New Assistance Sites for People Who Speak Spanish and Somali

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Many of you know that the Senior LinkAge Line® has trained staff and volunteers who can help answer your questions and simplify your life. They can provide assistance with Medicare, supplemental insurance, long-term care insurance, Medicare Savings Programs, prescription drugs, completing forms and much more. You can call the Senior LinkAge Line at 1-800-333-2433 or visit a monthly MinnesotaHelp Network® site for in-person assistance. Counseling at these sites is free and confidential, and appointments are not necessary, so drop-ins are welcome.

In March, the Senior LinkAge Line® added two additional sites with translators available – one location will serve older adults who speak Spanish and the other will serve those who speak Somali.

People who speak Somali can receive assistance the third Wednesday of each month from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Community Integration Center located at 201-5th Street South West in Willmar.

People who speak Spanish can get help the first Thursday of each month from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Willmar Community Center located at 624 Highway 71 in Willmar.

The Senior LinkAge Line® is a free statewide service of the Minnesota Board on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging. Specialists provide one-to-one assistance with helping older adults age well and live well. The Senior LinkAge Line® is the federally designated State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for Minnesota and is the place to call for Medicare and health insurance issues and much more.

To find out information about MinnesotaHelp Network® sites in your area, call 1-800-333-2433 Monday through Friday between 8:00 am – 4:30 pm.

Spanish & Somali MinnesotaHelp Network® Sites:

Community Integration Center
201 5th Street South West, Willmar
3rd Wednesday each month
11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Assistance available in Somali

Willmar Community Center
624 Highway 71, Willmar
1st Thursday each month
5:00 to 7:00 pm
Assistance available in Spanish

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Sharing a Meal to Reduce Isolation

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The City of St. Peter’s immigrant and refugee population is growing. In the elementary schools, 20% of the students are children of color. Services for children and families are common but services for elder immigrants and refugees are lacking. Of particular concern are East African elders, primarily from Somalia, living with and supported by their families in the St. Peter area. As these families settle in and become accustomed to the community, their elders become socially isolated, disengaged from the community and experience loneliness and depression.

Abdi Noor Matan, Executive Director of the Horn of Africa Aid and Rehabilitation Action Network (HAARAN) reached out to MNRAAA program development staff in the fall of 2016 to see how we could help. The goal of HAARAN is to advocate for and improve the life standards of persons with disabilities, elders and vulnerable children through promoting and assisting with accessing education, healthcare and rehabilitation. Mr. Matan has established a HAARAN office in St. Peter which provides a unique opportunity to reach and engage the elders.

After several meetings and much discussion about how to reduce isolation among the elders, it was determined that sharing a meal is the best way to bring people together, no matter what their culture of origin. With this in mind, MNRAAA approached the City of St. Peter with the concept of developing a congregate meal program that is culturally appropriate for East African elders and incorporates a time for socialization and educational activities.

A workgroup has been established to move the concept forward.

Workgroup members represent:

  • City of St. Peter
  • St. Peter Senior Center
  • Community elders
  • Nicollet County Public Health & Statewide Health Improvement
  • Partnership (SHIP)
  • River’s Edge Hospital & Clinic
  • Minnesota Valley Action Council
  • Gustavus Adolphus College
  • St. Peter Food Co-op
  • Lutheran Social Service of MN
  • HAARAN
  • MNRAAA

The ground work has been laid and workgroup members are hopeful that beginning in August elders will be able to come together once or twice a month to share a meal, engage in lively conversation and participate in stimulating activities that foster inclusiveness for all cultures.

Stay tuned for updates as the concept becomes a reality!

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Memory Resources in Benson

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Benson is a town of 3,100 people in Swift County, located on the northern edge of MNRAAA’s service area. Due to the foresight and commitment of community members, new services are being offered there as of this spring.

Dawn Dailey, Librarian at the Pioneerland Public Library in Benson, attended a training where she learned about Memory Kits for people with dementia and their caregivers. Dawn presented the idea of creating Memory Kits to the Benson Area Memory Loss Network. By the next month’s meeting, bags and contents for nineteen kits were being gathered! Each kit helps the person with dementia and their caregiver explore memories of events and activities. Examples of the kits’ themes are farming, music, sewing, needlework, trains, and gardening. The kits can be borrowed from the Benson Library, just like books. The library also added a section of books about dementia and caregiving to provide additional support to those who need it.

In addition to the newly created Memory Kits, the Benson Library is now hosting monthly Memory Cafés. The Café is supported by members of the Benson Area Memory Loss Network, with one or two members providing food and beverages every month. Members of the Network also stay at each Café to facilitate conversations and offer host services, as needed.

The Benson Area Memory Loss Network is a group of people representing community services who are working hard to enhance the lives of those with memory loss in Benson and the surrounding area. Educational community events are now being planned for the fall.

A Grand Opening of the Memory Loss Resource Center will be held at the Benson Library on May 16th from 3:30 to 5:00 pm. Feel free to join the Grand Opening or contact Betty Christensen, Program Developer, at [email protected] or 507-508-5496 for more information.

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