New senior services director and $27,667 in AAA funds aimed at shortening meals waitlist

Andrea Pomerantz, selected after an internal search, was introduced to the Lapeer County Board of Commissioners as the county’s new senior program services director. Pomerantz told commissioners she joined the county in 2020 and has worked in care management, immunization coordination and public‑health nursing; she said, “my heart is in seniors.”

County health staff asked the board to accept an increase of $27,667 in Area Agency on Aging (AAA) funding, and the board moved and approved accepting those funds by voice vote. The department gave a line‑item breakdown during the meeting: $17,177 for congregate meals, $9,404 for home‑delivered meals, $757 for care management and $329 for respite care.

Health staff said the county is running into capacity limits for in‑home services. Pomerantz and other senior‑program staff described the county’s priority scoring system for clients and the current wait lists: for home‑delivered meals the department had “1 person in priority 1” (highest need), “priority 2 … 19” and “priority 3 … 3.” For personal care and homemaking, staff reported 20 people on the priority‑1 wait list and 73 on priority 2. Pomerantz explained the priority system runs on a 0‑to‑90 scale, and higher scores make a person more likely to receive services; she said nurses conduct home assessments when phone screening is inconclusive.

Commissioners asked whether the AAA funds would reduce the wait lists. Health staff said the funding “will help” and outlined plans to reassign some congregate‑meal dollars to cover emergency meal needs and open slots for home‑delivered meals. Commissioners discussed longer‑term staffing needs; Pomerantz said she hopes to add another nurse and a social worker to expand capacity.

Formal action: the board approved accepting the AAA funding increase after a motion to do so was made and seconded; the vote was taken by voice and recorded as unanimous 'aye.'