06-27-2016 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, June 27, 2016 7:00 o'clock p.m. 5. GILLESPIE CENTER (continued) Deb Taylor thanked the Orono City Council for their past support of the Gillespie Center and Senior Community Services. Taylor provided an overview of Gillespie's 2017 budget. The total population in Orono has gone down from 2000 to 2010 but the number of 60 -plus individuals has increased from 993 to 1558. This represents an increase of 8 percent. Senior Community Services include household and outside maintenance for elderly, senior partners care, senior outreach, Medicare and health insurance counseling, and senior centers. Household and outside maintenance for the elderly include homemaking, household repairs, painting, mowing and plowing, raking, window washing, yard clean-up, in-house safety assessments. Senior partners care enables seniors to get the medical care they need by bridging the financial gap between their medical bills and their Medicare coverage. Senior outreach and caregiver services include a licensed social worker who has an office at the Gillespie Center. The elderly also have the option to obtain Medicare and health insurance counseling with a licensed counselor who volunteers at the Gillespie Center. The counselor will meet one-on-one to help seniors and their caregivers to make the best choices for Medicare supplemental insurance options and Medicare Part D plans. Also available is an employee of the Senior Community Services who promotes life-long learning by providing educational, social and health programs to seniors and community members. Jeanne Brustad stated the Gillespie Center is a senior community center for elderly residents throughout the area. The Gillespie Center helps coordinate services for the seniors in the community but it also provides a place for other people to come and socialize. Research shows that an active senior center helps to reduce the risk of depression in elderly people and helps to slow down deterioration of cognitive skills that are needed to live independently. An active senior center also enhances social connectedness to the community. Seniors who are involved in the center have a better social, physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental wellbeing. Orono's community garden produced fresh and delicious vegetables and helped to supplement the Meals - On -Wheels program as well as the meals served at the Gillespie Center. Brustad stated the community garden was a blessing to all. The volunteers took pride in delivering meals to the smiling faces of the recipients and the Gillespie Center was also able to save money on food costs and were able to serve fresh vegetables to a number of seniors. Another way the Gillespie Center helps the local residents is by partnering with the local police departments. In 2015, two drug forums were held, with hundreds of people attending each forum. Statewide speakers were featured at both evens. In addition, several nonprofit and other organizations use the Gillespie Center. Orono and Mound have a joint swim team and they hosted two banquets at the Gillespie Center. Orono Housing, LLC, held a meeting with 60 people attending. The Humana Medicare meeting had 25 people. The Gillespie Center also offers a number of activities for trips for its members. These activities can be on a bus as a group or simply provide an opportunity for members to attend. Past events have included a trip to Galewood Farms, various casinos, plays, and other places of interest. Page 4