Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging awards over $5 million in grants

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February 1, 2023 – The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, Inc. (MNRAAA) has announced 27 Title III funding awards totaling more than $5 million. The awards are funded under Title III of the Older Americans Act (OAA) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

As a state-designated Area Agency on Aging, MNRAAA administers OAA funds and is responsible for the development of a coordinated and comprehensive system of services for older adults and their caregivers in Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Sibley, Swift, Waseca, Watonwan and Yellow Medicine Counties. To accomplish this, MNRAAA awards Title III OAA funding to agencies and organizations that provide direct services for older people (age 60+) and their caregivers.

Congress passed ARPA in 2021 to support older adults and caregivers that are struggling in the wake of COVID-19. Funding under ARPA follows the guidelines established by the OAA.

“MNRAAA is thrilled to partner with these organizations to continue expanding services to older adults and caregivers in our twenty-seven-county area.” MNRAAA Executive Director Jason W. Swanson stated. “These services are integral in assisting older adults in their communities and as independent as possible.”

The following grants have been awarded for 2023:

Title III-B Supportive Services

  1. Central Community Transit (Kandiyohi, Meeker, and Renville Counties)
    • CCT Senior Transportation Program for Transportation and Assisted Transportation
  2. City of Tyler (Lincoln County, City of Tyler only)
    • Tyler Senior Snow Removal for Chore
  3. City of Worthington/Center for Active Living (Nobles County)
    • The Good Life Project for Education/Training and Health Promotion – Non-Evidence Based
  4. Essential Senior Services (Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, and Rock Counties)
    • Essential Senior Services Chore and Homemaker for Homemaker and Chore
  5. Generations Home Care Services (Sibley, Renville, and McLeod Counties)
    • Generations Homemaker/Assisted Transportation Program for Homemaker and Assisted Transportation
  6. Granite Falls Living at Home/Block Nurse Program (Chippewa and Yellow Medicine Counties)
    • Connections for Better Living for Telephone Reassurance, Visiting, Outreach and Health Promotion – Non-Evidence Based
  7. Interfaith Caregivers (Faribault County)
    • Eldercare Program for Chore, Homemaker, Assisted Transportation, and Transportation
  8. Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (Big Stone, Brown, Chippewa, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, McLeod, Meeker, Renville, Sibley, Swift, and Yellow Medicine Counties)
    • LSS Older Adults Supportive Services Program for Counseling, Telephone Reassurance and Visiting
  9. Prairie Five Community Action Council (Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift, and Yellow Medicine Counties)
    • Connections on the Prairie for Education/Training and Outreach
  10. Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (27 counties of MNRAAA service area)
    • Legal Advocacy for Older Persons for Legal Assistance and Legal Education
  11. United Community Action Partnership (Cottonwood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, and Rock Counties)
    • Assisting Seniors on the Go for Assisted Transportation
  12. VINE Faith in Action (Blue Earth, Le Sueur, and Nicollet Counties)
    • VINE’s Helping Hands Outreach to Elders from Diverse Cultures for Special Access
  13. Waseca Area Caregiver Services (Waseca County)
    • Caring Hands for Homemaker, Chore, Education/Training and Visiting

Title III-C Congregate Meals and Home Delivered Meals (including Federal Title III-C and other funding)

  1. Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Sibley, Waseca, and Watonwan Counties)
    • LSS Congregate and Home Delivered Meals Programs
  2. Prairie Five Community Action Council (Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift, and Yellow Medicine Counties)
    • Prairie Five Congregate and Home Delivered Meals Programs

Title III-D Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Funding Recommendations

  1. A.C.E. of Southwest Minnesota (Cottonwood, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, and Rock Counties)
    • A.C.E. Evidence-Based Programs for Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs
  2. VINE Faith in Action (Blue Earth, Le Sueur, Nicollet, and Watonwan Counties)
    • Finding a Healthy Way thru VINE’s Evidence-Based Programming for Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs

Title III-E National Family Caregiver Support Services

  1. A.C.E. of Southwest Minnesota (Cottonwood, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, and Rock Counties)
    • A.C.E. Caregiver Support Services for Respite-In Home, Caregiver Counseling, Support Groups and Training
  2. Bethesda (Kandiyohi and Renville Counties)
    • Connect Caregiver Alliance Network for Caregiver Counseling, Support Groups, Training, Supplemental Services – Chore, Supplemental Services – Homemaker, Supplemental Services – Assisted Transportation, and Supplemental Services – Transportation
  3. Caregiver Response Effort & Service Team (CREST) (Martin County)
    • Care Team Support for Caregiver Support Groups, Counseling, Training, and Respite-In Home
  4. Horn of Africa Aid and Rehabilitation Action Network (HAARAN) (Blue Earth, Nicollet Counties)
    • In-Home Respite for Somali American Caregivers for Caregiver Respite-In Home
  5. Interfaith Caregivers (Faribault County)
    • Caregiver Support and Respite Program for Caregiver Counseling, Training, Respite-In Home, and Respite-Out of Home Day
  6. Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (Big Stone, Brown, Chippewa, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, McLeod, Meeker, Renville, Sibley, Swift, and Yellow Medicine Counties)
    • LSS Caregiver Support and Respite Program for Respite-In Home, Respite-Out of Home Day, Caregiver Counseling, Support Groups and Training
  7. Madison Art Gallery (Lac qui Parle and surrounding communities)
    • Madison Caregiver Support Program for Caregiver Support Groups
  8. VINE Faith in Action (Blue Earth, Le Sueur, and Nicollet Counties)
    • Empowering Caregivers for Caregiver Counseling, Support Groups and Training
  9. Waseca Area Caregiver Services (Waseca County)
    • Caring Hands for Caregivers for Caregiver Counseling, Support Groups, Respite-In Home, and Respite-Out of Home Day
  10. Wellspring Faith in Action (Watonwan County)
    • Family Caregiver Project for Caregiver Support Groups, Training and Respite-In Home
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MNRAAA Announces Retirement of Board Chair, Robert Roesler and election of the new Board Chair, Kandyce Peton

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The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging (MNRAAA) has announced a new chair for their board of directors, Kandyce Peton. Peton will take over the role on January 1, 2023. Peton will take over as Robert Roesler retires from the board of directors.

Robert Roesler

“Roesler has been an integral part of the organization,” stated Jason W. Swanson, MNRAAA executive director. “He saw the final transition from the regional development commissions into a stand-alone non-profit and the transition from the previous executive director, Linda Giersdorf, to me.” Roesler served as the chair of the board for the last six years.

“As my term on the Board of Directors at MNRAAA comes to a close, I wish to thank the staff, management team, and the many board members I have had the privilege to work with in the past years. I look forward to seeing the many new opportunities for seniors provided for by MNRAAA in the future.” Roesler stated on his retirement.

“Roesler has done a phenomenal job mentoring not only myself, our staff, and our board. Peton has been and will continue to be a strong advocate for older adults in our area,” commented Swanson.

Kandyce Peton

Peton currently lives in Courtland and is a retired registered nurse who has worked nationally in hospitals, health systems and specialty surgery centers. She is a graduate of Connecting Nicollet County, a leadership development program. Ms. Peton participated as a volunteer nurse with the Southwest Minnesota National Honor Flight to assist World War II veterans in traveling to Washington, D.C. She currently volunteers in her community and participates in activities at her local church.

“I am so excited; this is going to be a great year. We have a lot of stuff going on, and I am thrilled to be a part of this organization,” stated Peton about her becoming the new Board Chair.

The MNRAAA Board of Directors, which features professionals from the twenty-seven-county area, is a volunteer governing board. Members of the board range from a director of nursing services at an area hospital to a registered dietitian. For more information or if you are interested, please visit our website at www.mnraaa.org.

About the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging

MNRAAA’s vision is to assist older adults to thrive. MNRAAA provides advocacy, information, resources, and assistance so that older adults in southwest Minnesota can maintain the lifestyle of their choice. Learn more about MNRAAA at www.mnraaa.org.

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Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Begins January 1

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Do Not Miss Your Chance to Change Medicare Advantage Plans!

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, you have until March 31, 2023, to make changes to your plan. People who have their Medicare benefits through a Medicare Advantage Plan can make a one-time plan change from January 1 through March 31.

People who are new to Medicare and choose to get their Medicare benefits from a Medicare Advantage Plan can also access this enrollment period during the first three months after enrolling in Medicare Part A and Part B.

This enrollment period gives people with a Medicare Advantage Plan a second chance to decide if their Medicare Advantage plan is right for them.

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment timeline

You can:

  1. Switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan (with or without drug coverage). Do not disenroll from your current plan. Enrolling in a new plan will trigger a disenrollment in the current plan.
  2. Disenroll from your Medicare Advantage Plan and return to Original Medicare

You can’t:

  1. Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan
  2. Join a stand-alone Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan
  3. Switch from one stand-alone Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan to another

To learn more, call the Senior LinkAge Line® at 800-333-2433. The Senior LinkAge Line is a free, statewide service of the Minnesota Board on Aging in partnership with Minnesota’s Area Agencies on Aging. The Senior LinkAge Line is Minnesota’s federally designated State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) and the place to call for questions and information on Medicare and much more.

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Coming Soon – Medicare Open Enrollment begins October 15

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Before you know it, Medicare Open Enrollment will soon be here. Each year, from October 15 through December 7, people on Medicare can reevaluate their coverage for the coming year. If you have a Medicare Advantage or a Medicare Part D plan, it is important to watch your mail in September for an Annual Notice of Change. This notice will show you changes that will be made to your plan for the next year.

Because plans can change from year to year, it is important to take the time to do your research. There are important things to consider when reviewing your coverage. Find out:

  • Is your plan still available?
  • Are your medical providers/doctors still in the plan’s network?
  • Will you be able to use your preferred pharmacy?
  • Are your medications still covered and/or has the cost increased?
  • Did the premium(s) increase?
  • What will you pay in other out-of-pocket costs?
  • Do you plan to travel?

To receive non-biased help with Medicare, call the Senior Linkage Line® at 800-333-2433. The Senior LinkAge Line is a free statewide service of the Minnesota Board on Aging in partnership with Minnesota’s area agencies on aging. It is Minnesota’s federally designated State Health Insurance Assistance Program or SHIP. Trained specialists are available Monday-Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. to help answer your questions and research plan options.

Before you call, get prepared by:

  • Creating an account at Medicare.gov
  • Having your personal information ready (full name, date of birth, ZIP Code, Medicare number, Part A and B enrollment dates)
  • Gathering your medication or prescription drug list

Remember, Medicare Open Enrollment happens only once a year. Review your plan and compare it with others to ensure you’ve selected the plan that is best for you.

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