MINNESOTA RIVER AREA AGENCY ON AGING
Administrative Office
201 N. Broad St.
Suite 102
Mankato, MN 56001
Phone: 507.387.1256
Fax: 507.387.6223
201 N. Broad St.
Suite 102
Mankato, MN 56001
Phone: 507.387.1256
Fax: 507.387.6223
Provided through Older Americans Act funding from the Minnesota Board on Aging.
Workplace Chronic Disease Self-Management Program
/in Program Development, Classes and Training/by Erica SchottMillions of adults live with one or more chronic health conditions. A chronic health condition is an on-going health problem or disease such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis or other long-term problem. Workplace Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (wCDSMP) builds participants’ confidence in their ability to manage their health condition.
MNRAAA can now train wCDSMP leaders. This program is an adaptation of the six-week Chronic Disease Self-Management Program and contains similar content, but is rearranged into one-hour segments for the workplace.
Spotlight on Title III Services: CCT Senior Transportation Program
/in Grants Contract Management, Other/by Erica SchottCentral Community Transit’s (CCT) mission is to cost effectively meet the many transportation needs of the residents of Kandiyohi, Renville and Meeker Counties by providing safe, cost-effective transportation through the many bus and volunteer driver services it provides.
Flooding in Southwestern Minnesota
/in Other/by Erica SchottSevere flooding, road closures, flooded homes and businesses, power outages, evacuations, damaged crops – these are just some of the words we heard during the recent, very heavy rainfalls in […]
Notice of 2019 Title III Funding Cycle
/in Grants Contract Management, Office News, Press Releases/by Erica SchottMankato, MN, June 22, 2018 – The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging is seeking grant applicants for Title III services in southwest Minnesota for the funding period of January […]
Engage at Every Age
/in Executive Director's Letter, Office News, Other/by Erica SchottWelcome to the spring edition of MNRAAA news. I hope you will enjoy reading about what’s happening at MNRAAA and find the updates we’ve included useful and worth sharing with […]
MNRAAA 2018 Roadshows
/in Office News, Senior LinkAge Line®, Program Development, Other/by Erica SchottThe Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging (MNRAAA) will be holding community seminars in Willmar, Mankato and Marshall in June. Attendees will learn more about the services provided by MNRAAA, including:
A Helping Hand to Get You Back Home
/in Senior LinkAge Line®/by Erica SchottBy Steven Jameson, The Free Press Media
Sherry Folsom-Meeks, a retired MSU professor who lives in North Mankato has kidney failure and needs regular dialysis. Last summer she ended up in the hospital after a stroke. When she came out of the hospital, she was afraid to go home at first. Unsure whether or not she could care for herself, she went into assisted living. It was there that she met Rita Pyan, Community Living Specialist at the Senior LinkAge Line®. With Rita’s help, and the help of the assisted living facility, it took only two months before she felt comfortable and able to go home.
The Senior LinkAge Line® is a free service provided by the State of Minnesota to help older adults and their families find community services and options. The office in southern Minnesota serves 27 counties, employing five Community Living Specialists like Rita. Even though the Senior LinkAge Line® has been around for 20 years, many people don’t know about it.
Living Well with Chronic Pain
/in Program Development, Classes and Training, Other/by Erica SchottAccording to the National Institutes of Health, pain affects more Americans than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined. It is a leading cause of disability and a major contributor to health care costs. The diversity of pain conditions requires a diversity of research and treatment approaches.
One such approach is the evidence-based program, Living Well with Chronic Pain (LWCP). This program is a community-based intervention delivered once a week for six weeks and is intended for people who have a primary or secondary diagnosis of chronic pain.
New Assistance Sites for People Who Speak Spanish and Somali
/in Senior LinkAge Line®/by Erica SchottMany 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.
Sharing a Meal to Reduce Isolation
/in Program Development/by Erica SchottThe 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.