Agency tips cap to director: Tippy Irwin retiring after rejuvenating county senior care advocacy services

Under her leadership, the amount of cases investigated increased and the agency saw sizable reductions in patient abuse reports, which Irwin highlighted among her primary achievements.

“I’m feeling like I have accomplished something with my life. The accomplishments have been very, very satisfying,” she said. “I have this feeling of having dedicated my time to something worthwhile.”

Ombudsman Services of San Mateo County is an advocacy agency protecting those living in senior care facilities. During her tenure, Irwin said the agency which relies heavily on volunteerism more than doubled its handled reports for investigation from 750 to roughly 2,000.

Ramping up completed investigations has led to reductions in reports of patient physical restraints, said Irwin, establishing the county as a state leader in the field.

Through organizing and offering expert training sessions to local care facility staff, Irwin said reports of physical restraints dropped from by roughly 15 percent to less than 3 percent in only a couple of years.

She said the success initiated similar efforts across California, making San Mateo County a pioneer in securing the safety of those living in long-term care.

“Only after we had done that did the rest of the state follow suit,” she said.

The current battleground issue is cutting use of anti-psychotic drugs by facility staff to quell problematic patients, said Irwin. Though the medication often has an opposite of the intended effect on patients with dementia, Irwin said it is not uncommon for facility staff to use them as a sedative.

As many as 24 percent of county patients were receiving inappropriately administered anti-psychotic drugs, said Irwin, but those rates have been trimmed to roughly 10 percent.

The challenges of advocacy have also grown increasingly difficult recently, said Irwin, as state regulations paved the way for facilities to take in not only seniors but also younger adults with mental illness or physical disabilities, as well as those discharged from jail nursing facilities.

The end result is a population which Irwin characterizes as a lethal mix.

“That should have never happened,” she said. “To put the mentally ill with frail elders is a big mistake.”

Yet despite the systemic hurdles, leveraging a limited budget to enhance volunteer access to professional training and building a collaborative relationship with the care facilities have been integral to the agency’s success, said Irwin.

The shifting landscape has called for an increased presence by agency volunteers, said Irwin, who claims more than 600 annual visits are made across the county.

The ramped up service invites greater voluntarism demand, especially in northern San Mateo County, said Irwin. Currently about 50 people donate their time to the agency, but an additional 20 would be ideal, she said.

Operating on a $1 million annual budget, the agency is comprised of roughly eight full-time employees and one part-time worker. Financing is offered through state and federal sources, as well as about $110,000 from San Mateo County, plus grants and private donors.

Having improved the local care community through increased attention and investment, Irwin said she believes she has successfully rejuvenated the agency and it is now ready to be handed off to her successor Bernadette Mellott.

The native of Zimbabwe is putting an exclamation point on the end of her career with an upcoming move from the Bay Area to the East Coast, where she will be living closer to her children and grandchildren. Before that though, she is planning an Alaskan cruise followed by yearlong vacation through the United Kingdom.

Looking ahead to retirement, Irwin said she is prepared for her next chapter.

“I am so excited. I am really, really ready. In some ways I can’t think about leaving because I get so sad, but I’ve got a lot planned,” she said.

But such challenging work is not easily forgotten, said Irwin, recognizing the imprint her career has made on herself and others.

“This program is my baby,” she said. “It’s been a remarkable, remarkable ride for me. I have loved every minute of it.”

Irwin will be recognized 11 a.m. Sunday, April 30, at the Italian American Social Club, 100 N. B St., San Mateo. Tickets are $75 and will include a Champagne brunch, as well as live and silent auctions. Call 780-7249 or email mitchreitman@ossmc.org for more information.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 105