Region 7 CEO urges Sanilac County to funnel unmet senior needs through area agency

Dana Altham, who the chair introduced as chief executive of Region 7 Agency on Aging, asked county leaders to refer unmet senior-service needs to her agency and to keep county seats on Region 7 advisory bodies filled.

"I have been in the position with Regions 7 about 120 days and counting," Altham said, describing Region 7 as "an area agency on aging" that receives most funding from state and federal sources and funnels grants and program dollars to counties. She told the board Region 7 "pays out to your county" roughly $400,000 a year for services and that it serves approximately 50 Sanilac County residents through the MI Choice Waiver program, a caseload she said represents more than $500,000 annually in services.

Altham listed services Region 7 helps support, including congregate meals, home-delivered meals, caregiver case management, transportation, homemaking, respite care and senior-center staffing. She said Region 7 is meant to complement — not compete with — local councils on aging and asked commissioners to notify Region 7 when the county lacks capacity to meet a service need.

She also asked the board to keep county representation on Region 7's board of directors and advisory council current so local advocacy remains effective. During a later public comment, an advisory-council member (Mr. Walters) reiterated that the county's $1,884 annual dues to Region 7 through the council on aging yield a substantial return to local services.

The chair thanked Altham and noted the county will continue coordinating with Region 7 when local needs arise.