With More Personnel, a Renaissance at Senior Center

 — by Margie Doyle, updated with corrections Nov. 9 —

Familiar faces at the Senior Center, from left, Arron Redford, Jami Mitchell, Larry Hughes

This fall, the Orcas Senior Center has employed familiar faces in a new collaboration that illustrates the truism: the only constant in life is change.

With all the changes and churning of the past several years, (see below) the Senior Center now looks forward to some stability with a restructuring of the programs on the county level and of job positions at the combination Senior Services Center/County office building near the corner of North Beach Road and Mount Baker Road in Eastsound.

Providing services are three key employees:

Jami Mitchell, Senior Services Specialist. Jami has moved into this fulltime position with the county after 10 month working as the Senior Center Manager. Jami now serves at the Senior Center in a 40 hour/week position.

Larry Hughes, a licensed Masters Social Worker, is now the Aging and Family Care Coordinator, serving primarily Orcas — where there is the greatest need — and Lopez. Wendy Stephens, Senior Services Manager for the County, is his counterpart on San Juan Island.

As well as county staff, the Orcas Senior Services Advisory Committee, (now the  Operations Committee, headed by Maggie Kaplan) has experienced a roulette-wheel of changing membership and leadership in the past several years.

With Jami’s change in position to take on many of the responsibilities formerly overseen by Marla Johns, Arron Redford has stepped forward to be the Senior Center Manager, (Jami’s former position), an employee of the non-profit Operations Committee.

While new in these positions, the three collaborators are familiar faces at the Senior Center, as Arron and Larry both served on the Operations Committee for the Orcas Senior Center, and Jami had worked in Arron’s position from January to October.

Jami says, “In restructuring of Senior Services, the county created two new positions — a huge investment in county services on Orcas. It’s wonderful the County recognizes that need and is stepping up with two positions totaling 72 hours/week in what used to be a 35-hour/week position.”

As Senior Services Specialist, Jami’s position has primary responsibilities for programming, transportation and nutrition, collaborating with the “Meals on Wheels and More” program sponsored by the Whatcom Council on Aging, a non-profit organization.

Meals are now served Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 11:45 a.m. at the Senior Center. Costs are by donation for those aged 60 and over, with a suggested donation of $5; and the required fee for those under 60 is $6.

Jami also assists Larry Hughes, the Aging and Family Care Coordinator. As part of this case management position, Larry takes on the home-delivery aspect of the 3x weekly meal program. He points out that many people can qualify for this program, and Jami adds that “so much of the meal delivery program  success is based on volunteer drivers. We’re always looking for more to get meals to homes; just call me at 376-7926 or email jamim@sanjuanco.com .”

Larry Hughes’ position required a masters in social work, as he advocates for seniors,  and works with families. He recognizes the uniqueness of each situation and the suitable response or intervention to what the needs are. He identifies a growing number of seniors who are aging in place. Hughes observes from his past two years living on Orcas Island that “the seniors are really independent and many moved here in their retirement. They built their life here and want to die in their home. It’s something we should honor if we can.”

That may involve arranging for a roommate or a caregiver, or for respite care for the person they are living with. “It’s really up to the individuals, connecting care-givers to care-seekers.” As the aging population increases, the need for assistance grows, as does structure and scheduling. Currently there is no agency on Orcas to administer a family caregiver program. And so Hughes’ work becomes more critical to family care coordination, supporting families who are caring for family members. It often requires marshaling resources, communicating with children across the country, engaging friends and volunteers, and setting up a system –” just a little coordination,” he says.

Larry encourages seniors and their families to “see what services are offered that they may be eligible for.” He emphasizes that all client services are kept confidential. He may be reached at 370-0591 or by email at larryhu@sanjuanco.com

Arron Redford’s job as Senior Center Manager may be the most visible, with her office right behind the front desk at the Center. She helps in “front of the house” arrangements and regular activities such as the monthly Afternoon Tea (scheduled for this Thursday, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m.) and the 3x/weekly lunches. She oversees room rentals, managing the building calendar, organizing trips and events such as last week’s trip to the Impressionist exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum, and coordinating with other building occupants:

• Ryan Page, Administrative Specialist
• Didier Gincig, Coordinator of Orcas Hearts and Hands Volunteer Program
• Ethan Flanagan, Coordinator for County Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP)
• Tamara Joyner, County Public Health Nurse
• Barbara LaBrash, County Human Services Manager
• Dave Dunaway, County Behavioral Specialist
• Dave Halloran, Assistant Director, County Department of Emergency Management
• Rick Hughes, County Council Member/Marta Branch, Marine Resources Committee Coordinator
• Mike Jennings, Probation Counselor for the County Juvenile Court
• Judy Jackson/Jason Ontjes,  Field Coordinator and Assistant Coordinator for the County Noxious Weed Control Board

Fundraising is a major aspect of Arron’s job, in order to provide programs and 51% maintenance costs of the building. In addition to the two big annual fundraising events, Granny’s Attic in the spring and the Holiday Festival of the Arts in November (Interested artists and vendors, call 376-7929 or email orcasseniorcenter@gmail.com), an annual appeal will soon be going out to ask for memberships and additional donations.

Memberships are open to all islanders, regardless of age, at a cost of $20 per individual and $35 per couple. Payment may be made at the Senior Center, or by mail to Senior Center, PO Box 1653 Eastsound WA 98245.

Benefits of membership include: foot care clinics, specialized transportation (Transportation/Trips), information and assistance to enable seniors to continue living in their own homes as long as possible (including information about local care-givers who have local references), blood pressure checks on lunch days (M-W-F), hearing screenings by Western Hearing and Island Hearing Health, loaner medical equipment, monthly newsletters, local business discounts, free and discounted classes.

The volunteer in-home assistance program, Hearts and Hands, is coordinated by Didier Gincig, who meets regularly with the Senior Services and Senior Center employees.

Arron says, “It’s really important to work together, and it’s so great that Jami was in [my position] and has the birds’-eye view of the nonprofit and fund raising side of the Senior Center. It really does help us all.” She may be reached at 376-7929.

It may sound like an administrative version of musical chairs, but as Jami Mitchell says, “it’s definitely a Renaissance, with a positive turn of events and team approach.

“We’re embarking on a new chapter with people willing to serve a shared mission with a can-do attitude to reinvigorate the program.”

More about the Senior Center

The Orcas Senior Center building was opened in 2002 and has been managed in part by the county which provides county offices and services out of the building, and the Senior Center Advisory Committee, which has been responsible for operations and maintenance of the building and programs serving Seniors. Since 2009, it has been funded, in most part, by property taxes, set out in 2009 at $211,000 county-wide. That tax was re-approved for five years in 2014, with  Senior Services on San Juan, Orcas, and Lopez Islands funded in an amount of approximately $312,000.

Senior Services programs are offered under contract with Northwest Regional Council through the San Juan County Health and Community Services Department with significant support from the Senior Services Council of San Juan County, Inc., a Washington 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

In the last year, the Senior Center has seen the following changes:

Departures of:

• Joyce Rupp,  San Juan County Community Services Manager, who passed away Oct. 2014
• Marla Johns, Senior Center Manager, who resigned this year after three years at the Senior Center
• Jane Heisinger, Coordinator of the Senior Services Advisory Committee, who retired this year

At the county level,  Mark Tompkins became Director of County Health and Community Services in 2014, following John Manning’s retirement after 20 Years.

As Director, Tompkins oversees the following County Managers:

• Human Services — Barbara LaBrash
• Senior Services — Wendy Stephens
• Community Health — Ellen Wilcox
• Environmental Health — Kyle Dodd
• Administrative Office — Shelly Easterday

The Orcas Senior Center Operations Committee:

• Patricia Ayers
• Bonnie Burg
• Maggie Kaplan (chair)
• Christina Orchid
• Margo Rubel
• Jerry Todd
• Arron Redford, Orcas Senior Center Manager
• Didier Gincig, Hearts and Hands Coordinator

The Orcas Senior Center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. More information is available at 376-2677 and at orcasseniors.org