops were described and discussed: these are mechanisms used in public places such as Churches and lar ge meeting halls which amplify sound and eliminate background noise for the wearers of hearing aids. At present about 60% of currently used hearing aids can be switched on to receive signals from these devices. A recent conference reported on the progress with the product of ADA: compliance is being checked by an attorney and amplification by an audiologist. Palmer Episcopal Church has had a loop installed at a cost of $3,200. The cost of St. Luke’s installation was not known. These devices are being consid ered for West University’s large meeting rooms. Further information can be obtained from the following websites: www.hearingloss.org (Hearin g Loss association of America) and www.hearingloop.org Visual fire alarms are available free to seniors through the City of Houston (Michelle Moore will follow up). New Business (John Neighbors) Direct Link provides a bypass of outside phone connections for accessing the City’s emerge ncy and Alarm systems (ADT is a competitor system) West U is considering providing installation at a discount to Seniors.
Announcement: The Board Meeting on Thurs Dec 13 will be held at Brazos Tower Senior Living Facility 4141 South Braeswood Boulevard. A tour of the facilities will follow the meeting. Members can either ride in a bus from the Community Center or drive to the premises themselves. The meeting was adjourned at 2:50PM and was followed by a presentation on improvements to the West University S enior Services Web Page www.westutx.gov/seniors