Mansfield Commission on Aging Minutes (draft)

   2:30 PM – Senior Center            Monday, February 12, 2007

Present: K. Grunwald (staff), S. Gordon, P. Hope (staff), S. Thomas (Chair), J. Quarto, J. Scottron (guest), K. Doeg, T. Quinn, C. Pellegrine, W. Bigl, C. Phillips,

Regrets: J. Kenny, M. Thatcher, K. Randolph

I. Call to Order: Chair S. Thomas called the meeting to order at 2:35 PM.

II. Appointment of Recording Secretary: K. Grunwald agreed to take minutes for the meeting.

III. Acceptance of Minutes: it should be noted in the minutes of the Jan. 8, 2007 meeting that as of that meeting the applications for funding requests from non-profit agencies had not been received.  With that clarification the minutes were accepted as written.

IV. Correspondence – Chair and Staff: none.                 

V. Optional Reports on Services/Needs of Town Aging Populations

A. Health Care Services

Wellness Center and Wellness Program – J. Kenny was not present.  The commission expressed their sympathy on the recent death of a family member. 

        Mansfield Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation – no report.

B. Social, Recreational and Educational

Senior Center – P.Hope reported that the TVCCA meal program has been very popular and the number of participants has increased dramatically.   Windham Hospital may no longer be able to provide the Wednesday meal programs for the special events.  There have been several quilting retreats that have also been very popular, along with some other after-hours classes.  An additional Tai Chi class will be added this month. 

Senior Center Assoc. – J. Brubacher was not present.  J. Scottron and T. Quinn reported that membership in the Association is now open to all individuals over 55, regardless of town of residence.  K. Doeg acknowledged the reputation of the Association in attracting members from other towns.  T. Quinn pointed out that there is no official requirement to be designated as a “regional” senior center, but that this is a goal that the association is working towards.

C. Housing

Assisted Living: K. Grunwald announced that the Town Council will be addressing the issue of the membership of the Advisory Committee at tonight’s meeting.

Wrights Way, Juniper Hill: C. Phillips asked about what has been done regarding recruiting a liaison. There are no clear nominees.

  Jensen’s Park: W. Bigl reported that they are creating a breast cancer support group.

D. Related Town and Regional Organizations such as:

Advisory Committee on the Needs of Persons with Disabilities, Town Community Center, Conservation and Development, Charter Revision, Senior Resources of Eastern CT: no reports.

VI. Old Business

Survey on Senior Needs and Long Range Planning: K. Grunwald reminded members that the next step is to present the results of the survey to the community in the form of a Community Forum.  After much discussion it was decided that the forum will be held on two separate dates: Saturday, April 21 at 9:00 AM and Thursday, May 3 at 7:00 PM.  T. Quinn raised the question of what the purpose this forum is.  It was agreed that we need to clarify what value there is in it for people to attend, and it was also agreed that the goal is to present the results of the survey and to solicit further input for the long-range plan.  A sub-committee will be formed to plan and publicize these events.

Evaluation of Requests for Town Funds by Agencies: applications had not been sent to individual members, and they were distributed and discussed at the meeting.  The Commission unanimously recommended funding the following agencies for the amounts requested: TVCCA/Meals on wheels: $1465.80; McSweeney Regional Senior Center/Dental Clinic: $6500; Companions and

Homemakers: $4500; WRTD Dial-a-Ride/ADA: $38,410/$30,455.

 MSCA: the Commission was unable to act on this application as it was incomplete and had not been submitted with the knowledge of the MSCA Executive Committee.

VII. New Business

Plans for a Geriatric Assessment Program –J. Scottron presented information from a meeting that was held by a sub-committee of the MSCA in 2006 and a motion that was made on January 10, 2007.  They are looking for support for this program from the Commission.  T. Quinn asked that the Commission endorse the Committee’s efforts and forward this endorsement to the Mayor in the form of a letter.  The Commission agreed to do this. The motion was as follows: “Move that the Commission endorse the efforts of the SCA to establish a geriatric screening program at said center, and further that official notice of this endorsement be forwarded to the mayor asap.”

K. Grunwald reported that there will be a public hearing tonight at the Town Council meeting on an ordinance concerning an elderly tax freeze.

IX. Adjournment the meeting adjourned at 4:30 PM.

Next meeting: Monday, March 12, 2007 at 2:30 pm at the Senior Center

           Respectfully submitted,

                        Kevin Grunwald