Caregiver Corner – Essential Care Quick Guide and Checklist

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Whether you’re new or experienced, these steps help keep your loved one safe and make care easier. Complete them at your own pace.

  1. Learn About Their Diagnosis – Understand how the condition progresses, available treatments, challenges, and caregiving tips.
  1. Know Warning Signs – Ask your doctor what symptoms need urgent care. Make an emergency action plan.
  1. Review Medications – Have a doctor or pharmacist check for interactions, duplicates, and missed doses. 
  1. List Daily Needs – Identify tasks they need help with to guide therapies and funding options. 
  1. Organize Documents – Get Power of Attorney (POA) signed early so they choose who makes decisions. 
  1. Make the Home Safe – Request a safety assessment. Rearrange items, move the bedroom if needed, add grab bars, remove rugs/clutter, and improve lighting. 
  1. Create a Backup Plan – Choose who will help if you can’t. Share contact info and care details. 
  1. Connect with Resources – Prevent burnout with in-home care, transportation, meals, and respite.
  1. Find Caregiver Support – Your needs matter! Join support groups, forums, counseling, or education programs. 
  1. Make a Question List – Write down questions for the healthcare team and update regularly. 
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Celebrate Older Adults – May is Older Americans Month

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Every May, we celebrate numerous events and occasions. These include Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, National Nurses Day, and more. All of these are important in their own way. The month of May also celebrates Older Adults. Governor Tim Walz has proclaimed the month of May as Older Minnesotans Month. Minnesota will join others across the national aging network in raising awareness around Older Adults.

This year the theme is Flip the Script on Aging. The goal this year is twofold. First, simply to raise awareness. Raise awareness that the State of Minnesota is growing older. This is a good thing! We are living longer, healthier lives! We should embrace this and work to strengthen our communities to assist the aging population. Second, we are using this year to draw attention to ageism. According to a study by the World Health Organization, 1 in 2 people are ageist towards older adults. How can this be? We see this and experience this every day, many of us not recognizing what it is. Let’s go through some examples:

  • I am too old to play that game anymore.
  • Oh, I forgot that, must be having a senior moment.

Can you say that you have experienced those statements or similar statements? These are based on ageist thoughts. We need to change how we talk, how we address, and how we embrace the aging population. MNRAAA is excited to partner with the National Center to Reframe Aging and assist in promoting older adults this month, and each month of the year. I challenge you to identify ageist comments during your day-to-day activities. When you identify a comment or action, think about how to reframe that statement or action to positively showcase aging. We are all aging, let’s age successfully together in a positive environment!

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Jason W. Swanson, HSE

Executive Director

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Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, Inc. (MNRAAA) to Hold a Public Hearing/Meeting

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The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging will host a public hearing/meeting to gather public input on its Area Plan for 2025. This planning document, pursuant to the Older Americans Act (OAA), identifies priority needs, goals, objectives, and activities. MNRAAA will develop and implement programs for individuals aged 60 years and older and their caregivers in the Southwest region of Minnesota. This public hearing/meeting allows the community to provide input for the plan.

 

Public Hearing Topic: Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging is proposing to use $147,394 Title III-B direct service funds to pay for the Program Development and Coordination Activities during 2025 as a cost of Area Plan administration.

 

The Minnesota Board on Aging (MBA) developed each of the goals below.

 

Goal 1: Advance equity and eliminate disparities, while empowering rural and diverse communities and respecting the sovereignty of Tribal Nations.

Goal 2: Make aging in community truly possible for all Minnesotans.

Goal 3: Support families, friends, and neighbors in sustaining their caregiving roles.

Goal 4: Promote and support healthy aging for all Minnesotans.

Goal 5: Dismantle ageism and promote older adult rights, autonomy, and protection.

 

Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at 10:00 AM

 

To register, please sign up here:

MNRAAA’s Area Plan Public Hearing Tickets, Wed, Jul 24, 2024 at 10:00 AM | Eventbrite

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