Return to Community Program Expands to Help Seniors Move Home
The Senior LinkAge Line® Return to Community initiative has helped more than 5,000 people move from a nursing facility back into the community. Senior LinkAge Line® community living specialists work closely with the resident, their families and nursing facility staff to help with discharge and make sure supports are in place for the return home. Return to Community is expanding beyond nursing homes to help even more seniors in 2018. They include:
- People within a certain socioeconomic set who have discharged from a hospital
- Those whose doctor has ordered them to stay more than 90 days in a nursing home
- Individuals in a nursing home on a respite stay
- Those who have decided not to move to an assisted living facility after discussing their options with the Senior LinkAge Line®
- People who have reached the end of Medicare-certified home care.
This past fall, MNRAAA held local community provider meetings in Mankato, Willmar, Montevideo, Marshall and Hutchinson to share information about the Return to Community expansion and how it will benefit area residents. These meetings were well received. Organizations interested in learning more about this expansion can contact the Senior LinkAge Line®® to request a presentation or meeting with a staff person serving their area.
The Senior LinkAge Line® is a free statewide service of the Minnesota Board on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging. Specialists provide one-to-one assistance with helping older adults age well and live well. The Senior LinkAge Line® is Minnesota’s federally-designated State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) and is the place to call for help with Medicare and health insurance. For more information, call 1-800-333-2433 or go to www.MinnesotaHelp.info® to chat live with a Senior LinkAge Line® specialist during business hours.
