Seniors, mental health clients to share building in S. Tahoe
By Kathryn Reed
Seniors and some mental health patients are likely going to share the same building this spring in South Lake Tahoe. This co-mingling of usually different populations has some people concerned.
Erik Olsen, one of the seniors who spoke against the proposal on Thursday, told Lake Tahoe News seniors should have their own place to socialize and that’s it is not up to him to find a solution, it’s government’s problem.
Community Development Director Stan Sherer explains to seniors Jan. 5 how the city and county need to save money, pointing to how a year ago the city’s rec staff had seven employees and now it has one. Photo/Kathryn Reed
The problem governments have – specifically the city of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County – is the lack of money to keep operating as they have been. That is why they are consolidating resources. In this case the main resource is a building.
The county owns the senior center building, while the city runs the programs for the seniors. With the county no longer able to pay to lease some of the buildings it has been within the city limits that it uses to serve Lake Tahoe Basin residents, it is moving some operations to the county-owned senior building to lessen its financial burden.
Closing the county office at 1900 Lake Tahoe Blvd. and other changes is a savings of about $190,000 a year for the county.
The county operating out of the senior center means the city has help with utility and maintenance costs. It also will allow an “official” to be on site at all hours when the building is open.
The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to discuss and vote on the changes at the Jan. 24 meeting. The City Council is likely to take up the issue Feb. 7.
Olsen, who is a former national president of AARP, questions how the center can change what it is used for when some of the funding to upgrade the facility was from the Older Americans Act and other grants.
George Regan thinks mental health should look at using the library’s reading room.
City and county officials have been meeting with seniors for months. The latest gathering was Jan. 5 with Community Development Director Stan Sherer explaining the city’s point-of-view and answering questions. The week before it was Supervisor Norma Santiago addressing the lunch crowd.
“This is purely a fiscal crisis we are trying to address in our community,” Sherer said Thursday. “Change is difficult. We didn’t do this on a whim.”
The main change is the county will take over the room being used for senior exercise classes for one-on-one sessions with mental health clients. The room has a separate entrance so the newcomers don’t have to access the main senior center.
Sherer reiterated services for seniors are not being cut. Figuring out a solution to keep the exercise classes going is still being worked out.
The proposal is mental health workers will be in that room Monday-Thursday, 1-4pm.
Ann Snyder, a senior, has been acting as a liaison to get information to seniors. She addressed her peers first.
“The clientele is characterized as functional,” Snyder said of the mental health patients who will have sessions at the senior center. “The clients will mostly be bused to the center so it will not impact parking.”
Sherer also said employees will be parking at the recreation center and more disabled parking will be marked at the senior center to help with congestion.
Also sharing the site will be the county Veterans Administration. These people will use the Annex Meeting Room, which is to the left of the dining area. This should mean expanded services for veterans on the South Shore.
Changes could happen in February, but March is a more likely scenario.
Time to consolidate ALL city and county services.
I agree with “Concerned.” This type of consolidation is necessary. The senior center is under utilized and why not share the space? Because it has a separate entrance, this should be do-able.
I think it’s a good idea. It’s a convenient, centralized location too. I’ve only been to the senior center for my annual flu shot, but it never looks overly crowded. I suspect that by using this particular group share, someone was trying to purposely frighten people and ruffle feathers in hopes of a funding increase, but it shouldn’t work. They won’t be using the same space at the same time. Come on Seniors. You need to share.
This co-mingling of these disparate populations has me very concerned. In my opinion this could be a very potential dangerous outcome.
I hope the planners have not forgotten that the AARP/TaxAide Program operates out of the Annex meeting room, 3 days a week from Feb. to mid-April. This is a very important program for seniors and low-income people in our community.
Hmmmmm. comingling tax-preparers, seniors, low income people and mental health clients. Sounds like a joke in the making to me!
How dangerous it might be, well, I suspect that all of those elements walk the town together, if not each and every family.
Just saying..The City and County should be held liable if things go wrong!
Horsehockey, David. Why is it up to the city and county to protect people from reality? Unless you want to live in your own little room and never venture out into the world, you will come across “dangerous” people. Who is “liable”? Who ya gonna sue?
Seniors, settle down, whoever stirred you up are the ones you need to be protected from. Mentally ill are living right next door to each of us, the are the depressed and lonely, the sick and weary, those with and without family, they are your neighbors and your friends. Mentally ill is term unfortunately branded by a few who jump off the deep end, but just as that is the rare outcome so too is the rare senior that snaps, or the young person who does the same.
Can we not give anything in this town a chance before we decide there are horrible consequences before we even know what we’re talking about ? We live here, we know who our neighbors are yet we villify so quickly, we label as unwanted, scary or bad anyone who is may disturb one blade of grass on our lawn, or ask for a hand of help, before we realize it is our friend.
Mr. Kelly, may I remind you, many have said the same about your organization – not in my backyard. The bemoaning the building of the facility on Emerald Lake Road, don’t bring “those” people here. The anger at why seniors have been provided so much assistance and housing when others have not.
Before we jump to pointing fingers at just who is unwanted, we best look behind us and see who is already pointing at us. The sick, weak and weary of life who we call the call mentally ill and fading, are often ready to walk into heaven by their own hand and need a compassionate hand asking them to sit awhile.
Seniors have the gift of wisdom that comes with age, they have experience of life and pain, they understand rejection and loss, some have overcome all of that and are perfect host to welcome others and share life. Other seniors themselves need as much as those you are labeling as lost.
A humble attitude, gentle spirit and welcoming hand will travel much farther than the attitudes seen here. Try being the welcoming group you ask all of us to be for you.
Bravo, Red Dog.
Very well said Red Dog! My first reading of Kae’s article about seniors and the the mental health patients sharing the same building made me think that this is not such a good idea. But after reading your comment I gave it some thought and changed my mind. It’s worth a try and it may work out just fine. Thanks for opening my eyes.
Thats one of the the things I like about LTN.I may not agree with some of the comments by some folks here on a variety of topics but it does expose me to differing views. Now if only I could change Pubworks view of liberals, California and So. Shore( LOL…like that will ever happen!)Just joking pubworks!
Take care, Old Long Skiis
Oh, Red Dog, you’ve said it so beautifully! Thank you. I ditto everything you’ve said.
Red Dog,
I applaud your compassion, understanding of the human condition, and eloquence. Congratulations on being what I consider a superb human being.
I agree with all you said as our group always has but I do hope they are looking at all avenues.
Hi David. I totally agree with you and most of the posters. There isn’t a big enough building in town that could house all of the County and City departments, comfortably.
Way to go Red Dog!