Joyce Ellen Lippman, Executive Director of Central Coast Senior Citizens/Area Agency on Aging, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, was the presenter Monday, October 5th, for Rotary Santa Maria South. As she explained to club members, the organization’s mission is to help keep seniors safely and happily at home. Providing periodic senior needs assessments for the two counties, the Area Agency on Aging is able to prioritize needs and help fund programs and services to address the most pressing needs. Priorities from most recent senior survey showed that “understanding Medicare” was the most often cited need, with food and nutrition being number two on the list, indicating that economic factors are now impacting seniors’ abilities to provide adequate and healthy food for themselves. Transportation was also identified as an ongoing need. Lippman also expressed hope that recent legislation requiring both home care agencies and workers to register might help professionalize the industry, although, because it will also increase home care costs, it is likely to engender a larger underground home care industry, as well. Lippman encouraged those with seniors in facilities or in home care to make periodic, unannounced visits, and evaluate first-hand how the providers are doing. Protection of seniors is an increasingly difficult task as thousands of baby boomers each year now retire and enter the “Golden Years”!
 
Chris and Joe Gallas join President Peter at the piano and other club members in a weekly singalong.