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[Special Senior Affairs Commission on January 13, 2025.]
CALL THIS SPECIAL MEETING TO LORD.AND, UH, JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UH, FOR THE MOST PART, THIS MEETING'S GONNA GET TURNED OVER TO THE CONSULTING FIRM AND, AND CLAUDIA IS GOING TO BE CLAUDIA, RIGHT? YES.
IS IS GOING TO BE, UH, LEADING THE DISCUSSION.
EVERYBODY RECEIVED A LIST OF THE QUESTIONS, UH, THAT THEY'RE PARTICULARLY LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM US.
UH, AND THAT'S THE FRAMEWORK FOR THIS MEETING.
AND WE WON'T BE COVERING ANYTHING THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.
SO WE NEED TO KEEP TO THE TOPICS AND MOVING ALONG SO THAT EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THE FEEDBACK.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT, UM, I WAS ASKED TO ANNOUNCE IS THE, UM, IN ADDITION TO THEIR MEETING WITH US, THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING A PROVIDER, UH, SURVEY AND ULTIMATELY A, A LISTENING SESSION.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, WE WILL RECEIVE A LIST OF ALL THE PROVIDERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE LIST, UH, THAT, THAT THEY PLAN TO SEND THE SURVEY OUT, DO.
AND IF ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS WOULD REVIEW THAT LIST AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY, ANY, ANY ORGANIZATION OR SERVICE THAT'S MISSING THAT SHOULD BE ON THE LIST TO GET FEEDBACK FROM FOR THE CONSULTANTS, UH, CONTACT WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS, PREFERABLY, UH, TABITHA, BECAUSE SHE'S GONNA BE COORDINATING ANY ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM US.
BUT IF THERE'S ANY, WE'RE GONNA GET THAT EMAIL TODAY, RIGHT? SO IF YOU WOULD TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THAT EMAIL SO THAT WE CAN, UH, REVIEW IT IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY WHO'S MISSING, GET
I GUESS THE OTHER THING I NEED TO COVER TECHNICALLY IS IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC, ANY ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC THAT IS HERE AT THE MEETING THAT WANTS TO SPEAK, UH, WE CAN DO THAT.
THAT'S ON OUR AGENDA, SO, OKAY.
AND WITH THAT, UM, WE WILL, I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO CLAUDIA SANDAL AND SHE WILL INTRODUCE THE MEETING AND INTRODUCE THE PROCESS HERE.
UM, WELL GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
UM, MY NAME'S CLAUDIA SANDOVAL.
I'M ONE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS WITH GUIDEHOUSE AND COST THAT IS LEADING WITH THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION AND OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE, THE NEW, UM, STRATEGIC PLAN ON AGING.
SO REALLY EXCITED TO BE WITH YOU ALL THIS MORNING.
UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD, I TAKE, CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I'M GOING THROUGH OUR AGENDA AND IT'S REALLY GONNA BE A MAJORITY OF THE TIME IN THE LISTENING SESSION, BUT WE'LL START OFF WITH JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT AND
UM, WE'LL START WITH INTRODUCTIONS, OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT, AND WE GO ONE OF THE SAME QUESTIONS, WHICH YOU ALL HAVE HOPEFULLY ALREADY SEEN.
ALRIGHT, SO ONLINE WE HAVE OUR, MOST OF OUR GUIDE HOUSE TEAM IS ONLINE.
WE HAVE ROBERTSON, WHO IS OUR PARTNER, RICK HENLEY, WHO IS OUR PROJECT MANAGER FOR THIS PROJECT.
MYSELF, MEETING SOME MORE OF OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, WE RIGHT, UM, AND LAURA, ELLIE, AND BOTH FROM GUIDEHOUSE AS WELL, HELPING WITH THE DEMOGRAPHICS REPORTS AND OTHER DELIVERABLES THAT WE HAVE AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
AND THEN IN PERSON, WE HAVE TWO OF OUR SPARROW TEAM MEMBERS, WHICH I WILL GO AHEAD AND ALSO INTRODUCE OR LET THEM INTRODUCE THEMSELVES SINCE THEY'RE HERE.
MY NAME'S MADELINE HOLLER, A PART OF THE COAST SPARROW GUIDEHOUSE TEAM.
WE'RE A LOCAL CONSULTING AGENCY, REALLY FOCUSED ON, UH, LISTENING, FOCUSED ON SOCIAL IMPACT.
EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH GUIDEHOUSE SPECIFICALLY ON THE COMMUNICATIONS AND HOW YOU COMMUNICATE WITH AGING ADULTS.
SO, UH, I'M HERE MYSELF AS A SENIOR CONSULTANT WITH TONY AS WELL.
HOW YOU DOING Y'ALL? I'M, UH, TONY MOTON JR.
UH, AND I'M THE MANAGING CONSULTANT AT SPARROW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING.
PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL AND I'M, UH, EXCITED TO GET SOME ANSWERS TO SOME MORE QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? ALRIGHT, SO TO JUST GIVE A QUICK ENGAGEMENT OVERVIEW.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE PROBABLY PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH THIS INITIATIVE SINCE YOU ALL HAVE BEEN CHAMPIONS OF IT.
UM, BUT OUR FIRST PHASE IS REALLY DIGGING INTO CURRENT STATE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE CITY AND OUR SENIOR POPULATION.
UM, LOOKING AT, UM, WHAT SERVICES THE CITY HAS, NOT JUST INTERNALLY, BUT ALSO WITH ALL OF YOUR PARTNERS AND MAKING AN UPDATED
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INDEX OF THAT.UM, THAT TAKES US INTO PHASE TWO.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, AND THEN PHASE THREE IS REALLY THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FINAL PLAN.
UM, AND ALL OF THIS IS REALLY ITERATIVE.
UM, WE SHARE ALL OF OUR DRAFTS AND UPDATES WITH TABITHA AND HER TEAM TO GET INPUT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT MISSING ANYTHING ON OUR END.
UM, BUT THAT IS A VERY HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW.
TABITHA, IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET THE PRESENTATION ON THE SCREEN HERE? IT'S JUST A LITTLE HARD TO SEE.
UM, AND THEN JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR TIMELINE FOR THE PROJECT.
WE KICKED OFF IN NOVEMBER OF 2024.
UM, STILL CURRENTLY IN OUR PHASE ONE, SO GOING THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, AND THEN FINALIZING IN MAY OF THIS YEAR.
AND SO NOW WE REALLY WANNA GET INTO OUR LISTENING SESSIONS OR OUR LISTENING SESSIONS QUESTIONS.
UM, WE HAVE SIX QUESTIONS AND WE'LL GO THROUGH EACH ONE AND GET FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL.
UM, THIS WILL BE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR PUBLIC LISTENING SESSIONS.
UM, THERE WILL BE MORE PEOPLE THERE, SO WE'LL BE BROKEN UP INTO GROUPS, BUT IN THIS CASE, IT'S JUST AN OPEN FLOOR.
SO I'LL LET THE CHAIR, UM, KIND OF MANAGE WHO'S ANSWERING FIRST.
UM, BUT OUR FIRST QUESTION IS WHAT LONG-TERM VISION FOR SENIOR SERVICE, WHAT IS YOUR LONG-TERM VISION FOR SENIOR SERVICES IN THE CITY OF DALLAS? OKAY.
I THINK THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO THIS IS TO GO DISTRICT BY DISTRICT.
SO LET'S START WITH DISTRICT ONE AND, UH, ONE THAT SHOULD BE YOUR GOAL.
UM, AND SORRY, JUST REALLY QUICK, LET'S TRY TO LIMIT OUR RESPONSES FOR EACH PERSON TO TWO MINUTES SO THAT WE CAN GET THROUGH EVERYONE AND THROUGH ALL OF THE QUESTIONS, I CAN HAVE A SUGGESTION.
SHE, SINCE SHE SAID SHE HATE BEING NUMBER ONE, AND IT SOUND LIKE IF SOMEBODY DON'T WANT TO SPEAK THAT THE CHAIR PUT 'EM ON THE OPINION.
SO YOU WANNA HEAR FORGIVING ONE AND CONCLUSIVELY, OR YOU HAVE A CHOICE TO ANSWER OR JUST LISTEN.
I MEAN, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, AND SOMEBODY DON'T WANNA SPEAK, BUT THEY GONNA SAY PASS.
I, YEAH, I THINK YOU CAN JUST PASS IF YOU DON'T WANNA, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEAK.
I'M JUST SAYING THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S SESSION.
NO, NO, I HAVE THE WHOLE PURPOSE.
GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THEM WITH INPUT SO THAT THEY, I HAVE MY ANSWERS, SO YEAH.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST, I JUST ASK NUMBER ONE, JUST POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
ARE WE ANSWERING QUESTION ONE, NUMBER ONE FIRST? NUMBER ONE, YES.
WE'LL JUST, WE'LL DO EVERYONE FOR QUESTION ONE AND THEN GO AROUND AGAIN FOR THE NEXT QUESTIONS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO BE SURE THAT WE SUPPORT THE LGBT COMMUNITY SENIOR COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT'S NOT REPRESENTED NOW AND WE HAVE ALL OUR CULTURES REPRESENTED TO, I'M, I'M REALLY HOPING THAT, UM, AND I DO WANT OUR, OUR COMMUNITY OF COLOR TO FEEL THAT WE'RE, THEY'RE GETTING THE SAME INFORMATION AS EVERYONE ELSE'S.
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME IN DISTRICT ONE AS WELL AS MY COUNCIL PERSON.
HE, THAT'S WHY HE AVOIDED ME TO, TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO EVERYONE IN MY COMMUNITY.
UM, I'M PORTIA AND I AM THE COMMISSIONER FOR DISTRICT TWO.
AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT I TEND TO BE LONG-WINDED AND I DESERVE THAT, BUT I'VE PRINTED OUT THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MY QUESTIONS AND I PRINTED OUT COPIES FOR ALL OF YOU.
SO INSTEAD OF ME GOING FOR AND EVER, UM, THIS IS NOT SO MUCH ABOUT SENIORS IN GENERAL, IT IS THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE ONLY OUT GAY COMMISSIONER.
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SO I'M, I'M A VOICE FOR THE L-G-B-T-Q SENIOR COMMUNITY, SO I HAVE COPIES FOR YOU ALL AND I'LL JUST SEE ALL OF MY ANSWERS TO SOMEONE ELSE.UH, MY PRIORITY AND PRIORITIES WOULD BE CENTERED AROUND, UH, ENSURING THAT ALL SENIORS, UH, HAVE FREE, UH, OR HAVE THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO RECEIVE SERVICES THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH US.
UM, DISTRICT FOUR, DISTRICT FOUR, FELIX SLEEVE WOULD'VE BEEN SAID IS ALREADY KIND OF TOOK IT OUT MY MOUTH, BUT THAT WAS MY MAIN CONCERN.
AND SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE ON THE BOARD, I HAVE ENJOYED GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT AND SOUND LIKE I'M HEARING SO FAR THE 1, 2, 3, UH, EQUAL BUT NOT SEPARATE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BE EQUAL BUT SEPARATE AND THAT EVERYBODY HAVE A CHANCE AS WE GET THE INFORMATION TO FEEL FREELY TO PASS IT ON AND COMMISSION THE THREE TO MY WORD TO SERVICE THE PEOPLE I LOVE SERVING.
I'M HERE TO, I'M A SERVANT AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AT A LONG TERM GOAL.
NOT JUST STOP IT AT, WE START STRONG, BUT YOU FINISH REAL WEAK.
BUT TO CONTINUE AND LET THE PEOPLE KNOW THEY HAVE A OUTLET, LIKE DISTRICT TWO GATHER ME IN DISTRICT ONE.
SO I'M KIND OF LIKE PIGGYBACKING OFF THE SAME THING.
UM, I THINK MY LONG TERM VISION FOR THE SENIORS FOR SENIOR SERVICES WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS IS THAT SENIOR SERVICES ACTS AS A COORDINATOR FOR ALL SENIOR SERVICES WITHIN THE CITY.
SO THAT THE CITY WORKS BOTH WITH PROFIT AND NONPROFIT GROUPS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR SENIORS, BLACK, HISPANIC, ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE CITY ALSO HAS TO PROVIDE A ROBUST DATABASE OF NOT ONLY THAT POPULATION, BUT WHAT THOSE RESOURCES ARE.
SO I THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO BE THE MAIN COORDINATOR.
UM, I'VE HEARD OF, UH, A 2 1 1, BUT THAT DOESN'T WORK OR ISN'T WORKING.
AND SO IT MIGHT BE THAT IT'S A RESERVATION OF THAT.
UM, AND I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE CLARITY ON WHETHER OUR FOCUS IS FOR ALL SENIORS, ALL ETHNICS ARE HIGHEST NEED SENIORS OF ALL ETHNIC GROUPS BECAUSE HIM AND I ARE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO USE AS MANY SENIOR SERVICES AS NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS.
SO I THINK THERE JUST HAS TO BE A CLEAR DEFINITION OF, UH, HOW WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY TO, UM, TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN HIGHEST NEED, UH, WITHIN OUR CITY.
I'M IN DISTRICT SIX AND I AM A, I'M A COUNTY PERSON, NOT A CITY, BUT THE COUNTY TAKES CARE OF A CITY SENIOR.
EITHER THEY LIFE PAID ALL OF THAT THERE.
I BROADCAST AT EVERYWHERE I GO TO CHURCH, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW.
YOU WOULD SURPRISED THAT THOSE DON'T KNOW THE HELP THAT THEY GOT OUT THERE FOR CITY DALLAS COUNTY GOT A LOT OF HELP FOR PAYING THEIR MEDICATION.
THEY MAKE SURE THEY GIVE A RIDE.
THEY DON'T SHOW THEY SITTING, THEY BUS.
A LOT OF DON'T KNOW THIS, THAT DALLAS COUNTY DOES THE SAME THING THAT THE CITY DOES.
SO AWARENESS FOR BOTH COUNTY AND CITY SERVICES? YEAH, BECAUSE COUNTY DOES.
THEY HAVE, UH, WE HAVE, UH, LADIES THAT SIT IN WITH US, THEY HAVE EMPLOYEES THERE, SO THEY THINK OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO, BUT WE GOT SO MANY PEOPLES, THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW.
THE DALLAS COUNTY WILL PAY RENT, GET THEIR MEDICINE, GET THEIR RIDES, SEE WHATEVER THEY NEED, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW.
THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW CITY PEOPLE.
WHEN I GO UP TO MAD DASH, THEY DON'T KNOW.
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OF INFORMATION, THE WAY IT'S DISSEMINATED.WE CAN HAVE A PLETHORA OF ALL DIFFERENT SERVICES, BUT UNLESS A SENIOR SOMETIMES NEEDS TO HAVE IT WRITTEN ON PAPER, UM, MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.
BUT WE NEED TO MAKE, MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE HAVE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO BE DISSEMINATE TO A SENIORS IN A WAY THAT THEY UNDERSTAND IT.
BECAUSE MY CONCERN IS REALLY IF, UH, I'M A VISUAL LEARNER, I HAVE TO HAVE IT ON PAPER.
IF YOU TELL ME HOW TO GET TO YOUR HOUSE, I WILD, WILD
OKAY, YOU TURN LEFT ON SUCH AND SUCH STREET.
SO, AND THEN A LOT OF OUR SENIORS MAY HAVE, UH, HEARING VISUAL IMPAIRMENT.
SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS ALL THOSE LEVELS OF ACCESS TO OUR SENIORS.
AND IT NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO BE CLEAR AND PRECISE AND NOT WRITTEN THE LANGUAGE FOR YOU.
SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, THEY HAVE TROUBLE OBTAINING ALL THE INFORMATION.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.
YOU READY FOR ME TO SPEAK? WE'RE ON DISTRICT EIGHT NOW, DEBBIE.
WELL, I FEEL LIKE THE GOALS FOR SENIOR SERVICES SHOULD BE, THERE SHOULD BE A FOCUS ON MAINTAINING AND IMPROVING THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL WELLBEING OF SENIORS.
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD, UM, ADDRESS PROMOTING INDEPENDENCE, FOSTERING A SENSE OF PURPOSE, PROVIDING QUALITY HEALTHCARE, FACILITATING SOCIAL CONNECTIONS, AND ENSURING SAFE AND COMFORTABLE LIVING ENVIRONMENTS.
AND ALSO THERE SHOULD BE A COMPONENT THAT ASSISTS OR SUPPORTS CAREGIVERS.
I, DEBBIE PRETTY MUCH SAID WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY ALONG WITH WHAT FELICE SAID.
UTILIZING AND COORDINATING RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO SENIORS.
SO I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS AND I'VE LISTENED TO WHAT MY FELLOW COMMISSIONER STATED AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE SAID I AGREE WITH MM-HMM
UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, I GUESS I HAVE TO SPEAK OUT BECAUSE I AM THE LONG BLACK MALE IN THE COMMISSION.
I'M THE LONG MALE OF COLOR OF THE COMMISSION.
AND SO WHEN I LOOK AT LONG-TERM GOALS, UH, WHEN I WAS ON THE RICHARDSON ISD SCHOOL BOARD, WE ALWAYS TOUTED THE TERM ALL.
UH, THE REALITY OF IT IS ALL IS REALLY RESERVED FOR A SPECIAL CLASS PEOPLE OR SPECIAL GROUPS.
UH, ALL FOR ME REALLY SHOULD BE INCLUSIVE, SHOULD BE TRULY INCLUSIVE OF ALL.
AND, AND, AND CERTAINLY THE THINGS THAT I HAVE NOTICED, AND SOME OF THESE ON A PERSONAL BASIS THAT I'VE NOTICED IS THAT, UH, BLACK MEN AND HISPANIC MEN ARE NOT INCLUDED IN PROCESS.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, UH, WE GET SHORTCHANGED CHANGED, CHANGED BY THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, UH, AND BY THE PUBLIC SYSTEM INCLUSIVE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF THE LONG TERM GOALS, REALLY IMMEDIATE, UH, OUTREACH FOR, UH, UH, FOR THE SENIORS IN THESE IS THE CITY OF DALLAS, THAT, THAT THE BLACK AND HISPANIC MALES ARE A PART OF THE INCLUSIVENESS AND ARE A PART OF WHAT THE CITY DETERMINES AS ALL.
UH, MOST OF WHAT I WOULD SAY, UH, HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID.
UH, I WANNA, UH, JUST ADD TWO THINGS, UH, BRIEFLY.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE SENIOR SERVICES, UM, UH, BE THERE BE A SENIOR SERVICES ONE STOP SHOP.
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ACTIVITIES, LIKE THERE WOULD BE LIKE ONE CLEARING HOUSE, UM, THAT EVERYBODY, THIS WOULD BE THE PLACE, UM, WHERE IF ANYBODY HAD ANY ISSUES OR ANY CONCERNS ABOUT SENIORS, THIS IS WHERE IT WOULD BE.SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME SORT OF A COORDINATED EFFORT.
AND, AND I THANKFULLY SAID IT, YOU KNOW, BOTH, UH, PRIVATE AND PUBLIC.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE DON'T WASTE OUR, OUR RESOURCES.
UM, AND THEN, UH, COMMUNICATION THAT WE UTILIZE EVERY EFFORT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT SOME OF THE COMMUNICATION BEST PRACTICES ARE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY SAW LAST WEEK AN ARTICLE ABOUT IN THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS ABOUT HOW MCKINNEY IS COMMUNICATING, UH, WITH THEIR GENERAL POPULATION AND HOW THEY HAVE MADE IT A PRIORITY, UH, AND HOW MUCH THEIR COMMUNICATION HAS INCREASED, UH, BECAUSE OF THE WAYS THEY'VE DECIDED TO DO IT.
SO THAT WOULD BE A MAJOR PRIORITY FOR ME IN ALL SECTORS OF THE CITY AND OUR SENIOR POPULATION THAT, UM, WE FIGURE OUT COMMUNICATION BEST PRACTICES.
I'M ROB FRIEDMAN FROM DISTRICT 12.
FIRST OF ALL, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HAVE MENTIONED.
UM, I THINK STRATEGICALLY, I THINK OF THIS AS AN EFFORT THAT NEEDS TO START WITH AN INCLUSIVE APPROACH AND A DATA DERIVATIVE APPROACH.
SOMETHING THAT IS DERIVED FROM ALL THE DATA AND IS THAT OVERARCHING INCLUSIVENESS HAS GOT TO BE THE KEY.
AND THAT LEADS THEN TO A COORDINATED, COHESIVE PLAN ACROSS ALL THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COMPONENTS THAT PROVIDE SENIOR SERVICES.
'CAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK THAT HOPEFULLY WHAT WE ALL WANT IS FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES FOR SENIORS TO LIVE.
AND SO, CONSIDERING BEST PRACTICES AMONG ALL THE OTHER CITIES, THERE'S, WE DON'T HAVE TO INVENT A LOT OF WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
THERE'S A LOT OF CITIES THAT I'M SURE THROUGHOUT THE US DO THIS EXTREMELY WELL.
AND THE CITY OF DALLAS SHOULD BE ONE OF THOSE.
DISTRICT 13, THAT WOULD BE ME
UM, MY APPROACH TO ANSWERING THIS QUESTION IS I THINK VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH WHAT'S BEEN SAID, BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE SENIOR SERVICES FUNCTION, THAT THE CITY IS NOT A SERVICE PROVIDER TO INDIVIDUAL THINGS AND TO INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE FOR THE MOST PART.
THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS WHERE THEY ARE, BUT FOR THE MOST PART IT'S, IT'S AN INFORMATION GATHERING AND AN INFORMATION DIS DISPENSING INFORMATION AND HELPING CONNECT SENIORS.
I I THINK THAT THE CITY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOUTH, NOR IS THE COUNTY.
AND THERE'S A VARIETY OF PEOPLE THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR TRYING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE CITY REALLY BE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND UNDERSTANDING BE THE GO-TO SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT ALL KINDS OF SENIORS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THEM AND FACTS.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THINGS ON A CITYWIDE BASIS, YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, ONLY A LITTLE TINY PERCENTAGE OF THE CITY MAY HAVE A PARTICULAR ISSUE OR PROBLEM.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT IT IN A MORE, IN A MORE REFINED BASIS, YOU FIGURE OUT THAT THERE ARE 20 HOT SPOTS AROUND THE CITY THAT HAVE A PARTICULAR PROBLEM THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, THAT YOU CAN MAKE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON HELPING CONNECT PEOPLE TO A WHOLE WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES THAT I, I THINK IS REALLY CRITICAL THAT THE, THAT SENIOR SERVICES TAKE ON THE MAN OF KNOWING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION OF IS THAT THE, THE LACK OF AWARENESS IS AMAZING.
WE'VE GOT 200,000 SENIORS WHO ARE 60 AND OLDER IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND OUR HELPLINE SERVED 1200 INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE DURING THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR.
AND THAT'S LESS THAN 1% OF THE, OF, OF THE TOTAL POPULATION.
WE KNOW THAT 15% OF THE, OF THE SENIOR POPULATION ARE LIVING AT OR BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL.
I'VE GOTTA BELIEVE THAT AT LEAST THAT 15% OR ROUGHLY 30,000 PEOPLE HAVE NEEDS THAT ARE GOING UNMET BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GETTING THE INFORMATION TO 'EM ABOUT WHAT IS THERE.
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OF THE SUBGROUPS THAT, THAT ARE OUT THERE.UH, SO I THINK THAT THE, THE FIRST THING THAT IN MY VISION OF WHAT CITY SENIOR SERVICES SHOULD BE IS IT NEEDS TO BE THE PLACE WHERE DATA GETS GATHERED.
THE DATA ANALYTICS GROUP FOR THE CITY IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD, BUT THEY NEED TO BE USED.
AND WE'VE USED THEM FROM A COMMISSION PERSPECTIVE, BUT REALLY IT SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SENIOR SERVICES STAFF TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S UPDATED AND THAT WE HAVE CURRENT, AS CURRENT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ALL THE TIME.
AND ANYBODY OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT.
THEY, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THERE'S GREAT INTEREST AMONG THE PROVIDERS THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR FACTUAL INFORMATION THAT JUST DOESN'T, THEY, THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
I THINK THAT THE, WE NEED TO HAVE A HIGHLY VISIBLE AND WELL PUBLICIZED SENIOR HELPLINE.
AND THE CITY SHOULD TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT, AND IT SHOULD BE ADEQUATELY STAFFED SO THAT YOU CAN HANDLE THE VOLUMES THAT SHOULD BE THERE IF PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT IT.
AND RIGHT NOW, NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THAT PHONE NUMBER IS, AND IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO ULTIMATELY GET TO SENIOR SERVICES FOR HELP GET REFERRED FREQUENTLY THROUGH CITY COUNCIL OFFICES OR, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S ONLY THE DESPERATE GET THERE, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER WHOLE LAYER THAT ARE NEAR DESPERATE THAT ARE NOT BEING, THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND I THINK THAT EXTENDS TO THE NONPROFIT COMMUNITY IN THAT THERE'S VERY LITTLE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE A AVAILABLE.
SO IT REALLY IS ALL ENCOMPASSING.
UM, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE, THERE NEEDS TO BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH EVERYBODY WHO'S TRYING TO HELP THIS.
THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF SILOS IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE PE EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH SENIORS EVERY ORGANIZATION, BUT WHAT GENERALLY IS HAPPENING IS THEY'RE ONLY COMMUNICATING WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY KNOW ABOUT 'EM.
THEY DON'T HAVE, THERE'S NO CENTRAL LIST OF, OF SENIORS AND NO WAY TO GET TO 'EM IN ANY KIND OF AN EFFECTIVE MANNER.
AND I, I THINK THAT, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER A, A TASK FORCE OF GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL, UH, AGENCIES TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN YOU, HOW CAN WE DO THIS ON A MORE HOLISTIC BASIS? AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE MODEL OF HOW THE CITY AND THE OTHER AGENCIES HAVE HANDLED THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE WITH, WITH A WELL-FUNDED, BOTH FROM THE CITY AND FROM, UH, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND FROM PHILANTHROPY, FRANKLY, FOR THE HOMELESS SITUATION.
IF, IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD BE CREATED FOR THE, FOR SENIORS, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH A SENIOR POPULATION AND, AND HAVING IT BE A MUCH MORE OF A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AS OPPOSED TO EVERYBODY TRYING TO DO THEIR OWN THING AND HOPE THAT IT GETS THE PEOPLE, UM, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A MUCH, A VERY AGGRESSIVE OUTREACH EFFORT THAT RIGHT NOW WE TRY TO HELP THE PEOPLE FIND THEIR WAY TO US.
AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IS IDENTIFYING WHERE THE POCKETS OF, OF THE SENIOR POPULATION ARE, THAT WE NO NEED HELP AND WE NEED TO GO TO THEM.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I THINK WE COULD DO IS HAVE A SENIOR INFORMATION CENTER AT EVERY REC CENTER AND EVERY LIBRARY THAT, THAT IS OUT THERE.
AND IT IS PUBLICIZED THAT IF PEOPLE WANT INFORMATION ABOUT IT AND GO THERE, THERE'S ONE OF THOSE IN GENERALLY IN ALMOST ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY.
AND WE'RE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT IT'S DISPERSED OUT THERE.
AND THAT, THAT WHETHER THERE'S ACTUALLY A REPRESENTATIVE, THE SENIOR SERVICES STAFF THAT ARE ON SITE AT THOSE FACILITIES AT ALL TIME.
IF THERE'S NO BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, THAT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING THING.
UM, AND I, YOU'RE GOING TO GET INTO YES.
SO IF YOU HAVE YEAH, I, I'M DONE, I'M DONE WITH THAT.
THAT WAS THE ONE THAT I SPENT THE MOST TIME.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA ASK IF WE COULD, IF YOU HAVE NOT OTHER QUESTIONS, DO THAT SO THAT ONCE YOU START GIVING YOUR RESPONSES THAT YOU'RE GIVING YOUR RESPONSES TO THAT QUESTION, AND I THINK OUR TIME WOULD BE
WELL, I WANNA SAY EVERYBODY STOLE MY IDEAS, BUT, UH, THEY DID A VERY GOOD JOB GETTING THE ONE OTHER AREA THAT I REALLY WANNA STRESS IS HOUSING.
UH, THE HOMELESS APPROACH TO HOMELESS, UH,
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SITUATIONS NOW IS YOU START WITH A HOUSE.AND I THINK THAT THE CITY, AND ESPECIALLY AFTER READING OUR ANNUAL REPORT, THE DATA THAT'S COME IN AND JUST LIVING WHERE I LIVE, WE HAVE GOT TO PRESERVE OUR HOUSING THAT OUR SENIORS ARE IN.
WE, FORTUNATELY, MANY SENIORS DO OWN THEIR OWN HOME, AND WE'VE GOT TO HAVE, UH, SAFE AND SECURE HOUSING FOR THOSE THAT DON'T OWN THEIR OWN HOME.
AND SO I THINK HOUSING AND APPROACHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ANOTHER ONE OF THE, THE AREAS WE FOCUS AND I, I DOING WHAT I CAN.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, DISTRICT 15, I'M MIKE NORY, DISTRICT 15.
AS I SHOWED DAVID, PETER TOOK UP ALL THREE OF 'EM,
I CAN HEAR, UH, ENSURE INCLUSION, UH, THE INCREASED VISIBILITY, ALSO ONE COORDINATED EFFORT, AS YOU MENTIONED, ONE LIST, UH, OR CLEARING HOUSES, MAYBE GET INTO OTHER THINGS WE'LL GET TO.
AND THEN THE, UH, WELL THAT, THAT WAS IT.
UM, I THINK AS WE GET INTO THE NEXT QUESTIONS, IF SOMEBODY HAS ALREADY, UM, SAID WHAT YOU WANTED TO SAY, UM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT IT, YOU CAN JUST SAY WHATEVER ELSE HASN'T BEEN SHARED, OR YOU CAN SAY, PASS IT.
EVERYTHING HAS ALREADY BEEN SHARED JUST TO HELP WITH TIME.
SO OUR SECOND QUESTION, WHAT WOULD MOST HELP IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR SENIORS IN DALLAS? UM, FIRST 15.
SO AGAIN, EASE OF COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT, WHERE THE VISIBILITY I THINK WOULD HELP THAT BECAUSE THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT IS AVAILABLE.
AND I LOVE THE IDEA OF HAVING A LIST OF PROVIDERS THAT KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THROUGH OUR SENIORS.
WELL, UM, I THINK, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED IS THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
UH, I COME FROM A BACKGROUND WHERE THAT'S WHERE YOU START.
AND SO I, I DO THINK THAT, I THINK, UM, WE ALSO KIND OF AS A PROCESS FOR THIS, WE HAVE GOT TO RAISE THE PUBLIC AND, AND POLITICAL AWARENESS OF THE NEEDS OF SENIORS.
AND I KNOW THAT'S ADDRESSED IN OUR ANNUAL REPORT, BUT, UH, BY DOING THAT, I THINK WE CAN WORK TOWARDS IMPROVING THE LIVES OF SENIORS.
AND I LOVE, UH, THE IDEA OF CALLING THIS ONE OF THE BEST CITIES FOR SENIORS TO LIVE IN.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT WE CAN DO THANK YOU.
UH, YEAH, I JUST THINK MOST OF IT, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THING IS, UH, HELPING SENIORS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL OF THE PROGRAMS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO 'EM.
I, I THINK MOST SENIORS DON'T KNOW THE RANGE OF THINGS IN FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO 'EM.
THEY'RE NOT FULLY SIGNED UP IN PROGRAMS. AND SO I THINK THE, YOU KNOW, CREATING AN AWARENESS THAT THOSE, WHAT THOSE PROGRAMS ARE AND ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY HELPING THEM SIGN UP FOR 'EM WOULD BE THE BIGGEST THING WE COULD DO TO ELEVATE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CERTAINLY A HUGE SEGMENT OF THE LOWER INCOME SENIORS.
WELL, UM, I THINK THE COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION OF SENIOR SERVICES IS CRITICAL THAT MY FELLOW COMMISSIONER
I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT IS THE CONCERN OF, WELL, IF WE COMMUNICATE MORE, THEN THAT MEANS THERE WILL BE MORE DEMAND AND WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO PROVIDE THAT.
SO WE'RE AT OUR CAP, WE'RE HAPPY WHERE WE'RE AT, WE DON'T WANT TO GROW.
UM, BUT BECAUSE THAT GROWTH REQUIRES FUNDING.
I REALLY, AGAIN, I, UH, MY PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS RENEE CAR.
UM, I THINK WE'RE HEARING FROM EVERYBODY, UH, OR SOME OF THE THINGS ARE
[00:35:01]
CLEARLY COORDINATION OF EFFORTS ACROSS ALL SERVICES, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, UH, AND COMMUNICATION, FIGURING THAT OUT.SO, UM, I'M, I KEEP HEARING THAT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
SOMETIMES IN SIMPLE LANGUAGE AND SOMETIMES IN SOPHISTICATED LANGUAGE.
BUT I THINK WHEN WE BOIL IT DOWN, WE'VE GOTTA GO TO WHERE THE SENIORS ARE.
ONCE AGAIN, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS PRETTY MUCH ECHO WHAT I, WHAT I BELIEVE IN NEEDS ASSESSMENTS ARE, I THINK ARE, ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, AS AN EXAMPLE, WHEN WE HAD OUR INDIVIDUAL LISTENING SESSIONS, HOW MUCH ACTION WAS ACTUALLY TAKING, TAKING PLACE AFTER, AFTER THE LISTENING SESSIONS TOOK, TOOK PLACE.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT CITY IS BEING ACTIONABLE, UH, WHEN THOSE THINGS ARE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION.
PRETTY MUCH WHAT EVERYBODY SAID.
UM, THE ABILITY TO ACCESS INFORMATION, ABILITY TO ACCESS TRANSPORTATION, WHICH IS A BIG PROBLEM OVER ON MY SIDE OF THE LAKE.
I BELIEVE THAT, UM, IF WE CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR SENIORS TO HAVE A
AND I'D SAID IN A PREVIOUS MEETING THAT WORD OF MOUTH IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO THOSE THAT COME CAN SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH THOSE THAT CAN'T COME.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT.
JUST ENGAGEMENT, INTERACTION BETWEEN THE CITY OF DALLAS AND ITS SENIORS, SENIOR COMMUNITY.
UM, LETTING SENIORS KNOW THAT YOU KNOW HOW, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU GET TO BE 65, YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET TO BE 55? WHAT HAPPENED? LET THEM KNOW YOU GONNA BE A SENIOR
KIND LIKE YOU BECOME AN ALUMNI UNIVERSITY.
ALL THE INFORMATION DISTRICT SIX, I CAN ONLY SPEAK ON, THEY NEED MORE HOUSING.
THAT'S A LOT OF SENIORS DOESN'T HAVE A HOUSE.
THEY LIVING WITH THEIR KIDS AND THEY DON'T LIVE ON THEIR OWN DISTRICT FIVE.
UM, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID, HOWEVER, WITH WHAT, UH, DISTRICT SIX HAS JUST SAID.
I THINK THERE ARE EXPENSES THAT SENIORS HAVE THAT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO HAVE THAT ARE A BURDEN FROM THE CITY.
REAL ESTATE TAXES, SANITATION TAXES, UH, ALARM PERMIT FEES, SANITATION.
SANITATION FEES, YOU KNOW, UM, AND, AND MAYBE IT'S BASED ON HOW LONG YOU'VE LIVED HERE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR WHAT YOUR INCOME WOULD, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ARE IN A FIXED INCOME, THAT STUFF JUST EATS AWAY AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO REPLACE IT.
DISTRICT FOUR, DISTRICT FOUR, UH, WANTS YOU ADVOCATE FOR THE SENIOR AFFAIRS, UH, AS A WHOLE BECAUSE I GO TO A LOT OF THEIR OUTINGS AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER OFFICER SAID, WORD OF MOUTH.
AND I GO TO A LOT OF THINGS WHERE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND AGENCIES THERE.
WE GET IN LITTLE ROOM AND WE TALK ABOUT WE GONNA MAKE THIS LITTLE BOY UP AND YOU CALL, CALL.
WHEN YOU GET IN A ROOM AND YOU SPREAD IT OUT AND WE GO TO THE FAIR BOARD, I'VE BEEN TO THE FAIR, WE'VE HAD GRANDPARENTS DAY DOT WOULD COME AND JUST A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND I CAN'T NAME 'EM ALL, BUT I CAN TELL YOU NOW THAT THE HORSE AND RECREATIONS, 'CAUSE I GO AT, UH, I'M AN
AND I KNOW IN OUR DISTRICT WHERE, UM,
[00:40:01]
UH, COUNCILWOMAN CAROLYN KING ARNOLD IS MY COUNCIL PERSON, HAVE INFORMATION WHERE WE DO CALENDARS, LET THE PEOPLE KNOW.AND I GUARANTEE YOU WHEN ONE PERSON TELL 'EM WHAT'S GOING ON, THEN WE PIGGYBACK OFF OF THAT.
SO MY IDEA WOULD BE ACTION RATHER THAN JUST IN A ROOM PLANNING ALL THIS PLANNING, WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE RESULTS.
SO IF YOU GET TOGETHER IN YOUR OWN, UM, RECREATION CENTERS AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF THEM THAT HAVE PROGRAMS AND I'M A WITNESS 'CAUSE I ATTEND AND I HAVE TOLD A LOT OF PEOPLE A LOT OF THINGS.
SO MY THING WOULD BE NOT TO JUST GET TOGETHER, SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON SALARIES.
OH, TELL ME HOW MANY WE ALREADY KNOW YOU GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT WHAT YOU GOING TO DO TO HELP THEM? LET 'EM COME, GATHER UP SOMEWHERE AND IT'S PROBABLY BEEN SAID AND THEN BRANCH OUT.
SO I JUST WANNA SPEAK UP FOR THE SENIOR AFFAIRS AS A WHOLE.
NOW, WHETHER THE PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE, THEY'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE, BUT WE HAVE PROGRAMS AND THEY ARE WELCOME TO COME.
AND I JUST LIKE THAT ABOUT, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT DISTRICT THREE.
UM, WE COLLECT A LOT OF DATA, UH, IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
MY CONCERN IS THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS CORRECTLY INTERPRET THAT DATA AND THEN ACT ON, UH, THE FINAL INTERPRETATION BECAUSE SOME PERSONS THAT ARE A PART OF THE DATA ARE NOT EVEN INCLUDED IN THE DATA.
AND SO MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF SENIORS OUT THERE THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO COME TO A RECREATION CENTER OR PARTICIPATE IN PARIS OR WHATEVER.
AND THOSE ARE THE PERSONS THAT I'M MOST CONCERNED ABOUT FINDING THEM AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE SERVICES, UH, THAT THEY NEED.
THANK YOU MR. THANK YOU MR. DAWN.
UM, IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE WE'RE RECREATING A WHEEL.
I LIKE TO KNOW IN THE SAME
AND NO MATTER WHAT I GET PHONE CALLS, I MADE THE MISTAKE OF GIVING MY PHONE NUMBER OUT, BUT I DON'T MIND BECAUSE THAT'S WHY I GIVE IT OUT.
AND THEY'LL ASK ME AND PEOPLE WILL ASK ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT S IN OUR DISTRICT, WE HAD ASSISTANCE FOR HOUSING, UM, REPAIR.
AND IT WAS AN APPLICATION, A 12 PAGE APPLICATION.
NOT ALL THESE SENIORS CAN DO THAT.
THEY SAID, WELL, YOU CAN GO TO THE LIBRARY AND PEOPLE WILL HELP YOU.
SO I WENT TO THE LIBRARY TO SEE HOW THEY HELP, WELL HERE'S THE FORM, YOU NEED ENGLISH OR SPANISH.
IT WASN'T LIKE, LET ME HELP YOU.
I MEAN, IT'S A COMPLICATED FORM, YOU KNOW, AND NOT EVERYONE CAN HANDLE A 12 PAGE OR 24 PAGE APPLICATION.
SO, AND NOT EVERY SENIOR HAS A COMPUTER NOT.
AND WE STARTED GETTING INFORMATION OUT BY ME GIVING IT TO OUR HOME ASSOCIATIONS IN THE AREA OF OAK CLIFF.
LIKE EVERYONE HAS SAID THAT WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE, WE HAVE TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT SOMEHOW.
AND I GET SO AND THUM
BUT THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE I'M WILLING TO GIVE THE INFORMATION AND WE HAVE TO SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH OUR SENIORS OR THEIR CHILDREN TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE'S ASSISTANCE FOR THAT.
UM, AND THIS TIME WE'LL START BACK AT DISTRICT ONE FOR THE NEXT QUESTION.
UM, WHAT CHALLENGES ARE THERE IN ACCESSING SENIOR SERVICES? SO WE'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATION IS BARRIER.
UM, NOT EVERYONE HAS TECHNOLOGY ACCESS.
UM, WHAT OTHER THINGS BESIDES THOSE WOULD YOU ALL WANT TO POINT OUT? UH, FOR INSTANCE, I
THEY'RE NOT 24 7, WHICH IN A SENSE IS A SHAME THAT SOMEONE CAN'T HAVE PHONE SERVICES TWENTY FOUR SEVEN.
[00:45:01]
NEIGHBORS, YOUR CHILD LIVES OUTTA STATE AND CALL THEM.AND I SAID, YOU CAN DO A WELL CHECK ON ON YOUR MOM OR DAD AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL COME TO THEIR HOUSE.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE A LIST, I GUESS A LIST OF ALL THESE SERVICES THAT PEOPLE CAN COMMUNICATE.
SENIOR SOURCE IS A GREAT ONE ALSO.
UM, CATHOLIC CHARITIES IS A GOOD, THERE IS, UM, ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISA THAT DON'T ONLY COVER THE SENIORS.
THEY COVER YOUNG ADULTS FOR HEARING AIDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR PEOPLE THAT NEED THAT.
SO IF WE COULD COMBINE AND MIRROR SOMEONE THAT HAS SUCCEEDED SO FAR, GETTING INFORMATION OUT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT.
SO GOING BACK TO THAT CONSOLIDATED COORDINATED PLAN AND INFORMATION WORKING.
I, I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF LACK OF COMMUNICATION IN THAT EVEN AMONG OUR COUNCIL PERSON.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT SOME COUNCIL NURSES HAVE THE DOOR CARDS AND OTHER THINGS TO HAVE THOSE BOARD MEMBERS ON THEM THAT THEY GIVE OUT TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
AND IF THIS, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WORKS FOR ONE, UH, DISTRICT, IT WOULD WORK FOR OTHERS AS WELL.
AND THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD, UM, WHAT WE CAN SUGGEST THAT MAKING AS A RECOMMENDATION OR HOW.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS OUT THERE.
AND ANOTHER OF THAT CHALLENGE WOULD BE COMMUNICATION.
AND I THINK ANOTHER CHALLENGE WOULD BE, UH, UH, GOING BACK TO I THINK WELL MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND THEN I GO BACK TO, UH, BOTH PERSON.
WE HAVE TO FIND THEM AND I KNOW THAT, THAT WE KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
AND I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO THAT AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION.
BUT I THINK THAT'S A CHALLENGE.
GETTING TO THOSE THAT ARE NOT BEING SERVICED ARE INDIAN DISTRICT FIVE OR DISTRICT FOUR.
I'M JUST GONNA JUST PIGGYBACK OFF THAT'S SHE GOT THE SAME, UH, YES.
SO, UM, TRANSPORTATION I THINK IS A HUGE ISSUE OF SENIORS NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCESS ALL THE AVAILABLE SERVICES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
I THINK WHERE SOMEBODY LIVES IS ALSO ONE OF THOSE INHIBITORS.
IF YOU'RE IN AN AREA THAT DOESN'T HAVE EVEN HAVE A HOSPITAL IN IT OR 10 MILES, THAT'S KIND OF AN ISSUE OR DOCK IN THE BOXES OR EVEN JUST A, A HEALTH CLINIC.
UM, UM, AND I THINK THAT THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS THIS PROBABLY IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY IN THE LOCAL COFFERS TO THAT'S ALLOCATED TO THE CARE OF SENIORS.
DISTRICT SIX IN MY, IN THE DISTRICT SIX COMMUNICATION.
THAT'S ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS COMMUNICATION.
BUT I KNOW WHEN THEY GO TO SENIORS OVER THERE TO TALK TO THEM, THEY GONNA ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING FOR THEM.
I KNOW THEY DO MACKAY, HOLLY, MARY, AND ALL OF THEM, WHEN YOU BRING A SENIOR TO THEM, THEY GET RIGHT HOME, YOU KNOW? AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD THAT COMMUNICATION UP THERE AT THE CENTER, BUT NOW TOO.
BUT, UH, WE GET A, WE DO A LITTLE CALENDAR EVERY YEAR AND WE TELL, WE DO A CALENDAR EVERY MONTH TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT'S ACTIVITIES GOING ON WITH SENIORS.
THE OTHER SENIORS, THEY RIDE THE BUSES, THEY GET ON TO THE OTHER SENIORS.
SO WE COMMUNICATE THROUGH OUR SCHEDULES.
SO THEY PASS OUR SCHEDULES AND TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT'S IN, WHERE YOU CAN GET A HAIRCUT OR YOU CAN GET A SHOT AT WHO'S A, A LADY THAT NEEDED SOME FURNITURE.
SHE HAD GOT HIT BY A CAR AND SHE NEEDED A MICROWAVE, SHE NEEDED A, I BOUGHT A HEATER AND A STOVE AND AL GAVE HER A MESSAGE AND THEY CALLED US THE OTHER DAY AND CAME PUT IN.
SO I TOLD 'EM, I SAID, Y'ALL JUST HAVE TO WAIT.
YOU KNOW, A SINGLE DEALER WANT YOU TO DO IT NOW, BUT THEY GOT TO HAVE CIA AND I HAD TO TALK HER THROUGH THAT.
BUT SHE GOT A STOVE, A ICE BOX, AND A HOT WATER.
I, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY SHE GONNA GET IT.
[00:50:01]
UM, THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CITY, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE COUNTY, THE CITY, ALL OF THE CENTERS ARE NOT, DON'T GET THE INFORM.
THEY MAY GET THE INFORMATION, BUT IT'S NOT EQUALLY USED.
YEAH, BECAUSE WHEN I WENT OVER TO THE KING AND I WENT OVER THERE TO TALK TO THEM, IT'S, IT'S NOT EQUAL.
I MEAN, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T EITHER KNOW OR THEY DON'T WANT THOSE
SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S IF DO THEY GO TO THE, DO THEY MEET AS CENTERS AND DO THEY HAVE A MEETING WHERE ALL THE CENTERS COME TOGETHER? WE USED TO AND THEN THE, THEY'RE TRAINED AND GIVING INFORMATION SO EVERYBODY WILL KNOW BECAUSE IF I'M OVER SEVEN, THEN YOU OVER FIVE, WE HAVE THE SAME RE YOU KNOW, ACCESS THE SAME RESOURCE.
IS IT LIKE THAT OR NOT? I DON'T KNOW.
COORDINATION, INSEMINATION OF EACH.
COULD I JUST ASK THE OFFICER FOR WHAT I'M THINKING REAL QUICKLY? YEAH, I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH THE, YOUR COUNCIL APPROACH AS A WHOLE.
BECAUSE I KNOW WITH MINE THEY'VE SEEN A LOT OF EMAILS AND, UM, AND, AND I, THIS IS NOT TO SAY THE SENIOR AFFAIRS, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PARTS RECREATION.
IT'S A DIFFERENT UMBRELLA, BUT THEY HAVE SEEN THE ASF PROGRAM.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME ALL OF THEM SHOULD HAVE IT.
AND WE'VE ALREADY DREDGED EVERYBODY DON'T HAVE EMAILS, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT WORK AT THOSE CENTERS, WHEN THEY PUT THOSE CALENDARS OUT AND TELL THOSE PEOPLE MM-HMM
AND THOSE PEOPLE TELL THOSE PEOPLE, AND YOU CAN'T TELL ME BY WORD OF MOUTH.
THAT AIN'T YOUR BEST OBSTACLE.
YOU KNOW, YOU TELL ME, I TELL YOU IT'S ABOUT WHAT YOU SEE.
I KNOW BECAUSE THEY, THEY ACT LIKE THEY DON'T KNOW.
AND WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM, I'M JUST LIKE, TO ME, I THOUGHT THE CITY, IF YOU WORK FOR THE CITY, I THINK THEY ALL THE RECREATION CENTERS, ALL THE, THEY WOULD MEET TOGETHER AND HEAR THE SAME INFORMATION.
AND MAYBE SOME OF 'EM JUST ATED.
I'M JUST WONDERING IS IT LIKE THAT AS A WHOLE WITH THE CITY BECAUSE EVERYBODY OR EVERYBODY DOES WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO.
SO THAT, THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR LINDSEY AND YOU KNOW, HER TEAM, UM, FOR THE ASAP PROGRAM.
BUT WE ARE HAPPY TO GO BACK IN.
ARE WE ON DISTRICT EIGHT NOW? MR. I THINK THAT, UH, TRANSPORTATION IS A CHALLENGE.
UM, ACCESSIBILITY WHICH KIND OF FALLS IN LINE WITH TRANSPORTATION AND ALSO EDUCATION.
AND THOSE THREE THINGS ARE TO ME, THE MOST CHALLENGING FOR SENIOR CITIZENS IN DALLAS BECAUSE IF THEY CAN GET TO THE ACTIVITY PROGRAM, ORGANIZATION, IF THEY HAVE ACCESS TO IT WITHOUT HAVING TO, UH, DO A LOT OF ONLINE THINGS.
BECAUSE THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT THAT DON'T HAVE INTERNET AND THINGS, HAVING TO GO ONLINE AND SIGN UP AT A WEBSITE.
AND ALSO EDUCATION ABOUT WHERE, WHERE THESE PLACES ARE, WHAT THEY DO, HOW THEY DO IT, WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE, THAT KIND OF THING.
SO I SAY TRANSPORTATION, ACCESSIBILITY AND EDUCATION.
UM, OUTSIDE OF EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID, ONE OF THE MAIN COMPLAINTS I HEAR IS LACK OF RESPONSE.
PEOPLE WILL CALL CERTAIN AGENCIES, EVEN INCLUDING THE SENIOR SOURCE AND LEAVE MESSAGES AND NEVER HEAR BACK.
SO THEY JUST KIND OF THROW THEIR HANDS UP IN THE AIR AND, YOU KNOW, DON'T EVEN TRY AGAIN NOW AT OUR MONTH.
OR WE HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WE MEET EVERY OTHER MONTH AND I DO, THEY PUT ME ON THE AGENDA TO GIVE UPDATES AS TO WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF SENIORS.
SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF COMMUNICATION GOING BUT STILL NEED A LOT MORE 'CAUSE THEY DON'T REALIZE THERE'S WHAT ALL IS OUT THERE.
UH, COMMUNICATIONS AWARENESS AND PRIORITIZE AND PRIORITIZATION.
YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF BREAK IT DEPTH, IT ALL KIND OF SOMEWHAT COME TOGETHER, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE ON FIRST PRIORITIZATION, I THINK CITY AS A WHOLE, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHERE SENIOR AFFAIRS FALLS WHEN YOU LOOK AT PRIORITIZING THINGS AND THAT, THAT INCLUDES WITH THAT, THAT'S INCLUSIVE OF THE CITY COUNCIL PART.
[00:55:01]
GONNA USE ANOTHER EXAMPLE 'CAUSE I'M A MEMBER OF AN ORGANIZATION, PROBABLY THERE MAY BE SEVERAL PEOPLE IN HERE THAT ARE PART, PART OF A DIVINE NINE ORGANIZATION.AND, AND, AND MY ORGANIZATION MET LAST SATURDAY AND, AND ONE OF, UH, THERE IS A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S A MEMBER OF MY ORGANIZATION AND, AND I TALKED ABOUT SENIOR AFFAIRS, UH, AND THEY LOOKED AT ME LIKE, WHAT
SO PRIORITIZATION, COMMUNICATIONS AND AWARENESS.
UH, OUR CHALLENGE IS LACK OF INFORMATION AND WE ARE NOW HEARING IT IN SO MANY WAYS.
I'M OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND I'M OUT OF TIME.
SO, UM, UH, THERE'S BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
UH,
AND THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS, UM, KIND ALONG THE LINES OF THESE HEADS UP.
WHEN YOU TURN 55, WHEN YOU TURN 65, I'D BACK IT UP TO WHEN YOU TURN 45.
BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE POINTS WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE BECOME CAREGIVERS.
AND ALL OF THIS AWARENESS, ALL OF THE COMMUNICATION IN MY OPINION SHOULDN'T JUST BE FOCUSED ON THE SENIORS, BUT ALSO ON THOSE WHO ARE GONNA BE PROVIDING THE CARE IN MANY CASES, WHICH ARE THE FAMILIES.
SO THE HEADS UP AT 45 IS YOUR MOM OR YOUR DAD AND YOUR AUNT OR YOUR UNCLE.
THEY'RE GONNA START FOR YOUR HELP AND HERE ARE THE SOURCES OF, OF HELP THAT YOU CAN HELP THEM ACCESS.
UH, I THINK THAT THE, ONE OF THE BIG, BIG CHALLENGES IS THAT THE COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES WITHIN THE CITY AND WITHIN THE WHOLE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE TRYING TO SERVE SENIORS EACH, EACH DEPARTMENT AND EACH ENTITY IS TRYING TO DO THEIR OWN THING WITH COMMUNICATIONS AND NONE OF 'EM ARE ALL THAT EFFECTIVE.
THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AND, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A, SOME WAY OF PULLING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND TRYING TO COME UP WITH A CENTRALIZED COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE THAT EVERYBODY CAN USE THAT HAS ACCESS TO ALL THE INFORMATION.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, ONE OF THE OTHER CHALLENGES I WOULD POINT OUT IS THE CITY WEBSITE IS PERHAPS THE MOST DIFFICULT WEBSITE I'VE EVER SEEN TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT.
AND WHEN YOU FINALLY DO GET TO A LANDING PAGE, YOU, YOU WIND UP WITH OLD INFORMATION AND CURRENT INFORMATION ISN'T THERE.
IT'S BETTER THAN A LOT OF WORK'S BEEN DONE OUT IN THE LAST YEAR AND I THINK, UH, THERE NEEDS TO BE CREDIT GIVEN FOR TRYING TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
IT'S BETTER THAN IT WAS, BUT IT STILL IS NOT WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE.
DISTRICT 14, UM, TWO AREAS THAT I'VE THOUGHT OF AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING IS PEOPLE THAT HA NEED MOBILITY ASSISTANCE.
YOU KNOW, YOU GOT DARK AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS NOW.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE WORKED IN THE FIELD, BUT THEY WOULDN'T, IT USED TO BE DART WOULDN'T COME TO YOUR DOOR.
YOU, THEY, AND I THINK THEY DO NOW, BUT I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT JUST AREN'T COMFORTABLE GETTING OUT ON THEIR OWN BECAUSE OF THEIR MOBILITY CHALLENGES.
I DON'T MEAN THEY'RE IN A WHEELCHAIR OR ANYTHING, THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANNA BE OUT THERE BY THEMSELVES.
THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, AS UH, I WAS TALKING ABOUT CAREGIVING ON YOUR CHILDREN.
WELL THERE ARE A LOT OF ELDERLY OR OLDER PEOPLE THAT ARE CAREGIVERS TO CHILDREN AND DISABLED, UH, THEIR OWN DISABLED CHILDREN.
AND WE DO KNOW, I KNOW WOMEN RAISING HER GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, MY GOSH.
YOU KNOW, WITH SOME OF THE DRUG PROBLEMS. SO THAT'S ANOTHER CHALLENGE.
I THINK PEOPLE THAT ARE, THAT HAVE OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES AND REALLY CAN'T BE LEAVING, PARTICIPATING IN SOME OF THESE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, SINCE I'M GONNA BE FIRST ON THE NEXT ONE, I'M GONNA COMBINE THESE TWO.
I'M TRYING TO CONSERVE Y'ALL'S TIME.
WHAT CHALLENGES ARE THERE IN ACCESSING SENIOR SERVICES? THE COMMUNICATIONS.
YOU JUST NEED ONLY ONE NUMBER TO CALL SOMEBODY.
JUST TO CAN DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION.
IF I HAD AN LIMITED BUDGET TO COMMUNICATE WITH AGING ADULTS, WHAT'S ONE BIG CHANGE?
[01:00:01]
I WOULD LIKE TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE 2 1 1 NUMBER.
WHY THAT, THAT WOULD BE IDEAL TO ME.
BECAUSE DOESN'T THE 3 1 1 RUN UP TO NINE O'CLOCK OR SO AND THEN IT SWITCHES TO NINE ONE ONE.
YOU CAN CALL 3 1 1 IN THEORY 24 HOURS.
AND IF YOU'RE AFTER THE TIME IT SWITCHES.
BUT MY AGAIN WOULD BE THIS CENTRAL DOCUMENT CONCERTED EFFORT.
WHY WOULDN'T HE GO TO GERONTOLOGIST? I DON'T KNOW IF ERIC PRONOUNCED THE WORD RIGHT, BUT I GO TO ONE AND I'M EMBARRASSED I HAVEN'T, I GO BACK THIS WEEK AND I WILL GIVE HIM A LIST AND A NUMBER.
HE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE GET QUESTIONS ALL THE TIME.
BECAUSE MY NURSES WERE ALWAYS SAYING, OH, WELL WE KNOW WHERE YOU CAN HELP GET A FREE WHEELCHAIR.
YOU KNOW WHAT A ROLODEX IS?
THE OTHER ONE, WE'D BE THE CHURCH COMMUNITY.
I KNOW TWO CHURCHES ALONG FERGUSON ROAD 'CAUSE ONE OF 'EM WAS MINE, UH, THAT HAVE THE PASTOR FUND.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY APPROACH.
BUT MAYBE THEY'RE ALL LIMITED OF TIGHT BUDGETS.
THEY COULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WE COULD GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE YOU COULD FIND THAT ELSEWHERE.
MAYBE A LITTLE MORE THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX.
AND I LOVE THE IDEA OF THE DOOR HANGERS AT LEAST.
AT LEAST I HAVE AN UNLIMITED BUDGET
SO DAVID, AND I'LL SIT UP AT HIGH LEVEL AND WATCH EVERYBODY DO THIS.
THAT'S GOOD FOR QUESTION FOUR.
IF YOU HAD AN UNLIMITED BUDGET.
I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH WHAT? WELL, UM, YES, THERE ARE CHALLENGES.
YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE, AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS AND YET, AND I'M SOME, SOME I'M FAMILIAR WITH 2 1 1 AND 2 1 1.
THE LAST TIME I WAS USING IT, WE A LOT OF WORK.
BUT THAT IS A STATEWIDE PROGRAM THAT'S LOCALLY THROUGH THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL, RIGHT? I'M CORRECT.
I THINK THROUGH EVERY AGENCY, THROUGH THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT LIMITED TO SEE, UM, I DO THINK WE NEED TO SEE BETTER COORDINATION, BOTH AS HAS BEEN SAID WITH THE COUNTY AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, COMMUNITY COUNCIL AT ONE TIME DID PUBLISH THE LITTLE RED BOOK THAT HAD ALL THIS STUFF.
I THINK WE NEED TO SEE IF THEY'RE STILL DOING THAT.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING'S ONLINE THAT ISN'T WORKING.
I THINK I HAVE GOOD IT SKILLS FOR MY AGE, BUT GEE LOUISE, SOMETIMES IT'S TOO MUCH.
UM, AND WE DO NEED THINGS LIKE, I WAS UP IN ONE OF THE COUNCIL OFFICES THE OTHER DAY AND THEY HAD THE LITTLE BOOKLET THAT OUR CALLING PUTS OUT.
WE NEED MORE OF THAT KIND OF THING.
AND IT DOES NEED TO BE COUNTYWIDE BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE SERVICES ARE, WE NEED TO COORDINATE MORE WITH THE SENIOR CENTERS.
WHEN I WENT TO THE SENIOR CENTER IN MY NEIGHBOR IN MY, UH, DISTRICT, THERE'S SOME, THERE'S ONE, YOU KNOW, I WENT IN TO TALK AND, AND THE THE DIRECTOR YOU CALL IT, LEFT THE ROOM.
SHE WASN'T EVEN INTERESTED IN WHAT I HAD TO SAY.
AND, AND SO WE NEED TO DO MORE AT THE HEAD OF THAT DEPARTMENT TO EMPHASIZE AND WORK TOGETHER.
WE'LL GET THEIR INPUT AND SHARE OURS AND, AND SHARE.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE ALL FROM THANK YOU.
SO CENTRALIZED REPOSITORY OF INFORMATION.
2 1 1 USING CHURCHES AS, UM, FOR OUTREACH.
UM, POTENTIALLY SOME SORT OF PHYSICAL BOOK.
UM, NOT EVERYTHING BEING ONLINE COORDINATION WITH SENIORS, BUT REC CENTERS AND PUT ON, THERE'S OTHER PROGRAMS, BUT YEAH, WE, YOU KNOW, COORDINATE AND HAS HAS BEEN SAID, COORDINATED COUNTY LEVEL.
THERE REALLY IS A LOT OUT THERE.
AND, UH, I MEAN, I WORKED AS A SOCIAL WORKER AT HOME HEALTH FOR YEARS AND WORKED WITH GERIATRICS FOR EVEN LONGER.
THERE IS A LOT OUT THERE AND, AND I KNEW I KNEW IT, BUT I THINK NOW, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY TIMES DID I LEAVE A HOUSE AND PEOPLE SAID, OH MY GOSH, WE HAD NO IDEA.
AND I, I WOULD SAY, WELL, THAT'S WHY I HAVE A JOB.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HELP FAMILIES AND THE INDIVIDUALS, PEOPLE THERE WHERE A LEAST TO GO.
UM, DISTRICT 13, IT IS, YOU KNOW, IF I HAD AN UNLIMITED BUDGET, I WOULD TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEVELOP A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK OF ALL THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN TOWN AS WELL AS THE NONPROFIT COMMUNITY AND CREATE A CONSOLIDATED, NOT WHO WOULD RUN IT.
YOU HAVE MONEY, YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY TO, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
BUT IF, IF IT COULD BE CONSOLIDATED INTO ONE FRAMEWORK FOR THE
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WHOLE COMMUNITY, IT WOULD, IT WOULD BENEFIT EVERYONE.AND I, I THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY THE SINGLE BIGGEST THING.
THE OTHER, THE OTHER THING IN COMMUNICATIONS IS I DON'T BELIEVE YOU CAN JUST ADVERTISE OR RUN TV SPOTS OR RADIO SPOTS OR NEWS.
NOBODY READS THE NEWSPAPER ANYMORE.
SO THE NEWS, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, THAT ADVERTISING DOESN'T WORK FOR THIS.
UH, IN TRYING TO CREATE AWARENESS, I THINK CREATING NETWORKS FOR COMMUNICATION WITH TRUSTED SOURCES OF INFORMATION IN EACH COMMUNITY WITHIN THE CITY AND THE FAITH COMMUNITY IS PROBABLY THE MOST OBVIOUS THING.
THAT IF EVERY COMMUNICATION FOR SENIORS WENT OUT TO EVERY FAITH COMMUNITY, UH, RESOURCE THAT THERE IS IN THAT IN THE VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS AND ASKED THEM TO RELAY IT TO THE SENIORS IN THEIR ORGANIZATION.
THE, THE FOOD, THE FOOD BANK, UH, AND FOOD PANTRY THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO AND USING ARE NOT BEING UTILIZED FOR COMMUNICATING TO THESE PEOPLE, UH, WHILE THEY'RE THERE.
AND I, I THINK A LOT OF THOSE THINGS COULD BE DONE THAT DON'T, SOME OF, WOULDN'T COST A LOT OF MONEY, BUT COORDINATING US WHERE THE EXPENSE WOULD BE.
I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN STATED.
I THINK IT STARTS WITH THE CENTRAL REPOSITORY AT THE TOP AND ESSENTIALLY ALL THE VARIOUS MECHANISMS, HOW YOU GET PEOPLE TO THAT CENTRAL REPOSITORY.