SeniorsTransitionSubCommittee RecommendationReport PresentedtoMayorBrownonAugust8,2011 Recommendations 1. ConsiderSeniorsinEveryDecision:Asanoverallrecommendation,theCommitteefelt theMayorandhisstaffshouldconsiderservicestoseniorsonalargerscalethanany particularagencyorarmofCitygovernment.Theyshouldconsidertheeffectonsenior qualityoflifeinalldecisionstakenbytheCity,includingtransportation,housing, employment,downtownrevitalization,pedestriansafetyandotherareas.Seniors shouldalsobeconsideredasaresourceandnotjustasapopulationwithspecialneeds.

s. ResponsibleOrganization: MayorsOffice BudgetaryImpact: Indeterminate Timeline: Immediate 2. ElevatetheImportanceofSeniorIssues:TheAdultServicesDivisionoftheRecreation andCommunityServicesDepartmentistheprimaryagencyofCitygovernmentcharged withprovidingactivitiesandprogramsforJacksonvillesseniorpopulation.Witha budgetofjustover$7million,theDivisionhas95fulltimeand10parttimeemployees. Itoperates19seniorcenterswhichclasses,fitnessprogramsandrecreational opportunities,andservesmorethan300,000nutritiousmealsperyear.Italsooffers respitecare,coordinatesvolunteeractivities,andsupportstheCouncilonElderAffairs. Generally,servicesareavailabletoresidentsaged60orolder. ThegroupfeltstronglythattheheadoftheDivisionshouldreportdirectlytothe MayorsOfficethroughtheChiefAdministrativeOfficer.Thiswouldelevatethe importanceofseniorissues,andensurethattherewasastrongadvocateforseniorsin theroomwhendecisionsaremade. ResponsibleOrganization: MayorsOffice BudgetaryImpact: Minimal Timeline: ShortTerm

3. ImmediateOrganizationalChanges:Intheshortterm,theAdministrationSub CommitteerecommendedtwootherchangestotheorganizationoftheAdultServices Division.First,inordertoimproveefficiencyandaccountability,allofthecustodial positionsshouldbeconsolidatedunderasinglesupervisor.Second,responsibilityfor planningandconductingdedicatedeventsaimedattheseniorpopulationshouldbe movedbacktotheAdultServicesDivision,alongwiththerequiredstaff.Thischange wouldimproveresponsivenessandcoordination,andmakesurethattheeventsare relevanttotheneedsofseniors.Finally,therearecurrentlyatleastfivevacantstaff positionsintheDivisionwhichshouldbefilledimmediately. ResponsibleOrganization: AdultServicesDivision BudgetaryImpact: Minimal Timeline: ShortTerm 4. DevelopanintegratedcommunicationscampaignwithaCommunicationsCoordinator toimplementit:SeniorsinJacksonvillefaceafragmentedlandscapeofservices designedtoimprovetheirqualityoflife,withinformationthatisusuallyadequate,but nothighlyvisible.ThereisalimitedsenseoftheElderCommunityinactivities, opportunitiesandlifestyles. TheCityneedstoexpanditseffortstocommunicatewithseniors,usingprovenmethods aswellasnewtechnology.TheSeniorGuidewascitedasagoodpublication,butnot enoughcopiesareproduced.ThemonthlyVintageGrapevinenewsletterwas discontinuedforbudgetaryreasons.Atthesametime,theCitycanhelpseniorstake advantageofnewtechnology,byexpandingthelowcostcellphoneprogramand effortstotrainseniorsinnewcommunicationstechnologylikesocialnetworks. Finally,thereareareaswheretheCityoranotheragencyprovidesservices,butmany seniorsarenotawareorhavetroublefindingthespecificinformationtheyneed.For exampletheCityorJTAcoulddevelopatransportationinformationcenter,whichwould helpseniorsfigureouthowtotakeadvantageofexistingprogramslikeJTAConnection andtheCommunityShuttle.Asanotherexample,theFireDepartmenthasaprogram offeringfreesmokedetectorstoseniors,butmanypeoplearenotawareofit. ThereshouldbeanAssistantDirectorofCommunicationsresponsibleforimplementing theCommunicationsPlan,whowouldreportdirectlytotheDirectorofAdultServices. ResponsibleOrganization: AdultServicesDivision

BudgetaryImpact: Indeterminate Timeline: ShortTerm 5. StrategicallyEvaluateCurrentOrganizationandServices:Athoroughstudyshouldbe conductedtostrategicallyevaluatethecurrentstructureoftheAdultServicesDivision. TheDivisionmusthaveclearlinesofauthorityandresponsibility,whichthecurrent organizationalchartdoesnotprovide. TheCommitteerecommendstheattachedorganizationalchart.Therewouldbethree Sections,onewithoverallresponsibilityforseniorcenters,oneforprograms,andone administrativeledbyaFiscalOfficer.ThereshouldbeanAssistantDirectorof CommunicationswhowouldreportdirectlytotheDirectorofAdultServices.A VolunteerCoordinatorwouldensurethattheDivisioncanattract,retainandtake advantageoftheeffortsofhighqualityvolunteers. Thisstudyshouldalsoreevaluateallfunctionstoconsiderwhetheroutsourcingis appropriateornot.Forexample,thereshouldbeananalysisdoneonwhethertheCity shouldcontinuetocontractforcongregatemealsorpreparethemealsitself.Thestudy shouldincorporatepollingofseniorclientsandpotentialclientsinitsmethodology. ResponsibleOrganization: AdultServicesDivision BudgetaryImpact: Indeterminate Timeline: MediumTerm 6. HelpEverySeniorFeelSafeinHisorHerHome:Improvedcommunicationfromthe City,PoliceandFireDepartmentscouldhelpseniorstakeadvantageofexisting programs(likethefreesmokedetectorprogrammentionedabove).Inareaswhere manyseniorslive,infrastructureupgradesmaybeneeded,suchasadditionalstreet lightingorcrosswalksthatgiveincreasedtimetocross.Finally,theCityshouldconsider aprogramtoprovideemergencycallbuttonstoseniorswhoreachacertainage. ResponsibleOrganizations: AdultServicesDivision,PublicWorksDepartment, JacksonvilleFire&RescueDepartment,JacksonvilleSheriffsOffice BudgetaryImpact: Indeterminate Timeline: MediumTerm 7. EncourageNewDevelopmenttoIncludeAginginPlaceOptions,Especiallyinthe DowntownCore:Jacksonvillemustpositionitselftoofferqualityaginginplace

optionstoseniorsandmakeadeterminedlongtermstrategicefforttoattractseniors tothephysicalandmedicalassetsofourcity,andespeciallyintotheDowntownCore. TheCityshouldprovideincentivesfornewdevelopmentsthatincludeseniorliving facilitieswithservicesandamenities.AllresidentialdevelopmentintheDowntown Coreshouldincludeaginginplaceconsiderationstoallowunitstobeconvertedfor independentorassistingliving. ResponsibleOrganization: Planning&DevelopmentDepartment,Housing& NeighborhoodsDepartment BudgetaryImpact: Indeterminate Timeline: MediumTerm 8. CreateandMaintainaVolunteerCorpsthatacceleratesJacksonvilletotheTopTierof LivableCities:Changingdemographicsandincreasesinlifeexpectancywillgive JacksonvilleandtheFirstCoastanenormouspotentialvolunteerpool,withretirees increasinghaving30to40yearsofactiveandcreativelifetosupporttakingJacksonville tothenextlevel.Tosuccessfullyutilizethisresourcewillrequirethedevelopmentand expansionofaSeniorVolunteerCorpssimilartothedevelopmentofthePeaceCorpsin the1960s. Theorganizationcouldbebasedonthecampusesofmajoruniversitiesandcolleges withinJacksonvilleaspartofthecontinuingeducationdivisions.Itwouldreportdirectly tothenewCzarofEducationtobeappointedbyMayorElectBrown. TheSeniorVolunteerCorpsmusthavealifelonglearningcomponenttohelpvolunteers keepupwiththeknowledgetheyneedforthejobtheyarechoosingtoperform.Means ofcommunicatingwithvolunteers,includinguseoftheinternetandsocialmedia,is anothernecessaryinfrastructurecomponent.Developmentofawellnessprogramto helpmaintainthehealthofvolunteerswouldbeoptimal.Agrantandcontract developmentofficeshouldbecreatedtotakeadvantageoflocal,stateandfederal fundingsources.Finally,aseniorvolunteerrewardsprogramshouldbedevelopedto encourageandrewardvolunteers.Itcouldbebuiltalongtheconceptofafrequentflier program,offeringdiscountsandrewardstoparticipants. ResponsibleOrganization: NewAgencyorOrganization BudgetaryImpact: Indeterminate Timeline: LongTerm