MEETING MINUTES – January 8th 2003

Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Association held on Wednesday, January 8th, 2003, at the Renaissance Hotel in Asheville.  Should you have any questions, comments or corrections, please contact Bridget Downey, PHR, our Chapter Secretary.

Chapter Business:
The meeting was opened by President Lorraine Poe, SPHR.

Emily Welch, of the Goodwill Art Project was introduced.  Ms. Welch is an art instructor with the Community Access Division, and brought samples of cards created by students for members to view.   Community Access serves persons who are sponsored by Blue Ridge Center Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.  Participants receive assistance in areas of individual rights, communication, finance management, functional academics, health & safety, independent living skills, leisure & recreation, pre-vocational & vocational, social development, transportation and mobility. Opportunities offered to enhance these skills include: compensatory education classes, community and facility based jobs, art classes, community volunteer services, exercise, computer classes, and community outings.  This is a grant-funded project, and Ms. Welch would like suggestions from members on corporate use of the cards.  Contact Ms. Welch if you have ideas that will help her market her students' creations (298-9023).

Thanks were extended to Terry Clark for arranging to have our monthly luncheons at the Renaissance for the first six months of 2003. 

Members may be receiving e-mail messages asking for their National SHRM Member Number.  This is to correct inconsistencies with the national site's information.

Frank Pomeroy announced that the vendor program is accepting applicants for 2003.  This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase your organization and its products and services.  Vendors have four minutes to speak about their businesses.

Donna Cator's dedication to the website was recognized.  Ms. Cator has made numerous revisions and updates to add new features and keep our site current.

January Program Highlights:

Bettina Hall introduced Ruth Perschbacher, whose talk was entitled, "Reducing the Impact of Eldercare on the Workplace".  She works with the Area Agency on Aging and Park Ridge Hospital's Caregiver Programs.

From Meeting Notice:   Ruth Perschbacher is the Coordinator of the Caregiver Wellness Program at Park Ridge Hospital.  As a caregiver resource person she coordinates the Caregiver Wellness Program for Park Ridge Hospital’s HOPE Behavioral Services.  Ruth Perschbacher, MT-BC, ACC. is known for her compassion and expertise in quality of life for older adults. She is a music therapist, activity therapist and author who provides consultation and training to facilities, family caregivers, ombudsmen and other interested groups. Phone: (828) 298-7357 Want to read some of her work on the web?  Try these links:   SELF-PRESERVATION FOR THE CAREGIVER  http://behavioralhealthresources.com/currentnews.html Caregivers: Resolving Relationship/Dilemmas http://behavioralhealthresources.com/june02.html Her book on http://www.amazon.com/ Search for Assessment: The Cornerstone of Activity Programs by Ruth Perschbacher

Ms. Perschbacher demonstrated the impact of caregiving on work performance with some surprising statistics:

·        80% of long-term care services are provided by family members

·        $60 Billion annually is lost to Alzheimer's only - through absenteeism, loss of productivity, and employees leaving jobs.

·        Alzheimer's patients have a 10 - 15 year lifespan from the time of diagnosis.

·        50% of working caregivers are men.

·        The average caregiver age is 47.

In general, illnesses are longer, as the population is aging.  People are living longer and living longer with chronic illnesses.  Supervisors, faced with production deadlines, often discourage employees from using flex time.  As most agencies and businesses are open only during normal business hours, employees spend work time making phone calls to arrange for support and assistance.

Park Ridge Hospital funds a program for caregivers and provides a free meal.  They are a good source for education, resources, & support.  There is a big difference between child care and elder care.  As people age, they become less capable and more unpredictable.  This and other differences demonstrate the need for specialized knowledge for caregivers.

Ms. Perschbacher's handout was extremely informative.  Members who were not present can request a copy at ruthp@buncombe.main.nc.us.

Guests and New Members were welcomed.

Announcements:

New books are available at Land of the Sky Regional Council.  Cards produced by the Goodwill Art Project can also be purchased there.

Montreat College is now providing Human Resources Education.

There was no EPICS handout available for the meeting, but members were reminded that this is a good resource for professional staff.

Our newsletter still has space available for submissions.  If you have contributions, please send them as follows:

·        Carol Rovello - What's Happening (events not sponsored by the WNC Human Resources Assn)

·        Lisa Claxton - Legislative Update, General Interest, Advertisements

·        Terry Clark - Member News

·Batina Smith - Career Connections 

The newsletter will be trying a new feature: Ask Your Colleague.  It will present questions and answers on topics of general interest, such as, "What is your company doing to address workplace violence?"

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.