Big changes coming to county’s senior nutrition program

Gary Bridges, Lassen County District 2 Supervisor and the county’s representative on the Planning and Service Area 2 Area Agency on Aging board, said he was concerned about the future of the senior nutrition program at recent supervisor’s meetings.

Lassennews.com asked Bridges to share some details of his concerns with our readers.

Bridges said last week he got a letter from PSA2 that the Dine Around Town program at Lumberjacks Restaurant would continue through the end of September.

He said after that a Redding company, Dignity Health, would be providing meals for Lassen County seniors.

“They’re going to send up frozen food, frozen meals,” Bridges said. “I’m not happy with the amount they’re going to do, but I guess I can’t complain if we’re getting something. They’re going to start off with 30 meals. Well, that’s what upsets me. They say they’ll do more when it’s needed, but it’s already needed. We’re already serving more than 100 people right now, and there are 150 people on the waiting list.”

Bridges said PSA2 plans to put more stringent requirements in place regarding eligibility.

“The only requirement for Dine Around Town was that you be 62 years old,” Bridges said. “I didn’t like that because some people were getting meals who didn’t really need them, and there were people who weren’t getting them who really needed them. That was my biggest complaint. I tried to change it, but it was mandated by the state.”

Although it’s not official yet, Bridges said he was working with one of the churches in town to receive and disperse the meals. With the help of volunteers, Bridges said he hopes for in-house dining at the church at least one day a week.

“Nothing’s signed and sealed on that yet,” Bridges said, “but I’m thankful we have a pastor who’s willing to do that for our seniors.”

And Bridges said he’s told the PSA2 board what he thinks — that Lassen and Modoc counties are getting the short end of the stick.

June PSA2 minutes
Here’s some information from the June PSA2 minutes regarding senior nutrition in Lassen County — the last approved minutes posted on its website.

Lumberjacks Restaurant declined the contract with PSA 2 AAA to receive C-1 Congregate Meal and C-2 Home Delivered Meal program funding as awarded in the 2024-2028 Request for Proposal process. The AAA is working with California Department of Aging and Lassen County Health and Human Services to establish a plan for next steps for the nutrition program in Lassen County.

Director Gabriel explained that due to the timing in receiving the letter from Lumberjacks Restaurant to decline PSA 2 AAA’s nutrition funding contract, the current agreement to work with Lumberjacks Restaurant to provide Dine Around Town meals expires on June 30, 2024.

For the purpose of avoiding a disruption in meal services while an alternate meal plan can be developed, the AAA is requesting the use of COVID relief funding, which includes American Rescue Plan Act and Older Americans Recovery and Resilience Act funding, to continue supporting the Dine Around Town senior nutrition program until the funding expires Sept, 30, 2024.

Director Gabriel also explained that the use of COVID relief funding was necessary since PSA 2 indicated in the 2024-2028 Area Plan that it would not be providing direct nutrition services in the next fiscal year. Further, the Administrative Budget approved by the board last month did not include a program coordinator to support the Dine Around Town program into the next fiscal year.

Conversations with CDA have included the option to sign an agreement with Lassen County Health and Human Services to run the administrative operations of the nutrition program; however, Lassen County would still rely on a restaurant (for-profit organization) to prepare the meals which can be complicated.

With that scenario, the need remains to conduct an Invitation for Bid process to offer the opportunity for other restaurants to participate in the program. The concern is that the process with Lassen County may exceed the Sept. 30 funding deadline which could pose an interruption in nutrition program services.

Director Gabriel announced Dignity Health Connected Living has expressed interest in providing nutrition services in Lassen County. A conversation with Dignity Health Connected Living staff and Lassen County Supervisors/Executive Board members could be arranged to learn more about this option. Supervisor Bridges noted that after attending the Public Hearing in Redding, he and Supervisor Neely went on a tour of the kitchen at DHCL. They agree that this could be an option for the Lassen County nutrition program.

Director Gabriel explained the meal preparation service used by DHCL known as Trio which may also be available to Lassen County through Reno. Adjustments to the current program menu are planned to help reduce sodium levels as well as addressing the cost per meal through the restaurant which currently includes tax and tip.