New Clare County Senior program completes first three months
By Pat Maurer
Review Editor
The first three months of Clare’s new Senior Services/Council on Aging is wrapping up and “running well,” said Director Lori Ware Tuesday.
“I love it. I love the progress and what it is doing for the seniors in Clare County,” she added.
The new county program took over from the former Clare-Gladwin Services for the Aging on October 1. In the first two months, Ware said, “Our team worked so hard, ultimately serving 6,039 meals, providing 168 hours of personal care, 453 hours of homemaking, 363 hours of respite care, 241 hours of Social Worker Information and Assistance and 17 hours of caregiver training.”
Ware said there have been “a few bumps and many challenges along the way.” She said in the first week of operation, they received 20 cases of spoiled milk. Another challenge has been “aligning our program to fit within the County policy pay structure.”
Some positive changes include new menu items like white chicken chili, black bean taco salad and a new recipe for pork chops which has been a real hit with the meal site attendees. “We are always looking for more ideas,” Ware said and urged anyone with ideas for meals or who have comments to call Phillips at 539-8870.
The program is more than just meal sites. The senior services offered by the program have been developed to help area seniors “live independently.” The program operates five meal sites, where seniors meet to eat and spend social time together. Seniors who cannot come to the meal sites may still receive meals through the Home Delivered Meal program, with a hot lunch and a “cold pack” for the evening meal and even frozen dinners for the weekends. Case managers “visit clients in their homes to assess the challenges they face with living independently” and develop a personal care plan.
Some seniors need help with housekeeping chores, information and support to improve health and avoid illness, and even personal care including “bathing, dressing, grooming toileting, eating and general moving about.”
The program operates on a total annual budget of approximately $800,000, Ware said. Of that $150,000 to $160,000 pays for the food service and approximately $200,000 covers the costs of the nutrition staff. Non-ingredient supplies taxes approximately $30,0000, case coordinators and support (social workers) claim another $40,000 to $50,000, volunteer mileage for meal delivers totals $40,000 and the balance of the budget goes to personal care, respite care, disease prevention and health promotion, care giver training, administration, senior center staffing and medical transportation.
Ware said she has a “wish list” for the program. “We need a van to deliver food to the sites,” she said. “Now our Distribution Coordinator uses his own vehicle.” She said she would also like to start a “chore program,” that would provide light lawn care and snow removal. “I’d like to see that our clients are able to get out when they need to.”
Another wish for the sites is a television and WII system for each one and a computer with internet access. “We don’t have funds for that now, but are hoping for donations to help us.”
“When I started developing the program for Clare County, I had a one page budget,” Ware said. “Now it is a 20-page budget. All of the services are in separate divisions and each division has its own line items. It is complicated but we are now totally accountable to the State and County and to the taxpayers.”
There are some changes and strict guidelines mandated by the State. “We can’t have outside food brought into the sites,” Ware said. “There are policy changes at the State level that we have to abide by and work through.”
She continued, “One of the frustrations I have is providing our senior with the information on State requirements and policy changes. We just have to work through it.”
“The CCSS staff and volunteers have been exceptional to work with,” Ware said. “I want to thank them for their patience and understanding during this time of transition and learning. Their hard work and dedication to the seniors in Clare County is our greatest asset!
The full-time administrative staff includes Ware, Nutrition Director Sarah Phillips, Program Coordinator and Social Worker Jane Iutzi, Case Worker and Social Worker Verna Davis. Deb Heppner-Allen is a part time Registered Nurse and Joselynn Apple is a part-time data entry clerk. Michael St. John is a CMU Intern who works two days a week.
The nutrition staff numbers 15 with Jennifer Kendell as Site Manager overseeing all five sites and four site supervisors. In addition there are 12 in-home workers for personal, respite care and home making plus some in-home contracted services.
Thirty-seven volunteers fill out the roster and deliver meals, provide medical transportation and help at the sites.
The food for four of the meal sites is prepared at Farwell but the preparation headquarters will move to the new Clare meal site in the new Senior Center when it is completed next year, Ware said. “It has been a big learning experience for everyone, changing for what was formerly scratch kitchens at each site to the central location. It was hard for everybody but the rose to the challenge and did a great job.”
Ware said in the past three months they have received questions about the services. Some of the questions most asked include:
Q. Why the seniors must use Styrofoam plates and plastic silverware instead of their own trays and silverware?
A. This is a requirement from the Health Department to prevent cross-contamination, Ware said adding that with a donation from the Clare County Enterprise Community, they will be purchasing trays and silverware for all the meal sites and the items will be available by the end of January.
Q. Who is paying for the new “Clare Castle” senior center in Clare?
A. The project was initiated and has been directed by MMCAA, Ware said. CCSS will lease space in the building for the central kitchen. All present meal sites, except Lake George, where the space and utilities are donated, are leased sites. Kitchen plans and drawings were also donated, Ware said.
Q. How are portion sizes determined?
A. Portion sizes are set by the Michigan Office of Services to the Aging. Minimum requirements are 2-3 ounces of meal or alternative, ½ cup of vegetables, ½ cup fruit or vegetables, ½ cup fruit, 2 servings of bread and 1 pint of milk.
Q. What if I don’t like the food on the menu?
A. Creating a menu that 200-300 people agree on and like on any given day would be impossible. Ware said, “We work very hard to please the tastes of all of our seniors and ensure we are meeting daily nutritional requirements and offering a variety of meals. Suggestions and comments are always welcome.”
Q. How is CCSS funded? Is any money from the County general funds used for this program?
A. CCSS does not receive any monies from the Clare County general fund. Funding comes from State and federal grants, millage dollars and donations. Ware said all three sources are “essential.” She said about 25 percent of the budget comes from donated funds, which can be earmarked for specific purposes like Home Delivered Meals or others. To donate make checks payable to Clare county Senior Services, 225 W. Main, Harrison, MI 48625.
Q. How do I qualify for services?
A. Ware answered, “Our only requirement is that you are age 60 and older, the spouse of someone age 60 or older or are disabled. That’s it!”
Cutlines:
CCSS Director Lori Ware
Farwell site staff includes Site Supervisor Sandy Bevil, kitchen helpers Darlene Buchel and Bev Burger and head cook Kelly VanDyke.
Attending the Farwell site for lunch are Roger Wilson, Dan Abbot, Shirley Abbot, Wanda Sumski, Cal Ehart and Nancy Willson.
