Deena Zarlin welcomed the 43 attendees and cited some interesting statistics from the 2010 Comptche census: 459 residents in the 95427 zip code, 243 total housing units, 213 females and 246 males, 49.3 the median age. She then introduced the evening’s first speaker, Chuck Bush, from the Redwood Coast Senior Center.
Chuck discussed the center’s many services:
- Transportation to and from shopping and appointments
- 50,000 meals served annually
- 200-250 seniors visiting the center daily
- Very useful website at RCSCenter.org
- Information and resources for ‘joyful, beautiful, grand, glorious eldering’.
Chuck mentioned that the current model they’re using does not work for peripheral communities like Comptche. He was very interested in the services we’re looking for and the services we can provide one another.
Chuck also shared a handout listing eight lifestyle practices that can dramatically affect our ability to live longer, happier, higher quality lives. These practices include moving the body every day, managing on-going health issues, eating healthy foods, maintaining a social life, staying interested in your community, using your skills and time to help others, etc. His handout is attached.
The center has recently developed a Volunteer Senior Advocate program with support from the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors and funding from the Mendocino County Health & Human Services Agency. This group meets on Friday’s at 12:30PM at the center.
Deborah Kanani mentioned that she is involved in Senior Peer Counseling Training. Contact Deborah if you’re interested in finding out more.
Deena then introduced CVFD Fire Chief Larry Tunzi who discussed a number of very concrete items to address so that our Fire Department can help us most effectively in our time of need:
- Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form prominently displayed,
- A list of medications, dosages and medical conditions you’re currently being treated for,
- Emergency Contact List of close family members and friends,
- 4” reflective address numbers marking your driveway and openable livestock gates so first responders can find you and get to you quickly.
- Life Alert-type systems that quickly activate the Emergency Medical System with the push of a button,
- The events that occur when you call 911, and ambulance and helicopter response times in our area. If you have an emergency, do not call your local volunteer firefighter – call 911! On occasion the 911 system breaks down in our area due to storm damage and equipment failure. When this happens CVFD Firefighters will be available on duty at the Comptche store during business hours (8am to 6pm) and at the fire station all night,
- Sign up for REACH, CALSTAR and Mendocino Coast District Hospital (MCDH) as ambulance and helicopter rides are very, very expensive,
- The Comptche Chapel of the Redwoods is our designated location to assemble as a community during disasters. Create a ‘Grab and Go’ bag with a supply of your medications and a change of clothes. In a major event our community could be isolated for several days,
- Get a touchtone phone for your home. Cordless phones do not work during power outages.
Chief Tunzi’s handout can be found here.
Finally, each table took 15 minutes to brainstorm services and information we may need in our community:
Transportation:
- Grocery shopping and errands
- Doctor & Dentist appointments
- Prescription delivery
- Organized, accessible list of people who can drive others to town
- Centralized pick up point, AKA Hitch Stop, for rides
- Rider contribution for gas money or lunch for driver
Home Health:
- Flu vaccination clinics at the Fire House
- Community Health Information board
- Home safety assessments to assure elder residents are warm, safe, dry and physically stable in their environment
- Identify community members who live alone and develop a buddy system or check-in phone call every day at 10am
- Monthly clinic staffed by visiting nurse, paramedic, etc. California Endowment may have funds.
- Group memberships for CALSTAR, REACH and MCDH
Nutrition:
- Weekly Community Luncheon at the CCO Hall
- ‘Meals on Wheels’ or our local version of cooking and delivering food to home bound residents
- Monthly community potlucks at the CCO Hall
- Bulk food ordering & distribution
- Sharing the abundance of our gardens
Stimulation/Isolation:
- Peer Counseling
- Routine visits to home-bound community members
- Classes (exercise, cooking, astronomy, etc.)
- Monthly Book Club gathering. Begin with ‘On Being Mortal’ by Atul Gawane.
- Lending library and book swap in a safe, dry location
- Live music, open mic nights, comedy, etc. at CCO Hall
Services:
- Directory of local skills and services (plumbing, electrical, carpentry, auto mechanic, etc.) and ‘chore’ workers. People willing to share their expertise
- Phone Tree for local emergencies
- ‘Silver Sneakers’ discount exercise program
- Funding for services that low-income seniors might need
- Home maintenance including gutter cleaning, roof maintenance, changing light bulbs, batteries and filters, chimney cleaning, etc.
- House cleaning service
- Monthly mobile Veterinary Clinic
- Forest and access management such as limbing driveway trees, cutting back shrubs around the house, mowing, creating and maintaining fire breaks, maintaining walkways, etc.
- Formalized ‘I’m here to help’ person who can shop, cook food, clean house, drive and be a companion
- Neighborhood emergency shelter/meeting house that could provide water, food and short term housing during disasters
- Procuring and stacking firewood
- Tax assistance
- Estate Planning
- Emergency funding at Firehouse and Church for food
- Assistance with downsizing, organizing and clearing out old stuff that’s no longer wanted
Useful information, meeting minutes and other documents will be available at our website GOComptche.com or GOComptche.org.
Our next meeting date is to be determined.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Lynne Mowry.
GOComptche 