Senior Services Report
TO:
Human Relations Commission
FROM:
Betty Kilsdonk, Manager, Senior Services Division
Housing & Human Services Department
DATE:
Monday, August 20, 2012
SUBJECT:
Senior Services Division Report
_______________
DIVISION OVERVIEW
History
Passage of theOlder Americans Act of 1965, the first federal initiative aimed at providing
comprehensive services for older adults, was the impetus for City’s first senior center, which
opened in the basement of the Elks Club on Spruce Street in 1969.Ten years later, the West
BoulderSenior Centeropenedat 909 Arapahoe.The East Boulder Senior Centerwas added
with the construction of the East Boulder Community Center at 5660 Sioux Drive in 1992.
Mission
The mission of Boulder Senior Services, a division of the City of Boulder’s Housing &
Human Services Department, is “to foster the engagement and well being of older adults,
support family caregivers and promote a positive image of aging through community
programs and services.”
Scope of Services
Boulder Senior Services includes management of two senior centers, bilingual case
management, resource and referral for supportive services and financial assistance, health
and wellness classes and social programs, regional coordination of the county-wide senior
strategic plan, collaboration with local agencies and businesses, andadministration of the
City’s Food Tax Rebate Program(March-July).
Staffing
The Senior Services Division hasjust over 11FTE staff: a1 FTEmanager, 3.5 FTE resource
and referrals staff, 2 FTE social programs staff, .5 FTE finance staff, 3.7 FTE facilities and
operations staff,.2 administrative staff, and .22 FTE food tax rebate staff.
Budget
The Senior Services Division has an annual budget of just over $1 million. Revenues come
from facility rentals, fees for classes and trips, the food tax rebate program(as a pass
through), grants, and donations for senior resources.
2011Snapshot
The City issued 780 food tax rebates totaling $78,010.This includes 475to seniors;
155 to families;and150 to individuals with disabilities.
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Staff provided consultations or casework for 785 unduplicated clients. This includes
182 caregivers and 34 who self-identifiedas Latino/Hispanic.
SilverSneakers wellness program enrollmentincreasedby 73% from January2010 to
December2011, from571 to 988members.
Over 2000 public meetings and events were held at the West Boulder Senior Center.
Partners
The Senior Community Advisory Committee
, whichadvises staff on matters
relating to older adults.
The Boulder Seniors Foundation
, a nonprofit organization, which sponsors
education programs and equipment needs, and provides direct assistance to Boulder
seniors to help them remain in their homes and meet health challenges. The
Foundation administers the Hynd Fundfor eyeglass needs.
The Boulder Interagency Network
,representing more than 40 public and private,
for-profit and non-profit agencies and facilities serving the senior community in the
Boulder County area.
Meals on Wheels of Boulder,
a nonprofitoperating out of the West Boulder Senior
Center, which providesmeals to residents of Boulderof any age or income who
aren’t able to provide at least one hot nutritiousmeal a day. The fee is based on a
sliding scale. In2011 they prepared over 90,000 meals. In addition, they operate
Café Classico, which serveslunch each weekdayand dinner on Tuesday evenings
(over 13,000 meals in 2011).
Other Major Partners
include the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging, the
Parks & Recreation Department, the IT Department, Boulder County CareConnect
(formerly RSVP), Via (formerly Special Transit), other senior centers, andAARP.
Special Initiative
Boulder Senior Services received a 2012 Human Services Fundwhich underwrote a bilingual
Senior Resources Specialist, Marlene Astacio. Ms.Astacio began work on April 24 and it is
anticipated that she will work for two years. Her work includes expanding our outreach
effortsto include weekly office hours at San Juan del Centro.She is also educating Spanish-
speaking elders and their families about senior center programs, and one of her goals is to
increase personalized case management-level consultationswith them.
Upcoming Activities
Updating the Senior Community Advisory Committee Guidelines and diversifying
the membership to reflect thecurrent Boulder senior demographic, including under-
represented cultural and ethnic groups.
Participating in updating the Housing & Human Services Department master plan.
More integration ofSenior Services with the other divisions (Community Relations
and Human Rights, Human Services Planning, and Children, Youth and Families)is
an opportunity to provide more comprehensive customer service, andtomaximize
service efficiencies.
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