Commission has plan to improve aging services

PROVO — Utah County Commissioners have released a preliminary plan for improvements to services for the elderly in Utah County.

The plan to improve such programs as Meals on Wheels was prepared in anticipation of a county petition to take over services for the elderly in Utah County, which are now provided for Utah, Wasatch and Summit county governments through the Aging Services department of the Mountainland Association of Government.

The plan was sent Friday to Utah County mayors and senior centers for comment.

The commission hopes to have a final plan by April 12.

Some the proposed changed include:

• Expanding Meals on Wheels services from five to seven days a week, plus a funding guarantee to avoid waiting lists.

• Expanding senior outreach services through Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions and county property tax "circuit breaker" programs.

• Increasing funds and resources to all Utah County senior citizen centers.

• Developing better nutritional, educational, legal and medical support for seniors through the Utah State University Extension service, Utah County Attorney's Office and Utah County Health Department, respectively.

In a statement, Commissioner Jerry Grover said funding details for the programs would be developed shortly. He doesn't anticipate a tax hike to fund the programs.

"I think it's safe to say that there will be a lot more money and resources going into this program once it comes under the Utah County umbrella," he said. "The county has sufficient available funds to support the proposed program, and no additional taxes will be needed."

Grover's comments assume that the state will approve the county's petition to take over senior services. Utah Division of Aging and Adult Services director Alan Ormsby will make the final call on who provides aging services for Utah County, and has stated that he will follow the guidelines listed in the federal code, several which could be read as favorable to Mountainland.

"There is a preference given to an existing area authority on aging," Ormsby said. "And we have to pay particular attention to rural areas like Wasatch and Summit counties, so Utah County's petition is going to have to address (how seniors in the other counties will be affected)."

Ormsby emphasized that state officials would make a change only if they determine that the region's elderly would receive better services and no interruption in services would take place.