Committee for Seniors & Citizens in Need

MINUTES Committee on Elderly and Needy Citizens Tuesday, November 23, 2021, 8:30 a.m. The Committee on Elderly and Needy Citizens met on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, at the Bel Air Town Hall. MEMBERS PRESENT: Fran Johnson, Chair Debra Hanley, Brightview Senior Living Greg Lacour, Bel Air United Methodist Church Sue Niewenhous, Town Resident Len Parrish, Director of Community & Economic Development, Harford County Government IN ATTENDANCE: L. Jesse Bane, Town Administrator Paula S. Etting, Town Commissioner Charles Moore, Chief of Police Karen V. Winkowski, Administrator, Harford County Office on Aging Jane Sud brink, Recording Secretary ABSENT: Peggy Mannone, Town Resident I. Call to Order - Roll Call Ms. Johnson called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.rn. Mr. Bane asked the group to re-introduce themselves because it had been nearly two years since the committee convened and there were some new participants. Ms. Johnson said she has been a citizen of the town for twenty years, having recently retired from Harford's Heart magazine. She detailed her fondness for the town and her commitment to the elderly, who compose 40 percent of the town's population. She noted that as a society we tend to brush people aside when they retire. However, all of us are living longer, and by brushing older people aside, we are ignoring at least a third of those people's lives. As a community, we can do better. Ms. Hanley said she lives in the town and seniors are very important to her because she works for Brightview Senior Living. Chief Moore reiterated Ms. Johnson's statements regarding the importance of quality of life for seniors and for everyone in general. Ms. Niewenhous said she is a retired home healthcare nurse who has lived in the town for forty-six years. Ms. Etting introduced herself as one of the newly elected town commissioners. She is an attorney who has lived in the town for twenty-eight years. She retired from Harford County Government where she worked in the Law Department. Mr. LeCour is a volunteer for the food ministry at Bel Air United Methodist Church. Chief Moore helped to facilitate Mr. LeCour's membership on this committee. Mr. LeCour noted that the church runs several food ministries, including food delivery for seniors on the last Thursday of the month. He said he hoped to enhance what he is doing with the community and further his outreach through this committee. Mr. Parrish said that in his position within the Harford County government, he oversees numerous entities that relate to this committee, including everything housing related, the transit system, and community development. The majority of the operating grants flow through his department, most of which goes toward the "needy side" rather than the "elderly side." Ms. Winkowski stated that her office provides numerous services, notably recreation at the senior centers. The main office also has case management services, outreach, education awareness, senior care services, and public guardianship (of which she has worked with Ms. 1 Etting in the past). In the past fifteen years she has seen this guardianship rise from twelve cases to now fifty-three. Consequently, Ms. Winkowski said we are seeing a change in the number of older adults who are vulnerable and a rise in behavioral health concerns, the most pressing issue right now. Mr. Bane has lived in Harford County since 1954 and is the administrator for the Town of Bel Air. II. Meeting Minutes, February 25, 2020 Ms. Johnson asked the committee to read through the minutes from the previous meeting. Ms. Johnson noted a correction on the first page, under II. Meeting Minutes, first sentence. The year should be changed from 2019 to 2020. Chief Moore made the motion to approve the minutes with this change. Ms. Winkowski seconded the motion. All in favor. Motion carried. Ms. Hanley later seconded this motion instead of Ms. Winkowski because Ms. Winkowski is an ex-officio member. Ms. Johnson next requested that the committee review and discuss the topics listed in these previous meeting minutes. A. Fraud/Scam Awareness Event Ms. Winkowski said the scam awareness event did take place. It was well-attended with ninety-three people. She stated that they are not planning to conduct more events and are currently using Facebook and social media to get information out, as well as expanding the online library. Chief Moore added that there have not been as many calls regarding scams as there were at that time. He stated that initially the town was the catalyst for this training, but ultimately it became a collaborative effort between the town and the county. It was held at the Fallston Activity Center. If Chief Moore becomes aware of additional instances of these scams, he will call for another scam awareness event. Ms. Winkowski mentioned a mail-based scam that occurred a few months ago involving supposed swab tests for illnesses such as heart disease. These were very costly tests that were not covered by Medicare. They did outreach at the senior centers regarding this scam and handed over the information to the state attorney general's office and the postmaster's office. Previously, there were vaccine scams when the Covid vaccines were new, and right now there are numerous calls for Medicare advantage plans from people who are not actually Medicare representatives. Members discussed additional scams, but all agreed that people are growing wise to them. Ms. Johnson mentioned that she also gets numerous text scams. Ms. Winkowski said that they have done sessions at the senior centers about how to block phone numbers. B. Census 2020 Update The committee had nothing to add. C. Harford County Consolidated Plan Mr. Parrish said he can still provide a presenter, but it would require some preparation and can happen after the current planning period. Ms. Johnson discussed that the main barrier for this committee moving forward is identifying who the committee wants to help, where they are, and how to reach them while working within privacy issues. Chief Moore said, from his public safety perspective, he knows who needs assistance because the police department gets the frontline calls. If it is an elderly person or family, he would bring it to the attention of this committee, as well as Ms. Winkowski. The behavioral health concerns may be more challenging for this committee to address, but he appreciated this group as another helpful resource. 2 Ms. Hanley asked about the issues that the chief and others are seeing in the town right now. Chief Moore replied that scams continue to trouble people who are not up on the latest technology, and inflation is a problem for the elderly and needy who are struggling financially. Ms. Winkowski concurred that financial need calls have ticked up with the cost of food rising. She directs people to the necessary services, including the Community Action Agency and the Fuel Fund of Maryland. She noted that many people fall just above eligibility, but that there is now additional federal funding available that can help these citizens. 1. Senior Housing Ms. Winkowski asked about what senior housing is in the town limits. Mr. Bane listed Park View, another facility behind the high school, one down on Gateway Dr., and one going out of town near Baltimore Pike and Tollgate Dr. Harford Senior Housing is not within town limits. Ms. Winkowski also mentioned the housing-based vaccine clinics her department conducted in the spring, a partnership with the health department and the hospital. She was very proud of the clinics, and people were very grateful. She shared with the committee that, by actually going into these communities, it was eye- opening to see how truly not independent the people are who live in independent living. They work very hard to stay under the radar to maintain that independence but still struggle with functional, mobility, and communication issues. As such, her department is trying to do more outreach in those communities, including·a pilot program to bring open enrollment and Medicare information to them. Ms. Winkowski said her department has struggled with gaining access via the management to some of these buildings. They are also planning a Stronger Memory Program to bring to the communities. It was very enlightening for Ms. Winkowski and her staff to work with their clients, whom they had only encountered at the office, in their living spaces and to see how the various facilities were run. She did clarify that the facilities that she had challenges with are not in the town limits. Mr. Bane noted that to his knowledge all of the senior housing facilities in town except for one seem to be well-run. He stated that he will bring the exact locations of the senior housing in town to the next meeting. Mr. Bane also added that if a person has a need in town, this need does get directed to the right area or person. He suggested creating a list of those in need, and he mentioned an example of how the town tried to help people who might need assistance shoveling their sidewalks. No one responded to the notice on social media. He said this non-reply does not mean there is not a need, but that it is a matter of communication and how to reach those in need of services. 2. Housing for the Needy Mr. Bane also mentioned the town's strategy involving the American Rescue Plan. The plan is to focus on grants for people who will be evicted. To determine their status, the town will use district court information. Mr. Bane noted that people about to be evicted suffer from a "double-whammy"-the landlord will put all their belongings on the street, they cannot afford storage, they then do not have a place to live, and when they do find a place, their belongings are long gone. Mr. Parrish mentioned that the county is working with the courts regarding eviction prevention. This need was identified and prioritized by the county when Covid first hit. The program was started in Mr. Parrish's office, and the current funding is now available through the Community Action Agency to take care of these concerns and costs. People do need to apply for it. The county sub-granted $16 million to the agency for this service, and $2.5 million has been spent so far. Brett Ayers in Crisis Prevention would 3 be the contact. Ms. Winkowski noted that this service is extra important because if you have an eviction in your housing history, housing becomes even more difficult to find. Mr. Parrish added that the restrictions on this program have been loosened by the federal government, so it is now easier to apply to this program. United Way also provides assistance through a landlord-based program. Mr. Bane said that since there are programs already available, if the town were to set up a program, he would want to make sure that there is no duplication. Mr. Parrish clarified that services are only provided within the Community Action Agency and United Way. Mr. Bane asked Mr. Parrish to forward all this information on to him. 3. Senior Housing Concerns in Town Mr. Bane described how he has gotten calls from residents in 55-plus communities. The federal Fair Housing Act overrides the town code regarding age requirements, in that a certain number of people under the age of 55 can live in a 55-plus community if they meet certain criteria. This has caused unfounded rumors to spread. Ms. Winkowski said this concern is not new and has also occurred with subsidized housing. She was not as familiar with 55-plus communities. She conceded that a younger person living in an older community can be a culture clash but not always. Mr. Bane worried that the people living in these 55-plus communities are laboring under numerous false assumptions. MRA Property Management represents many of these communities in town, and Mr. Bane has spoken with the president. He asked the president to contact MRA's attorney to disseminate factual information to these communities. Ill. Review -Article V, Committee on the Elderly and Needy Citizens Ms. Johnson moved the meeting on to today's agenda. Mr. Bane passed out copies of Article V from the Town Code for everyone to review, especially the newcomers. Mr. Bane addressed some matters related to Article V. He began with terms of office. Ms. Hanley's three-year term was up, and Mr. Bane offered her the opportunity to continue on the committee. Ms. Hanley accepted, and Mr. Bane will facilitate the paperwork to get her reappointed. Peggy Mannone's and Ms. Johnson's terms are up next year. Mr. Parrish's and Mr. LeCour's terms do not expire until 2023. Mr. Parrish's term was actually approved and renewed by the town board back in 2020. In terms of electing a chairperson, Mr. Bane gave the members some background information. When Mr. Bane became town administrator, this committee had been inactive for several years. In 2017, Mr. Bane got members together and reinstated this committee to make sure everything was in line with the town's charter and code. At that time, Ms. Johnson was elected as chairperson for three years and those years have concluded. The committee now needed to vote for a chairperson and the term. Mr. Parrish nominated Ms. Johnson to remain as chairperson. Ms. Hanley seconded . All in favor. Motion carried. Ms. Johnson graciously accepted. It was also decided that she would be chairperson for the remainder of her current term. Mr. Parrish motioned to accept this decision, and Ms. Hanley seconded. All in favor. Motion carried. Mr. Bane further noted that Mr. LeCour took Reverend Hubble's place on the board after he resigned. Mr. Bane discussed meeting times and place. The committee must meet at least quarterly and had been meeting once a month in the past. He added that construction on the town hall will begin next month (December) and the committee will no longer be able to meet in this conference room. The armory is a possibility but parking and traffic are challenging. Mr. LeCour felt strongly that the committee could meet at Bel Air United Methodist Church on Tuesdays. He assured Mr. Bane that he would check on that 4 option and get back with him. The committee debated on how many times to meet. Ms. Johnson noted that if it is just quarterly, it will be difficult to get things done. Ms. Winkowski suggested every other month, and Mr. Parrish concurred that this would also meet the requirements of Article V. Ms. Johnson said that moving to every other month would mean that the next meeting would be in January. Ms. Hanley moved to have the committee meet every other month. Mr. Parrish seconded the motion with location to be determined. All in favor. Motion carried. IV. Gift Disclosure Forms Mr. Bane handed out Gift Disclosure forms that each member must review and complete. Mr. LeCour expressed concern because in his position at the food ministry, he receives many gifts, including monetary donations, that he then disburses. Mr. Bane said that because these gifts are not for his own personal use, it is not an issue. Ms. Etting said that these donations are going to an entity (the food ministry) and not to him. Mr. Bane noted that if an issue would come up, Mr. LeCour would have to recuse himself. V. Terms of Office This section was covered already under section Ill. Review-Article \I, Committee on the Elderly and Needy Citizens. VI. Review/Update - Strengths and Weaknesses Mr. Bane passed out a handout on the strengths and weaknesses of the town in relation to the elderly and needy that had been previously compiled by the committee. He asked the group to review it and discuss what should remain, be added, or be removed from each section. Ms. Niewenhous brought up communications in relation to the internet. Some seniors do not have the internet, and the Bel Air Bond is no longer published. Mr. Bane said this goes back to an original concern: What is the most effective way to reach the people in town who are elderly or needy? The committee should keep in mind the diversity of this group and that some people are homeless and have mental health issues. Ms. Winkowski countered that internet access is becoming less of an issue because more people have smartphones now even if they do not have internet in their homes, and this is how they are getting information. She mentioned Skype and Zoom trainings that were conducted during lockdown and well- attended food giveaways that are promoted via emails. Ms. Winkowski noted that it remains an issue as less and less information is put out in print, although documents that are printed are still in demand. Mr. Bane commented that most of the weaknesses listed are huge and costly and the committee alone cannot address all of them. This was the impetus for the Village Movement, a nonprofit in town to address the elderly and needy. The purpose of this committee is to make recommendations and have the commissioner, Ms. Etting, take these recommendations to the board for consideration when budgeting and allotting resources. Currently, the town does not have the money or resources to take all these issues on. Mr. Bane used an example of trying to get information out to seniors and needy people and the amounts of time, money, effort, and manpower are not feasible. A. Church Ministries Mr. Bane said that twenty-eight percent of the population in town is seniors, one out of three, and that number is growing. Mr. LeCour interjected to explain why he joined the committee and how he felt he 5 could help. Mr. LeCour described the food ministry and how he would like to expand it. They are working with twelve organizations and have formed a relationship through United Way with Amazon. He has access to senior products, and he has a section in his ministry for the needs of SARC. Manna House is now open. Upper Chesapeake Medical Center also helps out twice a month . Mr. LeCour wanted to determine how to get the word out about these services. High school students are constantly offering to help within the community (re. snow removal). He noted that all of the charities are streamlined now to hand out food on the first Saturday of the month, and he wanted to determine how to notify the public about this change. He also stated that on the last Thursday of each month, they can deliver information to seniors with their food allotments. Ms. Johnson asked about Mr. LeCour's connections with other churches and what he needs for his operation. He stated that there is tremendous community outreach. When he receives merchandise, depending on what it is, he knows which organization to contact. Mr. LeCour said he needs even more contacts and better awareness of his ministry's efforts. He felt too much is put on the government, and he wanted the churches to be known as resources. He has 200 volunteers and can quickly put out the notice if he needs more. He particularly needs drivers for the seniors and volunteer opportunities for the many young volunteers. Ms. Winkowski mentioned the excellent services of Healthy Harford, and Mr. LeCour agreed. She was very impressed with their efforts during the pandemic, but noted that the coordination piece can be challenging, especially when there was such an influx of food resources and nutrition money. Ms. Winkowski and Mr. LeCour agreed to get together at a later date to discuss collaboration opportunities. He thanked everyone for allowing him to participate in this effort to alleviate pressures on the seniors. Mr. Bane reminded committee members that they should talk to an attorney when considering using volunteers. There may be liabilities, which in turn contribute to the high cost of the resources for volunteer programs. Ms. Johnson suggested having participants sign disclaimers. Mr. LeCour noted that there are coordinators at each school with a SignUpGenius where you can enlist students for volunteer opportunities. B. Behavioral Health Concerns Ms. Winkowski suggested that behavioral health concerns should be in the Weaknesses column. A Five- Year Strategic Cognitive Behavioral Health Plan created out of a mandate issued by the legislative budget committee for the Maryland Departments of Aging and Health was quickly put together in April 2021. She serves on a policy committee for older adult behavioral health issues that put together budget requests and policy recommendations. She asked the committee to look at these documents and draft a letter of support. Ms. Johnson agreed with this request, as well as offering to write a letter to the county executive on behalf of the Office on Aging regarding budget requests. Ms. Winkowski said she will look at the legislative agendas to see what appropriate letters could be sent. She was particularly pleased that the policy committee put forth a request that there be a mental health navigator in every office on aging in the state, with flexibility on how to define that challenging role. She was not sure it would be funded but remained optimistic. Chief Moore mentioned the Harford Crisis Center, and Ms. Winkowski suggested there be a presentation to the committee about the crisis center. A key challenge for seniors is that often when they go to the crisis center, they have co-morbidities, so they still end up in the emergency room. Chief Moore said he will facilitate this presentation. 6 Chief Moore asked about making homeless resource information available with winter coming. Mr. Parrish mentioned the resources that will be and are available : the Community Action Agency, calling 211 during the holidays, approval of a freezing weather plan, the re-opening of Welcome One Emergency Shelter, and emergency rotating shelters in hotels. Families and individuals can be placed in these hotels, but Welcome One will be the starting place until it is full. Chief Moore noted that these issues are not typically brought to this committee because these decisions have to be made on the spot. VII. Senior Healthcare Resources Mr. Bane passed out senior healthcare information that he is considering posting on the town's website but asked for the committee's feedback first. Ms. Winkowski expressed concern that this type of information is often attached to a headhunter or other types of healthcare plans so the information may be biased. Mr. Bane said that he checked their affiliations and went to their website. Ms. Winkowski stated that on her website there are vetted, unbiased resources that do offer these services and she will share them with Mr. Bane . Ms. Etting asked if the county has counselors available to help seniors with these healthcare issues. Ms. Winkowski said she has two part-time employees that provide these services in-person as well as on phone consultations. Mr. Bane confirmed that he will not post this information until Ms. Winkowski and anyone else on the committee has reviewed it first. Chief Moore and Ms. Etting suggested linking to Ms. Winkowski's office on the website and on Facebook. Her resources include an important file folder on transitioning to Medicare and YouTube videos. VIII. Meeting Dates/Location Although the next bi-monthly meeting would be January 25, 2022, because of scheduling conflicts, the members agreed to make it February 1, 2022. Mr. Parrish offered to see if he could arrange to have Barbara Richardson present on the consolidated plan. Ms. Johnson agreed, and Mr. LeCour said he would confirm if the meeting could be held at United Methodist Church. IX. Other Business No discussion. X. Adjournment Meeting was adjourned at 9:50 a.m. 7