Milestones Area Agency On Aging

MILESTONES AREA AGENCY ON AGING PROVIDES AND COORDINATES HOME AND COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES TO ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A 17 COUNTY AREA IN SOUTHEAST IOWA.

HOME DELIVERED (HDM) AND CONGREGATE MEALS ARE AMONG OUR CORE SERVICES. HDMS ARE DESIGNED FOR HOMEBOUND INDIVIDUALS, AND CONGREGATE MEALS ARE PROVIDED AT NEIGHBORHOOD MEAL SITES TO HELP REDUCE ISOLOATION AND FACILITATE SOCIALIZATION. NUTRITION EDUCATION IS REGULARLY PROVIDED AND NUTRITION COUNSELING IS OFFERED AS AN AVAILABLE SERVICE. ADDITIONAL HELPFUL INFORMATION IN THE FORM OF A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, THE "MILESTONES MINUTE" IS ALSO DELIVERED. IN FY21, MILESTONES EXPANDED HOME DELIVERIES INTO PREVIOUSLY UNSERVICED REMOTE RURAL AREAS THROUGH A NEW CONTRACT WITH MOM'S MEALS AND THROUGH RESTAURANT PARTNERSHIPS. MILESTONES LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR A NEW CONGREGATE MEALS PROGRAM CALLED "MILESTONES IOWA CAFE" WHICH INVOLVES PARTNERING WITH RESTAURANTS TO PROVIDE MEALS WHICH ARE TRACKED THROUGH A SWIPE CARD SYSTEM (PARTICIPANTS ARE ISSUED A CARD GOOD FOR X OF MEALS PER MONTH). THIS SERVICE LAUNCHED ON JULY 8. THROUGHOUT FY21, COVID-19 PROTOCOLS REMAINED IN PLACE. CONGREGATE SITES REMAINED CLOSED, ALL MEAL PARTICIPANTS WERE OFFERED THEIR MEALS ON A HOME DELIVERED BASIS. AGENCY OFFICES REMAINED CLOSED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. IN THE LATE WINTER/SPRING, MILESTONES ASSISTED THE IOWA DEPT. OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN CONVEYING VACCINATION INFORMATION TO THE 60+ PUBLIC AND ASSISTING WITH GETTING FOLKS CONNECTED WITH VACCINATION SCHEDULING ENTITIES. WITH THE ADVENT OF VACCINATIONS, STAFF WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO MAKING HOME VISITS ON A LIMITED BASIS, AND CLIENTS COULD COME INTO THE OFFICE TO MEET BY APPOINTMENT. MILESTONES EXPANDED VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING OPTIONS: ACQUIRED EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE NECESSARY AND STAFF GAINED TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND REDSIGNED/ADAPTED CONTENT.

AGENCY OFFICES REMAINED CLOSED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. IN THE LATE WINTER/SPRING, MILESTONES ASSISTED THE IOWA DEPT. OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN CONVEYING VACCINATION INFORMATION TO THE 60+ PUBLIC AND ASSISTING WITH GETTING FOLKS CONNECTED WITH VACCINATION SCHEDULING ENTITIES. WITH THE ADVENT OF VACCINATIONS, STAFF WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO MAKING HOME VISITS ON A LIMITED BASIS, AND CLIENTS COULD COME INTO THE OFFICE TO MEET BY APPOINTMENT. MILESTONES EXPANDED VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING OPTIONS: ACQUIRED EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE NECESSARY AND STAFF GAINED TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND REDSIGNED/ADAPTED CONTENT.

IOWA RETURN TO COMMUNITY (IRTC) IS A NEW PROGRAM THAT INVOLVES FACILITATING A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION BACK TO HOME AND COMMUNITY AFTER A HOSPITAL OR CARE FACILITY STAY. IT INVOLVES WORKING WITH THE CLIENT TO SET UP NEEDED SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO HELP THEM AS THEY RECUPERATE/ADJUST (SUCH AS MEALS, HOMEMAKER, PERSONAL CARE, HOME HEALTH ATTENDANT, CHORE) AND IS TARGETED TO REDUCING READMISSION RATES. IN THE EARLY SPRING OF FY21, MILESTONES SIGNED OUR FIRST PARTNER, A CARE FACILITY IN KEOSAUQUA, WHICH LAUNCHED OUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS NEW PROGRAM. ALSO, AS A RESULT OF CARES ACT, THE AGENCY WAS ABLE TO SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE FUNDING TO CONTRACTORS FOR THE PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL SUPPORTIVE SERVICES NEEDED BY OLDER IOWANS DUE TO THE HARDSHIPS BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE PANDEMIC.