10th Annual Falls Prevention Awareness Day – September 22, 2017

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The 10th annual Falls Prevention Awareness Day will be observed on September 22, 2017—the first day of fall. In honor of this notable milestone, the theme of the event will be 10 Years Standing Together to Prevent Falls. This event raises awareness about how to prevent fall-related injuries among older adults.

Did you know that 1 in 3 older Americans fall every year? Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries for people aged 65+.
Falls can result in hip fractures, broken bones, and head injuries. And even falls without a major injury can cause an older adult to become fearful or depressed, making it difficult for them to stay active.

The good news about falls is that most of them can be prevented. The key is to know where to look. Here are some common factors that can lead to a fall:

  1. Balance and gait: As we age, most of us lose some coordination, flexibility, and balance— primarily through inactivity, making it easier to fall.
  2. Vision: In the aging eye, less light reaches the retina—making contrasting edges, tripping hazards, and obstacles harder to see.
  3. Medications: Some prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can cause dizziness, dehydration or interactions with each other that can lead to a fall.
  4. Environment: Most seniors have lived in their homes for a long time and have never thought about simple modifications that might keep it safer as they age.
  5. Chronic conditions: More than 90% of older adults have at least one chronic condition like diabetes, stroke, or arthritis. Often, these increase the risk of falling because they result in lost function, inactivity, depression, pain, or multiple medications.

One of the first steps that can be taken to prevent falls is to find and participate in a good balance and exercise program. In the MNRAAA service area, two evidence-based programs are available to help older adults improve their strength and balance and decrease their risk of falling. A Matter of Balance is an eight-session class that is designed to reduce the fear of falling, stop the fear of falling cycle and increase activity levels among community-dwelling older adults. Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance meets for two consecutive twelve-week sessions and is designed to improve balance deficits and fall risks by transforming martial arts movements into a therapeutic regimen.

To learn more about Matter of Balance or Tai Ji Quan visit mnraaa.org/training-opportunities

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Living Well with Diabetes

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Diana Madsen, Program Developer

The newest program training offered through MNRAAA is the Living Well with Diabetes program, otherwise known as Diabetes Self-Management Program. This program was added to the strong line-up of evidence-based program Leader Training that MNRAAA offers, due to the successful outcomes of the program.

Originally developed as a Spanish curriculum, Living Well with Diabetes was translated to English and a controlled study was completed by Stanford Patient Education Research Center, thus noted as evidence-based. Participants demonstrated significant improvements in depression, symptoms of hypoglycemia, communication with physicians, healthy eating and reading food labels. These improvements, along with self-efficacy, or the patient’s ability to manage their condition, were evident in patients who attended the workshop series not only for the first six months, but beyond.

Living Well with Diabetes does not replace existing programs or treatments, but rather compliments the education offered by diabetic educators and health care providers. If any of the program content conflicts with instruction they receive elsewhere, participants are advised by the program leaders to follow their physician’s orders and discuss concerns with their physician or health professional.

Diana Madsen and Lynn Buckley, MNRAAA Program Development staff, led a workshop in January 2017. Madsen said, “In our experience, there were noticeable changes in program participants.” One physician contacted the local diabetic educator and expressed her amazement at the transformation in attitude and improved communication with one patient who attended the six-week workshop. Others said the workshop helped them find renewed energy to read food labels and focus on the issues that affect their diabetes, even though they entered the class feeling tired of monitoring and “dealing with” their diabetes. “It was most gratifying to know that the participants were amazed at how quickly the six-week program went and expressed regret that the group would not be meeting together regularly,” said Madsen. Participants were encouraged to self-organize and continue to support one another in this journey.

MNRAAA offers two types of training opportunities for organizations interested in training volunteers and staff to lead the program. Standard training for new leaders consists of a four-day training, in which leaders walk through the program curriculum as participants, and then demonstrate their ability to lead the workshop through practice teaching assignments. Participants receive the program leader manual, agree to provide the program as outlined by Stanford Patient Education Research Center, and learn tips on implementing the program. For people that are already trained in Living Well with Chronic Conditions, there is a one-day cross-training offered to become a leader for Living Well with Diabetes. Since the method of teaching these two programs is similar, the cross-training provides an opportunity to learn the unique curriculum components of Living Well with Diabetes without re-training the teaching methods.

The programs are most effective when relationships with health care providers are established to build a referral system for the program. With outcome-based reimbursement being a viable solution for financial sustainability in healthcare, timing is ripe to introduce these programs to health care providers. Unfortunately, many providers are not aware of evidence based programs, their content or outcomes, so it is critical for implementing organizations to develop a strategy to educate providers about these programs and demonstrate how patients can benefit from them. MNRAAA is working to develop a toolkit to help assist implementing organizations as they begin those conversations with providers and work to build a referral mechanism to drive participants to the programs. Collaboration is key to the success of any health promotion program.

MNRAAA is hosting several upcoming training opportunities for Living Well with Diabetes:

  • Cross-Training (for leaders trained in Living Well with Chronic Conditions) – July 25, 2017 from 9 am -5 pm in Hutchinson
  • New Leader Training – October 2-5, 2017 from 9 am – 4:30 pm in Redwood Falls
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Spring Senior LinkAge Line® Outreach

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Robin Thompson, Information & Assistance Director

Spring is the time of year that we can say good bye to cold dark winter and hello to those warm sunny spring days. This is also the time of year that our Senior LinkAge Line® staff and volunteers like to focus on community outreach. People look forward to getting out and enjoying various community events. I have heard some describe the free services provided by the Senior LinkAge Line® as the best kept secret in the state of Minnesota. These events give us an opportunity to share how we can help older adults and their families. Below is a sampling of events we will be hosting or attending this spring:

  • 50+ Lifestyle Expo in Mankato
  • Living Your Best Life event in Worthington
  • Lower Sioux Wellness Fair and 5K in Morton
  • 2017 Spring Dementia Event in Redwood Falls
  • Bluestone Spring Staff Appreciation event
  • Senior Surf Day classes in Luverne, Springfield, St. Peter, Granite Falls, Canby, Clarkfield and Gaylord
  • Live Well at Home While You Age presentation in Montgomery
  • Welcome to Medicare classes in Mankato, Slayton, Willmar and Hutchinson
  • Medicare 101 Presentation in Blue Earth
  • Older American’s Banquet in Granite Falls
  • Essentia Health Fair in Graceville

Call the Senior LinkAge Line® at 1-800-333-2433 to learn more about these events. The Senior LinkAge Line® is a free service of the Minnesota Board on Aging and the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging®.

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Free New to Medicare Classes Available

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Will You be New to Medicare?

Attend a Free Class to Help You Understand Your Options

There are important decisions that need to be made when you become eligible for Medicare. Making the wrong decision can lead to inadequate coverage and financial penalties. The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging® (MNRAAA) is sponsoring monthly two-part educational sessions for people who are becoming eligible for Medicare. Sessions are intended for people who will be turning age 65 in the near future or are becoming eligible for Medicare because they have been receiving Social Security disability benefits.

This past March, MNRAAA began offering monthly two-part classes in Mankato to help individuals learn about Medicare and ways to search their coverage options. In 2017, classes will also be offered in Slayton and in Montevideo. The first session provides attendees with an overview of Medicare and their coverage options. During the second session, attendees learn how to research their options using non-biased tools, such as the Medicare website.

To find out more information and register for a class, call the Senior LinkAge Line® at  1-800-333-2433.

The Senior LinkAge Line® is a free statewide service of the Minnesota Board on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging. 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. Call 1-800-333-2433 for assistance or go to www.MinnesotaHelp.info® to chat live with a Senior LinkAge Line® specialist.

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