Mary Ann Hammond addresses the Committee on Aging retreat on Sept. 15. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

The Davidson Committee on Aging, which began life in 2007 as a task force looking at senior issues, is continuing to evolve this fall. The group has a new chair – Mary Anne Hammond – and began work on a new set of goals during a half-day workshop in mid-September. Among those goals: Improving local services for seniors, developing a senior center, and improving mobility for older residents.

Sauni Wood speaks, as Mary Ann Hammond and Bill Johnson listens during a Davidson Committee on Aging retreat on Sept. 15. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Ms. Hammond has taken over the reins as Committee on Aging chair, replacing Sauni Wood, who stepped aside. Ms. Hammond is a retired health care entrepreneur who has lived in Davidson for 20 years. Much of her work has been focused on design for the senior population.

Ms. Hammond was at the front of the room Sept. 15 when about 20 people gathered at Town Hall for a half-day retreat. The meeting, facilitated by former Town Board member and business executive Bill Johnson, had an agenda that included identifying and ranking current issues facing local seniors and setting goals for the committee.

“As wonderful as this community is, there are some holes that need to be filled in an appropriate way,” Ms. Wood told retreat-goers. “I can’t thank Mary Anne enough for agreeing to join the committee.”

The retreat included seniors, town staff members, and representatives from other organizations that work with seniors.

WANTED: A SENIOR CENTER

By the end of the retreat, participants had identified a variety of goals. Short-term goals included improving the availability of volunteer assistance for seniors and gathering updated information about the local senior population.

Topping the list of long-term goals was developing a local senior center, which participants described as “a one-stop senior resource (for) coordination of programs and initiatives.” Seniors also saw a need for more senior affordable housing in town, a goal that could require changes in local zoning rules.

Other issues discussed at the meeting included communication, transportation for seniors, healthy and daily services, adult day care.

Also on the list: Mobility. Participants said they would like to see:

• Town planning that provides point-to-point connectivity using walkable paths, sidewalks and amenities such as restrooms, benches, and hand rails.
• Crosswalk improvements on busy town streets and at the traffic circles including clearly marked crossing lines, flashing lights and street signs legible to the sight impaired.
• Accommodation by merchants of seniors with ambulatory problems, by offering curb service, home delivery etc.

See below for a compilation of the issues and goals.

NEXT MEETING OCT. 27

The Committee on Aging’s next meeting will be Thursday, Oct. 27, 11 a.m., in the administrative conference room at Davidson Town Hall, 216 S. Main St.

REPORT FROM THE RETREAT

Following are two reports on issues and goals discussed at the Sept. 15 retreat, provided by the Committee on Aging and Town of Davidson.

I. Davidson Committee on Aging Planning Retreat Tabulation

September 15, 2011

The following are the ranking results of the long term and short term gaps/opportunities identified by participants (refer to Retreat Report for Item details)

*Most frequently cited Short Term*

#1 Item D Volunteer assistance
#2 Item A Updated demographics (census) and user survey

*Most frequently cited Long Term*

#1 Item E Senior Center
#2 Item G Senior affordable housing (long term & short term)

1. Zoning (Long Term)

2. Access seniors’ existing housing for affordable opportunities to improve accessibility (Short Term)

3. Item C Communication Short Term

3. Item F Transportation Long Term

3. Item I Health/Daily Services Long Term

4. Item B Political/Government Short Term

4. Item J Adult Day Care Long Term

5. Item H Mobility Long Term & Short Term

II . Davidson Committee on Aging Planning Retreat Report

September 15, 2011

As identified by participants, the following are opportunities/gaps in current senior services as well as long term and short term goal rankings:

A. Demographics and Survey Data

1. Update Demographics and analyze to determine senior population s1 s1 s1 s3

2. Need for an updated survey on current and future “real” needs as seen by Seniors themselves s1 s1 s1 s1 s2 s1 s1

B. Political /Government

1. Influence political decisions and stay abreast of political local, state and national legislation that affect seniors

2. Translate the impact of changing legislation on seniors and make them aware s3 s3

3. Collaborate with Town of Davidson to represent senior interests in the town’s Health Assessment Grant (CDC)/ Davidson Design for Life s3 s3 s2 s2 s1

C. Communication

1. Process for sharing information, education and implementation of services/programs for seniors s2 s2 s2 s1

2. Education on existing devices/aides for daily living s1 s1 s2 s3

D. Volunteer assistance

1. Youth volunteer programs using high school & college students (Junior & Senior Projects) and Eagle Scout projects s2 s2

2. NORC (Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities) concept of neighbors helping neighbors L2 L2 s3

3. Senior telephone assistance support s3 s3 s3 s2

4. Project Life Savers/chronic health monitoring L3 L3

5. Life Alert System

E. Senior Center

1. To provide one-stop senior resource coordination of programs and initiatives L1 L1 L1x10

F. Transportation

1. Research other communities’ senior transportation solutions L1 L1 L2 L3 L2 L2 L1 L1

2. Utilize school buses during school hours

G. Senior Affordable housing, rental and purchase L1 L1 L1 L2 L1 L1 L1 L1

1. Zoning to allow new housing concepts for seniors

2. Financial counseling

3. Program offering existing home assessment for modifications that support aging in place s3 s2 s2

H. Mobility and Community Inclusion

1. Promote planning that provides point to point connectivity using walkable paths, sidewalks and amenities such as restrooms, benches, and hand rails L3 L3 s3 s2

2. Crosswalk improvements on busy town streets and at the traffic circles including clearly marked crossing lines, flashing lights and street signs legible to the sight impaired. S2

3. Accommodation by merchants of seniors with ambulation problems offering curb service, home delivery etc. added by David

I. Health and Daily Living Services

1. Community Nursing Coordinator L3 L2 L2 L2

2. Coordination of common daily services

J. Adult Day Care

1. Support for caregivers L2 L3 L3 L3 L3 L3 L3