Senior Advisory Commission Special Meeting – December 4, 2024
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Senior Advisory Commission Special Meeting – December 4, 2024
The Napa Senior Advisory Commission (SAC) held a special meeting on December 4, 2024, at 2:00 PM in the City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting featured presentations from two community service providers, administrative reports on senior center operations and a community survey, and approval of the 2025 meeting calendar. Commissioners discussed outreach strategies to better engage local seniors and shared concerns about program accessibility and communication.
Consent Calendar
- The minutes of the Regular Meeting of October 2, 2024, were approved unanimously by voice vote with no abstentions.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public addressed the Commission during the public comment period.
Presentations
Healthy Minds, Healthy Aging (Mentis) – Alma Perez, Community Outreach Coordinator
- Mentis provides mental health services across all age groups, with a dedicated older adult program (Healthy Minds, Healthy Aging). Current offerings at the Senior Center include a weekly wellness support group (12–17 participants, two-hour sessions), art activities, movement, and breathing exercises. One-on-one therapy is available; in the past year, 71 individuals received therapy, and 80% of clients showed improvement in depression scores. Over 1,000 older adults were reached through programs and outreach. A new "Senior Ambassadors" pilot program trains older adults to be mental health advocates. All programs are free and open to the public. The Commission expressed strong support and gratitude for the services, emphasizing the importance of mental health for seniors. Commissioners asked about program accessibility and referral processes.
- Note: Perez’s contact information is available at the Senior Center front desk.
Napa Valley Photographic Society (Camera Club) – Gary Sampson (Treasurer) and Mitchell Glotzer (Program Chair)
- Founded in 1998, the club has about 45 members, most over 50. They meet monthly (fourth Monday, 7–9 PM) at the Senior Center. Activities include speaker presentations, photo critiques, field trips, and exhibitions. Current exhibit at iDoctors (through January); previous exhibits at Jessel Gallery, CIA Copia, library, and Napa Valley Museum. Members have placed photography displays at the Senior Center, rotating every 6–8 weeks. The club welcomes guests and is seeking more exhibition spaces. Commissioners discussed the value of photography for mental health and the need for outreach to seniors who use iPhones. The club expressed interest in volunteering at senior events. The Commission thanked them for their contributions.
Administrative Reports
Senior Center Program Update (Linda)
- The Senior Center is in the middle of the holiday season: Halloween lunch served 50, Thanksgiving lunch 66, and the upcoming Holiday Luncheon on December 12 is expected to serve 75. The parking lot paving project is nearly complete; thermoplastic striping, bollards, and signage will be installed. New programs for the 2025 Winter/Spring catalog include: gentle stretching, "Café y Plática" (coffee chat), a series on fall prevention (January–April), public art tour, tapestry weaving, and "cardio ball drumming" (a new exercise class). The Commission praised the parking lot improvements and emphasized the importance of attending holiday events to connect with seniors.
- Note: The Senior Center is seeking a Tai Chi instructor after the previous instructor retired.
Senior Center Survey – Part 2 (Katrina)
- Following an initial survey in 2023 of current users, Part 2 is designed to reach seniors who do not currently attend the Senior Center. The goal is to identify barriers (transportation, awareness, cost, etc.) and gather input on desired programs. The draft survey questions were reviewed; a Spanish version will be created. Outreach methods discussed: city newsletters, targeted social media ads (age‑filtered), links via faith communities (Interfaith Council), distribution through senior housing and utility bills (QR code or short link). Commissioner Liz Marks suggested adding a question about social media usage. The Commission encouraged using existing networks (regional partners, churches) to maximize reach. Next steps: finalize questions and launch the survey.
2025 Meeting Calendar
- The proposed 2025 meeting schedule (every other month) was presented. The October date was adjusted to the second Wednesday. The Commission approved the calendar by voice vote with no opposition.
Commissioners' Comments
- Commissioners discussed the challenge of promoting the Senior Center’s activities. While the Parks and Recreation Department manages Facebook and Instagram accounts, there is no separate Senior Center social media page. Commissioners suggested creating a dedicated website or improving discoverability. They also emphasized the value of word‑of‑mouth through personal networks and faith communities. The Chair encouraged all commissioners to visit the Senior Center and participate in events.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Meeting minutes of October 2, 2024.
- Approved: 2025 meeting calendar.
- Next steps: Finalize and launch the Senior Center Survey Part 2; distribute via multiple channels.
- Action item: Chair to contact Jay Lang (Interfaith Council) to disseminate survey links.
- Action item: Senior Center to continue seeking a Tai Chi instructor.
- Action item: Commissioners to consider personal outreach to promote the Senior Center.
Meeting Transcript
I've never sat at this one. So welcome everyone to the senior advisory commission meeting for uh December. Um and I'm gonna take a minute and before we uh as we call the meeting to order. Um I was not here at the last meeting, so um I'm gonna ask Liz if you would give us a little bit. You probably gave everybody your little short background the last meeting, if that's okay. Um like me to do it again. I would like you to do it ever so briefly for me if you don't mind. Okay, and and that may be unfair, but we're so glad you're here. Thank you. Yeah, I've been to a couple meetings now. I'm really excited to be on the commission. Um, care deeply about seniors, but my background is in fundraising development. Um the last eight and a half years at Mentis, um, where we had some wonderful older adult programs uh providing services mental health services for older um older adults. So yeah, terrific. All right, thank you, and thank you for being here, and thank you for being a part of this really important commission. Um, I'm gonna have Elijah call the role. Elsa I can't hear I'm remembering I'm deaf, so Elson here. Holland here, Wolf. Here Roxton here, Marks here. Thank you. Lovely. Um I hope everybody's had time to review the agenda and the terrific reports that are attached. Um I hope everybody's read the minutes from the last meeting. Are is are there any additions or corrections to the minutes from the October 2nd meeting? Um I hear a motion that we approve the minutes as recorded. I'm approved. Any objections? Any abstentions? The minutes are approved. Thank you. And today we're excited to have two presentations. Um from a senior service provider, the regional community partner presentation by Alma Perez, who's the community outreach coordinator with Mentus and Healthy Minds, Healthy Built Health Health Healthy Minds, Healthy Aging. I'm obviously not aging well here. Um, can I ask you to make your presentation from there if that's possible? Thank you so much for being here with us today. Oh, she can do oh what is that new? Yeah. Oh my god. I don't present where I'm gonna do it. See you gone. Um you missed one meeting, you know that they changed the whole um move the chairs around for you. It keeps us on our toes, which is part of what we do with Healthy Minds Healthy Aging. So hi. Uh thank you for um allowing me to be here today. Um, like I said, my name is Alma. I am the outreach coordinator um with Mentis, and I specifically work with the older adults program. So Healthy Minds, Healthy Aging. Um, I know that the PowerPoints behind you. No, we can see it right there. Perfect.
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