HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05252010 - C.07RECOMMENDATION(S):
ADOPT Resolution No. 2010/293 recognizing May 2010 as Senior Volunteer Month to
honor of Aging and Adult Services volunteers, as recommended by the Employment and
Human Services Director.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact.
BACKGROUND:
There are approximately 188 thousand older adults in Contra Costa County. The Aging &
Adult Services Bureau of Employment & Human Services Department recognizes the
immeasurable contribution many of those seniors make as volunteers to Contra Costa
County. Many of the programs serving seniors would not exist, if not for these volunteer's
service. Aging & Adult Services hopes to expand use of volunteers to mend some of the
tears in the senior protective umbrella brought about by these difficult economic times.
APPROVE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
Action of Board On: 05/25/2010 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
AYE:John Gioia, District I
Supervisor
Gayle B. Uilkema, District II
Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III
Supervisor
Susan A. Bonilla, District IV
Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V
Supervisor
Contact: Earl Maciel
925.313.1648
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board
of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: May 25, 2010
David J. Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
By: EMY L. SHARP, Deputy
cc: Susan Brown
C. 7
To:Board of Supervisors
From:Joe Valentine, Employment & Human Services Director
Date:May 25, 2010
Contra
Costa
County
Subject:Proclaiming May 2010 as Senior Volunteer of the Month
Aging and Adult Services Bureau recognize Ms. Joanna Kim-Selby, a member of our
Advisory Council on Aging, and Senior Senator from the California Senior Legislature
(CSL) for her
BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)
work in bringing to fruition SCR 74 a resolution proclaiming May as Senior Volunteer
Month. Ms. Kim-Selby has been a delegate to the last two White House Conferences on
Aging and is on the board of both the California Commission on Aging and Older
Women’s League and also is a driving force at the East Bay Korean American Senior
Service Center. Ms. Kim-Selby has received a medal of honor from the President of
Korea.
Programs within the sphere of Aging & Adult Services that utilize volunteers extensively
(and in some instances, exclusively) are the Advisory Council on Aging; Contra Costa
Cafes and Meals on Wheels; Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program
(HICAP); Ombudsman Services of Contra Costa; the AARP Tax Aide Program and
VESTIA (Volunteer Emergency Services Team in Action.) We wish to offer some
program highlights and a representative sampling of the fine work done by ALL of the
volunteers in these programs.
The Contra Costa County Advisory Council on Aging is a forty member advisory body
to this Board. Some of those on the Council include: 1) Ms. Shirley Krohn, a California
Senior Legislature (CSL) Assembly person, a board member of Contra Costa for Every
Generation, and the force that created the Communities Against Senior Exploitation
(CASE) Project. CASE is an elder financial protection network formed by Ms. Krohn in
response to Adult Protective Services budget cuts. Knowing the importance to our senior
community of this educational effort, Ms. Krohn formed a coalition and CASE now
conducts informational sessions countywide. 2) Gerald Richards, was a prior two-term
President on the Council, donates his professional knowledge as an attorney counseling
people in the Senior Legal Aide Program, is running for a seat in the Assembly of the
CSL and in his spare time is a published author. 3) Gail Garrett is a long-time member of
the Council, acts as its Secretary, holds a seat on the Nutrition Council, is on the Board
of Directors for Meals on Wheels of Contra Costa, Inc. and is a volunteer teacher. When
a class she had taught for 8 years as an adjunct professor for Contra Costa Community
College was cut due to the economy, she continued as a volunteer. Her class held at the
Neighborhood House Senior Center is called Communication for Understanding. The
ages of her students range from 56-94 averaging age 75. 4) Earle Ormiston was
recognized by Mayor Hoffmeister of Concord in December 2009 and presented with a
Community Service Award. Mr. Ormiston is a tireless worker on transportation and
mobility issues in Contra Costa County and devotes a good deal of time to the Paratransit
Coordinating Council, to the Contra Costa Transit Authority and to the Senior Mobility
Action Committee.
Contra Costa Cafes and Meals on Wheels depend on volunteers, without whom the
programs could not continue. In West Contra Costa, Meals on Wheels utilizes 100
volunteers weekly. In 2009, 9,714 hours were donated by the volunteers to the Program.
It is estimated that 80% of these volunteers are over 60 with several in their late 70’s and
early 80’s. One volunteer, Sheila retired recently when she turned 80 having driven for
Meals on Wheels for 38 years! One of the great driver teams, Kathryn and Joan, give
special treats to all of their clients for every holiday, and many of the drivers deliver
birthday cards along with their meals.
Meals on Wheels by Senior Outreach Services (Central and East County) uses about 450
volunteers monthly and estimates that about 50% are over 60. One of their drivers takes
along dog food for his clients with canine companions because he says “if the owner gets
Meals on Wheels, so should the dog!” Many of these volunteers drove a route with their
mothers when they were young, and now carry the service commitment on themselves.
Ombudsman Services of Contra Costa investigates and rectifies claims of abuse and
neglect in long term care facilities. The staff and volunteers of Ombudsman Services
make more than 2,000 unannounced visits each year to check on the well-being of
residents. More than 1,000 complaints are investigated and resolved annually. At a recent
Volunteer Recognition event, Ombudsman Services singled out three of their long-term
volunteers. Juliette Thomas, now in her 80’s, was recognized for 30 years of service with
an engraved clock; and Kay King and Irene Moore each received engraved trays to thank
them for 10 years of service each.
Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) is a service with which
this Board is very familiar. But once again, we want to bring to your attention the fact this
very valuable service to our seniors would not be possible to provide were it not for
HICAP’s volunteers. In 2009, 1,250 people received in-depth counseling; 2,684 clients
were helped with Medicare enrollment and 160 hours of representation was provided.
Some of these dedicated people have been with this Program for years and years!
AARP Tax Aide has been a fixture in this County since 1996. Ensuring that Contra
Costa’s program stays organized, is the Director, LaVerne Gordon; a volunteer herself.
At 90+ she says she is “still going strong” and will be “retiring a few years hence”.
AARP Tax Aide is the nation’s largest free, volunteer-run tax assistance and preparation
service available to taxpayers with low and middle incomes; with a special emphasis on
those aged 60+. During the 2010 tax season over 5,000 returns (federal and state) were
prepared and e-filed free of charge; and over half these were for older adults. This year,
nearly $600,000 in refunds and credits came back to filers, and to this community in
purchasing dollars. Walter Hubrig, Tax-Aide Supervisor Assistant, has been with
Tax-Aide since 1992 and says, “The personal satisfaction I feel by helping people, mainly
the elderly, is as important to me as the service is to the people I help.” Also for 15 years
Walt has been a volunteer for Hospice of Contra Costa County repairing their donated
clocks to sell at their Thrift Shops. About 85% of the volunteers in the Tax Aide Program
have been with the program for many years.
In July 2010, the Volunteer Emergency Services Team in Action (VESTIA) will be
joining Aging & Adult Services. Among VESTIA’s projects are Thanksgiving food
programs, Toys for Tots Luncheon, Angel Tree Program and the Holiday Helpers
Warehouses. VESTIA has about 100 volunteers active each month and about 500 during
the holiday months. In 2009, they donated 40,000 volunteer hours to Contra Costa
citizens. It is estimated that over 50% of these volunteers are 60+. Sue Phelan of Walnut
Creek has been serving VESTIA’s clients for 25 years. The dynamic tag team of Carl
and Kathy Nielsen has a combined service record of over 30 years, plus Carl also
delivers food boxes for VESTIA.
Nationally it is reported that forty-five percent of seniors volunteer, fifty-four percent of
senior volunteers were either full- or part-time employed, and forty-five percent donated
four or more hours weekly. In the communities of Contra Costa, it is clear how very
much our volunteers contribute economically and socially to the well-being of our older
residents.
The Country’s economic recession has had a severe impact upon all social services. In
Aging & Adult Services, we recognize that we must find a way to protect our seniors and
cannot wait for a return to economic vitality. Accordingly, we intend to grow our network
of volunteers and utilize them strategically to mend the umbrella in the three areas in
which the rips are severe. We want to focus on:
1. Information Access – As recognized by the Older Americans Act, more than any
others, seniors need easily secured access to information to guide them in the array of
services and assistance available.
2. Case Management and Care Coordination – As our older adult population continues to
grow, and greater numbers of them are dealing with severe need, we know this service is
paramount and at present, an entirely unmet need.
3. Care Maintenance - To aid older adults with services such as chores, light
housekeeping, laundry, errands, etc. Providing such assistance is critical to keeping the
elderly in their own homes or in the least restrictive environment possible.
The County of Contra Costa is pleased to have this opportunity to speak with you in May
2010 - Senior Volunteer Month. We urge every citizen to take time this month to honor
our older adult volunteers for the life-enriching services they perform. The services
offered with such dedication and with care and concern for our older residents enhances
our entire community’s quality of life
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution No. 2010/293