Aging & Disability Commission - Minutes

TOWN OF SIMSBURY

AGING AND DISABILITY COMMISSION –REGULAR MEETING MINUTES

OCTOBER 16, 2018

SUBJECT TO APPROVAL

The regular meeting of the Aging and Disability Commission was held on October 16, 2018, in the Hartford Room at McLean Care, 75 Great Pond, Simsbury.

PRESENT

Jan Beatty, Sandee Fleet, Joy Himmelfarb, Mike Jennings, Marvin Koff, Edward LaMontagne, Mark Orenstein, Kate Robbins, Kathleen Marschall (Senior Center Coordinator), and Cheryl Cook (Board of Selectman Liaison)

EXCUSED

Victor Bible, Lorraine Doonan, Anne Erickson, Susan Krinsky, Cheryl Lauben, Mary Ellen Long, Diana Yeisley, Arlene Zappile, and Susan Ray (Library)

CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order by Edward J. LaMontagne, Chairman, at 7:05 p.m.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

The Pledge was recited.

PUBLIC AUDIENCE

None.

GUESTS

Jean Miles, Simsbury resident

Alan Needham, Medical Equipment Loan Closet

Mr. Needham noted that he was struck by the need for medical equipment when someone he cared for was seriously ill.  He spoke with the hope that Simsbury might be able to address this need as a community, and he noted the obvious questions are liability, space, and staffing.  He found a longstanding, 501 (c)(3) organization in Unionville that was able to lend equipment at a very reasonable rate.  For $10, anything that they have can be borrowed with no time limit for use.  There is no residency requirement. Their room of inventory is staffed Monday through Friday, 9-4. Their loan closet is a small storage closet in the Senior Center, and they pay $5000 for liability insurance. Avon’s program is a one-person operation that is directed through the Lion’s Club; equipment is stored in the library, but equipment cannot be dispensed from that area. They must take the equipment to another location. Their liability is handled through the Lion’s Club. Granby’s program is handled in their Senior Center and liability is handled by the town; the director is a paid employee and equipment is stored in the Senior Center. 

If Simsbury doesn’t want to sponsor such a program, Mr. Needham suggested that a service club might be interested.  Mr. Needham has talked to First Selectman Wellman, who personally liked the idea. Ideally, Mr. Needham thought storage could be at the Senior Center.  (Ms. Cook interjected that there was no storage available in Eno Memorial Hall.)  Equipment needs to be cleaned, and there may be a need for repair.  He thinks it could be run with only a few hours per day.  Ms. Himmelfarb asked if there might be a public database that would provide inventory among several towns. Ms. Cook asked who checks the equipment and Mr. Needham said it wasn’t anyone with special training. Not all equipment is covered by Medicare. Ms. Cook suggested that someone at Simsbury Free Bike, perhaps Pattie Smith Jacobus or Diana Moody, might be good to talk to.  Ms. Miles noted that many seniors would not use a database but would be willing to phone; she was very enthusiastic about the possibility of a program, as were all the members of the Commission. 

ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES - Regular Meeting of September 25, 2018

The minutes were approved without correction.

BOS LIAISON REPORT

Selectwoman Cook noted that in the Social Services Department Carolyn Krystiniak is completing her Choices training so that she can help town residents with Medicare benefits and enrollment questions.  Another licensed social worker will be joining the department November 5, which will improve the department’s services.  She noted that the town has completed the renter’s rebate program for 130 residents. She concluded by saying that the town now has a professional travel plan, which will allow town employees to take advantage of professional development opportunities.

SENIOR CENTER REPORT

Senior Center Director Ms. Marschall noted that Carolyn Krystiniak will start taking appointments in Social Services beginning November 13 and will be available Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Two events in support of Halloween, October 26 there will be a movie, “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein”, at the library.  On October 30, at noon, there will be a lunch and bingo.  November 6 is the beginning of the Tuesday Lunch Café at Senior Center (soup and sandwiches provided by McLean). Ms. Marschall also thanked Ms. Beatty for offering a program at the Senior Center and library celebrating the Wadsworth Atheneum Docent Council’s 50th year.

PROGRAM REPORTS

Fashion Show: More than 100 people attended the lunch and successful show.  Mr. LaMontagne thanked the commissioners for serving lunch.  The October Souper Tuesday cost $496.00, leaving $94.40 in the account. The Lions Club will be contributing $400, and the Rotary Club will also contribute so that the spring Souper Tuesday event will be covered.

OLD BUSINESS

Age Friendly Community Update: Mr. LaMontagne noted that the application will go through the town manager and then go to Nora Duncan in CT AARP before being sent to the national office of AARP.  He noted that it probably won’t be until spring when the next step will be taken. 

Spring Seminar: Mr. Bible was not in attendance, so there was nothing further discussed.

Sensory Friendly Santa – December 7th: Ms. Yeisley is searching for a Santa, and it will be held from 4-6 in the Blue Room in Eno.

NEW BUSINESS

Mr. Needham’s Proposal:  The commission in general supported the idea.  Mr. LaMontagne will talk further with Mr. Needham and put a plan together.

Simsbury Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan: Mr. LaMontagne shared two pages from the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan.  Surveys in Simsbury indicated that residents want Simsbury to be more walkable. He noted that implementation of the plan could take from 5-10 years.  The plan is online and comments can still be logged there.

Spring “Souper Tuesday” Event:  Looking at a second Tuesday in May; to be discussed further in terms of entertainment.

November Meeting: Mr. LaMontagne suggested and commission approved the alternate date of November 27 so as not to be part of Thanksgiving week.

Other: Ms. Cook noted that Simsbury students will be interviewing people who have been longtime Simsbury residents as part of the celebration of Simsbury’s 350th anniversary. Stories will be archived at the library.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business a request to adjourn the meeting was made.  Dr. Koff made a motion to adjourn. Ms. Fleet seconded, and the meeting was adjourned at 7:58 pm.

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, November 27, 2018, 7:00 p.m., McLean

Submitted by,

Jan Beatty

Jan Beatty

Clerk