January 8, 2026 Minutes

Weld Area Agency on Aging - Advisory Board Meeting Minutes

Meeting Location: Zoom Invite & Area Agency on Aging, 315 N 11th Ave., Bldg. C., Greeley, CO
Meeting: Thursday, January 8, 2026 (Thursday) 9:00 am – 11:00 am  

1. Roll Call:

   • Board Members:

     • Attended:
       
       • Kay Broderius, Commissioner Buck, DeAnn Cure, Chair-Nancy Haffner, Father Steve Karcher, Vice-Chair Dr. Alan Kress, Ruth Leitel, Valeria Ortiz, Linda Quade, Joyce Smock, Diana Vasquez, Lynn Young
     • Absent:
       
       • Susan Collins, Aaron Sanchez, Anne Curry Sanchez, Jami Shepherd, Gillian Smith

   • AAA Staff:

     • Attended:
       
       • Kelly Morrison, Home & Community Supports Division Director
       • Meredith Skoglund, Community Outreach Manager
       • Michelle Roper, Administrative Assistant

   • Guests:

     • Monica Wickstrom, AAA Information & Assistance
     • John Romero, AAA Quality Assurance Specialist
     • Teresa Schunter

2. Approval of Minutes:

   • Vice Chair Kress motioned to approve the minutes from December 11, 2025. Member Cure seconded.
   • All approved.

3. Program:

   • AAA – Information & Assistance

   • There are (3) Units within the Weld County Home and Community Supports Division:
     

     • Adult Protective Services

       • Investigates allegations of physical and sexual abuse, caretaker neglect, exploitation and harmful acts (mistreatment), and self-neglect of at-risk adults.
       • An at-risk adult is anyone age 18 or older who is unable to meet their own basic needs or arrange services to meet their needs without assistance due to physical or mental condition.
       • They investigate, advocate, and intervene using community-based services and resources.

     • Case Management Agency

       • Long Term Care Services & Supports (Medicaid funded programs).
       • Provides functional assessments and ongoing case management for long-term care services.
       • Individuals in need of assistance with two or more activities of daily living.

       The mission of the Area Agency on Aging is to help maintain an individual’s independence and dignity in their home and community.
       

       Programs Include:

       • Chore Program – Payton Richter
         
         • Provides reimbursement of funds to older adults for chore services which they are unable to do themselves.
         • Increase safety for those living at home.
         • Includes chores such as snow removal, deep cleaning, lawn care, and heavy lifting.
       • Dental, Vision, Hearing & Low Vision – Jason Koban
         
         • Provides financial assistance to older adults in need of dental, vision and/or hearing services. May include exams, extractions, dentures, frames, lenses, and hearing aids.
         • Low Vision provides adaptive equipment for people whose vision cannot be corrected with glasses. May include LED Handheld Magnifiers, deluxe floor lamps, solar shields, flat top orange dots.
       • Family Caregiver Support Program – Jillian Broce
         
         • Provides information and community referrals.
         • Respite financial assistance may be available to families providing care to older adults and those with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders with neurological and organic brain dysfunction.
       • Grandparents Raising Grandchildren – Jillian Broce
         
         • Provides monthly support groups for grandparents, age 55+ who are raising their grandchildren.
       • Friendly Fork (Senior Nutrition) – Donnica Fagan
         
         • Nutritious and delicious meals are served at 22 locations throughout Weld County.
         • Congregate with new and old friends and learn about supportive services in the area.
         • Reservations are required by 11am on the business day prior to the meal.
         • All sites accept donations with a suggested donation of $5.00 per meal.
       • Nutrition Counseling – Jessi Like
         
         • A registered dietitian can answer questions about our diet and individual nutrition needs.
         • Recipes and resources to help make cooking and shopping easier can be requested.

     • Aging & Disability Resources for Colorado

       • Streamlines access to Long Term Care or Home & Community Based Services Medicaid
       • Available to people aged 60 or older & 18 and older with a disability.
       • Information & Assistance
         
         • A link to community services, both public and private
           
           • Adults 18+ with a Disability or 60+:
             
             • General Information & Referral to food, transportation, counseling, home health and more.
           • Anyone of Any Age:
             
             • Disability Determination Application (For individuals applying for Medicaid due to disability)
           • Adults 62+:
             
             • Social Security Retirement Application Assistance
       • In-Home Services Program – Monica Wickstrom
         
         • Provides financial assistance for older adults in need of assistance.
           
           • Homemaker care: meal preparation, shopping, and light housekeeping.
           • Personal care: bathing, dressing, walking, eating and other personal care activities.
       • Ombudsman Program – Reagan Maldonado
         
         • Protects the civil and human rights of individuals in long-term care and assisted living facilities.
         • Helps to solve problems and serve as mediators.
         • Objective investigators of complaints.
       • Weld Aging Well Classes – Gabi Snyder
         
         • Fall Prevention
           
           • A Matter of Balance
           • Tai ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance
         • Caregivers
           
           • Powerful Tools for Caregivers
           • Stress Busting for Caregivers
         • Self-Management
           
           • Aging Mastery
           • Healthier Living Colorado
           • Healthier Living Diabetes Colorado
         • Active Living
           
           • Strong People
           • Walk with Ease
       • Older Americans Act Community Partners
         
         • Colorado Legal Services (Legal Assistance)
         • Catholic Charities (Case Management & Hispanic Outreach)
         • Meals on Wheels (Home Delivered Meals)
         • North Range Behavioral Health (Peer Counseling)
         • 60+ Ride (Transportation)
   • Q: Member Ortiz – Is there a waiting list for vouchers?
     
     • A: Guest Wickstrom – Most of the voucher programs end up with a waiting list. Additional funds were released for this fiscal year, so coordinators were able to service multiple people on the lists. Waitlists usually do not go over one year except for the in-home program.
   • Q: Member Ortiz – How long do people usually receive in-home support?
     
     • A: Guest Wickstrom – Both the In-Home and Caregiver Respite Programs are considered on-going programs. Individuals are taken off this program when they move into a care facility, get on Long-Term Medicaid or if they move out of the y.
   • Q: Member Smock – Where do the funds come from?
     
     • A: Guest Wickstrom – State, Federal, grants and County Commissioners. The people in Weld County are very grateful to the Commissioners for their assistance.
   • Q: Member Ortiz – Do you get calls or walk-ins?
     
     • A: Guest Wickstrom – Most are calls but we do get some walk-ins, and we will go to their homes if need be.
   • Q: Member Ortiz – Does anyone speak Spanish?
     
     • A: Guest Wickstrom – No one in AAA speaks Spanish but there are several people within the Home and Community Supports Division that help translate. There is also a device that can be used to translate into 32 different languages.
     • A: Division Director Morrison – There is also a language call in line that can be used.
   • Q: Member Ortiz – There are a lot of seniors losing services through the Medicaid Savings Program and have found that many are not aware of the services offered through AAA. Has personally had clients that have not been referred to AAA from Long Term Care Medicaid.
     • A: Division Director Morrison – We only know if they have lost those services if they call us to inquire. If they speak to a long-term financial technician and they refer them to AAA, then we would speak to them. Please refer anyone that you feel needs information or assistance to AAA. Our staff will work with the long-term financial technicians for additional training.

4. Committee Reports

   • Nutrition:

     • Member Cure – The next Friendly Fork Advisory Committee meeting is on January 22, 2026, in Pierce.
     • Chair Haffner – Attended the Holiday prime rib meal at Birchwood.

   • ADRC:

     • Member Leitel – Meetings are now quarterly and at the end of the month.
     • Staff Member Skoglund – Meetings are now at 8am for breakfast at the Blue Mug. Changing the time and day of the meeting to hope for increased attendance and participation from the community.

   • Fraud Updates:

     • Staff Member Roper – Be wary of packages being delivered by a driver if you have not ordered anything. This is a tactic being used to gain access into the home and rob people.
     • Staff Member Skoglund – Will contact Lynn Lowe to present in the future about fraud prevention.
     • Guest Schunter – The session on fraud at the Senior Symposium was fantastic.
     • Member Ortiz – Be wary of brokers coming to the door about Medicaid. Patients have been switched without realizing it. They can be reported and it can be reversed but it is a lengthy process.
       • Member Leitel – Is there a time frame in which the switch must be done?
       • Member Ortiz – Within one month but as soon as possible.
       • Division Director Morrison – Are the offenders from the same organization?
       • Member Ortiz – Humana is one of the best brokers but there are others that are not as ethical.
       • Member Smock – Can the person be switched over the phone without realizing it?
       • Member Ortiz – It happens more over the phone than in person. She recommends not saying a word, let the person speak and then tell them to remove you from the call list.

   • Legislative & CCA:

     • Division Director Morrison – No updates currently. Jami Shepherd will continue to provide updates even though she will no longer be a member of the Board.

   • 50+ Art Show:

     • Chair Haffner – Next meeting is January 20, 2026.

   • Beyond 60

     • Staff Member Wickstrom – Always in need of articles, recipes, etc. around 350 words.
     • Member Leitel – What about an article about AAA and the services it provides?

   • Monitoring, Oversight, Request for Proposal

     • Division Director Morrison – The audit was submitted to the State Unit on Aging and waiting on feedback. Variance report is due to the State and then will go to Federal. Working on amendments with core providers and looking for funding suggestions.
     • Staff Member Skoglund – We are finalizing a contract with Ride United through Mile High United Way to offer transportation through Lyft for Weld County older adults. For example, if previous transportation was cancelled for a medical appointment that had been scheduled for months.

5. Board Participation Reports:

   • Staff Member Skoglund – Reviewed upcoming Board presentations and requested suggestions for future presentations.
   • Guest Schunter – Found AARP tax preparation to be very professional. Not sure where they will be set up in Greeley this year or if they are taking appointments.
   • Staff Member Skoglund – AARP usually works with AIMS, but there have no communication or flyers for this year.
   • Member Ortiz – Has heard great things about Good Day Pharmacy in Greeley. They provide daily-dose packages and deliver them to the door. They also check in on you, will let caregiver know if no one is responding on phone or in person.
   • Member Ortiz – Bloom Healthcare has primary doctors that will come to your house. The doctor must be assigned as the primary doctor, and they work with almost every medical plan. There is one provider per zip code and will sometimes bring a specialist or nurse.
     • Vice-Chair Kress – Do they work with facilities as well? Recently a lot of medical visits have become mobile rather than in a building.
     • Member Ortiz – Bloom does a great job with high-risk clients and will visit each week.
     • Member Leitel – Do they have contracts with different plans?
     • Member Ortiz – Just need to have Bloom listed as the provider.
     • Staff Member Skoglund – Will invite Bloom to present at a future meeting.
     • Member Smock – Is there a limit on mileage? Do they cover rural areas?
     • Member Ortiz – Bloom Healthcare has different providers in different areas and yes, they cover rural areas.
     • Member Leitel - Do you have to switch your PCP?
     • Member Ortiz – Yes
     • Division Director Morrison – It’s difficult to get an appointment and when you do go in, you don’t get to see your primary care doctor.
     • Member Ortiz – Bloom Healthcare has a Case Manager that walks you through the process.

6. General Agency Updates:

   • Division Director Morrison – Board terms have concluded for Member Sanchez, Member Curry-Sanchez, Member Collins & Member Shephard. Member Collins & Member Shephard would both like to stay involved. Member Karcher has requested to stay on for another year. Teresa Schunter will be returning beginning in February 2026.

   • Upcoming Events

     • Greeley/Weld Senior Foundation: TBA
     • 50+ Art Show: TBA
     • Senior Symposium: TBA
     • Project Connect: TBA
     • Caregiver Appreciation Day: TBA

7. Adjournment:

   • Motion to adjourn meeting.
   • All agreed.

8. Next meeting

   • Thursday, February 11, 2026, from 9am-11am