Recently in Senior Needs Committee Category
The Meredith News June 26th, 2008
To the Editor:
The Moultonboro Seniors Group has been formed to be a resource for Moultonboro
seniors to help them address their concerns and needs.We will refer seniors to services
available in this area and thus we intend to function as an information highway for seniors. Also, we will have a monthly calendar that will list events of interest to seniors and they may pick up their copy at the library every month.The calendar will also list other helpful information. For information, please call Joanne Farnham at 476- 5556.
Joanne Farnham
Moultonboro
Background note :Voters approved Article 13 of the 2008 Moultonborough Town Warrant as follows:
“To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Three thousand dollars ($3,000.00) for the Senior Needs Committee to use for seniors’ program expenses and activities.”
(By Petition) (Not Recommended by Selectmen 4-1)
At the last Selectmen's meeting a proposal was made to divert these funds to help support rising fuel costs and expenses for Meals on-Wheels. The existence, mission and leadership of the SNC has been on the Selectmen's table for quite some time with no decisions apparently imminent. Concerned seniors have gone ahead and formed their own private group to keep moving forward until this matter is resolved. MCA
The following is a comparison of the Selectmen's minutes versus the article in the Meredith News to further clarify this issue. It is followed by the Meredith News article.
Clarification to the June 12th minutes
In comparing the minutes of the June 12th, 2008 Selectmen’s meeting with the article published June 19, 2008 in the Meredith News, there are a number of areas that require clarification.
- As per the Meredith News Article “Town Administrator Carter Terenzini cautioned the board against following McRae’s suggestion explaining that the funds were already earmarked for the printing expenses of creating an updated Senior Needs Committee brochure of senior services in Moultonboro.” This does not appear anywhere in the selectmen’s minutes.
- There is no mention anywhere of Selectmen Charest’s comment that Meals on-Wheels is concerned due to the rising cost of fuel and that they ( MO-W) would “ rather see us look as a board on any ways to do it. A scholarship probably would be the best way to go.”
- Nor is there any mention of Selectman Betsey Patten mentioning that although the money in Article 13 was earmarked for the use of the Senior Needs Committee, the board could investigate other methods of helping the Meals-on- Wheels program out.
- Finally, in regard to the first clarification above, it would appear that Carter’s response to report back to the Selectmen within four weeks was not to address the intent of Article 13 , but to seek other methods to help the meals on-wheels program.
SARAH SCHMIDT
The Meredith News June 19th, 2008
MOULTONBORO — The Board of Selectmen will be considering different avenues in which to help out the Meals on Wheels program, after an unsuccessful attempt to use funds for the Senior Needs Committee for this purpose. Moultonboro resident John McRae proposed that the board use the funds from Article 13, adopted at this year’s Town Meeting. Article 13 allows for $3,000 to be set aside for the expansion and promotion of the Senior Needs Committee in Moultonboro.
The funds should instead be used for helping the Moultonboro Meals-on- Wheels program with gas reimbursement for volunteer drivers and food costs, McRae said. With rising prices in gas and food, Meals on- Wheels Director Donna Grow said in an interview last week that the program is having a harder time finding volunteers to drive, and that the cost of food has gone up 25 percent. Town Administrator Carter Terenzini cautioned the board against following
McRae’s suggestion,….
"Through the Needs Assessment we are able to see where we are doing a good job and where we need to improve"
Lisa Morris, Executive Director of the Lakes Region Partnership for Public Health
The Citizen June 3rd,2008
Area residents are being asked to participate in the Lakes Region Community Needs Assessment. This needs assessment survey is being distributed via postal mail, email and hard copy to residents of
The assessment is completed every five years. This year's assessment will seek to identify concerns in the areas of health, safety, community life, and social and human services. Results will be used to develop new programs and/or alter current services.
"Through the Needs Assessment we are able to see where we are doing a good job and where we need to improve," remarked Lisa Morris, executive director of the Lakes Region Partnership for Public Health. "We want to encourage every resident of the Lakes Region to participate in this process."
The Lakes Region Community Needs Assessment survey is available online at www.surveymonkey.com or through the sponsoring organizations websites. Beginning June 9, surveys will be available at all town/city halls and libraries for the before mentioned areas, and by calling 528-2145. The results of this assessment will be distributed in local newspapers in late fall.
This assessment is sponsored by the Lakes Region Partnership for Public Health, Belknap County Citizens Council for Children and Families, Community Action Program Belknap-Merrimack Counties, Community Health and Hospice, Genesis Behavioral Health, LRGHealthcare, Lakes Region Community Services, Lakes Region United Way and the Taylor Community.
The Laconia Sun May 12th, 2008
To the editor,
I would like to know why the seniors of Moultonborough are not getting there needs met like they should. Seems everything is about the KIDS KIDS KIDS. I love kids like everyone else does. But enough is enough! The seniors seem to be left out and put on the back burner. They are not looking for a free ride only respect of what they have brought to the community. They need stimulation of other people. When the school is empty why not have something going on there for the seniors. Isolation is a bad thing. I know many that are alone and no one has checked on them. They deserve more then what they are getting. I am not talking about the recreation center. That is geared more for the kids and a country club for some people. You know who I mean. Don’t get me started on that one — another time maybe.
Anna DeRose
Moultonborough
To the Editor:
After so much rhetoric back and forth, there comes a time for some sensible dialogue.Sometimes as I have said, reasonable people can disagree. Sometimes those same disagreeably reasonable people can agree. Here in lies the starting point for a new tone of discussion as to the whole recreation project and meeting the needs of those seniors that deserve some long overdue attention. Don’t think I am appeasing or placating those folks that have been the object of my barbs on these pages. I am not. I will attempt however, to begin a dialogue in the spirit of controlled spending and moving forward with a reasonable solution to two challenges that need to be looked at… individually. I can accept that there may be some need for more recreation space. However I need to hear from someone out there that there is an equal or greater (or more urgent) need for space and programs for our senior citizens. I am defining seniors as they have not been defined in the past at least as far as the RSPT has defined them in Moultonboro. There are seniors that are maybe 60, 75 or even 90 that
are active enough for tennis, basketball, jogging or calisthenics. Good for them and God bless them for their fitness and gift of good health. These good folks are not the seniors of which I speak. These active adults are probably already part of the recreation department. I am concerned for those folks that have needs for a place to walk (not run), gather to network as to who their favorite orthopedic MD is, have a low cost meal
at midday, have a place to be cared for while their “Family Caregiver” is working (yes, adult daycare) or have help with personal needs like writing checks and finding help with oil bills or just plain intellectual conversation. There are those that are well enough to live at home but may need a ride to the store or the doctor. I have not heard much of these seniors from those that would be combining senior needs and recreation into the single venue of the so-called “Community/Senior Center.” Presently, the Recreation Department has little or no time or space for these types of programs. Nor should they… and here is where we need to look at a split. In a recent conversation with Tom Howard, head of the RSPT, I believe we found some common ground. I will not attempt to quote him here for fear of misquoting or misrepresenting his thoughts. However, I was able to make the suggestion that these two venues be administered by different departments and for the most part occupy separate space. I would further suggest that we address our seniors’ needs and services prior to an expansion of the present recreation department. Those that run the recreation do a fine job designing and managing sports programs for youth and adults. They are not qualified for the needs of those seniors of which I speak. The fine job that the meals program does in administering both eat-in, and ‘meals-on-wheels’ should be continued and enhanced. The Lions Club building is not functionally obsolete, but does need updating and upgrading. I urge those “powers that be” to support the Senior Needs Committee as a stand-alone department that would deal with these critical needs for our aging seniors. I would further suggest that the “fix” for the recreation department be on a gradual scale with a large percent of the focus being on much more restrained and reasonable spending.
Rick Heath
Moultonboro
The Citizen May 6th, 2008
Editor, The Citizen: Concerned Moultonboro seniors met on April 30th from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Public Library Program Room. Nineteen seniors participated expressing the ideas they find to be of the utmost importance. There was much discussion of several items such as helping seniors cope with everyday living, financial forms, knowledge of how to deal with insurance companies, Medicare, etc., and handling junk mail; what to save and what to throw out. Who exactly are the agencies that are out there to help seniors and what exactly do they offer?
It was clear from this group that recreational activities are not a priority. The group identified about 20 local organizations providing recreation and social activities that we want to consolidate and communicate, not duplicate.
Our next meeting will be on May 7th at the Moultonborough Public Library from 10-11:30 a.m. Moultonborough seniors are welcome. Bring your ideas and a friend. Afterward, plan to scoot over to the senior meal at the Lion's Club at noon (chicken breast, potato and vegetable). Any questions, please call Joanne M. Farnham at 476-5556.
Joanne Farnham
Moultonboro
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