Khou Lor Announced as a New MNRAAA Board of Directors Member

/in , , /by

MNRAAA is pleased to announce the addition of a new member to the Board of Directors. Khou Lor has been appointed to serve on the MNRAAA Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2022.

Khou Lor of Tracy, MN, is the Rural Equity Specialist with the Southwest Initiative Foundation (SWIF). Within her community, Lor is a board member of the Tracy Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee and a member of the Tracy Area Foundation. She has also been involved with the Southwest Hmong Community. Lor was asked what interests her about the aging population; “I have an interest in trauma/healing in our aging community. When we talk about cultural groups, often, there is trauma from past disruption of place, family, and home. I want to dig more into what that means for our older generations.” Lor enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter in her spare time and is an avid photographer who enjoys visual art.

“Khou has been an advocate for her community for many years. We are fortunate to have her experience and passion join our Board of Directors,” stated Jason W. Swanson, Executive Director of MNRAAA.

“MNRAAA is excited with the recent appointment of Khou to the Board of Directors. She will be able to assist MNRAAA in finding innovative solutions to assist older adults to thrive,” noted Robert Roesler, Board Chair for MNRAAA.

The MNRAAA Board of Directors, which feature professionals from the twenty-seven-county area, ranging from a retired hospital administrator to a registered nurse, is a volunteer governing board. For more information or if you are interested, please visit our website at www.mnraaa.org.

Share on:

MNRAAA Awards Over $4 million in Title III Grants

/in , , /by

Mankato, MN, March 9, 2022 – The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, Inc. (MNRAAA) has announced 27 Title III grants totaling more than $4 million. These grants are funded under Title III of the Older Americans Act (OAA).

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.

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

The following grants have been awarded for 2022:

Title III-B Supportive Services

  1. Brookside Senior Living (Chippewa County)
    1. Let’s Talk (with Allen) for Counseling
  2. Central Community Transit (Kandiyohi, Meeker, and Renville Counties)
    1. CCT Senior Transportation Program for Transportation and Assisted Transportation
  3. City of Tyler (Lincoln County, City of Tyler only)
    1. Tyler Senior Snow Removal for Chore
  4. City of Worthington/Center for Active Living (Nobles County)
    1. Health Promotion – Non-Evidence Based Project for Education/Training and Health Promotion – Non-Evidence Based
  5. Essential Senior Services (Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, and Rock Counties)
    1. Essential Senior Services Chore and Homemaker for Homemaker and Chore
  6. Generations Home Care Services (Sibley, Renville, and McLeod Counties)
    1. Generations Homemaker/Assisted Transportation Program for Homemaker and Assisted Transportation
  7. Granite Falls Living at Home/Block Nurse Program (Chippewa and Yellow Medicine Counties)
    1. Connections for Better Living for Telephone Reassurance, Visiting, Outreach and Health Promotion – Non-Evidence Based
  8. Interfaith Caregivers (Faribault County)
    1. Homemaker/Chore Program for Homemaker and Chore services
  9. Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (Big Stone, Brown, Chippewa, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, McLeod, Meeker, Renville, Sibley, Swift, and Yellow Medicine Counties)
    1. LSS Older Adults Supportive Services Program for Counseling, Telephone Reassurance and Visiting
  10. Prairie Five Community Action Council (Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift, and Yellow Medicine Counties)
    1. Connections on the Prairie for Education/Training and Outreach
  11. Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (27 counties of MNRAAA service area)
    1. Legal Advocacy for Older Persons for Legal Assistance and Legal Education
  12. United Community Action Partnership (Cottonwood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Pipestone, Redwood, and Rock Counties)
    1. Assisting Seniors on the Go for Assisted Transportation
  13. VINE Faith in Action (Blue Earth, Le Sueur, and Nicollet Counties)
    1. VINE’s Helping Hands Outreach to Elders from Diverse Cultures for Special Access
  14. Waseca Area Caregiver Services (Waseca County)
    1. 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)
    1. LSS Congregate and Home Delivered Meals Programs
  2. Prairie Five Community Action Council (Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift, and Yellow Medicine Counties)
    1. 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, Redwood, and Rock Counties)
    1. A.C.E. Evidence-Based Programs for Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs
  2. Adult Community Center (Lyon County)
    1. Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs
  3. City of Eden Valley (Meeker County)
    1. Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs
  4. VINE Faith in Action (Blue Earth, Le Sueur, and Nicollet Counties)
    1. Finding a Healthy Way thru VINE’s Evidence-Based Programming for Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs
  5. Waseca Area Caregiver Services (Waseca County)
    1. 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, Redwood, and Rock Counties)
    1. A.C.E. Caregiver Support Services for Respite-In Home, Counseling, Support Groups and Training
  2. Interfaith Caregivers (Faribault County)
    1. Caregiver Support and Respite Program for Counseling, Support Groups and Respite-In Home
  3. Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (Big Stone, Brown, Chippewa, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, McLeod, Meeker, Renville, Sibley, Swift, and Yellow Medicine)
    1. LSS Caregiver Support and Respite for Respite-In Home, Respite-Out of Home Day, Counseling, Support Groups and Training
  4. VINE Faith in Action (Blue Earth, Le Sueur, and Nicollet Counties)
    1. Empowering Caregivers for Counseling, Support Groups and Training
  5. Waseca Area Caregiver Services (Waseca County)
    1. Caring Hands for Caregivers for Counseling, Support Groups, Respite-In Home; and Respite-Out of Home Day
  6. Wellspring Faith in Action (Watonwan County)
    1. Family Caregiver Project for Support Groups, Training and Respite-In Home

 

About the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging

As the designated Area Agency on Aging for 27 counties in southwest Minnesota, the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging provides advocacy, information, resources and assistance so that older adults can maintain the lifestyle of their choice. To learn more about MNRAAA, visit www.mnraaa.org.

Share on:

MNRAAA Announces Two New Members to the Board of Directors

/in , , /by

The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, Inc. (MNRAAA) is pleased to announce two new members to the Board of Directors. Sheila Westfield and Stacy Hammer have been appointed to serve on the MNRAAA Board of Directors effective January 1, 2022.

Sheila Westfield of Trosky currently works as the Director of Nursing and Clinical Services at Sanford-Luverne Medical Center. Westfield is active in her community as she has served as Scoutmaster for Troop 220 Pipestone Boy Scouts of America and coordinates or leads church music. A graduate of South Dakota State University, Westfield stated that her interest in joining the board is twofold: raise awareness of services available in the area and assist in filling gaps in services in the Pipestone, Rock County areas, specifically transportation and mental health.

“In visiting with Sheila, her passion in caring for others shines through and gives a boost in our mission. Her knowledge and personal and professional experience with the current struggles that caregivers face gives our organization a unique perspective as we continue to navigate the changing aging network,” stated Jason W. Swanson, Executive Director of MNRAAA.

Stacy Hammer of Redwood Falls is currently employed with the Lower Sioux Indian Community and serves as the Director of Community Health. She has been taking the lead in guiding the community through the COIVD-19 pandemic. Hammer is also the Title VI Director and a Registered Dietitian. The Minnesota State University Mankato graduate has been awarded the 2019 Indian Health Services Area Directors Outstanding Tribal Health Employee Award and has been featured in the magazine Circle in an article called “Lower Sioux Healthy Meals – a model.”

“Stacy brings experience with the Older Americans Act (OAA) in working with the Title VI program. I look forward to working with her on how we can bridge services in Title III and Title VI programs under the OAA.”  commented Swanson.

“MNRAAA is excited to have Sheila and Stacy join the Board of Directors. They each bring personal and professional experiences and the passion to innovate to assist older adults to thrive,”  noted Robert Roesler, Board Chair for MNRAAA.

The MNRAAA Board of Directors, which feature professionals from the twenty-seven-county area, ranging from a retired hospital administrator to a registered nurse, is a volunteer governing board. For more information or if you are interested, please visit our website at www.mnraaa.org.

Share on:

MNRAAA Recognizes Candace Fenske

/in , , /by

Photo of Candace Fenske

The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, Inc. (MNRAAA) announces that Candace Fenske has completed her service to the Board of Directors.

Candace Fenske, a former Hospital Administrator at Madelia Community Hospital, has fulfilled her term as a member of the Board of Directors for MNRAAA. During her six years on the Board, Fenske has served as the Finance Committee Chair and Treasurer.

“Her leadership has been invaluable as we have gone through a transition in the Executive Director position and the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated Jason W. Swanson, Executive Director of MNRAAA.

“Fenske has been a strong advocate for older adults in rural Minnesota, and her passion continues to inspire,” remarked Robert Roesler, MNRAAA’s Board Chair.

During her tenure on the Board of Directors, Fenske was instrumental in guiding the organization in becoming an independent non-profit agency encompassing twenty-seven counties in the Southwest Planning and Service Area. Fenske also assisted during the transition to a new Executive Director in 2019.

The MNRAAA Board of Directors, which feature professionals from the twenty-seven-county area, ranging from a retired educator to a registered nurse, is a volunteer governing board. For more information or if you are interested in learning more about MNRAAA, please visit our website at www.mnraaa.org.

Share on: