Central Minnesota Council Aging Inc

DEVELOP AND COORDINATE COMMUNITY CARE SERVICES FOR OLDER PEOPLE.

GRANT MAKING: CENTRAL MN COUNCIL ON AGING IS A PIVOTAL LINK BETWEEN COMMUNITY SUPPORTS FOR SENIORS, STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THOSE SERVICES IN ITS 14 COUNTY PLANNING AND SERVICE AREA. CMCOA AWARDS CONTRACTS FOR SERVICES TO HELP ENSURE THAT VAST ARRAYS OF OPTIONS ARE IN PLACE TO MATCH THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND ALLOW SENIORS TO REMAIN LIVING INDEPENDENTLY IN THEIR COMMUNITY FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. IN 2021, $5.427 MILLION PURCHASED SERVICES WITH THESE DOLLARS WHICH INCLUDED 45,980 SESSIONS OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE, 725 HOURS OF COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH ASSESSMENT, 3,066 HOURS OF LEGAL ASSISTANCE, 1 LEGAL EDUCATION SESSION, 10,375 RIDES OF ASSISTED TRANSPORTATION, 2,582 HOURS OF CHORE SERVICES, 7,619 HOURS OF HOMEMAKER SERVICES, 654 HOURS OF SUPPORT PLANNING, 39 SERIES OF EVIDENCED BASED HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAMS, 2,289 HOURS OF TELEPHONE REASSURANCE, 1,165 HOURS OF CAREGIVER RESPITE, 2,428 HOURS OF CAREGIVER COUNSELING SERVICES, 54 SUPPORT GROUP SESSIONS, 40,918 CONGREGATE MEALS AND 687,504 HOME DELIVERED MEALS. A TOTAL OF $500,982 WAS UTILIZED AS IN-KIND MATCH BY THE SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE DELIVERY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED SERVICES.

SENIOR LINKAGE: THE SENIOR LINKAGE LINE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE AGING SERVICES NETWORK. WITH ONE CALL TO SENIOR LINKAGE LINE, SENIORS, FAMILIES, CAREGIVERS, AGENCIES AND MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGE CAN OBTAIN ASSISTANCE TO EVALUATE THEIR SITUATION AND LOCATE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO HELP THEM REMAIN INDEPENDENT. IN 2021 SENIOR LINKAGE LINE SERVED 45,980 INDIVIDUALS WITH PHONE ASSISTANCE. IN 2021, THE COVID PANDEMIC REQUIRED CONTINUED MODIFICATIONS TO BE MADE WHEN PROVIDING SENIOR LINKAGE LINE SERVICES. CONSUMERS WERE SERVED ENTIRELY OVER THE TELEPHONE AND IN- PERSON ASSISTANCE WAS NOT OFFERED IN ANY LOCATION. INCREASED REGULAR FOLLOW-UP CALLS WERE PROVIDED TO CONSUMERS TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY AND WELL-BEING. SENIOR LINKAGE LINE VOLUNTEERS WERE NOT UTILIZED DURING 2021.

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT:CMCOA DEVELOPMENT TEAM 2021 WORK 1. AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY WORK- PARTICIPATE IN LEADERSHIP TEAMS TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AS THE COMMUNITIES WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BECOMING AGE FRIENDLY A. ST. CLOUD AND PRINCETON AND WORKED WITH ADDITIONAL COMMUNITIES DISCERNING TO BEGIN THIS PROCESS. 2. CMCOA 2021 STRATEGIC PLANNING DISCUSSION (FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS WITH COMMUNITY PROVIDER GROUPS, LGBTQ, LATINO AND SOMALIN) TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES FOR OLDER ADULTS, THE BEST POSITION, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR THE ROLE OF CMCOA TO ASSIST TO BUILD CAPACITY. A. KEY THEMES FROM CONVERSATIONS: I. TRANSPORTATIONII. TECHNOLOGYIII. RESOURCES AND NAVIGATIONIV. CAREGIVING SUPPORTV. SOCIAL ISOLATION AND MENTAL HEALTH 1. SOMEWHERE TO SOCIALIZE AND EXERCISE VI. CULTURAL SUPPORT- INCLUDING HAVING STAFF THAT SPEAK LANGUAGE FOR BETTER COMMUNICATION/INTERPRETIVE SERVICES VII. HEALTHCARE AND HOME CARE SERVICESVIII. HOUSING AND SUPPORT SERVICES/ AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE 1. INCLUDES A CHOICE OF HOUSING OPTIONS- ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS IX. WORKFORCE- LACK OF STAFF FOR LONG TERM CARE AND HOME AND COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES AND THE NEED FOR OLDER ADULTS TO CONTINUE TO WORK. X. INFLATION/COST OF LIVING/LACK OF MONEY XI. DEMOGRAPHICS AND ENVIRONMENT. XII. NUTRITION- INCLUDES CULTURAL MEAL OPTION FROM SENIOR DINING SERVICES B. CMCOA'S ROLEI. ADVOCATE FOR CHANGEII. BUILD A NETWORK FOR FUNDING III. AND RESOURCE SHARINGIV. PROMOTE AND COMMUNICATEV. ANALYZEVI. ORGANIZE AND ENGAGE WITH OTHER VOICES C. CMCOA STRATEGIES BASED ON CONVERSATIONSI. BE MORE MINDFUL OF INFORMATION THAT IS SENT FROM CMCOAII. ANALYZE PURPOSE AND NEED OF MEETINGSIII. FOCUSED WORK WITH DIVERSE POPULATIONSIV. DEI LENS- DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSIONV. EDUCATION ON ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITSVI. TITLE III AND OTHER FUNDING SOURCES BEING CULTURALLY SENSITIVE.D. ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES/ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2021:I. COVID VACCINE AWARENESS AND FUNDINGII. RE-VITALIZATION OF ACT ON ALZHEIMER'S DEMENTIA FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES 1. DEMENTIA EDUCATION; DEMENTIA FRIENDS CHAMPION AND DEMENTIA FRIENDLY DENTAL PROVIDERSIII. BROADBAND PROJECT CHISAGO LAKES AREA- EMPOWERED BY INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY CLASSES AND LABS FOR ADULT 50+IV. MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS-PARTICIPATED IN AND/OR LED VARIOUS MENTAL HEALTH RELATED COALITION THROUGHOUT THE REGION, SUCH AS. 1. COALITION TO END SOCIAL ISOLATION IN ST. CLOUD REGION 2. MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION STATEWIDE COHORT 3. CENTRAL MN SUICIDE PREVENTION COALITION 4. NORTHERN SUICIDE PREVENTION COALITIONE. HEALTH AGING COORDINATORI. EXPAND NUMBER OF LEADERS FOR THE AGING MASTERY PROGRAM (AMP)II. CONTINUED TO RECEIVE REQUESTS FOR SOCIAL CONNECT/MINDFUL PRESENCE CLASSESIII. ADDED HEALTH COACHING FOR HYPERTENSION- PARTNERED LOCAL NURSING PROGRAM TO TRAIN STUDENT LEADERS WHO THEN LEAD CLASSES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY IN CONJUNCTION WITH PARTNERING WITH CENTRACARE TO REFER PATIENTS THROUGH THEIR ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD SYSTEM. IV. GUIDED AUTO BIOGRAPHY FOR THOSE LIVING WITH EARLY ONSET DEMENTIA RELATED DISEASES- STATE AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR THIS PILOT SERIES