QuEST quits seniors

Andrea Koskey

Jul. 9, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- The Yuba-Sutter nutrition program that provides home-delivered meals to senior citizens and dine-in meals at area senior centers will end Aug. 3, the Area 4 Agency on Aging said Tuesday.

Financial limitations were given as the reason to stop food service.

Jane Stan, Area 4's program manager, said QuEST Executive Director Susan Abe notified the agency July 3 of its intention to stop service.

QuEST provides more than 6,000 meals to residents 60-years-old and older, Stan said.

"This is very much a surprise," Stan said. "There really are no other providers we know of in the area."

Abe could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Abe's husband, Supervisor-elect Roger Abe, said the executive director was not feeling well.

QuEST had $3.2 million in revenue and $2.9 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, according to its Form 990 filing with the Internal Revenue service as a tax-exempt organization.

Susan Abe's salary was $48,000, according to the filing.

The Yuba County Commission on Aging will meet at 10 a.m. today at the Yuba County Senior Center, 938 14th St. Marysville, to discuss the issue. The seven-member commission, whose members are appointed by the Board of Supervisors, advises supervisors on senior issues.

Stan said Area 4 hopes Yuba City's senior center might be able to help because QuEST's main kitchen is located there.

QuEST also provides non-emergency transportation for seniors to medical and dental appointments. This service will discontinue in August as well, Stan said.

Meals are delivered by the nonprofit organization Monday through Friday to the homes of seniors 60-years-old or older.

Lunch is served at senior centers Monday through Friday in Yuba City, Brownsville, Marysville and Wheatland for a suggested donation of $2.

"The community is committed to the health and well-being of our seniors," said Supervisor John Nicoletti, who represents Yuba County on Area 4. "We are highly concerned, and we are moving quickly to come up with a solution."

Susan Nobles, director of Yuba County Health and Human Services, said it is premature to know how the lack of QuEST service will affect services already provided to some seniors through the county. The county provides in-home services for the blind and disabled people 65 years old and older.

"We won't know how bad it will be until we are in the depths of it," Nobles said. "For now, we'll look at our clients and assess what services we can provide them."

QuEST is funded through the Area 4 Agency on Aging, which is a clearinghouse for nutrition, supportive services, caregiver programs, health promotion, elder abuse prevention, and other government senior programs. The agency serves Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties.

QuEST, which stands for Quality Education Services and Training, leased space in Yuba County's senior center for $1 per year for the next 20 years to provide meals and transportation to seniors beginning in 2004.

Yuba County supervisors discussed the QuEST lease in closed session during their June 24 meeting.

According to a summary of the meeting, County Counsel Dan Montgomery announced in open session that the board "has elected to allow QuEST to withdraw from its lease on the 14th Street property."

Newstex ID: KRTB-0131-26544362