Mature Voices Minnesota

IN THE YEAR 2017 MATURE VOICES MINNESOTA (MVM) CONTINUEDTO INCORPORATE THE VOICES OF OLDER ADULTS IN THREE MAINWAYS:1. PROVIDING A CARING VOICE PEER TO PEER HELP2. DEVELOPING VOICES AS TEACHERS, FACILITATORS AND SPEAKERS3. ENGAGING VOICES IN PUBLIC DISCOURSEBASICALLY IN 2017, THE BOARD AND STAFF PURSUED A TWO PRONG STRATEDGY PREPAIRING TO SHUTDOWN WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PERSUING FUNDING. 1. PROVIDING A CARING VOICE EMPLOYING PEER TO PEER COUNSELING.MVM CONTINUED TO UTILIZE ITS NETWORK OF VOLUNTEER ADVOCATES (VOICES) TO HELP FELLOW OLDER ADULTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WALK THROUGH THE LABYRINTH OF AGENCIES AND SERVICES AVAILABLE, THROUGH GOVERNMENTAL, NON-PROFIT, AND PRIVATE RESOURCES TO ENSURE THEIR CONCERNS WERE ADDRESSED AND THEY RECEIVED THE HELP THEY NEED.AS THE MAGNITUDE OF MVM'S FINANCIAL SITUATION BECAME MORE APPARENT WE WORKED TO RESOLVE PENDING CASES, TOOK ON NO ADDITIONAL CASES AND REFERED ALL NEW INQUIRIES TO ENTITIES SUCH AS LUTHERAN FAMILY SEVICES, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, AND THE STATE "LINKAGE LINE" ALL WHICH COULD TO GREATER OR LESSOR DEGREE PROVIDE THE ONGOING "ONE TO ONE" SERVICES WE WERE ACCUSTOM TO PROVIDING. ADDITIONALLY WE ENCOURAGED OUR VOLUNTEERS ADVOCATES TO CONTINUE THEIR IMPORTANT WORK WITHIN THESE ORGANIZATIONS.2. DEVELOPING VOICES AS TEACHERS, FACILITATORS AND SPEAKERS:THROUGHOUT THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR OUR POLICY GROUPS CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON SPECIFIC ISSUES OF CONCERN TO OLDER ADULTS BY TOPIC. THE GOAL OF THESE GROUPS WAS TO STUDY AND LEARN THE NUANCES OF A SPECIFIC SUBJECT AREA IN ORDER TO ASSIST IN CREATING CURRICULUM, AND BECOMING OR FINDING INSTRUCTORS FOR PUBLIC FORUMS, WORKSHOPS, AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS. WE CONTINUED TO EMPHASIZE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION SURROUNDING METHODS TO REDUCE PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS. UNDERSCORING THE AVAILABILITY OF MANUFACTURERS' PRESCRIPTION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS (PAP'S), AND WHEN APPROPRIATE THE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL HELP AVAILABLE TO REDUCE THE COST OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.AGAIN, BECAUSE OF DEFICIENT RESOURCES WE WERE FORCED TO LIMIT OURSELVES TO EVENTS ALREADY SCHEDULED, TAKING ON NO NEW EVENTS AND REFERRING THOSE ORGANIZATIONS INQUIRING ABOUT TEACHERS, FACILITATORS AND SPEAKERS TO ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS AARP, AND THE VITAL AGING NETWORK. 3. ENGAGING VOICES IN PUBLIC DISCOURSE:THE LOSS OF A SUBSTANTIAL GRANT IN 2016 AND THE RESULTINGLIMITED RESOURCES FORCED MVM TO CLOSE ITS DOORS THIS YEAR. IN ITS LAST SIX MONTHS NEARLY ALL MVM'S EMPHASIS WAS ON ITS "RXRIGHTS" PROJECT TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT ACCESS TO SAFE AND AFFORDABLE MEDICINES. AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS WE WERE CONTACTED BY A NUMBER OF CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES ASKING IF WE WOULD HELP TO COLLECT STORIES, AND TESTIMONY, FOR A NUMBER OF HOUSE AND SENATE HEARING ON DRUG PRICES, FROM OUR CONSUMER MEMBERS WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO SHARE HOW THEY WERE BEING IMPACTED BY EVER ESCALATING COSTS OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES. WE CONTINUED TO OPERATE THE RXRIGHTS WEBSITE. MVM'S BOARD ALSO PLACED THE EMPHASIS ON THE RXRIGHTS PROJECT BECAUSE IT FELT IT PROVIDED THE BEST OPPROTUNITY FOR THE ORGANIZATIONS SURVIVAL. OUR PREVIOUS GRANT RELATED TO THIS PROJECT HAD ALLOWED US TO GROW IT TO INTO EXCESS OF 12,000 PARTICIPANT/MEMBERS. THE 2017 GOAL WAS TO CONVERT THESE GRANT SUBSIDIZED NONPAYING MEMBERS INTO PAYING MEMBERS. THE TASK PROVED VERY DIFFICULT. SIMPLY PUT NONPAYING PARTICIPANT/MEMBERS WERE SO USED TO BELONGING FOR FREE THAT THEY WERE ULTIMATELY UNWILLING PAY TO BELONG. THE MVM BOARD ALSO PURSUED OTHER GRANTS AND FUNDING. HOWEVER AFTER MONTHS OF EXHAUSTIVE EFFORT IT BECAME APPARENT THAT WHAT THOSE POTENTIAL RESOURCES WANTED WAS THE LIST.