2019 Annual Report: Communities for a Lifetime

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MNRAAA received an Age-Friendly Communities grant from the Southwest Initiative Foundation to work with four communities during their 2019 – 2020 grant round. A previous Southwest Initiative Foundation grant allowed us to work with two communities, Kerkhoven and Porter, in 2018. Each community is awarded a grant of up to $10,000 to complete a project to aide their community in becoming more age-friendly.

In 2019, the communities of Milan, DeGraff and Adrian agreed to undertake the process of becoming a Community for a Lifetime. The fourth community determined the timing was not right for them, so in early 2020, a meeting will be held with Tyler to determine whether they would like to become the fourth community in this grant round.

The first step in the Communities for a Lifetime process is to develop a Community Leadership Team. The Team determines the definition of their community, i.e., only within city limits or within a one-mile radius of city limits, etc. The Team then assists in distributing the Age-Friendly Community Survey document to their defined community. The survey results help to identify the community’s strengths and gaps.

Once the survey results are collated, the Community Leadership Team reviews the results to identify a gap that can be addressed with the $10,000 grant award. At the time of this writing, the DeGraff survey results have been reviewed by their Community Leadership Team. The Adrian and Milan surveys have been sent; results will be collated and reviewed in January 2020.

As an example, in DeGraff the survey identified a need for more community-wide information about transportation and nutrition services available through Prairie Five Community Action Council (CAC). This need can be met by partnering with Prairie Five CAC without using grant funds. The DeGraff Community Leadership Team met to discuss the gaps that can be closed with the grant funds; they are planning to make a final decision in January.

To some, $10,000 may not seem like very much money to complete a community-wide project, to the smallest communities in our area the process and the grant funding are invaluable. It is truly a gift to be able to assist communities in this way.

To learn how your community could become a Community for a Lifetime, call MNRAAA at 507-387-1256.

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2019 Annual Report: Aging Mastery Program Helps Older Adults Thrive

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In 2019, MNRAAA successfully introduced the Aging Mastery Program®, an evidence-based program designed to inform, encourage, and support older adults as they take steps to improve their lives and engage with their communities. With the support of three communities in our planning and service area, the Aging Mastery Program was facilitated in Gibbon, Graceville and Worthington.

Class sessions included lectures provided by individuals with expertise on each topic as well as videos, group discussion and development of action steps unique to each participant.

The goal of the 10 core classes is to provide participants with an overview of the challenges encountered while navigating life as we age and offer support to master new skills.

The ten topics are:

  • Navigating Longer Lives: The Basics of Aging Mastery
  • Exercise and You
  • Sleep
  • Healthy Eating and Hydration
  • Financial Fitness
  • Advance Planning
  • Healthy Relationships
  • Medication Management
  • Community Engagement
  • Falls Prevention

For more information regarding the ten topics, visit the National Council on Aging website at ncoa.org/healthy-aging/aging-mastery-program.

Participants chose to engage in this program with the outcome being empowerment to improve their well-being and increase their quality of life as they age, in a self-directed and purposeful manner. This was an experience that participants, facilitators and speakers collectively identified as engaging, fun and educational.

Participant satisfaction survey results identified improved health as a positive outcome, and there was a consensus that they would recommend the Aging Mastery Program to others.

We are grateful to have received grant funding to help with the expense of this program and look forward to continuing collaboration with community partners to offer this program. Future programs have been scheduled to occur in Le Sueur, Madelia and Ortonville and additional program sites are in the process of being scheduled.

Those who are interested in participating in the program can find more information on the Aging Mastery Program on the MNRAAA website, including specific dates, times and locations of scheduled programs.

If you are interested in partnering with MNRAAA to bring the Aging Mastery Program to your community, please call 507-387-1256 for additional information.

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Aging Mastery Program Update

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“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent.”

-Carl Sandburg

Aging Mastery LogoMNRAAA has begun its journey with the Aging Mastery Program® (AMP). AMP is a product of the National Council on Aging and is offered in two unique ways: classroom style and independent self-starter kits. Both options have courses that focus on exercise, sleep, healthy eating and hydration, financial fitness, advanced planning, health relationships, falls prevention and more.

All AMP program materials and resources align with the overarching goal of helping people enjoy meaningful, good lives. With more people participating in the quest for Aging Mastery, MNRAAA hopes to gradually change societal expectations about the capacities, roles and responsibilities of older adults and to create fun and easy-to-follow pathways for staying healthy, aging in place and getting more out of life.

This program is currently being offered in three communities within the MNRAAA service area: Gibbon Fairfax Winthrop Community Education, Graceville Community Center and Southwest Minnesota Opportunity Council. Future programs will also be scheduled in additional MNRAAA communities. AMP starter kits are available at both MNRAAA office locations.

If interested in learning more about the Aging Mastery Program or bringing it to your community, contact Kelly McDonough at 507-387-1256 x110.

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Give to the Max: November 15, 2018

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Look for the Loons Winner

Kelly Wolle, Administrative and Communications Assistant, was a winner of a $100 gift certificate as part of GiveMN.org’s “Look for the Loons” scavenger hunt in anticipation of Give to the Max Day. Kelly’s donation will go toward’s MNRAAA’s Evidence-Based Leader Training Scholarship.

Evidence-Based Leader Training Scholarship

Please join us on November 15 for Give to the Max Day and help us continue to change lives by providing resources for older adults, caregivers and service providers in the 27 counties of southwest Minnesota.
Your Give to the Max Day donations will go towards a scholarship fund we’ve created to train class leaders in evidence-based and other programs that change the lives of older adults and their caregivers.

MNRAAA Provides Leader Training for these Evidence-Based Programs:

  • Living Well with Chronic Conditions
  • Living Well with Diabetes
  • Living Well with Chronic Pain
  • A Matter of Balance
  • Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance
Making a Difference Locally
Last year your donations paid for training five new leaders, resulting in the creation of two new Living Well with Chronic Conditions programs and one A Matter of Balance program in local communities.
It’s Easy to Give

You can donate on our website at MNRAAA.org/donate or at

GiveMN.org/organization/Minnesota-River-Area-Agency-On-Aging. Donations can be for any amount and you can make a one time donation or donation can be set up monthly.
Donate Anytime

Donations can be made at anytime, not just on Give to the Max Day on our website or the GiveMN.org website.

Thank you for your continuing support of the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging.
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