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Highlands Today

S.A.L.T. Brings In New President

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By Joe  Seelig | Highlands Today

Published: October 13, 2007

SEBRING — New blood can often shake up an organization, with fresh ideas, enthusiasm and willingness to serve.

Newly elected S.A.L.T. Council President Nicole Montoya-Bragg was informed over the telephone of her nomination. She accepted the challenge.

That set the tone for the rest of the meeting.

The Highlands County Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (S.A.L.T.) Council elected new officers Friday at its regularly scheduled meeting held at the Highlands County Sheriff's Office Community Service Center in the Lakeshore Mall.

"We are in a reorganization process," said Nell Hays, council secretary.

Grace Plants, with Florida Hospital remained as council vice president and Kathryn Doddridge, also with Florida Hospital continued to serve as treasurer.

It was determined that Florida Hospital's satellite office at 4005 Sun 'n Lake Blvd. would be the site of the next meeting to be held on the second Friday of November.

Following a suggestion from Plants, the remainder of the meeting was discussion on which direction the council wants to go.

"Knowledge is power," said Plants. "If we can, let's somehow empower our seniors not to be victims."

The group discussed educational programs on domestic violence. Getting a victim's advocate involved to help someone go through the court system with them would be good.

Plant wanted victims to know they do have alternatives.

"Senior abuse and fraud knows no bounds," said Sheriff's Sgt. Monica Sauls.

The group wants to address fraud and scams, elder abuse, suicide, prescription drug abuse and financial exploitation of the elderly through a series of presentations.

It was also agreed that ordering more of the Files of Life was a good idea. The File of Life is a plastic folder that attaches to a refridgerator by magnet that contains emergency contact names and numbers and medical data.

The idea is that emergency medical and law enforcement responders would have that information at their fingertips in the event a person needs emergency care.

Other senior issues to be discussed in the future are what can a sick person do when their caregiver has to be taken to the hospital, or heaven forbid, the jail.

Who will watch the person who is bedridden.

A program called "Is Your Number Up?" is not about your final resting place. It is about house numbers being visible so emergency vehicles can found you. Maybe the council should rethink the name, Hays suggested.

Sauls spoke of a program where seniors could help seniors by checking in on them to see if they're eating, if they need anything.

"Even if it's changing a light bulb," she said.

In all, Hays was pleased with the turnout.

"I felt like everyone was very positive," she said. "And there was a lot of excitement today."

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