02014News640News<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1141-704700" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2025-09-09T17:58:07ZSeven Minnesota organizations will use state grant funds to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, promote early diagnosis and connect caregivers to resources. Nearly $750,000 in grants are going out this fall from the Minnesota Board on Aging.1141<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Seven Minnesota organizations will use state grant funds to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, promote early diagnosis and connect caregivers to resources. Nearly $750,000 in grants are going out this fall from the Minnesota Board on Aging.</span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:140%" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">“Dementia is not a normal part of aging,” said Maureen Schneider, board chair of the Minnesota Board on Aging. “Timely diagnosis that uses the right tools is key to treatment and support and can create better outcomes for people with memory loss and the family members and friends who care for them.”</span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:140%" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">The grants are listed below:</span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:140%" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:140%; font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">African American Child Wellness Institute (AACWI</span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:140%; font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">), Plymouth, $149,000. As part of its effort to improve access to culturally specific dementia education and services, AACWI will collaborate with McFarlane Media on a public awareness campaign and screening tools validated in multi-ethnic communities. The project will also incorporate its African-Centered Wellness Model into workshops to support family and friends caregiving for people with memory loss.</span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:140%" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:140%; font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">ElderCircle</span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; color:black">, Grand Rapids, $134,833. Serving a county where more than a quarter of residents are age 65 or older, ElderCircle is implementing a proactive approach to addressing dementia-related needs among hard-to-reach, low- to moderate-income people and their caregivers. Activities will include access to dementia screening with formal referral pathways, respite services and expanded caregiving education from MBA-certified caregiver consultants.</span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:140%" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:140%; font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Faith Community Nurse Network of the Greater Twin Cities,</span></strong> <span style="font-size:9.0pt; line-height:140%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Shoreview, $145,000. Grant funds will support dementia awareness education, screening and prevention as well as caregiver support to Minnesotans who lack access or trust in more traditional health care settings. Reaching older adults who are Deaf, DeafBlind or have profound hearing loss is a special focus, given the correlation established between hearing loss and dementia.</span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:140%" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:140%; font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Jewish Family and Children's Service of Minneapolis</span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height: 140%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">, Minneapolis, $85,000. Delivering stabilizing dementia support services for people with memory loss in Minneapolis and the west metro is the focus of this project. Features of the grant work include new weekly caregiver “drop in” coffees, regular cognitive screening opportunities and respite services. Services are open to all, with special emphasis on serving Russian-speaking Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union.</span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:140%" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:140%; font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Perham Hospital District doing business as Perham Health</span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt; line-height:140%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">, Perham, $143,393. Serving a 180-square-mile rural area across Otter Tail County, Perham Health is using grant funds to implement a holistic dementia-capable model addressing critical gaps for rural older adults and their family and friends caregiving. Strategies include increasing cognitive testing and early diagnosis and expanding care navigation services, as well as piloting a respite service.      </span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:140%" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:140%; font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Prairie Five Community Action Council,</span></strong> <span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:140%; font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Montevideo, $42,765. Using a pop-up “mobile community center” model across its five-county service area, Prairie Five will offer dementia and brain health education, cognitive screening and individualized family and friend caregiving support in 10 communities. A four-part radio series on dementia, “Shining a Light on Memory Loss,” will also be developed and aired through a partnership with local radio.</span></p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><strong style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;color:black;mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Regents of the University of Minnesota,</span></strong> <span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black;">Minneapolis, $49,961. Grand funds will support “Honoring Elder Wisdom,” a two-day regional gathering on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation centered on education and support around Alzheimer's disease and related dementias for Native American people and those who serve them. Area providers will collaborate with three Minnesota Tribal Nations and the Memory Keepers Medical Discovery Team at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth. The event includes experiential, evidence-based dementia education and resources for family and friends caregiving.</span></p>7047002025-09-09T18:04:29ZNews640News<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1141-649647" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2024-10-15T18:00:41ZThere will be many changes to Medicare for 2025. People should review their plan to ensure they can still use their medical providers.Minnesotans urged to make sure their plan covers their providers; New benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act kick-in1141<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <p><strong>October 15, 2024</strong></p> <p><strong>Contact:</strong> Scott Peterson</p> <p>651-392-7223</p> <p><a href="mailto:scott.peterson@state.mn.us">scott.peterson@state.mn.us</a></p> </div> <br clear="all" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" /> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <h2>NEWS RELEASE</h2> </div> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><strong>Big changes coming to Medicare choices for 2025 <br /></strong> <em>Minnesotans urged to make sure their plan covers their providers; New benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act kick-in</em></p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">With Medicare open enrollment beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 15, big changes are coming for 2025.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Starting in January, some health care providers may no longer be “in-network” for certain Medicare Advantage Plans. New benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act also kick in, such as a new maximum $2,000 dollar cap on prescription drugs and a new payment plan option to make paying for prescriptions more manageable.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Changes in Medicare Advantage plans mean an estimated 60,000 Minnesotans currently have providers, clinics and hospitals that will no longer be in-network. Some beneficiaries will have to change doctors or change their Medicare Advantage Plan during open enrollment to get their health care coverage back in sync.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">“Each year, we urge Minnesotans to review their Medicare options to make sure their coverage will fit their needs for the coming year,” said Maureen Schneider, chair of the Minnesota Board on Aging. “This year, it’s even more important to make sure that your doctors and clinics are still covered and that your coverage is affordable and meets your personal needs.”</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Open enrollment, which runs through Dec. 7, is the time each year when beneficiaries can make adjustments to their Medicare plans.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Also coming in 2025 is a new $2,000 maximum out-of-pocket limit on Medicare Part D prescription drugs. Once beneficiaries reach this amount, they don’t have to pay for their covered prescriptions for the rest of the year. Best of all, enrollment is automatic, so people don’t have to do anything to receive this benefit.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Also new in the coming year is the Medicare Prescription Drug Payment Plan, or MPPP. It helps people manage out-of-pocket costs for covered drugs by spreading costs across the calendar year. Instead of paying at the pharmacy, people pay a monthly amount to their health plan or drug plan. The MPPP is optional, so beneficiaries must contact their Medicare health or drug plan to enroll.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">If you need help with Medicare, you have options:</p> <ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <li><strong>Online:</strong> Visit <a href="http://www.medicare.gov/">www.Medicare.gov</a> to create an account, compare plans and enroll.</li> <li><strong>Phone:</strong> Call 1-800-MEDICARE, available 24/7.</li> <li><strong>Senior LinkAge Line:</strong>Call 800-333-2433 for free help with Medicare in Minnesota, open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.</li> </ul> <p align="center" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">-30-</p>6496472025-09-09T18:06:06ZNews640Newseng<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1141-648478" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2024-09-19T21:47:01ZThirty-seven organizations across Minnesota will use $4.4 million in state grant funds to support creativity and innovation as they assist people suffering from dementia-related illness.1141<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Thirty-seven organizations across Minnesota will use $4.4 million in state grant funds to support creativity and innovation as they assist people suffering from dementia-related illness.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Increasing awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are the focus of the competitive grants administered by the Minnesota Board on Aging.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">“We celebrate the wonderful ideas offered by these grant applicants,” said Maureen Schneider, chair of the Minnesota Board on Aging. “Families dealing with dementia-related issues need our love and support. Sharing these funds with so many providers can make a difference for caregivers and those living with dementia.”</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The Minnesota Legislature has appropriated $750,000 in dementia grant funding each year since 2015. Additional one-time funding was recently added to support the expansion and improvement of respite services across the state.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Grants are listed below, by region.</p> <h3 xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Southern Minnesota</h3> <ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <li><strong>Bridges Health</strong>, Winona, $149,000. This project will utilize Winona State University health sciences students in integrating dementia awareness and caregiver support into its mobile operations, reaching three southeastern counties.</li> <li><strong>Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota</strong>, Winona, $31,000. Evidence-based health promotion and caregiving support programs for persons with memory loss and their family and friend caregivers will be offered in 10 counties in southern and southeastern Minnesota.</li> <li><strong>Family Service Rochester</strong>, Rochester, $132,000. Grant funds will allow continuing work to place dementia care specialists in senior centers and health care clinics to help caregivers identify and secure services and expand a pool of volunteer respite providers trained in Respite and Education Support Tools (REST).</li> <li><strong>Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota</strong>, $140,000. In partnership with Olmsted Medical Center in Rochester, grant funds will support in-home, dementia-specific respite for up to 100 caregivers in eight southeastern Minnesota counties.</li> <li><strong>Madonna Towers</strong> - Benedictine Living Community, Rochester, $234,000. Project staff will take advanced dementia capability training and certification. Grant funds also support a sliding-scale overnight respite option for Rochester-area family and friend caregivers of people with dementia.</li> </ul> <h3 xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Central and northern Minnesota</h3> <ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <li><strong>A Home for the Day Adult Day Center,</strong> St. Cloud, $40,000. Grant funds will support adult day respite services and community outings, dementia education for family and friend caregivers and dementia education for staff, including REST respite training.</li> <li><strong>Age Well Arrowhead</strong>, Duluth, $250,000. Funding will support the hiring of 10 or more REST-certified respite care providers to increase the availability of in-home respite for dementia caregivers in the greater Duluth area.</li> <li><strong>Breath of Life Adult Day Service</strong>, Brainerd, $50,000. Grant funds will support bridge funding for adult day respite services for persons with dementia and their family and friend caregivers.</li> <li><strong>Central Minnesota Dementia Community Action Network</strong>, St. Cloud, $120,000. Funding will support comprehensive dementia education, screening and service navigation, dementia awareness education, and respite services for persons with dementia and their family-friend caregivers in Stearns, Benton and Wadena counties.</li> <li><strong>Community Partners Living at Home Program</strong>, Two Harbors, $114,000. The project will offer dementia education and awareness programming for the community and offer family and friend caregivers of persons with dementia engagement and respite support options to reduce isolation.</li> <li><strong>Health Equity Northland</strong>, Duluth, $50,000.With a focus on the African American and African heritage community, Health Equity Northland will increase dementia community awareness and education; adapt or create culturally relevant screening tools; conduct in-home wellness visits; and pilot strategies for culturally relevant activities and programs for people in Duluth care facilities.</li> <li><strong>Ho</strong><strong>rizon Health, Pierz</strong>, $50,000. Serving primarily Morrison County, this effort will continue respite-focused outings for people with memory loss and their family or friend caregivers and expand this successful model into Todd County, an area lacking in dementia-specific services.</li> <li><strong>Koochiching Aging Options</strong>, International Falls, $39,000. Serving all of Koochiching County, grant funds will support continuing the Dementia Friendly initiative; offer one-to-one support and resource navigation for dementia caregivers; and increase the Connect Café and Memory Café attendance.</li> <li><strong>Lighthouse Center for Vital Living</strong>, Duluth, $80,000. This project will leverage expertise in adaptive technologies and occupational therapies to connect family and friend caregivers with assistive technology, caregiver resources and cognitive screening.</li> <li><strong>Montevideo Area Memory Loss Network</strong>, Montevideo, $49,000. Working in four counties, the project will offer dementia awareness and education via “Virtual Dementia Tours;” develop a weekly newspaper series about cognitive health, memory loss, support for caregivers and area resources; and launch a facilitated support group.</li> <li><strong>Northwoods Caregivers</strong>, Bemidji, $141,000. Grant funds will increase the availability of affordable respite and other supportive services to family and friend caregivers of persons with dementia in multiple northwestern Minnesota counties and Tribal areas.</li> <li><strong>Tri-Community Living at Home Program</strong>, Newfolden, $50,000. Serving far northwestern Minnesota, grant funds will enable the expansion of dementia capability services and caregiving support by piloting a Memory Café model; creating and distributing “Caregiving to Go” kits for dementia caregivers; and obtaining advanced staff training in dementia care and innovation.</li> <li><strong>Tri-Valley Opportunity Council</strong>, Crookston, $50,000. Serving an 11-county area, this project will offer community dementia awareness and education sessions; provide staff training and dementia specialist credentialing; and pilot a peer-to-peer caregiver support group.</li> <li><strong>Volunteer Services of Carlton County</strong>, Carlton, $250,000. Funding will support 2,500 hours of respite service through the DayBreak Group Respite in Carlton and St. Louis counties and explore adding another group respite program for caregivers in Pine County.</li> <li><strong>Wadena County Public Health</strong>, Wadena, $50,000. Working with community and clinical partners, the project will provide dementia education, awareness and resources to residents and offer dementia caregivers access to caregiver education and support, including respite education.</li> <li><strong>Western Prairie Human Services</strong>, $24,000, Glenwood. Grant funds will enable this provider to offer a volunteer-powered Memory Makers group respite program in two locations.</li> </ul> <h3 xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Twin Cities </h3> <ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <li><strong>African Career</strong>, Education, and Resources (ACER), Brooklyn Park, $50,000. This project will develop a resource booklet to fill a gap in culturally informed dementia awareness, dementia education and care resources for the African immigrant community in Minnesota and elsewhere.</li> <li><strong>CAPI USA</strong>, Brooklyn Center, $179,000. Continued development of the Hmong Folk Chorus will provide socialization and caregiver respite for Hmong-speaking elders in the Twin Cities metro.</li> <li><strong>Centro Tyrone Guzman</strong>, Minneapolis, $50,000. Centro will create a new evidence-informed dementia awareness and care curriculum for the Spanish-speaking community. The project is in partnership with the University of Minnesota Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation.</li> <li><strong>Cherished Services</strong>, Fridley, $50,000. Cherished Services will provide culturally tailored dementia capability training to professional and family and friend caregivers of persons with memory loss in the East African community. The organization will also pilot CareConnect, a multi-language scheduling application.</li> <li><strong>Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES)</strong>, St. Paul, $120,000. CLUES will continue its flexible and accessible Mayores Mejores group program for isolated Latino elders that builds community, engages in brain-healthy activities and provides custom caregiver navigation support.</li> <li><strong>DARTS</strong>, West St. Paul, $195,000. DARTS will build on its two successful group dementia-capable respite locations, adding a third Breathing Space location in Dakota County to meet the needs of caregivers currently on wait lists for respite.</li> <li><strong>Division of Indian Work</strong>, Minneapolis, $150,000. Through its Mikwendaagozi (“To Be Remembered”) Project, the Division of Indian Work will develop culturally specific dementia education and resources to use in education sessions for non-Native providers.</li> <li><strong>Holistic Array of Authentic Services (HAAS)</strong>, Golden Valley, $50,000. Funds will support culturally responsive dementia education and awareness, as well as respite education and support to older Oromo and Ethiopian adults and their family and friend caregivers in greater Minneapolis.</li> <li><strong>LiveLife Therapy Solutions</strong>, Bloomington, $34,000. Focusing on underserved dementia caregivers in rural areas, LiveLife Therapy Solutions will offer a series of presentations on the use of person-centered assistive technology to benefit people with dementia and their families and caregivers.</li> <li><strong>Metropolitan Community Services</strong>, Hopkins, $213,000. The grant project will enable an Alzheimer’s disease and related diseases awareness and caregiver support effort for Russian, Ukrainian and Uzbek-speaking persons and families in the Twin Cities.</li> <li><strong>North East Seniors for Better Living</strong>, St. Paul, $48,000. This project offers new, onsite respite programming for family and friend caregivers of persons with dementia living in the Greater East Side of St. Paul.</li> <li><strong>Renaissance Adult Day Care</strong>, Coon Rapids, $246,000. Funding will support an after-hours dementia-specific caregiver support group for families, enhanced staff training with cognitive therapies (including sensory and reminiscence therapies) and outreach to the area’s Ukrainian/Russian population.</li> <li><strong>SEWA-AIFW</strong>, Brooklyn Center, $264,000. Funds will help provide support for South Asians with dementia in the metro area while offering resources to their family and friend caregivers through support groups, practical education, cognitive screening and testing, and the piloting of a culturally tailored model of respite services.</li> <li><strong>Sod House Theater</strong>, St. Anthony, $59,000. “FIVE MORE MINUTES,” an original production portraying a couple’s experience with dementia, will travel to 10 or more Minnesota communities. Sod House Theater will also develop facilitated post-performance discussions.</li> <li><strong>Volunteers of America-Minnesota and Wisconsin</strong>, Minneapolis, $481,000. The project will pilot a culturally specific, holistic model of dementia care and serve 126 caregivers, mostly African American, with long-term support services. Volunteers will be trained using REST to provide care to 96 people with dementia over the two-year grant period.</li> <li><strong>Walker West Music Academy</strong>, St. Paul, $83,000. Twenty new caregivers and the people they provide care for will be enrolled in the acclaimed Amazing Grace Dementia Chorus. Family and friend caregiver choir participants will also receive tailored dementia-friendly tools and tactics from a music therapist.</li> </ul> <ul type="disc" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" />6484782024-10-07T21:59:22ZNews640News<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1141-591067" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2023-09-06T15:03:00ZThirteen organizations across Minnesota will have resources to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, promote early diagnosis and connect caregivers to resources, thanks to new grants from the Minnesota Board on Aging.1141<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Thirteen organizations across Minnesota will have resources to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, promote early diagnosis and connect caregivers to resources, thanks to new grants from the Minnesota Board on Aging. </p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">“These grants are strategic investments that can make huge impacts for these organizations and the people they serve,” said Maureen Schneider, interim chair of the Minnesota Board on Aging. “For small organizations doing the important work to fight Alzheimer’s and related dementias, this kind of funding can make the difference between keeping or losing a program or staff position.” </p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The board is issuing $750,000 in grants to the organizations listed below.</p> <ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>African Immigrants Community Services (AICS)</strong>, Minneapolis, $49,995, for dementia awareness education in the Twin Cities Somali and East African communities through a series of short videos produced by Somali TV, focused social media outreach, and in-person presentations at faith-based and community-based agencies and local gathering venues.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Amherst H. Wilder Foundation</strong>, St. Paul, $49,449, to offer pre-diagnosis screening and functional cognitive assessments in natural community settings for up to 60 people living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. This includes Wilder clients in Customized Living and elder Southeast Asians served through Wilder’s Center for Social Healing.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>CAPI USA</strong>, Brooklyn Center, $76,125, to secure expertise to create a dementia-friendly Hmong Folk Chorus that honors and shares the cultural knowledge of Hmong elders while reducing social isolation. Intended for both Hmong speakers with dementia and their family and friend caregivers, the pilot will uphold traditional culture while offering culturally specific dementia education.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio – CLUES</strong>, St. Paul, $75,000, to reach Latino elders and their family and friend caregivers in the Twin Cities, Austin, Willmar and Worthington with dementia education and early identification resources, caregiver support services and connections to community services.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Family Service Rochester, Rochester, $148,914, to work in partnership with Olmsted Medical Center in Rochester and FiftyNorth in Northfield to offer multi-site dementia education and referral specialists, strengthen coordination between health care and community-based organizations, and organize region-wide public forums on brain health, memory care and caregiver supports.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Horizon Health</strong>, Pierz, $12,440 to support outings for people with dementia and their family and friend caregivers, create sensory activity kits available to check out at area libraries, and offer advanced training in dementia care for Horizon staff. </span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Koochiching Aging Options</strong>, International Falls, $41,220, to extend awareness of dementia county-wide through a refreshed Dementia Friendly Community initiative with new campaign materials and resources to reach new audiences. The funding will also enhance the respite function of a Memory Café by offering several mini self-care retreats; continue one-to-one support from a Dementia Care Specialist; and expand regional connections with social service and health care providers. </span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Lao Advancement Organization of America</strong>, Minneapolis, $47,262, for early identification and increased cognitive testing for Lao speaking elders and their family and friend caregivers. The grant will also support continued relationship-building and culturally informed screening and testing capacity among Greater Minnesota health care providers in areas where Lao speaking families live, including Warroad, Worthington and St. Cloud.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>MapHabit</strong>, Owatonna, $51,742, for pilot projects in St. Paul and Granite Falls. The MapHabit interactive platform draws on the neuroscience of habit to create a visual mapping system to improve activities of daily living for people with dementia; it also offers education, task mapping and scheduling for family and friend caregivers. </span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>SEWA-AIFW</strong>, Brooklyn Center, $94,992, to enhance efforts around early dementia awareness and education for the Twin Cities’ South Asian community, while continuing support for family and friend caregivers and expanding access to culturally appropriate screening at recognized, trusted community sites. </span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Tri-Community Living at Home/Block Nurse Program, Newfolden, $39,124, to make accessibility upgrades to Tri-Community’s primary program education site and begin to offer dementia education sessions and screens at this and other sites in the service region. </span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>VINE Faith in Action</strong>, Mankato, $53,180, for work in dementia education and awareness; programs in brain health and training; memory screening; and evidence-based caregiver education and depression support in Blue Earth, Le Sueur, Watonwan and Nicollet counties. </span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Winona Friendship Center</strong>, Winona, $10,557, to develop a free, weekly community health clinic in partnership with Bridges Health/Winona State University. The clinic will offer accessible access to cognitive and hearing screenings for people aged 50 and older who may be uninsured, underinsured, undocumented or otherwise distrustful of mainstream medical providers.</span></li> </ul> <ul type="disc" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" />5910672023-09-06T19:58:52ZNews640News<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1141-541186" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2022-09-21T14:42:16ZEleven Minnesota organizations will be able to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, promote early diagnosis and connect caregivers to resources, thanks to grants from the Minnesota Board on Aging.1141<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Eleven Minnesota organizations will be able to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, promote early diagnosis and connect caregivers to resources, thanks to grants from the Minnesota Board on Aging.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><strong>The Board on Aging is granting nearly $750,000 to the 11 organizations.</strong></p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">“These funds support not only people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, but their family and friends, who play such a critical role in caregiving,” said Kari Benson, executive director of the Minnesota Board on Aging. “Alzheimer’s alone impacts some 100,000 Minnesotans over age 65—a number that will grow 20 percent by 2025.”</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The grant recipients for 2023 are:</p> <ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>A.C.E. of Southwest Minnesota</strong>, Slayton, $57,000, for a series of dementia education events, early identification screenings with area health care providers, caregiving support activities, and health and wellness education offerings in Cottonwood, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Redwood and Rock counties.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Central Minnesota Dementia Community Action Network</strong>, St. Cloud, $150,000, for continued work in developing a community-based Dementia Resource Center promoting dementia prevention strategies among all primary and specialty care clinicians, facilitating more primary care clinicians providing full-spectrum dementia care, increasing access and use of dementia care resources for families living with dementia, and expanding an online Dementia Resource Directory.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>CLUES</strong>, St. Paul, $50,000, for reaching Latiné older adults to support caregiving in the Twin Cities metro area, Austin and Willmar with culturally specific dementia education, early screening and diagnosis options. Also to connect those providing care to resources and tailored individual and group services and education.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Faith Community Nurse Network of the Greater Twin Cities</strong>, Mahtomedi, $130,007, to equip Metro Faith Community Nurses to offer dementia education, resources and wellness assessments that normalize early risk and detection screens, and evidence-based health, wellness and caregiving support services.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Granite Falls Living at Home Block Nurse Program</strong>, Granite Falls, $18,500, for increasing awareness of dementia in the surrounding communities, including Upper Sioux Community; promoting early detection and identification of dementia in-home assessments; presentations to area organizations and faith communities; and connecting persons with dementia and their caregivers with direct services and meaningful social events.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Koochiching Aging Options</strong>, International Falls, $31,389, for increasing one-to-one assistance from a dementia care support service, offering additional Memory Cafés for people with dementia and those caring for them while expanding Dementia Friends awareness and education sessions throughout Koochiching County.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Lao Advancement Organization of America, Inc</strong>., Minneapolis, $49,906, to offer culturally specific information about dementia and caring for people with dementia to health care providers in three Greater Minnesota communities; increase dementia education information among ethnic Lao, including trainings for employees/volunteers of Lao business and organizations; create bilingual resources  in print or video format and on Facebook and YouTube; host quarterly social events for people with dementia and family and friends helping care for them.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>North Shore Area Partner</strong>, Silver Bay, $19,500, for training staff, board members and volunteers as well as area health/social work/law enforcement and civic leaders about the value of brain health, nutrition, exercise and socialization while decreasing stigma and misinformation around dementia; for creating Dementia Friends Action Teams and establishing a Memory Café; and for introducing dementia-friendly concepts to local leaders and policy makers.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Northwoods Caregivers</strong>, Bemidji, $77,316, for continued work with dementia outreach, education and support for previously underserved populations (area Native Americans and LGBTQ+ population, and rural residents), with an emphasis on normalizing early identification and screening tools, caregiving support groups, and through dementia education sessions offered at community health fairs, conferences and gatherings.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Sewa-aifw Inc</strong>., Brooklyn Center, $74,999, for increasing awareness of Alzheimer’s and other dementias within the South Asian community, continuing early identification through screening in the community and referrals to culturally aware health care providers for cognitive assessment testing, and promoting wellness by connecting family and friends caring for people with dementia to each other and to services, education and resources.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Volunteers of America-Minnesota</strong>, Edina, $90,954, to enhance and expand services that identify, educate and support diverse populations facing the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and those that care for them. Activities include providing culturally appropriate memory and chronic disease screening/testing and facilitated connections to needed services, broader community education about dementia through outreach, and helping family and friends providing care to better manage their own health through evidence-based education and individual support.</span></li> </ul> <ul type="disc" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" />5411862022-09-23T15:11:19ZNews640News<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1141-515023" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2022-01-10T19:26:59ZThe MN Board on Aging (MBA) plans to file a one-year waiver request to the Administration on Community Living (ACL), the federal source of funding for Older Americans Act grants, in an effort to better assess the current and future needs of older Minnesotans while continuing to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.1141<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The MN Board on Aging (MBA) plans to file a one-year waiver request to the Administration on Community Living (ACL), the federal source of funding for Older Americans Act grants, in an effort to better assess the current and future needs of older Minnesotans while continuing to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">MBA develops and publishes a comprehensive State Plan on Aging every four years. The current four-year plan is set to expire September 30, 2022. The MBA, submits this plan with the purpose of:</p> <ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <li>documenting achievements and planned activities related to state’s long-term supports and services planning efforts;</li> <li>translating activities, data and outcomes into proven best practices to leverage additional funding;</li> <li>providing a blueprint for programs and services for older adults; and</li> <li>building capacity for long-term care efforts in Minnesota.</li> </ul> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">In an effort to achieve these purposes and to better serve aging populations in Minnesota, MBA is filing for a one-year extension. MBA will use the extra time to continue to address the current needs of the pandemic, evaluate the most up-to-date census data (which has been delayed because of the public health emergency) and solicit greater input from community partners and hard to serve communities.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">This release serves as a public notice of this waiver request and provides opportunity for public comment. If you would like to provide comment or seek further information, please submit it to <a href="mailto:MBA.AreaPlan@state.mn.us" title="Minnesota Board on Aging email">MBA.AreaPlan@state.mn.us</a>.</p> <ul type="disc" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" />5150232022-01-10T19:27:15ZNews640News<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1141-507628" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2021-11-04T16:00:00ZMinnesota Board on Aging Dementia grantees announced.1141<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Just in time for National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, 11 Minnesota organizations will be able to work to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, promote early diagnosis and connect caregivers to resources, thanks to grants from the Minnesota Board on Aging (MBA). <br /></p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The MBA is granting a total of $729,172</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">“Dementia is not a normal part of aging,” said Susan Mezzenga, chair of the Minnesota Board on Aging. “But the number of those with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia is on the rise. Increasing awareness so people get diagnosed earlier is key.”</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Nearly 100,000 Minnesotans over age 65 have Alzheimer’s disease. That number is projected to increase to 120,000 by 2025. Alzheimer’s poses an array of challenges — emotional, medical, financial and social — to family members of those with the disease. Seventy percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are cared for in their homes, with 75% of that care given by family, friends and neighbors.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The MBA Dementia Grant recipients are:</p> <ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <li>Walker West Music Academy, St. Paul, $108,600, to support an aging population and increase public awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in the African American community.</li> <li>SEWA-AIFW, Inc., Minneapolis, $74,562, to work in the South Asian community in the Twin Cities metro area to increase awareness, promote early identification and connect caregiving family, friends and neighbors.</li> <li>Lao Advancement Organization of America, Inc., Minneapolis, $42,615, to increase the knowledge and ability of Lao community members to recognize dementia and access resources; and, for caregivers to maintain their own health and wellbeing while caring for a person living with dementia.</li> <li>Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, St. Paul, $43,955, to increase cognitive testing and connect family and friend caregivers to meaningful education, resources, and additional services</li> <li>Action for East African People, Bloomington, $97,408, to provide dementia services to immigrant communities, increasing awareness and promoting early identification.</li> <li>Family Pathways, North Branch, $43,666, to increase community and individual awareness while connecting caregivers and families of persons living with a dementia to education and resources. They will offer in-person and virtual dementia-friends sessions, lunch and learn sessions and more.</li> <li>Central Minnesota Dementia Community Action Network, Sauk Rapids, $150,000, to establish a community-based Dementia Resource Center (DRC), as stated in the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act of Congress that directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to “establish Alzheimer's and related dementias public health centers of excellence.”</li> <li>Northwoods Caregivers, Bemidji, $115,436, for Northwoods Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers Program (NC) to leverage work from previous dementia grants to support outreach for Native Americans and LGBTQ+. It will build upon a growing relationship with Red Lake, White Earth, Leech Lake and Bois Forte nations, to offer dementia outreach, education and caregiver support to previously underserved and high-risk communities.</li> <li>Winona Friendship Center, Winona, $22,922, to continue to work toward becoming a Dementia-Friendly Community. They will work to address known gaps, while increasing awareness within the Winona community.</li> <li>North East Seniors for Better Living, St. Paul, $14,927, to distribute educational literature about dementia in their community, provide an education series as well as providing individual personal support to persons living with dementia and their caregivers.</li> <li>Steele County Historical Society, Owatonna, $15,081, to provide education, services and resources for persons living with dementia and their caregivers to increase awareness and connect family, friends and neighbors to supports and meaningful activities. Their History Partners Memory Cafe program will provide socialization in a safe environment through companionship while preventing isolation.</li> </ul> <p align="center" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">-30-</p>5076282021-11-04T19:22:13ZNews640News<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1141-482345" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2021-05-03T14:46:50ZGovernor Walz has issued a proclamation that May is Older Americans Month in Minnesota.1141<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Each May, we celebrate older Americans and the important role they play in sharing the wisdom and experience that inform today’s decisions and actions, and fostering the connection and engagement that build strong, resilient communities. <a href="/board-on-aging/assets/Older%20Americans%20Month_tcm1141-482344.pdf" title="Older Americans Month" target="_blank" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:title="Older Americans Month">Governor Walz has issued a proclamation</a> recognizing May as Older Americans Month in Minnesota.</p>4823452021-05-18T15:12:38ZNews640News<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1141-477449" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2021-04-23T21:28:36Z The guilty verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin was but one small step in the right direction. With that step, our criminal justice system gave George Floyd and his family the accountability they deserved; though it could do nothing to ease the pain caused by his murder.1141<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The guilty verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin was but one small step in the right direction. With that step, our criminal justice system gave George Floyd and his family the accountability they deserved; though it could do nothing to ease the pain caused by his murder.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">We all must realize just how pervasive systemic racism is. We need to stand with and support Minnesota’s BIPOC communities. We need to find ways to work together to end racial injustice, so that our state, our home, is a place where everyone can live safely and well.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Through our Diversity Equity Inclusion Access (DEIA) strategic directive, the Minnesota Board on Aging is committed to bring a social justice lens to the work of serving older Minnesotans. We will strive to eliminate institutional barriers and social inequities for all older adults. The Minnesota Board on Aging will work to ensure that the programs and the services we provide and support are inclusive, accessible and equitable.</p>4774492021-04-23T21:31:26ZNews640News<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1141-472864" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2021-03-22T20:53:27ZThe Minnesota Board on Aging (MBA) has embarked on a strategic planning process to build on existing strengths, identify priorities and set its direction for the next three years. Working to ensure that all Minnesotans can age well and live well, the MBA seeks to ensure its infrastructure can most effectively serve older Minnesotans and is aligned with their diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) values.1141<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><strong>Minnesota Board on Aging Strategic Planning</strong></p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The Minnesota Board on Aging (MBA) has embarked on a strategic planning process to build on existing strengths, identify priorities and set its direction for the next three years. Working to ensure that all Minnesotans can age well and live well, the MBA seeks to ensure its infrastructure can most effectively serve older Minnesotans and is aligned with their diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) values.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">As the 25-member, Governor-appointed board that is the designated state agency on aging for Minnesota, the MBA has partnered with external consultants for the strategic planning to conduct a participatory and collaborative process and to integrate a DEIA lens. Through this process, the MBA identified four new strategic directions:</p> <ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <li>Strategic Direction 1: Define and clarify roles, responsibilities and governance structure</li> <li>Strategic Direction 2: Develop a communication strategy to strengthen partnerships and increase visibility</li> <li>Strategic Direction 3: Examine priorities and develop Board initiatives</li> <li>Strategic Direction 4: Infuse a DEIA perspective into the Board’s work</li> </ul> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">These new directions will also lay the foundation for Minnesota’s State Plan on Aging 2023-2026, which the MBA will submit to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Community Living.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The MBA is now working to create work plans to implement each new direction. As part of these plans, board members will work to integrate a DEIA lens, including seeking more voices and diverse perspectives. As part of the process, the MBA will also be reaching out to invite stakeholder input to ensure the Board’s new strategic directions reflects a broad range of perspectives.</p>4728642021-03-24T22:12:20ZNews640Newseng<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1141-463634" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2021-01-19T23:08:35ZNearly 10 months after being suspended to minimize the spread of COVID-19, in-person visits to Minnesota’s long-term care facilities by regional ombudsmen are resuming.1141<div align="center" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <div align="center"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="100%"> <p>Nearly 10 months after being suspended to minimize the spread of COVID-19, in-person visits to Minnesota’s long-term care facilities by regional ombudsmen are resuming.</p> <p>“These in-person interactions are an important tool in our work to protect older and vulnerable Minnesotans,” says Cheryl Hennen, the State of Minnesota Ombudsmen for Long-Term Care. “This does not mean we’re ‘back to normal’,” Hennen says, “but it’s an important marker of progress in our response to this pandemic. “</p> <p>Personal protective equipment has been issued to the regional ombudsmen, and they are regularly tested for COVID-19. They must also view training videos and pass a written screening prior to entering a facility.</p> <p>“Residents are increasingly requesting in-person visits from the regional ombudsmen,” said Hennen. “Phone calls and electronic communication have worked as a short-term solution, but they are not the best way to provide the strong advocacy residents of Minnesota long-term care facilities expect and deserve.” Hennen consulted with the Departments of Health and Human Services as well as advocacy organizations about the resumption of in-person visits. She also notes that in-person visits may be suspended if infection trends worsen.</p> <p>To contact the <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTAxMTkuMzM1NzEzNjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL21uLmdvdi9kaHMvcGVvcGxlLXdlLXNlcnZlL3NlbmlvcnMvc2VydmljZXMvb21idWRzbWFuLyJ9.YoeaAH8nD5sFmJPC64vipiW4wFT4EAMvn_C4XOr3cEM/s/529333035/br/93318206245-l">Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care</a> , a program of the <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTAxMTkuMzM1NzEzNjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL21uLmdvdi9ib2FyZC1vbi1hZ2luZy8ifQ.-JK8szxkUyqurOUtzCINfyD-axkfqsAEFyjXAMT1jl8/s/529333035/br/93318206245-l">Minnesota Board on Aging</a> :</p> <ul type="disc"> <li>Call 651-431-2555 (metro) or 1-800-657-3591.</li> <li>Email <a href="mailto:MBA.OOLTC@state.mn.us">MBA.OOLTC@state.mn.us</a> .</li> </ul> <p>The Ombudsman’s office provides free and confidential advocacy services.</p> <p align="center">-30-</p> <div align="center"> <hr size="3" width="100%" align="center" /></div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div>4636342021-01-19T23:16:47ZNews640News<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1141-448846" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2020-09-30T14:42:16ZA dozen Minnesota organizations will be able to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, promote early diagnosis and connect caregivers to resources, thanks to grants from the Minnesota Board on Aging.1141<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><strong>Board on Aging projects nearly 25% increase in diagnoses by 2025</strong></p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">A dozen Minnesota organizations will be able to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, promote early diagnosis and connect caregivers to resources, thanks to grants from the Minnesota Board on Aging.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><strong>The board is granting a total of $741,781.</strong></p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">“Dementia is not a normal part of aging,” said Susan Mezzenga, chair of the Minnesota Board on Aging. “Timely diagnosis using appropriate tools is key to treatment and support.”</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">An estimated 97,000 Minnesotans over age 65 have Alzheimer’s disease. That number is projected to increase by 24% to 120,000 by 2025. Alzheimer’s poses an array of challenges — emotional, medical, financial and social — to family members of those with the disease. Seventy percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are cared for in their homes; 75% of that care is given by family, friends and neighbors, according to the U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The grant recipients are:</p> <ul type="disc" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <li><strong>City of Richfield</strong> , $91,740 to raise community awareness of resources and organizations to support people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias while increasing information, education and training to care partners.</li> <li><strong>DARTS</strong> , West St. Paul, $44,550 to increase dementia awareness through commnuity presentations and webinars, offer memory screening opportunities, and establish a Memory Café in Dakota County.</li> <li><strong>FamilyMeans</strong> , Stillwater, $77,086 to create a broad, integrated, accessible continuum of support for families experiencing dementia, enhance services to include web-based options, and prioritize awareness and early identification.</li> <li><strong>First Commnuity Health Organization/The Victory Fund</strong> , Duluth, $75,000 to increase awareness and connection through expansion of the Victory Chorus’s educational outreach, providing social connection, musical outreach, and support networks among choir participants.</li> <li><strong>Giving Voice Initiative</strong> , Bloomington, $49,864 to increase Alzheimer’s disease awareness across the seven-county metro area, specifcally within Latino and African American communities.</li> <li><strong>JustUs Health</strong> , St. Paul, $47,320 to promote dementia information and prevention in the LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive communities throughout Minnesota.</li> <li><strong>Koochiching Aging Options</strong> , International Falls, $33,837 to promote participation of persons with dementia in the social and educational benefits of an expanded Memory Café, expand one-on-one assistance of a dementia support specialist, assemble and distribute memory kits, and extend education about dementia through Dementia Friends learning sessions targeting business and school communities.</li> <li><strong>Living at Home of the Park Rapids Area</strong> , Park Rapids, $49,569 to increase awareness through Dementia Friends Sessions, Virtual Dementia Tours, and Lunch and Learn modules; a three-day workshop with Teepa Snow’s “Positive Approach to Care” program; distribution of 1,000 resource packets to hospitals, care communities and health fairs; an expanded caregiver coaching program; a new social media presence via a website and Facebook page; and hosting six performances of The Remember Project Dementia Awareness Tour.</li> <li><strong>Northwoods Caregivers</strong> , Bemidji, $114,348 to increase awareness and early identification, and to connect caregivers, including outreach to Native American and LGBT communities, building upon and strengthening partnerships with the Red Lake, White Earth and Leech Lake tribal nations as well as Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College.</li> <li><strong>Senior Community Services</strong> , Minnetonka, $19,635 to fund dementia-friendly services, including Dementia Friends sessions at Wright County senior centers, Memory Cafés, and caregiver consultation and group support.</li> <li><strong>Volunteers of America Minnesota</strong> , Edina, $89,575 to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and advocate for low-wealth clients and communities of color, provide 280 culturally and linguistically appropriate in-person and online memory screenings to promote early identification, and support 82 caregivers by providing tools and resources.</li> <li><strong>Wadena County Public Health</strong> , Wadena, $49,257 to identify evidence-based staff training to utilize in future presentations to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, implement a community dementia awareness education plan, and to promote screening and early identification of Alzheimer’s and other dementias.</li> </ul>4488462020-09-30T16:19:29ZNews640News<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1141-448843" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2020-09-30T14:42:16ZThe governor challenged the council to elevate the voices of older Minnesotans and identify ways that the state can approach aging in a more expansive, inclusive, and effective way. This includes better collaboration and coordination between state agencies and promoting opportunities through public-private partnerships. It also requires a fundamental rethinking of aging and how state policies across the board influence Minnesotans’ experience of growing older.1141<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">By Sherrie Pugh</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Chair, Governor’s Council for an Age-Friendly Minnesota</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">When Governor Tim Walz outlined his One Minnesota vision, proclaiming that everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive, it was clear that “everyone” most assuredly includes older Minnesotans. The Governor’s Council for an Age-Friendly Minnesota has embraced that vision, and our <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA5MjkuMjc5MTYwNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL21uLmdvdi9kaHMvYXNzZXRzL0FGLWNvdW5jaWwtcmVjb21tZW5kYXRpb25zLTA4MTcyMF90Y20xMDUzLTQ0NDAyOC5wZGYifQ.2QhDoVpKJdQy6G-fbgTaq3_VjIGlGo8GGjuShPJATnQ/s/542600079/br/86117373602-l" target="_blank">preliminary recommendations</a> embody it.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The governor challenged the council to elevate the voices of older Minnesotans and identify ways that the state can approach aging in a more expansive, inclusive, and effective way. This includes better collaboration and coordination between state agencies and promoting opportunities through public-private partnerships. It also requires a fundamental rethinking of aging and how state policies across the board influence Minnesotans’ experience of growing older.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">We will continue our work to develop a final plan before the end of the year. This work supports Minnesota’s efforts to enroll in the World Health Organization / AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Chief among our recommendations is a permanent age-friendly council with an appointed leader. Along with that, we seek the resources required to support the recommendations and ensure this work can be undertaken at the necessary level. This is systems change. It is an investment, one that will yield important social and economic returns. Another key recommendation, the importance of which has been evident during the COVID-19 pandemic: Establishing systemic practices to ensure the safety of older adults in future emergencies.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The council approached its recommendations with the recognition that as older adults, we make enormous contributions to our communities—in the workforce, as volunteers, civic leaders, caregivers to grandchildren and other family members, and many more. It is imperative that state agencies and their partners in communities across Minnesota work together to become a state where all of us can contribute and be engaged and supported in later life.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Yes, we are aging. In 2030, just 10 years from now, Baby Boomers will begin to turn 85 -- and one in five Minnesotans will be over the age of 65. But this is about more than a demographic shift. It is about valuing and including all Minnesotans, of every age, at a new level.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Minnesota cannot neglect older adults despite the state budget shortfall or the pandemic. We must overcome these barriers in our statewide effort, which is part of a national and international age-friendly movement. Our work also must encompass all older adults, regardless of the color of their skin, their physical and cognitive abilities, or where they live. The Council for an Age-Friendly Minnesota includes representatives from nine state agencies and six people who represent urban, rural, suburban, and ethnic/cultural communities as well as older adults who have disabilities. We conducted extensive research, reaching out to all constituencies, but we’re not stopping here. We intend to continue.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">We are thrilled that communities across the state – including Maple Grove, Northfield, Alexandria and Minneapolis – and Olmsted and Hennepin counties are engaged in working to make every community, every county in Minnesota age-friendly. We see a multitude of opportunities for systemic changes that, as stated in the governor’s Executive Order, “promote equity and make progress toward equitable outcomes by examining programs, policies, and practices to ensure that they address disparities experienced by older adults in Greater Minnesota, older adults of color, and indigenous older adults.”</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><em>In addition to chairing the Governor’s Council for an Age-Friendly Minnesota, Sherrie Pugh is vice chair of the Minnesota Board on Aging. She is serving her second term on the board; she is on the Executive and Diversity committees and is co-chair of the Public Policy Committee. Pugh’s 35-year career in housing and community economic development has been focused on livable communities and enterprise development. She is an elected member of the Mound City Council.</em></p>4488432020-09-30T16:11:13ZNews640News<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1141-448821" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2020-03-31T14:32:52ZOlder adults are among those at greatest risk for the coronavirus and many of the familiar services that help them stay independent in their homes may not be available or may offer different or more limited services.1141<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">ST. PAUL, MN, March 31, 2020 – As Minnesotans are adjusting to changes due to the threats of COVID-19, access to services and other resources has become a more urgent need. Older adults are among those at greatest risk for the coronavirus and many of the familiar services that help them stay independent in their homes may not be available or may offer different or more limited services.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The Minnesota Association of Area Agencies on Aging (m4a) and the Minnesota Board on Aging (MBA) are working together to ensure the needs of older Minnesotans are met and respond quickly the increasing and changing needs caused by the pandemic. Through the administration of Older Americans Act and related funds, we are working closely with local community organizations to target funding to crucial services, such as home-delivered meals, grocery shopping and delivery services, virtual caregiver support and telephone reassurance for isolated older adults. These organizations are on the front lines and continue to provide important services in this challenging environment.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The Senior LinkAge Line® (1-800-333-2433) continues to be the best source of unbiased and accurate information for older adults and caregivers. To supplement that service, we are announcing today a new online resource finder tool with current information on services specific to older adults and caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">This finder tool is located at HelpOlderAdultsMN.org and is a searchable listing of services from across the state. Users can access the information through categories of services, such as home-delivered meals, grocery and drug deliveries, care coordination and home care. Search capabilities make it easy to find services relatively close to home. Currently the listing includes services provided under the Older Americans Act and other readily accessed information. We will continue to add and update resources on a daily basis to make it as complete and up to date as possible.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Contact: Julie Roles <br /> Communications Director, Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging <br /> jroles@metroaging.org | 651-895-3341</p>4488212020-09-30T16:09:04Z