Locals start Elderly Consortium in Jones Co.

     There’s a new group in town, with the intent of caring for the elderly population of Jones County.

     The Jones County Elderly Consortium held its first meeting ever on Feb. 16 at the Anamosa library. The group consists of those who work directly with senior citizens in the county.

     The consortium’s purpose “is to take care of the elderly population through relationships with the community care providers by collaborating to create programs, improve systems, and provide excellent care through ongoing education and networking.”

     Those serving on the planning committee are dedicated in their craft: Casi Strube with the Anamosa Care Center, Tina McDonough with Pinicon Place, Dee Cook with Jones Regional Medical Center, Rebecca Vernon with the Anamosa Public Library, Andrea Chapman with Above & Beyond Home Health and Hospice, Dallas Urbain with Woodland Park Assisted Living, Leann Herman with Monticello Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, and Tammy Gillmore with Pennington Square Assisted Living.

     Strube and the conversation to form a Jones County Elderly Consortium really began with McDonough after attending a similar function in Linn County.

     “I’ve been going to the Linn County Elderly Consortium meetings the last five years,” explained McDnough. “I wanted to bring something like this to Jones County.”

     McDnough said professionals learned so much from the Linn County meetings, such as barriers elderly people face, what services are available locally, and collaborating with those who serve the same population with the same goals.

     “There are services out there that people just don’t know about,” said Strube. “This is geared toward businesses and organizations that offer services to the elderly population and how can we all benefit.”

     Strube said the Elderly Consortium is for non-profits, for-profits, businesses alike with ties to the senior population. “We want you to be a part of our group,” she said.

     Strube said bringing Chapman into the game was a plus. “Andrea is such a strong advocate for the elderly population in general,” she praised.

     Every other month the Elderly Consortium will meet with a different host and a different theme to the program. This first meeting was hosted by the Anamosa Care Center and Woodland Park Assisted Living. Amy Keltner with the Jones County Volunteer Center in Anamosa spoke on the transportation services offered to seniors through the Center, as well as JETS.

     “We provide similar services and work together versus compete,” said Keltner of the two transportation services. “We have similar goals.”

     JETS is funded through the county and ECICOG. Keltner said JETS primarily runs clients throughout Jones County.

     “Medicaid also helps pay for JETS,” said Keltner.

     She said they ask for at least a day’s notice for trips, and run 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

     The Volunteer Center, run on donations and through United Way, steps in for those non-emergency medical appointments outside of the county.

     “My program is run by all volunteers,” said Keltner. She receives donations and grants to help reimburse her drivers for their mileage and use of their own, personal vehicles.

     “They all go above and beyond,” praised Keltner of her volunteers.

     For the Volunteer Center, Keltner said they ask at least a week’s notice, and also do not offer rides on the weekends.

     Keltner said it’s a challenge to get people to drive seniors on the weekends, a service many of those in the room felt was lacking in Jones County.

     Keltner said the issues with her program are finding reliable volunteers and maintaining the funding.

     JETS does have accessibility for those in wheelchairs; the Volunteer Center has a couple of volunteers who could manage.

     “I ask that clients be able to get themselves in and out of a vehicle on their own,” stipulated Keltner.

     JRMC and the area funeral homes expressed interest in seeing transportation services on the weekends. Dee Cook said it’s hard to get patients home from the hospital after they are discharged on the weekends.

     “They don’t have rides or the resources to pay for rides,” said Cook. “It’s a challenge.”

     The funeral homes have found that elderly family cannot attend services on the weekends because they cannot drive on their own.

     The Elderly Consortium has its meetings planned for the rest of 2017. For more information, contact Strube at 462-4356 and McDonough at 462-3070.