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Minutes 09-23-04SPECIAL ROUNDTABLE MEETING ON THE SENIOR CENTER HELD AT THE EZELL HESTER COMMUNITY CENTER ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2004 AT 6:00 P.M. BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA I. Welcome At 6:00 p.m., Wally Majors, Recreation & Parks Director, welcomed the residents who had come to share in a discussion about ways to make the Senior Center a place that all residents wanted to attend. If any obstacles to participation were perceived, it was hoped that through discussion, answers could be found. II. Senior Center Summary of Programs Mr. Steve Lulkin of the Senior Center gave a comprehensive description of the services and programs offered at the Center. Senior Center brochures were also distributed. It was staff's hope that the community would become aware of these programs and services, even if they decided not to use them. The community members in attendance were asked to help "get the word out" about this. III. Perceptions/Issues/Concerns 1) 2) 3) 3) S) 6) 7) No ethnic group likes being singled out. The Ezell Hester Center managed to attract people to its facility and it has a diverse participation. The transportation fee to and from the Center via bus is 50 cents one way. Use on a daily basis would cost about $20 a month, putting it out of reach for many of the City's seniors on fixed incomes. No one at Senior Center looked like/was like African Americans. Many seniors would like a satellite Center with services for seniors closer to home. The perception was that not all staff was sensitive to the needs of seniors of all ethnicities. Identify neighborhood shut-ins. Senior Center not necessarily doing anything wrong - lack of participation could be based on cultural attitudes and preferences. Home-based interaction preferred by many. Some people just do not know about the existence of the Senior Center. IV. Recommendations/Suggestions/Actions A ticketing system will be considered to eliminate embarrassment on the part of citizens who might not be able to afford the bus transportation. Grants will be pursued to help offset the operational costs of the transportation. Some non-profit organizations might also wish to make a donation to defray the costs. Senior Center Roundtable Discussion Meeting Minutes Boynton Beach, Florida September 23, 2004 It is important to have a person or persons at the Senior Center that can take a new person by the hand to show them "the ropes" and make them feel comfortable. A core group of people who could provide "buddy," one-on-one support could be developed. This group could meet on a weekly basis to share ideas of ways to develop rapport with newcomers to the Center. Additional sensitivity training for Senior Center staff members might be appropriate, as an adjunct to the training that is now given. In most cases it would not be necessary, but it could be useful for the few who might need it. Mr. Majors made it clear that negative behavior towards attendees of the Senior Center would not be tolerated, on the part of staff or participants. In order to handle any incident that might arise, incidents must be reported in a timely manner to Ms. DeGraffenreidt, Mr. Majors or IVlr. Lulkin so they could take appropriate steps. Commissioner McKoy suggested that the Center establish some Core Values and place signs illustrating those values on the walls as a way to remind people of the expectations in this regard. A suggestion box at the Center was proposed, but Mr. Lulkin responded that the one they already had was not used very much. Perhaps the suggestion box at the Center could be improved upon in some way. Senior Center staff will work with Mae Volen, administrators for the Federal lunch program, to come up with a means of distributing lunches without causing embarrassment to those who cannot afford to make a donation. Providing lunch tickets ahead of time was suggested. Mr. Lulkin invited all members of the public to attend the Senior Advisory Board meetings to share their thoughts and feelings. The Center will mail its publication to anyone who requests it, free of charge. The Senior Advisory Board is engaged in identifying shut-ins at the present time. Once they are identified, ways will be sought to deliver services to them. The Senior Center received a number of calls during the hurricane from people who were shut in and had no food or transportation. Although the Center tried to respond to all such calls, it was decided that a Food Bank would be initiated so that in the future, quality canned goods could be gathered and delivered in times of need. A request was made to have more diversity on the Senior Center staff so that African Americans would feel more "at home." The comment was that there was no one there at present that looked, sounded, or was like them and having more individuals in attendance at the Center would help to attract more. Senior Center Roundtable Discussion Meeting Minutes Boynton Beach, Florida September 23, 2004 Educating the citizens about the activities and programs at the Senior Center was said to be the key. V. What do we do next? The emphasis at the Senior Center was on socialization for seniors. Participation was not in any way based on income. Many people see the Senior Center as a place that has changed their lives for the better. Staff wanted everyone to be aware about the Senior Center and its programs and if desired, to come to the Center, feel comfortable there, and participate in its many programs. A recurring phrase was, "Give the Center a chance." The community was asked to play a role in getting the word out through their churches, neighborhood groups, senior apartments, assisted living facilities, friends and neighbors. Also, the Senior Center staff was ready and willing to speak to any groups who desired to hear about the Center and its programs. Mr. Majors asked the attendees if they would be available for questions or suggestions in the future, and all agreed they would be. A tour of the Senior Center was offered, but going home to make preparations for the impending hurricane prevailed. VI. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Susan Collins Recording Secretary (092704) Boynton Beach Recreation & Parks Department Senior Center Participation September 23, 2004 I. Welcome II. Senior Center Summary of Programs III. Perceptions/Issues/Concerns IV. Recommendations/Suggestions V. What do we do next?