Senior centers' service changes Area Agency on Aging to operate programs
When the seven senior centers in Butler County reopen the week of Sept. 28, Nutrition Inc. will no longer be responsible for their activities.
The Butler County Salary Board at its Wednesday meeting voted to return the senior centers' operation to the county Area Agency on Aging.
Leslie Osche, commissioners chairwoman, said the amount of turnover among the contractor's employees was not in the best interest of seniors.
She added Nutrition Inc. was reimbursed based on the number of meals it provided.
Osche said that created pressure for the staff to make sure the meal volume is maximized.
“It was creating an issue,” she said.
Commissioner Kevin Boozel said the county will realize a slight savings by moving the programming to the Agency on Aging.
“Without creating additional cost, we want to take (programming) back in-house with the hopes of providing enhanced programming, better services and much more continuity for our seniors,” Osche said.
Beth Herold, director of the Agency on Aging, said Nutrition Inc. will continue to provide meals at the senior centers, but Brittany Gilfillan, senior center director, will coordinate the number of meals needed as well as the programming at the centers.
She said Nutrition Inc. had one contract to provide meals and a separate contract to operate the senior centers.
When the latter contract expired June 30, she recommended operation of the centers move to the Agency on Aging.
“We can provide more enhanced and comprehensive services to the seniors of Butler County,” Herold said. “It'll be less disjointed.”
Herold stressed that the senior centers, which have been closed since the statewide shutdowns in March, will only reopen if the county's COVID-19 positivity rate is 5% or lower.
She said seniors will be required to call at least two days in advance to make a reservation to come to their senior center for a meal and programming, as fewer people will be permitted in the centers due to the risk of COVID-19.
She said at the Tanglewood Center in Butler, the new maximum occupancy is 16 people, including staff.
So, once the list of reservations reaches 14 seniors, others who call will be placed on a waiting list in case someone on the reservation list cancels.
She said the Cranberry Township Senior Center often sees 40 to 100 seniors gather for a meal or programming.
“We can only have 14 people there now,” Herold said.
Beginning the first week of October, seniors who do not get a reservation for lunch can get a hot “grab and go” meal from the center, Herold said.
Because the centers have been closed during the pandemic, Herold said her staff has been holding socially distanced picnics for seniors once a week at Alameda Park, Adams Township Community Park and the Chicora Municipal Shelter.
In addition to lunch, the seniors were offered painting in the park, flu shots and other programming, Herold said.
Programming inside the senior centers under the COVID-19 occupancy guidelines will be different when they open in a few weeks, as card games and exercising provide too much contact and cannot be done because of social distancing requirements, Herold said.
“As the regulations change, and the numbers go up and down in the county, it is going to be new for all of us,” Herold said. “I really think we can make some changes that will benefit the seniors of our county.”
