The Wood County Committee on Aging has been selected to participate in a virtual training program to aid in the support of older adults with serious mental issues.
Executive Director Denise Niese announced the CREW – Creating Relationships of Empowerment and Wellbeing – at Wednesday’s governing board meeting.
CREW will be a virtual training program meant to improve the knowledge and skills to effectively support older adults with serious mental illness, Niese wrote in her report.
There are two tracks to the training: One that will focus on paid workers in community elder support, and the other that will focus on unpaid caregivers, typically volunteers or family members.
Niese said she was approached by Boston University with the idea of a grant proposal to a national funder.
“It’s suddenly ‘sexy,’” she said with air quotes, “to develop new programming to address seniors.”
Niese said Wood County was identified by the National Council on Aging as a site to offer training on techniques and how to better support people with mental health challenges.
A trial is currently taking place in Massachusetts, but the goal is to have the program on the East Coast and in the Midwest, she said.
“I know that individuals with serious mental health concerns are overlooked,” said board member Nancy Orel, who is a license professional counselor.
“Often times it’s the caregivers who are suffering dramatically … because of problematic behaviors,” she said.
The program will focus on such illnesses as schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder and long-term depression — but not Alzheimer’s or dementia, Orel said.
“It’s definitely needed,” she said about the program.
Board member George Stossel said this training would be good for volunteers who deliver meals to homes and who recognize problems.
“That’s an excellent point,” Orel said.
It will be virtual training so anyone can access it, Niese said.
There is no cost to the agency to partake in the training, Niese said.
Also at the meeting, the board:
• Heard President Paul Herringshaw announced the stained-glass windows in the cafeteria were complete.
“They are beautiful. A job well done, it’s really neat to look at,” he said.
• Heard Herringshaw also commend the 266 volunteers who help the committee on aging, whether with meal deliveries or answering the phones.
“This is what makes this organization what it is,” he said, and added there were 3,000 more volunteer hours given in 2022 than in 2021.
• Learned the positions of North Baltimore site manager and site driver, Northeast site driver and Rossford site driver remain vacant. Staff are covering these routes.
• Heard that an assessment is going on for those who have called in for minor repairs, which will be paid for by $115,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding.
Niese said nine or 10 requests do not fit the parameters and once she has a solid list of those that do not meet the criteria, she will ask for waivers.
The cap for each repair is $5,000 and the funds must be expended by Sept. 30, 2024.
Niese said at this time chair lifts, doors and windows are not permittable projects, but she is hoping to get waivers if it can be proven these are safety needs.
Tub cuts to make walk in showers are permittable.
“We still need contractors for this project,” Niese said.
• Learned the Memory Lane Care Services adult day service is awaiting funding.
“We still don’t know what the holdup is at the state level,” Niese said.
Once the money is received, it will take about four weeks to get it operational.
• Heard Herringshaw report that seven of eight senior centers earned the health department’s Clean Plate Award.
“I think that speaks well with how we’re operating,” he said.
Niese said at the eighth site, after food was served for lunch, sour cream was still out and not buried far enough in the ice.
• Learned from member Roger Anderson that the deadline for nominations to the board is Aug. 11. The terms of six board members expire at the end of this year.
• Heard Niese report that she attended the National Council of Aging conference.
“I think we have some new ideas we’re going to come back with,” she said.
