Kerby Centre - Grey Matters 2015

Transcription

Kerby Centre
Senior Centre Odyssey Report
July 27, 2015
Background:
Kerby Centre is a large multipurpose seniors centre located in
Downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Due to a number of current and emerging challenges impacting the
Centre’s long-term sustainability at its existing location, the Kerby
Centre Board of Directors unanimously agreed to pursue an
ambitious relocation project to better serve Calgary’s older adult
population.
Kerby Centre’s new relocation initiative provides a unique
opportunity to challenge conventional thinking and study
innovative practices and facilities designed to improve outcomes
for older adults.
Purpose of the Odyssey:
The purpose of the Senior Centre Odyssey was to gather
intelligence on best practices to help inform and develop ideas for
the new Kerby Centre.
The Odyssey undertaking involved an assessment of other senior
centres and seniors-serving facilities (i.e. wellness centres and
community centres) with a focus on gathering insights to enhance
future Kerby Centre operations and facilities to better serve older
adults in the community.
Odyssey Overview:
In total, 14 different facilities were visited across North America.
Target facilities were identified through a combination of
references in previously obtained and commissioned best
practices reports, through online research, and through referrals
from Kerby’s professional network. Visited facilities included:
Targeted Centres
1. Evergreen Commons
Holland, MI
6. North Shore Senior Centre
Northfield, IL
11. Senior Centre Inc.
Charlottesville, VA
2. Fergus Falls Senior Citizens Program
Fergus Falls, MN
7. North Your Seniors Centre
Toronto, ON
12. The Summit
Grand Prairie, TX
3. Good Neighbours Active Living Centre
Winnipeg, MB
8. Rady Jewish Community Centre
Winnipeg, MB
13. Volen Centre
Boca Raton, FL
4. Levy Senior Centre
Evanston, IL
9. Reh-Fit Centre
Winnipeg, MB
14. Wellness Institute
Winnipeg, MB
5. Mayor William Beardall Senior Centre
Orlando, FL
10. SAGE
Edmonton, AB
Total Distance Travelled:
29,498 km or 18,329 miles
Scope of Odyssey Assessment
A standardized questionnaire was used to collect data in five
main areas:
Centre Profile Information
Operations
Financial
Facility/Location
Governance
Target Centres Profile Summary
Number of Years Active: Target centres visited ranged in their
number of years active from 5 yrs. – 96 yrs., representing a crosssection of well-established community institutions, as well as new
centres adopting best practices in facility design and programming.
Operating Budgets: Operating budgets for the targeted centres
ranged from $210,000 (USD) - $9 million (USD), representing
smaller community-focused centres to large multi-faceted agencies
serving a broad geographic area.
Number of Employees: The largest of the senior centres visited
employed 130 employees while the smallest employed 1.5 full
time equivalents.
Number of Volunteers: Although most target centres visited relied
heavily upon volunteer resources, there were a couple of
exceptions. Number of volunteers ranged from 8 – 700+.
Membership: A total of 13 of 14 centres operated with a formal
membership model in place (drop-ins allowed). Of those that
offered membership, membership fees ranged from US$20/yr. –
US$600/yr. (membership fee differences come with great variation
in benefits offered). Number of members ranged from 485 –
5,200.
Number of Locations: A total of 5 of 14 centres offered
programming from more than one location. Of those that
operated more than one facility Adult Day Programs were the most
popular program offered in another facility, followed by lifelong
learning, social services, and a shelter for abused seniors.
Largest Senior Centres by Main Facility Size:
Largest Senior Centres by Main Facility Size
1. Wellness Institute - 86,000 ft2
6. Volen Centre – 43,000 ft2
11. North York - 25,000 ft2
2. Reh-Fit - 80,000 ft2
7. North Shore – 40,000 ft2
12. Seniors Center Inc. – 21,000 ft2
3. Evergreen – 65,000 ft2
8. Good Neighbours – 28,000 ft2
13. SAGE – 20,000 ft2
4. The Summit – 60,000 ft2
9. Mayor William – 28,000 ft2
14. Fergus Falls – 15,000 ft2
5. Rady – 54,000 ft2
10. Levy – 26,000 ft2
This column represents centres that are comparable
or larger than the existing Kerby Centre at 56,000 ft2.
Largest Senior Centres by Operating Budget:
Largest Senior Centres by Operating Budget
1. Volen Centre - $9M
6. Evergreen - $3.2M
11. Mayor William - $375K
2. North Shore - $7.1M
7. SAGE - $2.35M
12. Good Neighbours - $315K
3. Wellness Institute - $7M
8. The Summit - $1.7M
13. Fergus Falls - $210K
4. Reh-Fit - $5M
9. Seniors Center Inc. - $1.2M
14. Rady - ?
5. North York - $3.5M
10. Levy - $1.2M
This column represents centres with comparable or
greater operating budgets than the existing Kerby
Centre at $4M.
Operational Highlights
Active Aging:
A recurring programming theme focused on providing a “Whole
Person” wellness model that focuses on the International Council on
Active Aging’s 7-Dimentions of Wellness:
Research has proven that the value
of a holistic approach to wellness,
recognizing that these dimensions
are interdependent and essential for
promoting health. The model moves
away from disease management and
towards proactive prevention
strategies to improve healthy and
active aging.
7-Dimentions of Active Aging Defined:
Emotional: The ability to cope with challenges and behaving in
trustworthy and respectful ways signal emotional wellness, which can be
encouraged through peer counseling, stress management,
humor/laughter and personal histories.
Intellectual/Cognitive: Engaging in creative pursuits and intellectually
stimulating activities is a proven approach to keeping minds alert and
interested. There are many ways to stay intellectually active, including
taking college courses, journaling, painting or joining a theater company,
and challenging oneself with games and puzzles.
Physical: The goal of living independently is one shared by many people,
and physical wellness is necessary to achieve this. Lifestyle choices that
can maintain or improve health and functional ability include engaging in
physical activity, choosing healthy foods with adequate nutrition, getting
adequate sleep, managing stress, limiting alcohol intake, not smoking,
making appointments for check-ups and following medical
recommendations.
Professional/Vocational: Work that utilizes a person’s skills while
providing personal satisfaction is valuable for society as well as the
individual. Participating in the paid and unpaid workforce means
maintaining or improving skills, and helping others. Older adults
contribute to society as experienced professionals, caregiver, mentors,
teachers and volunteers. Leisure-time vocations in the arts and through
hobbies maintain vocational skills.
Social: Social interactions with family, friends, neighbors and chosen peer
groups can be valuable for maintaining health. Personal contact by
joining clubs, traveling, visiting friends and family, engaging in
intergenerational experiences is beneficial.
Spiritual: Living with a meaning and purpose in life, guided by personal
values, is key to feelings of well-being and connection to the larger world.
Group and individual faith-based activities, personal meditation, mindful
exercise (yoga, tai chi) and experiencing nature can open create the
opportunity for spiritual growth.
Environmental: Surrounded by natural and man-made environments,
good stewardship means respecting resources by choosing “green”
processes that re-use and recycle goods. It also means looking at ways to
bring people into the natural environment and encourage active living
through urban and property designs emphasizing walking paths,
meditation and vegetable gardens and similar options.
Unique/Innovative Programming/Services and Tools:
The following programs/services and tools discovered at targeted
centres are not currently offered by Kerby Centre:
Case Management Services – A fee-based service helping older
adults and their families find targeted solutions to the challenges they
face. Professional staff conducts in-depth assessments, and provides
options for immediate needs, ongoing support or future care
planning.
Benefit Card Program – Provides
improved access to services to
seniors, community benefits, and
discounts at participating businesses.
Unique/Innovative Programming/Tools (Cont’d.):
Online Proposal Submission – Is a tool for instructors interested in
delivering new programs or services to centre participants. This
submission tool is an innovative mechanism that allows centre
administrators to evaluate proposals on a case-by-case basis for
strategic fit and mutual benefit.
Healthy Aging Resource Team – In partnership with a regional health
authority, in-home health consultations are conducted by a nurse and
occupational therapist to help those 55+ to live well.
Mobile Doctor Clinic – Delivering in-home service calls.
In-House Physician Consultation Room – For on-site medical
examinations.
Online Courses - Lifelong learning opportunities accessible from
home (e.g. art & music, digital photography, personal enrichment,
language, creative writing & publishing, computers, entrepreneurship
& business).
Transportation Services – Centre administered fleets are used to
door-to-door transportation services to seniors for medical/dental
appointments, shopping trips, and trips to the senior centre.
Seniors Work Placement Program – Experienced seniors can enroll in
a work placement program for a period of three years to find
employment in their community.
“Ask the Expert” – An online tool to submit queries and get up-to-
date, reliable answers for health and fitness questions.
Free Wi-Fi – Provision of free onsite wireless internet access.
Pet Therapy – To assist with physical and emotional wellness of older
adults.
Rehabilitation Programs – Clinic supporting recovery from cardiac,
pulmonary, joint disease, cancer, post-surgical conditions, etc.
Spa and Therapeutic Services – Includes services such as therapeutic
massage, reflexology, and esthetics clinic.
Certified Medical Fitness Facility – Features programming led by an
interdisciplinary team of professionals (i.e. physicians, nurses,
physiotherapists, dietitians, massage therapists, kinesiologists, etc.) to
safely and effectively assist people to develop, initiate, and maintain
an active lifestyle that minimizes the risk of illness and disease and
promotes health and wellness.
Adult Day Programs Focused on Individuals With Alzheimer's and
Dementia – A therapeutic evidence-based group program providing
social interaction, physical exercise, cognitive activities, and creative
arts therapies offered by specially trained staff. Alzheimer’s and
dementia based adult day programs also offer an important respite
service to caregivers.
Attracting Baby Boomers:
Targeted Senior Centres implemented the following strategies to
increase participation of Baby Boomers at their centres:
Appropriate marketing/branding (ageless marketing)
Games (bridge, mahjong, etc.)
Enhanced fitness programs and facilities
Offer holistic wellness programming
Provide higher-learning classes
Dance classes
Upgrade the facility (contemporary and modern)
Extended operating hours (evenings and weekends)
Build strong relationships with adult children (if parents have positive
experiences, children may participate too)
Attracting Baby Boomers (Cont’d.):
Use social media to increase organizational awareness
Develop volunteer opportunities that leverage Baby Boomer skillsets
Special events and entertainment geared towards Baby Boomers
Caregiver workshops
Organized travel opportunities
Pickleball and Golf
Some centres are not planning for the Baby Boomer demographic.
Reasons include:
Other higher-end options in the community that they are willing to
pay for.
The Baby Boomer demographic falls outside the scope of services.
Attracting Male Participants:
Females typically make up a large proportion of all senior centre
participants. In order to increase participation of male clients,
targeted centres have implemented the following strategies:
Peer-led discussion groups (e.g. current events, foreign affairs, history,
etc.)
Fitness room and personal trainers
Sports (pickleball, golf, baseball, basketball, fishing, etc.)
Men’s clubs
Woodworking shop
Singing/Choir
Adult day program
Attracting Male Participants (Cont’d.):
Leadership opportunities (board and committee participation)
Dating service
Having a liquor license
Games (bridge, cribbage, billiards, horseshoes, etc.)
Art classes
Bingo
Ballroom dance
Computer/technology room
Embracing Diversity at the Senior Centre:
Generally speaking, particularly in larger communities,
demographics are demonstrating increased diversity in older adult
population. Target senior centres are implementing the following
strategies to ensure an inclusive senior centre environment:
Language classes and chat groups
Staff diversity
Translation services
LGBT Groups/Clubs
Board diversity
Pricing eflective of all income groups
Cultural celebrations
Embracing Diversity at the Senior Centre (Cont’d.):
Multi-lingual marketing/promotional materials
Exercise (Tai Chi, Yoga, dance, etc. creates atmosphere for diversity)
Policy changes to reflect diversity of participants (e.g. dress code)
Facility rentals to religious/faith, cultural, and ethnic groups
Multicultural seniors outreach program serving isolated immigrant
and refugee seniors.
Outreach Programs/Services:
Targeted senior centres implemented the following strategies to
home-bound older adults to ensure access to important programs
and services:
Home delivered meals
Senior companion program
In-home medical consultations
Public service announcements
In-home care services (e.g. respite services, housecleaning, laundry,
shopping, errands, companionship, medication set-up, etc.)
Special events at subsidized housing complexes
Case management for home-bound seniors
Outreach Programs/Services (Cont’d.):
Yard work (e.g. snow shoveling, lawn mowing, raking, etc.)
Promotional booths at local malls (to increase centre visibility)
Linking senior resource councils to hospitals/clinics
Transportation services (to the centre, to appointments, shopping,
etc.)
Fee-for-service in-home personal training
Partnership with the local Better Business Bureau for pre-qualified
services for seniors (e.g. cleaning, carpentry, electrical, plumbing,
roofing, foot care, flooring, housekeeping, respite, snow removal,
transportation, window cleaning, yard maintenance, painting,
computer repairs, etc.)
Future Programs/Services:
Broad responses from targeted senior centres indicated that they
would like to offer the following programs and services at some
point in the future:
Weekend and evening programs to attract Baby Boomers
Providing social services at other locations in the community
Fitness on Demand
Online classes
Transportation services
New clubs
Lunch and learns with guest speakers
Computer technology classes
A centre ”App” for mobile devices
Future Programs/Services (Cont’d.):
Massage clinic
Physiotherapy clinic
Intergenerational programming
Expand pool programming
More programs/services for men (e.g. woodworking shop)
Fitness centre
Wellness centre providing holistic services (e.g. podiatrist, massage
therapist, audiologist, nurse, barber and hairdresser, etc.)
Partnership with post-secondary institution for higher-learning classes
“We need to pay more attention to member feedback, as members
are the creative resource for the centre”.
-- Good Neighbours Active Living Centre
Information Management:
Systems for Tracking User Information and Vital Statistics is critical
for measuring success and strategic planning. Targeted senior
centres have adopted the following tools to help manage their
information needs:
Most centres have adopted some kind of automated information
management system (i.e. 9 of 14 centres).
5 of 14 centres still use paper
registration/attendance forms.
Information Management (Cont.’d):
“My Seniors Centre” was the only information system adopted by
more than one senior centre (i.e. x2 centres).
Other Information systems used include:
RecTrac
Lumen’s (web-based system developed by Augusoft)
Gold Care (developed by Canesta)
Access Database
Custom-built solutions
CSI
Active Network Class System
Efforts to Outcome
All automated systems use fob and scanner technology to help track
user information.
Information Management (Cont.’d):
A number of centres expressed frustration over their difficulty finding
a system that met their entire agency needs. There are systems that
offer pieces but may not be comprehensive enough with respect to
agency requirements.
System costs were also highlighted as a challenge hindering adoption
of automated information management systems, particular if desired
information outcomes don’t align with system functionality.
Important/Impactful Strategic Partnerships:
Most partnerships identified were for the purpose of
expanding the delivery of programs and services to older
adults, such as:
Health and Wellness (i.e. information and service/care delivery)
Schools (i.e. intergenerational programming, internships, education and
research)
Social/Community Services (i.e. YMCA, Meals on Wheels, food banks, etc.)
Assisted Living Complexes (i.e. outreach programming)
Orchestras (i.e. entertainment and fundraising)
Grocery Stores (i.e. free/discounted food and supplies)
Local Transportation Services (i.e. discounted fares)
Legal services groups/organizations (i.e. pro-bono legal advice)
Other important partnerships focused on financial support, such
as:
United Way
Government
Business
Extended Operating Hours:
As a strategy to engage Baby Boomer participants and volunteers
(particularly those still in the workforce), most target centres have
adopted extended operating hours.
9 of 14 centres have extended operating hours into the evenings and
weekends.
The remaining 5 centres only extend operating hours for special
events.
Accreditation:
Many senior centres consider accreditation as a means to
communicate competency, authority or credibility through an
external party certification process. Of the 14 centres visited, 9 of
them obtained some type of accreditation through the following
accreditation bodies:
National Institute of Senior Centers (US)
Commission on Accredited Rehabilitation Facilities (International)
Medical Fitness Association (International)
Imagine Canada (Canada)
Accreditation Canada (Canada)
A number of centres have let their
accreditation lapse as a result of diminishing
value over time.
Accreditation (Cont’d.):
Although accreditation is praised for developing a foundation for
organizational robustness to assist with accountability, efficiency,
and funder credibility, a number of centres have let their
accreditations lapse as a result of diminishing value over time.
Certain centres seemed to rely less upon third party validation of
competency and credibility over the years as their brands and
reputation in the community become more established.
Cost/Benefit considerations are key to determining value of
accreditation as accreditation can be costly expense.
Financial Highlights
Revenue Sources:
Revenue sources sustaining the target centres visited are generally
secured through the following sources:
Government funding ranged from 0% - 100% of total centre revenue
Centre generated funds ranged from 0% - 75% of total centre revenue
Donation funds ranged from 0% - 24.5% of total centre revenue
Investment income ranged from 0% - 24% of total centre revenue
United Way/Foundation Grants income ranged from 0% - 15% of total
centre revenue
Contracted Services for Operations:
A number of target centres leverage off of the expertise of outside
resources for the provision of services, maintenance, and
administrative functions, such as:
Class Instructors
Maintenance
IT Services
Payroll Services
Personal Trainers
Food Services
Massage Therapy
Fitness Centre operated by local fitness business
Social Enterprise:
Some centres have introduced ways of creating internally
generated income through services to support agency bottom
lines. Examples of income generating services include:
Facility Rentals
In-Home Care Services / Home Delivered Meals
Fitness Centre
Personalized Case Management
Thrift Shop
Home Maintenance Program
Wellness Clinic
Social Enterprise (Cont’d.):
Restaurant/Café
Travel Office
Massage Therapy
Advertising sales for newsletters/directories/brochures
Top Program/Service Revenue Generators:
Target centres were asked to share which of their programs and
services were their top revenue generators. Responses are
summarized below:
Top Program/Service Revenue Generators By Centre
7
Number of Centres
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Program/Service Type
Measuring Community Impact:
In response to increased accountability and reporting requirements
from funding partners, quantifying community impacts is gaining
momentum as a method to demonstrate funds are having a
desired affect. When asked if community impacts have ever been
quantified, the following responses were communicated by the
target centres:
None of the centres visited have quantified their social impact to their
community via a Social Return on Investment study.
3 of 14 discussed regular client feedback
surveys focused on their satisfaction of
programs and services delivered.
2 of 14 have studied health impacts of their
programs and services.
Facility/Location Highlights
Facility Ownership:
When probed about ownership of their respective facilities, target
centres revealed the following:
5 of 14 centres retain ownership over their own facility.
5 of 14 centres reside in City-owned facilities.
1 of 14 centres resides in a County-owned facility.
1 of 14 centres resides in a Business-owned facility.
1 of 14 centres resides in a Hospital-owned facility.
Facility Age:
Facility ages ranged from 5 yrs to 94 yrs., with most (8 of 14
centres) operating in facilities 18 years old or less:
Facility Ages
1. Mayor William – 94 yrs.
6. Wellness Institute – 18 yrs.
11. Reh-Fit – 9 yrs.
2. Evergreen – 65 yrs.
7. Rady – 17 yrs.
12. Good Neighbours – 5 yrs.
3. SAGE – 62 yrs.
8. Seniors Center Inc. – 15 yrs.
13. The Summit – 5 yrs.
4. North York – 27 yrs.
9. North Shore – 14 yrs.
14. Fergus Falls – (? - older)
5. Volen Centre – 26 yrs.
10. Levy – 11 yrs.
Only one senior centre (i.e. Mayor William Beardall – 94 yrs.) was
older than the Kerby Centre (67 yrs.).
Desired Facility Changes to Better Accommodate Clients:
Proactive senior centres are always looking for ways to improve
themselves and to remain relevant to their clientele. When asked
what they would change to better meet the needs of older adults,
target centres revealed the following:
Facility Changes
• Barrier Free Considerations
• Satellite Spaces
• Additional Parking
• Bigger Kitchen
• Additional Programming Space
• Safety Communications System
• Larger Fitness Centre
• Medical Clinic
• Warm Water Therapy Pool
• Improved Circulation and Wayfinding
• Larger Auditorium
• Rooftop Garden
• Canopied Front Entrance
• More Classrooms
Planned Renovations or Capital Projects:
When asked who is investing capital funds into their facilities,
target centres communicated the following:
5 of 14 centres have no plans for new capital projects (some
constrained by the capital priorities of external facility owners).
3 of 14 centres are planning expansion projects.
3 of 14 are undertaking capital replacement projects.
2 of 14 did not respond.
1 of 14 is planning a new centre (i.e. Seniors Center Inc.).
Facility Advantages/Disadvantages:
When asked which components of their senior centre
facility/location work well and don’t work well, target centres
communicated the following.
Facility Advantages
• Excellent Vehicle Access
• Integration in a Nice/Safe Community
• Excellent Public Transit
• Park-Like Setting
• Centrally Located
• Located Near Other Amenities
• Located Near a High Population of
Seniors
• Good Visibility
Facility Advantages/Disadvantages (Cont’d.):
Facility Disadvantages
• Parking Limitations/Conflicts
• High-Priced Lease
• Poor Accessibility for Seniors
• Negative Neighbourhood issues
• Poor Visibility
Retail/Office Space Leasing:
As a means of exploring strategic leasing opportunities in a new
Kerby Centre, target centres were asked if and who they lease
space to at their centres. The following responses were received:
Retail/Office Space Leases in Target Centre Facilities
8
Number of Centres
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
No Leased
Space
No Answer
Hospital
Child Daycare
Leasing Parties
Café
Commercial
Business
Affiliations With Seniors Housing:
Target centres were asked if they had any formal affiliations to
deliver programming for older adults in seniors housing complexes.
Responses included the following:
8 of 14 centres have no formal affiliation with seniors housing
3 of 14 centres have outreach arrangements with seniors housing
3 of 14 centres did not respond
Most Frequently Used Methods of Transportation:
Excellent transportation to senior centres is a fundamental
consideration to ensure accessibility to programs and services.
Target centres suggested that the most popular means of
transportation to their facilities include:
11 of 14 centres – cars are primarily used
2 of 14 centres – public transit is primarily used
1 of 14 centres – handi-bus is primarily used
Provision of Centre-Run Transportation Services:
As an alternative to traditional means of transportation, target
centres were asked if they provided centre-administered
transportation services to older adults. Organizations submitted
the following responses:
7 of 14 centres offer no centre-run transportation service
3 of 14 centres offer centre-run transportation services
3 of 14 centres leverage external services specific for seniors/disabled
1 of 14 centres rents buses on an as-needed-basis for outings
Current Parking Needs:
Since the car was the most frequently used means of
transportation accessing the vast amount of target centres, these
centres were asked how many dedicated parking stalls they
provide to their facility users. Responses are summarized below:
Dedicated parking stalls ranged from 0 – 350 stalls
7 of 14 centres have over 200 stalls
Governance Highlights
Board Size:
Board size is an important consideration to ensure effective
governance. Insight into target centre Board sizes yielded the
following findings:
Of those centres that had Boards (1 did not), the number of members
ranged from 9 – 36 members
5 of 13 centres had a 12 member Board (most popular size)
Frequency of Board Meetings:
Board meeting frequency yielded the following responses from
target centres:
4 of 13 centres held meetings once a month
4 of 13 centres held meetings 7-10 times a year.
3 of 13 centres held meetings 6 or fewer times a year
2 of 13 centres did not respond
Board Eligibility Requirements:
Understanding eligibility requirements provides a snapshot into an
organization’s Board member selection strategies. Target centres
offered the following details regarding their respective eligibility
requirements:
Levy: Board must consist of 2 Levy Family Life Members, 3 community
members, and 7 Levy Senior Center members.
North Shore: Every Board Member must contribute $2,500 of their
own money and solicit a matching contribution of $2,500. Each
member must sit on at least one Committee. Board Development
Committee seeks out professionals, community leaders and socialites
for their Board.
Evergreen: US Citizen.
North York: Must be at least 18 yrs. old, not bankrupt and supports
the mission of the agency. A skills inventory is utilized to ensure the
right diversity of skill sets is represented on the board.
Good Neighbours: Need to be 55+, can have those under the age of
55 but they cannot vote. Skills inventory is used for Board and
committee positions.
Fergus Falls: Must be a member.
Volen: None really – Current board is mixed with older adults and
professionals.
Mayor William: City of Orlando resident and able to attend monthly
meetings.
Seniors Centre Inc.: Majority must be dues-paying members.
Wellness Institute: Open/general.
RJCC: Volunteers from the community who are also members of the
RJCC.
Reh-Fit: One appointment from the St. Boniface Hospital. Business,
professional, and/or managerial experience is highly desirable,
particularly in finance, marketing, communications, law, human
resources, strategic planning, fund development, governance, and/or
community relations. Board members must be prepared to contribute
financially to the work of the organization, find individuals who are
willing to contribute, and attend Centre events. Board members are
also expected to serve on at least one committee of the Board.
The Summit: Mayor and council members appoint one member each.
Other members must be local residents.
SAGE: All board members must be a member of SAGE; however, ages
can vary. SAGE recruits board members based on their needs and the
individual’s skill set.
Key Odyssey Study Observations
Operational Observations:
The “Active Aging” concept supported by the International Council
on Active Aging’s 7-Dimentions of Wellness model directly aligns
with Kerby Centre’s mission “To assist older people to live as well as
possible for as long as possible as residents of the community”.
Assessing and filling gaps in programing focused on proactive
strategies to improve healthy aging within each dimension of
wellness may be a useful approach when visioning for a new
facility.
Unique and innovative programming described by the target
centres offer a glimpse into a number of value-added options to
further serve older adults. Additional exploration into these
programs may result in feasible ideas for the Calgary market.
Operational Observations (Cont’d.):
Strategies to increase the participation rates of Baby Boomers is
critical to ensure Kerby Centre is relevant to the new wave of older
adults. Appropriate marketing/use of social media, relevant
programming/volunteer opportunities, contemporary/modern
facilities, and extended operating hours are important
considerations for Kerby Centre’s future planning.
As females make up a disproportionately large component of Kerby
Centre users, putting more emphasis on programs and services
that attract male clientele is important to balance out the ratios
and increase over participation at the centre. Appropriate
intellectual/leadership, fitness/sports, hobbies/clubs, games, and
arts/crafts have worked particularly well for other centres.
To ensure Kerby Centre is viewed as being inclusive to all
demographics of the older adult population, incorporating
strategies to embrace our diverse population is essential. Target
centres suggest that language-related classes/services/marketing is
particularly helpful. Moreover, establishing a diverse staff and
Board will reflect well in the community. Embracing cultural
celebrations and accommodating religious/faith-based gatherings
is also important. Facilitating outreach programs to reach isolated
immigrant/refugee seniors is also a novel approach to improve
outcomes to new Canadians.
When focusing on how to improve the way we serve home-bound
seniors, target centres put strong emphasis on care services,
nutritional services, socialization services, maintenance assistance,
and transportation services.
When considering the creation of new programs and services, a
powerful statement stressed the importance of engaging
members, as they are the creative resource for the centre.
Implementation of an information management system is a critical
tracking, reporting, and strategic planning resource. Therefore, it is
not a surprise that most target centres have adopted some type of
automated system. However, challenges still persists with respect
to applicability and cost. Kerby should invest time carefully seeking
out a robust system that is a fit organizationally and financially.
Partnerships identified by target centres were primarily identified
for the purposes of expanding the delivery of programs and
services. Target centres found value in partnerships that enhanced
health and wellness, educational, social/community,
entertainment, transportation, legal, and food services.
Most target centres subscribe to the process of accreditation.
Accreditation provides benefits such as continuous organizational
improvement, legitimizes the agency, and attracts
funding/recognition. More established centres have indicated that
there have been diminished returns for the cost, as they became
adept at running their organizations and have built a sound
reputation for their work in their communities. Nevertheless,
there appears to be weight behind accreditation and Kerby Centre
may benefit from this approach.
Financial Observations:
Generally speaking, target centres’ revenues come from five
primary sources including government, centre-generated funds,
donations, investment income, and United Way/foundation grants.
This is consistent with Kerby Centre’s funding sources, although
proportions from each may vary with other centres.
Leveraging the expertise of contracted resources for operational
needs is not an uncommon practice for targeted centres.
Contracted resources are primarily relied upon for the delivery of
services (i.e. class instruction), maintenance, and administrative
functions (i.e. IT and payroll services).
Financial Observations (Cont’d.):
Social enterprise is an approach taken by organizations to diversify
their revenue streams and supporting their bottom lines. Target
centres have adopted a variety of approaches to generate
additional centre-generated funds led by facility rentals, in-home
care services/home delivered meals, fitness centre memberships,
and personalized case management in terms of popularity across
the centres.
Top program/service revenue generators for the target centres
were led by fitness, facility rentals, and health/wellness programs
and services.
Financial Observations (Cont’d.):
The concept of measuring an organization’s social return on
investment (“SROI”) appears to be a concept yet to be adopted by
the target senior centres. A minority of these centres could claim
they performed any kind of assessment of program/service
impacts. These assessments were restricted to client
feedback/satisfaction surveys and health impacts.
Facility/Location Observations:
The majority of the target centres resided in facilities owned by
another party including government, business, and a hospital.
Government-owned facilities are the most prevalent external
ownership stakeholder. Only 5 of 14 centres retained ownership
over their own facility.
The facility ages of the target centres revealed a diverse range of
new and old facilities, underscoring how optimal facility design has
changed for seniors over the years. From a purely subjective
standpoint, the most impressively designed facilities include The
Summit, the Wellness Institute, and the Reh-Fit Centre.
Facility/Location Observations (Cont’d.):
In terms of desired facility changes to better accommodate clients,
barrier-free considerations, additional parking, expanded
programming space, and larger fitness facilities are the most
commonly referred ways targeted centres would improve their
facilities for use by their clients.
Interestingly, half of the targeted centres were planning some kind
of capital investment into their facilities, including expansion
projects, capital replacement projects, as well as the development
of an entirely new senior centre (i.e. Senior Centre Inc.).
In terms of facility advantages, targeted centres cited excellent
access, optimal location, and great visibility as their leading
responses.
In terms of facility disadvantages, targeted centres cited parking
limitations, poor accessibility, poor visibility, undesirable
neighbourhood location, and a high-priced lease as primary
concerns.
The majority of targeted centres did not provide office/retail
leases. This might suggest that leasing space may not be a
common practice among senior centres. Due to the small sample
size, however, this observation should be interpreted with caution.
Although only 3 of 14 centres had any formal affiliation to deliver
programming to older adults in seniors housing complexes, there
may be some merit to better understanding these models as Kerby
Centre studies a distributed model for the delivery of its programs
and services.
The vast majority of targeted centres claim the car is the primary
method of transportation to their centre, followed by public transit
and handi-bus. The reliance on the vehicle to access senior centre
facilities is consistent with Kerby Centre’s primary method of
transportation, which will have implications on parking
requirements at a new facility.
A total of 3 targeted centres offered centre-run transportations
services to seniors. This alternative to traditional means of
transportation may be particularly helpful reaching isolated seniors
or seniors that are unable or uncomfortable taking other means of
transportation. The service can help them reach the centre, or
even take them to appointments, shopping, etc. Charging a fee is
not uncommon for this type of service.
Over half of the targeted centres have more dedicated parking
stalls than Kerby Centre’s 144 stalls, however, only four of those
centres operate larger facilities than Kerby Centre. Kerby Centre
needs to undertake a thorough and more current transportation
study to better understand its transportation method ratios and
their projected impacts on a new facility.
Governance Observations:
The most commonly cited size of a governance Board was 12
people, suggesting this is a more effective size board to meet
the needs of their centre.
Most targeted centre boards meet at least seven times a year,
suggesting that meeting on most months throughout the year
allows centre Boards to maintain effective control over
organizational activities.
Governance Observations (Cont’d.):
Common themes arising from target centre board eligibility
requirements include:
Must be a member of the organization
Must align with the board’s skills inventory requirements
Must be prepared to make a financial commitment to the centre
Must sit on at least one committee
Some age-restriction requirements
Final thoughts
Defining ‘Senior Centre’ is pivotal to identifying what
needs to be created and who will fund it.
Defining ‘Activity Centre’ is also important so that the
expectation from the older adults is clear.
Being physically present at these Centres’ was
tremendously helpful to get the ‘true’ feel of the
organization. Just looking at websites showed that a
well presented website does not necessarily mean it is
a vibrant senior centre
The Odyssey project challenged our planning to date,
and will help ensure that the final plans are truly the
best-outcome for older adults for many years to come!
Special thanks to Brandon Powell, Director of
Relocation for Kerby
Special thanks to all the organizations that allowed us
to take some of their valuable time to help with our
project
And, thanks for all of you for attending this workshop
to hear what I learned. It was a pleasure to bring this
information to you and I welcome the opportunity to
answer questions now, or when you have some time!
Phone: 403-705-3251
Email: luannew@kerbycentre.com

Kerby Centre - Grey Matters 2015

Transcription

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