HomeMy WebLinkAboutWUSSB 10-10-2013 (2)West University Senior Services Board Meeting October 10, 2013 Present: Pieter Vrancken (Acting Chair), George Baker, Michelle Moore, Selby Clark, Janet Vrancken, Joe Mitchell, Virginia Lootens. Absent: Stan McCandless, John Neighbors, Sarah Ballanfant, Ma ry Ryerson. Staff: Toby Brooks. Guests: Philip Bryant, Candyce Beneke, John Palmer. The Meeting was called to order at 2:10PM. The Minutes of the previous meeting were approved as presented. The guests (all future Board members) were welcomed by the Chair. Activities & Previews (Toby Brooks) Hi Neighbor is in the final stages of drafting. The dance held May 30 with sponsorship from The Terrace attracted 75 participants so it was disappointing that only 15 were present at a similar function on September 26. The cost of the band for such an event is equal to one month’s budget for Senior Services. If we hold another such event we should probably seek sponsorship. The Terrace provided the food at a cost of $800. The trip to Peckerwood Gardens attracted a full b us load (38)The theme meal on September 24 was provided free to residents in memory of Mary Nolan who has passed away. Members have received a list of 20 questions which younger generations will want answered to complete family records and memories. An AAR P defensive driving class was held on October 7 with 25 particiopants. Story Sloan –a Houston historian – made a very succe ssful presentation to 31 people on October 8. He will be invited back in April of next year. The Tai Chi evening class has 15 subscrib ers. Although 13 people indicated an interest in a presentation of the facilities at Bayou Manor’s Brazos Tower development, only 5 even tually attended. A talk on Medi care will be given at 6PM on November 5 by Toni King (health correspondent of The Chronic le). APAC (Area Planning Advisory Council) (Virginia Lootens) A report from Deborah Moore representing the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) was presented: 300 seniors attended the Flu & Fall Prevention session. Beat the Heat project is complete: 173 AC units wer e provided to qualified applicants. Residential Repair Project is complete . 7 homes were designated and funding came from Department of Aging and Debilitated Services (DADS). Rebuild Houston project meeting will take place on October 19. The 1115 Waiver pr ogram (for patients who have been hospitalized with congestive heart failure) has begun and will last 6 months. It aims to prevent re -admissions to hospital within 30 days following discharge. The program involves the City of Houston Health Department, AAA and Methodist Hospital. Bureau of Oral Health hasestablishe a dental services program to which the names of 60 persons from AAA’s waiting list of over 1,000 are being sent. Enrolment of would -be participants in the Marketplace Exchanges under the Affordab le Care Act (Obamacare) is proceeding slowly. Contact: Beverly Brownlow at 832 -393 -5423 or 855 -892 -8082. Regular Medicare enrolmenttakes place between 10 -15 -13 and 12 -7 -13. Medicare recipients are not part of Marketplace enrolment but there is evidence of fraudulent approaches being made to them. There has been no notice of any impact on DADS from the Government shut -down. The Area Plan for AAA is due March 31, 2014. Betty Streckfuss & Mari Okabayashi from the Silver Haired Legislators indicated tha their m ajor goals are to require all medical schools to include at least one course on Geriatric Education and on Emergency Care Treatment of the Elderly. Council Meeting Report ( No Representative Available) Good Neighbor Team (Michelle Moore) The team comprises 30 members whose main function is providing frequent visits to the 138 qualified seniors in the city. A qualified senior is either a) over 85 or b) disabled or c) over 65 and living alone with no immediate family members living in the area. For the Decemb er deliveries bids were sought for 150 poins e ttias and HEB was the winning bidder. The desirability of providing all seniors with a medical emergency I.D. card is being reconsidered. The card should, ideally, contain a brief medical history and current med ications as well as an emergency contact. The IT department in the city is evaluating the feasibility of the city making our own card with security of data being of concern. PARD (Toby Brooks) W eekly reports have been circulated to Board Members. Previous Business (Toby Brooks) The Direct Link project has encountered some difficulties. New Business (Pieter Vrancken) The three guests ( Philip Bryant, Candyce Beneke and John Palmer) will be formally inducted at the next Board Meeting. Pieter Vrancken will be nominated as Chairman at the same meeting. He will continue his duties as secretary. The Board would like to retain John Neighbors, our current Chairman, as Board Member Emeritus when he ceases to be a resident. The Meeting was adjourned at 3:10PM