Attachment 1 - CHSSC Senior Needs AssessmentPREPARED BY: Arn Andrews
Assistant Town Manager/CHSSC Liaison
Reviewed by: Town Manager and Town Attorney
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 06/15/2021
ITEM NO: 20
DATE: June 9, 2021
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Receive the Community Health and Senior Services Report on Senior Service
Provision and Assessment Recommendations
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive the Community Health and Senior Services (CHSSC) Report on Senior Service Provision
and Assessment Recommendations.
BACKGROUND:
In 2001 the Town launched a pilot senior services program with a dedicated Senior Center
within the Neighborhood Center, a Senior Coordinator staff position, and funding for case
management services. The Senior Center program remained as a part of the Community
Services Department until 2009. In 2009, partially in response to budgetary constraints due to
the recession, the Town partnered with Los Gatos-Saratoga Community Education and
Recreation (LGS Rec) for the provision of senior services (Attachment 1). The partnership
became fully operational in FY 2010/11, resulting in increased revenue and decreased staffing
and operating costs.
As part of lease agreement (Attachment 2) with LGS Rec, the Town required that LGS Rec
maintain and expand senior services at the Neighborhood Center. The lease stipulates that LGS
Rec provision services/programs to include services/programs similar in scope to the following:
•Wednesday afternoon movies (once per month)
•Wednesday games program (weekly)
•Senior center dances (once per quarter)
•Bus trips (once per quarter)
•Senior Thanksgiving dinner (one per year)
ATTACHMENT 1
PAGE 2 OF 7
SUBJECT: CHSSC Report on Senior Service Provision
DATE: June 9, 2021
BACKGROUND (continued):
• Senior picnic (one per year)
• Senior show (one per year)
• Senior Center newsletter (bi- monthly)
• Information and referral to other agencies (ongoing)
• Recreation classes will be expanded significantly as demand warrants. Examples include:
language, arts and crafts, computer, and other special interest classes.
In addition to the arrangement with LGS Rec, the Town has traditionally funded other senior
service provision through the annual community grant program. Of note, the Town provides
grants for senior nutrition, senior day care services, and rent assistance.
On March 2, 2021, the Town Council held a joint session with the Community Health and Senior
Service Commission (CHSSC) to hear the Commission’s goals for the coming year. The Council
indicated its strong interest in the work of the Commission in light of the inclusion of senior
services as a new Council Strategic Priority for FY 2021-2023.
Councilmembers requested that the Commission review the current senior service provision in
Town and help identify any gaps that exist in senior services. Councilmembers and
Commissioners identified the following areas of service provision interest/concern for
Commission review.
Communication and Information:
• Better identification/communication with seniors using media that seniors use (e.g.,
print)
• Increased centralized coordination among service providers (local, regional)
Housing:
• Move down housing options for seniors
Community Support and Health Services:
• Increased senior isolation due to COVID
• Need for a plan to assist seniors with the vaccination process
Social Participation:
• Low senior engagement/programming relative to other Santa Clara County cities
• Development of a state-of-the-art activity/community center
Civic Participation and Employment:
• Increase/leverage senior volunteer engagement in Town
• Dedicated staffing resources to supplement volunteers
PAGE 3 OF 7
SUBJECT: CHSSC Report on Senior Service Provision
DATE: June 9, 2021
BACKGROUND (continued):
Senior Plan Development:
• Develop roadmap for implementation of senior services as a strategic priority
• Consideration of service provision business models in other communities
At the conclusion of the meeting, Mayor Sayoc appointed Vice Mayor Rennie to be a Council
Liaison to the Commission and requested that the Commission report back to the Town Council
on June 15, 2021.
DISCUSSION:
Since that time the Commission accelerated their meeting schedule to accommodate the
Mayor’s request to report back at the June 15, 2021, Town Council meeting. The Commission’s
work has focused on meeting with service providers to address the issues raised by the Town
Council and Commission, understand existing service provision, review alternative business
models, identify service gaps, and discuss potential recommendations to fill any gaps.
To date the Commission received presentations from the following service providers:
March 23, 2021 – Los Gatos Saratoga Recreation 55+, Live Oak Senior Nutrition
April 13, 2021 – West Valley Community Services, Saratoga Area Senior Coordinating Council
April 27, 2021 – Santa Clara County Department of Aging and Adult Services, Los Gatos Library
May 11, 2021 – City of Cupertino Senior Center
The table below summarizes the multitude of services provided by Commission presenters and
other regional providers:
Service Provider
Food
Assistance
Rent/Fin
Assistance
Socialization
And Events
Recreation
and
Education
Case
Mgt
Other
Assistance
(tax,legal)
LGS Rec 55+ Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Live Oak Senior
Nutrition
Yes No Yes No No No
West Valley Yes Yes No No Yes Yes
Saratoga Area
Senior
Coordinating
Council (SASCC)
Yes Yes
(directory)
Yes Yes Yes Yes
PAGE 4 OF 7
SUBJECT: CHSSC Report on Senior Service Provision
DATE: June 9, 2021
Santa Clara
County Dept
Aging
Yes Yes
(directory)
No No Yes Yes
Los Gatos
Library
No No Yes Yes No No
Cupertino Senior
Center
Yes
(during Covid)
Yes
(directory)
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Live Oak Adult
Day Care
Yes No Yes No Yes No
Sourcewise Yes Yes
(directory)
No No Yes Yes
Bay Area Older
Adults
No No Yes Yes No No
As the table illustrates, the Los Gatos senior community has access to a considerable regional
ecosystem of senior and intergenerational service provision. In addition to reviewing existing
services, the Commission researched the business models of other service providers as
illustrated in the table below:
Business Model
LGS Rec
55+
SASCC Campbell
50+
Los Altos
50+
Cupertino
50+
Membership 83
(5,418 since
2016)
2,000 1,100 1,500 1,500
(2,400 pre
pandemic)
Membership Fee $25 $25 $25 $30 $23 - $28
(Resident/Non)
Facility Leased
(Town
subsidy)
City
Owned/Funded
City Owned City Owned City
Owned
Budget $100k $1.2M $771k FY21
$503k FY22
$393k $2.5M
(includes
$350k
discontinued
case mgt
program)
Funding Subsidies
from For
Profit Arm
Grants, Fees,
Subsidies,
Donations
General
Fund (GF) &
Fees
GF & Fees GF & Fees
Staffing 0.5 FTE
(1 Consultant)
5 FTE 2.29 FTE
(3 FTE reduction
FY22)
1.0 FTE, 3
PT
6.0 FTE, 15
PT
Publication Yes/Email
(weekly)
Yes/Print &
Email
(monthly)
Yes/Print &
Email
(quarterly)
Yes/Print &
Email
(bi-monthly)
Yes/Mail &
Email
(bi-monthly)
PAGE 5 OF 7
SUBJECT: CHSSC Report on Senior Service Provision
DATE: June 9, 2021
Transportation RYDE
Eligible
Yes/RYDE
Program
RYDE Eligible Yes/On The
Move
Program
RYDE
Eligible
DISCUSSION (continued):
On May 25, 2021 and June 8, 2021, the CHSSC reviewed the information received from service
providers, discussed elements of the data presented, received feedback from Council Liaison
Rennie, heard public testimony, and initiated discussions of potential senior service provision
recommendations for Town Council consideration. The Commission acknowledged that certain
recommendations could have budgetary constraints and may require separate short and long-
term proposals. Of note, the Commission and Council liaison recognized the significant
difference in dedicated funding toward senior services relative to peer organizations and
agencies. It should also be noted that while the Commission had general consensus regarding
the identified issues, Commissioners had a spectrum of proposals to ameliorate the issues
identified. The following table illustrates the areas identified by the Commission for Council
consideration.
Issue(s) Short Term
Proposal(s)
Long Term
Proposal(s)
Communication/
Marketing
No dedicated budget
or centralized senior
communication in
relevant mediums
• Fund/Leverage
distribution of
SASCC “Outlook”
publication
• Develop and fund a
unique Los Gatos
senior publication
• Leverage Caring
About Resident
Elders (C.A.R.E.)
program
• Increase market
awareness through
a variety of
marketing
experimentation
• Leverage Youth
Commission social
media skills
• Develop longer
range marketing
plan for available
senior services
based on
acceptance of
marketing
experimentation
PAGE 6 OF 7
SUBJECT: CHSSC Report on Senior Service Provision
DATE: June 9, 2021
Facility Existing facility
currently supports
limited dedicated
senior activity and is
not competitive with
neighboring
jurisdictions facilities
• Perform cosmetic
and functional
updates
(interior/exterior)
to existing facility
• Explore partnering
with newer existing
facilities in Town to
volunteer space
• Construction of
new facility or
complete
renovation of
existing facility
• Establish 501c3
Senior Council (or
other exploratory
body) to initiate
fundraising and
awareness for a
new senior center
Service
Coordination
and
Centralization
Currently no
centralized oversight
for coordinating
existing services
• Provide additional
funding to LGS Rec
toward senior
service staffing
• Provide funding to
a new service
provider
• Create position(s)
within the Town
• Assess the
strengths and
weaknesses of
current LGS Rec
business model
relative to others
• Determine
preferred senior
service provision
business model
• Provide funding to
whatever service
provider solution is
pursued
Service
Expansion
Due to Covid related
budget impacts LGS
Rec currently has 0.5
FTE dedicated to
senior services
• Provide additional
funding to LGS Rec
toward senior
service staffing
• Provide funding to
a new service
provider
• Create program
and position(s)
within the Town
• Provide funding to
whatever service
provider solution is
pursued
PAGE 7 OF 7
SUBJECT: CHSSC Report on Senior Service Provision
DATE: June 9, 2021
Volunteer
Opportunities
No centralized
platform for senior
volunteer
opportunities
• Leverage CHSSC to
identify and
promote volunteer
opportunities
• Leverage
Community Based
Organizations,
schools, and Youth
Commission
• Encourage LGS Rec
or other service
provider to recruit
volunteers from
their membership
CONCLUSION:
Council should review the CHSSC recommendations and provide any guidance to staff on areas
for proposed implementation. Based on the areas identified for implementation staff will
return to Council with a detailed implementation plan.
COORDINATION:
This staff report was coordinated with the Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Community
Health and Senior Service Commission.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None at this time; however, Council’s direction may have fiscal impacts.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
Attachments:
1. 2009 Staff Report
2. LGS Rec Lease Agreement
3. Public Comment Received by 11:00 a.m. June 10, 2021