MNRAAA Announces New Board of Directors

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March 18, 2021 – The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, Inc. (MNRAAA) is pleased to announce two new members to their Board of Directors, Kathleen Preuss and Pam Radunz.

Kathleen Preuss is a member and resident of the Upper Sioux Community Dakota Tribe of Minnesota and a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Tribe of South Dakota. Preuss is currently the Social Service Director at the Upper Sioux Community and has previously worked as a police officer and has worked with ClearWay of Minnesota. She has been a volunteer with Hurt No More Children’s Program, PATHWAYS Sexual Assault Program and PACT for Families.

When asked about her area of concern relating to older adults, Preuss stated that she wants to ensure “needs are being met in a culturally sensitive manner.” Preuss has started an adult language class in hopes of keeping the Native Dakota language alive.

Pam Radunz is the Resident Services Director at Harmony River Living Center and is a resident of Hutchinson. Radunz holds a Master of Science in Gerontology from Saint Cloud State University, a certified Independent Trainer for Dementia through Positive Approach, LLC, and a certified Teepa Snow trainer on Dementia. She has been an integral part of numerous committees, such as, Well Being at Work Wellness (consortium for McLeod, Meeker, and Sibley Counties), Meeker County Fair Board, Meeker Area Care Connections, and McLeod County Senior Providers.

“I have a passion for older people that I have grown and developed all my life,” said Radunz when asked why she was interested in joining MNRAAA.

“MNRAAA is fortunate to have such talented, motivated and caring individuals in our area to serve on our board. Kat and Pam both bring unique experiences that will assist us in shaping our future efforts around aging,” stated Jason W. Swanson, Executive Director.

“As the MNRAAA Board of Directors fills two vacancies due to retirements from the board, we are so very pleased to announce the addition of our two newest members. The MNRAAA board is well positioned to continue to support programs focused on the support of all older adults in Southwestern Minnesota,” stated Robert Roesler, Board Chair.

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CARE’s Act Dollars Awarded to 22 Organizations

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Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, Inc. (MNRAAA) has awarded twenty-two organizations a total of $467,597. These dollars were made available under the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES Act) funding through the Administration for Community Living and the Minnesota Board on Aging. MNRAAA focused these dollars on rural areas and areas with the greatest social need, especially older adults facing social isolation.

The CARES grant is designed to allow community-based organizations to provide support services, such as chore services, homemaker, visiting, telephone reassurance and caregiver support services. These funds are designated to address the service needs of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“MNRAAA is grateful to see these organizations step up to assist older adults during the pandemic. The additional challenges that the pandemic has presented have also allowed new and innovative opportunities to assist our communities during these unprecedented times. These organizations have been working closely with MNRAAA to ensure that older adults receive the service they need.” said Jason W. Swanson, MNRAAA Executive Director.

The organizations that were awarded CARE’s Act funding through MNRAAA were:

Organization Service Dollars
Appleton Area Health to utilize iN2l person-centered technology to provide entertainment for residents at Appleton Area Health. $25,000
Big Stone County Memory Loss Connection to provide technology services to older adults in Big Stone County $6,200
Blue Earth County Library System to provide access to educational materials, entertainment, and mental stimulation for older adults $4,725
City of Adrian to partner with Rock County Opportunities to provide chore and homemaker services to Adrian older adults $24,975
City of Kerkhoven to develop, organize, and implement a telephone calling project to contact older and isolated individuals in Kerkhoven and Murdock’s communities. $25,000
Countryside Public Health to conduct telephone reassurance to provide outreach to positive COVID-19 cases in isolation or quarantine. $25,000
CREST Caregiver to provide individual and family counseling to caregivers and offer support groups to interested individuals. $13,563
CREST Supportive to provide telephone assurance and transportation services to older adults in Martin County. $14,611
Essential Senior Services to provide homemaking services to older adults in Jackson, Murray, Nobles and Rock Counties. $24,752
Horn of Africa Aid and Rehabilitation Action Network to provide training and education for immigrant families relating to family caregiving. $21,800
Interfaith Caregivers to expand the personal emergency response system in Faribault County. $15,740
Kyle’s Small Engine Repair to expand snow removal chore services for older adults in the Dawson area. $19,232
LqP Computer Commuter to provide technology services to older adults in Lac qui Parle County. $25,000
Marshall Area Senior Citizens, Inc. to provide onsite and virtual opportunities to participate in social interactions, education, and recreation to reduce social isolation to the Marshall area older adults. $25,000
Open Door Health Center to provide outreach to older adults relating to medical, dental and behavioral health care in Southern Minnesota. $25,000
Pipestone County to provide telephone reassurance to older adults in Pipestone County. $25,000
Prairie Five Community Action to provide technology services to older adults in Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift and Yellow Medicine Counties. $25,000
Prairie Perspectives to offer mental health and personal enrichment group programs for older adults and caregivers in rural assisted living facilities. $25,000
Renville Health Services to provide technology services to older adults living at St. Francis Health Care Services. $22,850
Southern Minnesota Music Therapy to create a music at home project to provide older adults living alone in rural communities. $24,149
Waseca Area Caregiver Services to provide a group respite program in-home respite for aging adults, caregiver support and community education in Waseca County. $25,000
Woodland Centers to have a mental health practitioner provide mental health support, education and training to help reduce isolation and loneliness among older adults in Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle and Swift Counties. $25,000
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MNRAAA Trains New Caregiver Consultants

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The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging (MNRAAA) recently trained staff from five area organizations in Basic Caregiver Coaching Skills and Inside the Family Circle: Mastering the Family Meeting. These trained professionals are now able to provide caregiver consultation services in Minnesota.

Staff from these organizations completed training in February 2021.

Caregiver consultants equip caregivers with the knowledge, skills and tools to achieve a balanced lifestyle while caring for others. They focus on problem-solving, information sharing, skill development, and emotional support. A caregiver consultant helps caregivers develop strategies to achieve a balanced lifestyle that enhances their ability to provide good care and manage their well-being.

If you are a caregiver and are interested in speaking with a caregiver consultant, contact the organization at the websites listed above.

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MNRAAA Receives Otto Bremer Trust Grant

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(March 4, 2021) – Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, Inc. (MNRAAA) received a $25,000 grant from the Otto Bremer Trust, allowing an expansion of health care classes.

MNRAAA connects rural service providers to health education programs proven to help older adults prevent falls and self-manage chronic health conditions. However, service providers often have a considerable upfront expense in training and supplies before offering their first health education program.

The Otto Bremer Trust grant will remove this financial barrier by funding training expenses and seed money for service providers new to offering evidence-based health education programs or providing new programming. As a result of this project, there will be increased opportunities for rural older adults to participate in healthy aging classes and experience better health outcomes.

Healthy aging classes that organizations can hold for older adults include but are not limited to: A Matter of Balance, Aging Mastery Program, Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, Diabetes Prevention Program, Living Well with Chronic Conditions, Living Well with Chronic Pain, Living Well with Diabetes, Programa de Manejo Personal de la Diabetes, Stay Active and Independent for Life, Stepping On, Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance, Tomando Control de su Salud, and Walk With Ease.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to allow new organizations to try out these classes for older adults,” stated Jason W. Swanson, Executive Director of MNRAAA. MNRAAA will be targeting Jackson, Le Sueur, Martin, Meeker, Sibley, Waseca and Watonwan counties with these dollars. For more information about healthy aging classes, visit www.mnraaa.org or contact Krista Eichhorst at 507-387-1256 extension 101.

About the Otto Bremer Trust

The Otto Bremer Trust (OBT) is a bank holding company and a private charitable trust based in Saint Paul, Minn., that works at the intersection of finance and philanthropy. Created in 1944 by Otto Bremer, it is today one of the nation’s largest philanthropic organizations and is committed to supporting a better quality of life for residents of Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and Wisconsin. OBT is the majority owner of Bremer Financial Corporation, a regional financial services company and manages a diversified investment portfolio. Since its funding, OBT has invested more than $841 million in people, places, and opportunities in the Upper Midwest.

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