2 Groups Honored for Seniors’ Service

Two local nonprofit organizations each won $5,000 awards from the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday in honor of their work helping Ventura County’s senior citizens.

The Times presented 1996 Community Partnership awards to 10 organizations, including the Senior Nutrition Action Council Inc. and Long Term Care Services of Ventura County Inc.

Awarded during a luncheon in Woodland Hills, the grants honor programs in six categories, including social service, health, environment and senior citizens.

Long Term Care Services runs a program that investigates and resolves complaints made by seniors living in residential care facilities.

Executive Director George Gaglini said the Ventura-based organization served 9,766 seniors last year by investigating complaints ranging from erratic feeding procedures to poor care.

Gaglini said the organization will use the grant to train about 10 new volunteers annually for its long-term care ombudsman program. About 30 volunteer ombudsmen make unannounced visits to Ventura County’s 93 residential care facilities to inspect the quality of care.

“With the decrease in government monies available, this grant will help us,” Gaglini said. “We have to turn to foundations like The Times to get funds. We certainly would not be able to operate without this money.”

Camarillo-based Senior Nutrition Action Council Inc. provides up to 3,500 seniors with hot meals at least five times a week through its Ventura County Senior Nutrition Program.

Violet Henry, the organization’s program administrator, said the grant money will pay for a driver to deliver meals to up to 300 additional seniors who live in beach communities near Oxnard and Ventura.

“Right now, because of the distance, we haven’t been able to find volunteers to deliver,” Henry said. “Many seniors have no other services and don’t have any place to get meals. I am not sure what those people are doing.”

A nine-member panel of community and business leaders selected the recipients among organizations serving Ventura County and the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys.