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2009
06.01.09
MBA Wins Gold Award in 2009 National Mature Media
Awards Program
Learn to
Surf the World Wide Web, the booklet used in
Senior Surf Day classes to teach seniors how to
navigate the Internet has won a Gold Award in the
category of Brochure/Booklet for the
18th annual National Ma ture
Media Awards Program.
Read
the award winning booklet.
To register for a
Senior Surf Day or to find out more information
call the Senior LinkAge Line® at 1-800-333-2433.
05.08.09
The Alzheimer's Project The
Alzheimer's Project is a 4-part documentary series
designed to change the way people think about
Alzheimer's Disease. Tune in on HBO or
www.hbo.com.
Read more about the Alzheimer's Project
04.24.09
MBA and DHS Receive National Caregiving Award
 Cal Ludeman and Mary Koep accept the
Rosalyn
Carter Institute Leadership in Caregiving Award.
From left to right, Mary Koep, Cynthia Epstein, Jean Wood, Rolf
Hage, Cal Ludeman, Donna Walberg, John Selstad and
Laura Bauer Granberry
The Minnesota Board on Aging and
Minnesota Department of Human Services have been
named recipients of the 2008 Rosalynn Carter
Leadership in Caregiving Award. This prestigious
national award is presented by the Rosalynn Carter
Institute for Caregiving. Cal Ludeman, Commissioner of the
Minnesota Department of Human Services and Mary
Koep, the Chair of the Minnesota Board on Aging
accepted this award for its Family Memory Care
Initiative in front of a crowd of more than 1,000
people at the “Meeting of the Minds”, the
Alzheimer’s Association’s Annual Conference in
Minnesota.
Family Memory
Care is a translation of the New York University
Caregiver Intervention, funded by the U.S.
Administration on Aging Alzheimer’s Demonstration
Grants to States. In conjunction with New York
University (NYU), the project is being implemented
in eight pilot regions of Minnesota:
-
Alzheimer’s Association in the Twin Cities Metro
area,
- Memory
Disorders Clinic in Central Minnesota,
- Waseca
Medical Clinic/Mayo Health System,
- Carlton
County Public Health, Community Partners
- Living at Home/Block Nurse Program in Lake
County,
- Mower County
Advocate/Caregiver Support Program,
- Mankato Clinic and Mankato
Area Living at Home/Block Nurse Program
- Immanuel Saint Joseph’s
/Mayo Health System
These sites
are expanding this evidence-based family
initiative to improve support of spouse caregivers
who are caring at home for people with memory care
challenges, NYU’s Caregiver Intervention has been
shown to delay nursing home placement up to 557
days for those families who participate.
"We are truly honored by this award," said Human
Services Commissioner Cal Ludeman. "The program
being recognized is an important part of
Minnesota's efforts to support people in their
homes for as long as possible. This is not only
what people prefer but usually the most
cost-effective way to provide the long-term care
services they need."
NYU and Minnesota will split the $10,000 award and
will receive a statuette designed for this award
by Frank Eliscu, the designer of the Heisman
trophy.
The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving is
named for the former first lady. It recognizes
leadership in implementing innovative and creative
partnerships between community agencies and
caregiving researchers that bridge the gap between
science and practice.
“We are so grateful that the Minnesota Board on
Aging and DHS have been named recipients of this
most prestigious award by the Rosalynn Carter
Institute for Caregiving,” said Mary Koep, chair
of the Minnesota Board on Aging. “The Board works
to support caregivers in a way that has a
measureable impact on their lives. This caregiver
intervention project is step in that direction.”
If you are a spouse caring for someone with
memory problems and are interested in learning
more about this family program that includes
individual and family meetings as well as ongoing
support in caring for your spouse please call the
Senior Linkage Line® at 1-800-333-2433 to be
connected to a care coach near you.
Back to
Top
03.23.09
Selecting and Purchasing Long-Term Care -
Report to the Legislature
The 2007 Minnesota Legislature directed the
Department of Human Services (DHS) to bring
recommendations to the Legislature regarding ”how
the State of Minnesota can Most effectively assist
persons 65 and older in selecting long-term care
services that meet their needs, reflect their
preferences and enable them to maintain financial
self-sufficiency as long as possible.”
DHS contracted with Wilder Research to conduct
this study. Read the final report submitted to the
legislature -
"Helping Older Adults Select and Purchase
Long-Term Care"
02.20.09
Transitional Consultation Materials Available for
Print
The purpose of
transitional long-term care consultation is to
support persons with current or anticipated
long-term care needs in making informed choices
among options that include the most cost-effective
and least restrictive settings, and to delay
spend-down to eligibility for publicly funded
programs by connecting people to alternative
services in their homes before transition to
housing with services.
Materials developed
about this service have been recently mailed to
all assisted living providers. You can also
obtain copies of these materials by clicking on
the links below. To obtain additional hard
copies of the Transitional Consultation Kiosk
Cards please call the Senior LinkAge Line® at
1-800-333-2433.
TC Card - Male
TC Poster - Male
TC Card - Couple
TC Poster - Couple
TC Card - Caregiver
TC
Poster - Caregiver
02.10.09
Home-delivered meals continue statewide
Some inaccurate news reports have suggested that
certain Meals on Wheels programs may be
discontinued. The following is a statement from
Jean Wood, executive director, Minnesota Board on
Aging.
“Minnesota seniors continue to
receive the home-delivered meals they need and
expect. The Minnesota Board on Aging in
Minnesota is unaware of any Meals on Wheels
providers that plan to stop serving meals in the
coming months.
“Current providers have
contracts that run through December 2009 and we
expect them to continue. However, we will make
the necessary arrangements for any senior that
is not receiving their scheduled meals.”
While two programs that provided
home-delivered meals went out of business in 2008,
other programs were able to provide service to the
affected seniors.
For more information or to arrange for senior
meals, contact the Senior LinkAge Line® at
1-800-333-2433.
02.09.09
Anyone Can Fall to air on ECHO TV
The MN Falls Prevention Initiative partnered with
TPT to produce “Anyone Can Fall.” The
program will be aired in six languages: Hmong,
Khmer, Lao, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese.
The program will also be open-captioned in
English. “Anyone Can Fall” will air:
-
Sunday, February 15 - Broadcast in Vietnamese
7:00 pm, Lao 7:20 pm, Khmer 7:40 pm,
Spanish 8:00 pm, Hmong 8:20 pm, Somali, 8:40
pm.
-
Sunday, February 22 - Broadcast in Vietnamese
12:00 am, Lao 12:20 am, Khmer 12:40 am, Spanish
1:00 pm, Hmong, 1:20 pm, Somali 1:40 pm.
For more information on Anyone Can Fall on ECHO
TV, visit
http://www.echominnesota.org/
2008
Back to Top
12.18.08 MBA Receives National Caregiving Award
The Minnesota Board on Aging and DHS have been
named recipients of the 2008 Rosalynn Carter
Leadership in Caregiving Award. This national
award is presented by the
Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving.
Minnesota received this award for its Family
Memory Care Initiative, a translation of the New
York University Caregiver Intervention, funded by
the U.S. Administration on Aging Alzheimer’s
Demonstration Grants to States. In conjunction
with New York University, the project is being
implemented in eight pilot regions of Minnesota.
"We are truly honored by
this award," said Human Services Commissioner Cal
Ludeman. "This program is an important part of
Minnesota's efforts to support people in their
homes for as long as possible. This is not only
what people prefer but is usually the most
cost-effective way to provide the long-term care
services they need."
New York University and
Minnesota will split the $10,000 award and will
receive a statuette designed for this award by
Frank Eliscu, the designer of college football’s
Heisman Trophy.
12.17.08
Aging Policy Summit: Vision for the Future
The 2009 Minnesota Legislative Session will
focus on the growing budget deficit. How will this
affect programs and services for older people
throughout Minnesota? What are the legislative
priorities of the agencies that support and serve
older adults? What do legislators say about the
upcoming session? The Aging Policy Forum will
feature legislators, key state and community-based
agencies, and leaders in the aging field to
discuss these important issues and present their
policy positions and plans for 2009. Audience
members will participate in helping to shape
legislative proposals for 2009.
Co-sponsored by the Minnesota Leadership
Council On Aging and the Minnesota Board on Aging.
Tuesday, January 13, 8:00am-12:00noon. Wilder
Center Auditorium, 451 Lexington Parkway, St.
Paul, MN 55104.
Registration form.
For information,
call the Vital Aging Network at 651.917.4652 or
email
info@vital-aging-network.org.
11.24.08
Medicare Part D Brings Medicare Officials to
Minnesota
Kerry Weems, acting administrator for the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS),
visited Minnesota November 19 to promote Medicare
Part D open enrollment. The event was held at the
Minnesota Employers Association Inc., in Plymouth.
During Weems' visit, he met
with employers, employees and caregivers about the
Part D help in Minnesota that is available, which
included the Senior LinkAge Line®,
(1-800-333-2433) a service of the Minnesota Board
on Aging, and the CMS designated State Health
Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for Minnesota.
Minnesota Department of Human Services
Commissioner Cal Ludeman, Jean Wood, executive
director of the Minnesota Board on Aging and Sue
Erksdahl, vice president of the Employers
Association joined Weems in promoting the
assistance available to help make Minnesotans make
good decisions.
Pictured from left to right
front are:
Sue Erksdahl, Vice President Employers Association
and Jean Wood, Executive Director MN Board on
Aging
Pictured from left to right
back are: Kerry Weems, Acting Administrator
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Cal
Ludeman, Commissioner MN Dept of Human Services
08.29.08
Outstanding Seniors For 2008
Lt. Governor Carol Molnau and MN Board on
Aging Chair Mary Koep honored Don Brand, New Ulm,
and Betty Wenner, St. Peter, as the 2008
Outstanding Seniors.
Read more about Don and Betty.
08.01.08
Governor Pawlenty Appoints Seven to Minnesota
Board on Aging
Governor Pawlenty appointed Joseph Grant,
Larry Juhl and Tracy Keibler, and the
reappointment of RD Brown, Sharon Bring, Kenneth
Moritz and Donald Tomsche to the Minnesota Board
on Aging on July 18, 2008. Brown, of St. Paul,
recently retired as the vice president of child
and family support services with the Children’s
Home Society and Family Services. His community
activities include having served on the St. Paul
Mayor’s Committee on Aging. Brown is reappointed
to a four-year term that expires January 2, 2012.
Bring, of Strandquist, is a grain farmer and
county commissioner in Marshall County. She is the
past chair of the Lutheran Social Services Senior
Nutrition Program. Bring is reappointed to a
four-year term that expires January 2, 2012.
Grant, of Duluth, manages elder care at the
Duluth Clinic where he is responsible for human
resource management, financial management, and
clinical operations. Grants’s health care grant
review experience includes work for the Healthier
Minnesota Community Clinic Fund in St. Paul and
the Office of Rural Health Policy in Washington,
DC. Grant holds a master of arts degree in
business administration from the University of
Minnesota –Duluth and bachelor of arts degrees in
economics and political science from the
University of Minnesota. He is appointed to a
four-year term that expires January 2, 2012. He
replaces Betty Gysland on the board.
Juhl, of New London has a number of years of
experience in the long term care field. He is the
former chairman of the board for Care Providers of
Minnesota. From 1991 to 2000 he served as the
mayor of New London. He is a U.S. Army trained
medic and is educated in nursing home
administration. Juhl is appointed to fulfill a
four-year term that expires January 3, 2011. He
replaces Julie Storm on the board.
Keibler, of Eden Prairie, is a private business
owner. She holds a mini-MBA from the University of
St. Thomas in non-profit administration and a
bachelor of arts in Japanese language and
literature from the University of Iowa. Keibler is
appointed to a four-year term that expires January
2, 2012. She replaces Margaret Moss on the board.
Mortiz, of Minneapolis, is a retired vice
president of Cargill, Inc. He is past president of
senior resources and is a board member of the
National Retiree Volunteer Corporation. He is a
retired member of the U.S. Army. Moritz is
reappointed to a four-year term that expires
January 2, 2012.
Tomsche, of Little Canada, retired in 1997 as
deputy commissioner of the Minnesota Department of
Corrections and has served as the state advocacy
chair for Minnesota AARP. He is reappointed to a
four-year term that expires January 2, 2012.
The Minnesota Board on Aging develops,
coordinates, evaluates and administers federal and
state funds for programs for the aging; makes
grants to 14 area agencies on aging and non-profit
agencies; and serves as an advocate for older
persons. The board consists of 25 members
appointed by the Governor.
The announcement above was
reprinted from the
Governor's website.
06.12.08
2008 Older Americans Month Program Champions,
June 12, Minnesota Falls Prevention Initiative
The U.S.
Administration on Aging (AoA) is pleased to
present the 2008 Older Americans Month Program
Champions. The 2008 Program Champions highlight
programs and initiatives in States and
communities that demonstrate the principles of
the Administration on Aging’s efforts to
modernize community-based long term care and
provide greater assurance that older people in
the U.S. will maintain their independence in the
community longer than ever before. A new
2008 Program Champion will be featured on the
AoA website each business day during Older
Americans Month through July 2008.
Read about all the AoA Program Champions for
Older Americans Month
06.10.08
Preparing For and Responding to Excessive Heat
Events
According
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
more people die from heat waves each year than
from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods and
earthquakes combined. Older individuals are
particularly vulnerable to the effects of heat
stress.
Heat-related dates are preventable! People and
communities need to be aware of who is at greatest
risk and what actions can be taken to prevent a
heat-related illness or death. The following
resources outline important steps that can be
taken to respond to excessive heat events:
05.23.08
Elden Johnson, Senior LinkAge Line® volunteer from
Hallock, honored in Washington, D.C. for
Extraordinary Volunteer Work
MetLife Foundation “Older Volunteers Enrich
America Awards” were presented on May
9, 2008 at the Ronald Reagan Building and
International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.
Met Life in partnership with the National
Association of Area Agencies on Aging honored
older volunteers who have made exemplary
contributions and provided outstanding service to
their communities.
 Land
of the Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging was proud
to have our volunteer, Elden Johnson, Hallock, MN
selected as a recipient of the Award. Elden
began volunteering as a Senior Surf presenter and
continues in this capacity, holding sessions at
area libraries and senior centers, teaching
seniors the basics of computer and internet use.
His knowledge of computers and his patient, gentle
style of teaching make him well-qualified for this
position and he gets rave reviews from his
students and library personnel.
Elden is also a state-certified Health Insurance
Counselor. One of his biggest areas of
contribution has been with the Medicare Part D
prescription drug program. His computer
expertise made him a natural to complete online
comparisons of drug plans, review the comparisons
with beneficiaries, and enroll them into their
selected plan. He was a “one stop shop”.
Elden has also been instrumental in organizing
medication management sessions at the Hallock
Senior Center. These sessions allow
individuals to have a one to one counseling
session with a licensed, specially trained
pharmacist to review their medications and insure
their current drug therapy is both safe and
effective.
This award was presented to Elden for his
volunteer work at Land of the Dancing Sky Area
Agency on Aging by Charles Pettigrew, Senior
Business Consultant MetLife Foundation. In
addition, he serves and volunteers in many other
ways in his community.
The Land of the Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging
is a program of the Northwest Regional Development
Commission and serves 21 counties in Northern and
Western Minnesota. Our goal is to support
the dignity and independence of older persons.
Our State Health Insurance program and volunteers
provides high quality information and education to
assist Medicare beneficiaries with understanding
the basics of Medicare and choosing supplements,
Advantage plans, or Part D plans as well as
assisting with many other needs and areas of
concern for seniors.
Congratulations on this national award, Elden, and
thank you for your service and impact on others
and your community.
04.02.08
MBA along with AARP
sponsor series from TPT called “Getting There”
The first show,
Relevance, airs this Saturday beginning at 8 p.m.
From the TPT website we learn that "Getting There
engages those 50+ in the issues, opportunities and
community resources for vital living...Host Jan
Smaby leads an ensemble cast of those older than
50 as they explore the ways in which they’re
staying involved and inspired. Don’t be surprised
to find out about skydiving and baseball tours.
We’ll meet some folks who are taking the time to
mentor young people and a little later the Granny
Basketball team takes to the court to battle a
squad of teenagers."
Getting There: Relevance
Host Jan Smaby
leads an ensemble cast of those older than 50 as
they explore the ways in which they’re staying
involved and inspired.
Showtimes,
tpt 17:
-
Friday, June 13, 7:00pm
-
Saturday, June
14, 1:00am
-
Saturday, June
14, 7:00am
-
Saturday, June
14, 1:00pm
Getting There, Conclusion: Independence
Who is going to
care for you? Do you have an advocate? Have you
been an advocate for a loved one? These are the
front burner issues for host Jan Smaby and guests
as they explore new ways to think about caring and
lifestyle.
Showtimes,
tpt 17:
-
Friday, June 13, 7:30pm
-
Saturday, June
14, 1:30am
-
Saturday, June
14, 7:30am
-
Saturday, June
14, 1:30pm
01.10.08
Make the Switch to Digital TV by February 17,
2009
In 2005, Congress passed a
law requiring all US television stations to turn
off their analog broadcast channels on February
17, 2009. This means that people whose televisions
receive programming via antennas (that is, people
who do not subscribe to cable, satellite or
telephone company television service) will not be
able to receive television reception after
February 17, 2009 unless their televisions are
equipped with a digital tuner. More than 450,000
households in Minnesota will be directly impacted
by this change.
Digital television provides
better picture and sound quality than analog TV.
It also makes it possible for viewers to interact
with their television sets, and to make multiple
programming choices they can’t make with analog
televisions.
In order to receive
television reception via antenna after February
17, 2009, consumers will need to purchase a
television set with a digital tuner built in, or
obtain a DTV converter box and connect it to their
analog TV. All US households may request up to two
coupons, worth $40 each, to be used toward the
purchase of DTV converter boxes. More information
about the coupon program can be found at
www.dtv2009.gov.
For more information about
switching to Digital TV, go to a Web site created
by the Federal Communications Commission at
www.dtv.gov. The site contains Frequently
Asked Questions about the Digital TV transition,
information about the DTV converter box coupon
program, and tips for shopping for a Digital TV.
2007
Back to Top
10.02.07
AoA and OAA Programs Receive
Highest Rating - Good news for the MBA and its
programs.
The White House
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently
released the results of its Program Assessment
Rating Tool (PART) assessment of Older Americans
Act (OAA) programs.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Administration on Aging programs
were classified as "Effective." This is the
highest rating and has been awarded to only 18
percent of the government programs evaluated by
OMB. According to the assessment on
www.Expectmore.Gov,
AoA and OAA programs have a clear
purpose and are well-managed, efficiently provide
high-quality home and community-based services,
and promote the well-being and independence of the
elderly. This achievement is the result of the
outstanding performance at all levels of the
Aging Services Network.
More about the Rating.
09.27.07
State to Mobilize Against Fraudulent Mail, Email
and Phone Frauds
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) in
collaboration with several public, including the
Minnesota Board on Aging, and private partners
announced today an effort to enforce direct mail,
email and phone fraud. Each year such “foreign
lottery and sweepstakes” scams result in $8–10
million in losses to Minnesotans — an amount that
officials claim is low due to under-reporting.
Officials say this is the first model of a
statewide coordinated, sustained fraud enforcement
effort in the U.S.
Officials urge citizens who receive fraudulent
letters, emails or phone calls to report them
quickly by calling the Minnesota Board on Aging's
Senior LinkAge Line®, 1-800-333-2433 — or notify
law enforcement.
Read more of the Department of Public Safety press
release.
Read the Information Sheet describing how you can
help stop fraud.
09.21.07
Fall Prevention Day is September 23, 2007
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has declared the first
day of autumn, Sept. 23, as Fall Prevention Day.
In his proclamation, Pawlenty says that falls are
the leading cause of injury deaths among people
over the age of 65. By increasing the awareness of
falls in Minnesota’s older citizens, it is hoped
that the rate of falls can be reduced and that the
number of injuries – and their severity – can be
greatly improved.
Read the Proclamation.
09.14.07
Minnesota Board on Aging goes to St. Peter
City officials share
effective disaster response for seniors and people
with special needs
Disaster recovery will
be the topic of discussion when the Minnesota
Board on Aging meets with city officials in St.
Peter on Thursday, Sept. 20.
Local, state and national
governments continue to prepare for and help
protect Americans from disaster. To ensure that
older Minnesotans and people with special needs
are included in disaster and pandemic planning,
the Minnesota Board on Aging is exchanging
information with communities and working as an
advocate, advisor and administrator for state and
local programs and policies. The board is meeting
in St. Peter to gather information and learn how
older Minnesotans and people with special needs
were served and protected during the St. Peter
tornado disaster.
“The recent flooding in
southeastern Minnesota reminded us that disasters
are real and a lot of work and cooperation is
needed to serve and protect residents and make
communities whole again,” said Jean Wood,
executive director, Minnesota Board on Aging.
St. Peter Mayor Tim Strand
and City Administrator Todd Prafke will share St.
Peter’s disaster plan and their experiences with
implementation in the midst and aftermath of the
tornado. Robin Thompson, senior outreach
specialist with Senior LinkAge Line® in Mankato,
will also share insight into the role that Area
Agencies on Aging play in ensuring that older
Minnesotans are included in disaster and pandemic
planning.
Disaster Recovery to Livable Community
Thursday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m.
Whiskey River, Highway 99 East – St. Peter
The Minnesota Board on Aging is appointed by
the governor to identify and promote ways to meet
the changing needs of older Minnesotans. It
partners with Area Agencies on Aging to administer
and oversee the use of state and federal funds to
benefit the older population and also helps shape
policies to help Minnesotans age well and live
well. For more information, access the board’s Web
site at
www.mnaging.org
08.31.07
2007 Minnesota Outstanding Seniors Recognized
The Minnesota Board on Aging (MBA) has honored
outstanding seniors at the 2007 Minnesota State
Fair. The Outstanding Senior Citizen awards are a
cooperative effort of the Minnesota Board on
Aging, the State Fair and the Federation of County
Fairs. Read
about the 2007 Outstanding Senior Award winners.
06.11.07
Launch of new MinnesotaHelp.info®
A fresh new Minnesotahelp.info has arrived.
A new version of the
Minnesota Board on Aging’s
www.MinnesotaHelp.info Web site was launched
last week with easy to use features that provide
interactive information and search options. The
new site has links to more than 27,000 services
provided by 12,000 agencies in 16,000 sites.
It was two years in the
making, according to Krista Boston, manager of the
Minnesota Board on Aging’s Consumer Information
and Assistance Team. The redesign involved DHS
staff from the Continuing Care Administration and
the Children and Family Services Administration
working closely with the Board on Aging.
Back to
Top
05.03.07
May is Older Americans Month!
To help Minnesota
observe May as Older Americans Month,
Governor Tim
Pawlenty has signed a proclamation that declares
this month as Older Americans Month in Minnesota.
This proclamation gives recognition to the fact
that older Minnesotans are getting more from their
lives and giving more to their communities.
Throughout the month of May, communities are
encouraged to pay tribute to Minnesota seniors and
celebrate the theme: “Making Choices for a
Healthier Future.”
Gov.
Pawlenty writes, " Older citizens are valued
and important members of our communities and
continue to invest, volunteer their time, teach us
to live with dignity, and address challenges with
ingenuity..."
Read more
about Older Minnesotans in the Proclamation
(PDF)
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services'
Administration on
Aging recognizes Older Americans Month.
President Bush's Proclamation
04.27.07
Maddy Forsberg receives 2007 MN Gerontological
Society's Dutch Kastenbaum Award. Maddy
Forsberg's long and distinguished career in the
aging arena received recognition at the annual MN
Gerontological Society Conference on Friday, April
27. The Dutch Kastenbaum Award recognizes
individuals who have made a special contribution
to the life of older persons in Minnesota.
Read
more about Maddy and the Award.
(PDF)
03.22.07
Do you know an outstanding senior citizen,
aged 70 or older, in your community who stands out
as a volunteer? The Minnesota Board on
Aging, the Minnesota State Fair Board and the
Minnesota Federation of County Fairs are looking
for outstanding senior volunteers to honor as
Minnesota's
Outstanding Senior Citizen for 2007.
Read more about
the Outstanding Senior Award.
01.17.07
Help protect, detect and report healthcare fraud!
Learn
about the MN SMP project and
download the healthcare tracking journal and
brochure.
01.04.07
Betty Johnson, Cushing, MN, honored by the
U.S. Department Administration on Aging.
Betty Johnson recently
received a 2006 Outstanding Senior Volunteer Award
for empowering seniors to prevent healthcare
fraud. This award was given to her at a ceremony
in Washington, DC in recognition of her
outstanding contribution to the Senior Medicare
Patrol program. She was one out of 11 in the
country to receive the honor.
Betty, a dedicated volunteer of the SMP for the
past five years, became involved while caring for
her elderly mother and husband and trying to
understand the complexities of the many medical
bills and claims. Betty share that so many
older adults to not know or understand how to
navigate the system and she wanted them to know
there is help.
Working with SMP has taught her that errors are
not always fraud, but may have been a simple
coding error. She shared, "It is important
to be able to learn how to detect abuse and fraud
or read a summary notice. Many agencies
would not give clear answers when I worked on this
for my husband. It got to the point that the
billing departments would not even talk to me
anymore. Who helps those isolated people who
have no one to advocate for them? That is
what the SMP is for, that is what makes it such a
valuable service for all."
Read more about Betty's story in the Morris
County, MN, Record.
2006
Back to Top
11.20.06
Cold weather help!
Looking for help with cold weather problems?
Call the Senior Linkage Line®
at
1-800-333-2433. See the following
websites for more information and help:
Minnesota’s
Homeland Security Emergency Management for
Winter Hazard Awareness Week or
Winter Hazard Awareness topics. Also,
for more information, check out
American Red
Cross.
11.01.06
Flu season is upon us! Get Your Flu Shot -
Protect yourself and your family and friends. Talk
with your physician about the flu virus and your
risks for complications associated with the flu.
It's your best defense against combating the flu
this season. Medicare provides coverage of the flu
vaccine without any out-of-pocket costs. No
deductible of copayment/coinsurance applies.
For a list of flu clinics click on
MN Visiting
Nurse Association or
MN Dept of Health.
11.01.06
November is proclaimed as family caregiver
month in Minnesota.
Read the
Proclamation
(pdf)
09.08.06
Outstanding Seniors
The Minnesota Board on Aging, in cooperation
with the Minnesota State Fair and the state’s
Federation of County Fairs, honored 95 outstanding
senior volunteers at the 2006 Outstanding Senior
Awards ceremony held at the State Fair on Aug. 31,
2006. Read more about the Outstanding
Senior award
09.08.06
Senior LinkAge Line™ receives award for Medicare Part D
work.
The Minnesota Board on Aging’s Senior
LinkAge Line™, which is the federally designated
State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
for Minnesota, received a Special Recognition
Award from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) Regional Office on Aug. 31, 2006.
The Minnesota Board on Aging’s Senior
LinkAge Line®, which is
the federally designated State Health Insurance Assistance
Program (SHIP) for Minnesota, received a Special Recognition
Award from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
(CMS) Regional Office on Aug. 31, 2006. The Senior LinkAge
Line® is the
statewide information and assistance service of the
Minnesota Board on Aging provided by six Minnesota Area
Agencies on Aging. It is accessed by calling 1-800-333-2433.
The Senior Linkage Line® award was
given by CMS "For your commitment to ensuring that seniors
have access to the information and assistance necessary to
take advantage of Medicare’s new prescription drug coverage.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services appreciates
your valued partnership."
The award was presented by CMS staff Brenda
Delgado and April Rush, to Krista Boston, Minnesota SHIP
director and manager of the Consumer Choices Team; Governor
Tim Pawlenty; Minnesota Board on Aging Chair Jeanette Metz;
and Jean Wood, interim executive director of the Board on
Aging.
07.26.2006
Hot Weather Help
Looking for relief from heat-related weather
problems? Call Senior LinkAge Line®
at 1-800-333-2433. Also, see the following websites for more
information and help:
Administration on Aging's How to Lower Risk of
Health-Related Illnesses,
Operation Stay Cool,
MN Department of Health and
Stay Cool Tip Sheet.
07.18.2006
Senior LinkAge
Line®
Report to the Community
More older Minnesotans and their families received information and assistance
this past year. Read Senior LinkAge
Line Report to the Community
(pdf)
06.12.2006
Minnesota RxPrice Compare
Minnesota RxPrice Compare, a new feature on
Minnesota RxConnect, lets users compare the prices
of about 200 commonly used medications at
MN pharmacies. More about
Minnesota RxPrice Compare
05.17.2006
MinnesotaHelp.info Long-term Care Choices tool™ is live
today.
Long-term Care Choices is an easy-to-use tool to help seniors, families and
caregivers make decisions that can help them age well and live well. Long-term
Care Choices is a step-by-step decision-making tool available on the
MinnesotaHelp.info Web site that:
• helps seniors figure out what they need to live well and age well,
• guides them to resources in their community, and
• creates a plan specifically for them, their parent or spouse or friend.
Long-term Care Choices for seniors, families and caregivers is available from
www.longtermcarechoices.MinnesotaHelp.info on
www.MinnesotaHelp.info.
Questions about Long-term Care Choices should be directed to the Minnesota
Board on Aging at 1-651-431-2500,
mba@state.mn.us,
or www.mnaging.org.
05.10.2006
May is Older Americans Month!
Older Minnesotans have laid the foundation for the freedoms
and prosperity we enjoy today through their character,
values, and patriotism, intertwining their individual
histories into the story of our past.
Read the
Proclamation (pdf)
04.02.2006
FREE Personal Help with Medicare Part D
Wednesday, April 5th, 2006
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Hennepin County Brookdale Library
6125 Shingle Creek Parkway, Brooklyn Center
*Free refreshments provided*
Bring your information... we’ll do the rest.
• Medicare card
• List of prescriptions and dosages
Time is running out!
Penalties on Medicare Part D begin May 16, 2006.
For more information call Linkage Line® at
1-800-333-2433.
View
Medicare Part D informational flyer.
(pdf)
03.06.2006
2006 Age and Disabilities Odyssey
October 3 – 6, 2006
Minneapolis Hyatt
Sponsored by the Minnesota Board on Aging;
Minnesota Department of Human Services – Aging &
Adult Services and Disabilities Services; and the
National Association of State Units on Aging.
This year’s Age & Disabilities Odyssey will be
held jointly with the National Home and Community
Based Services Waiver Conference. We are excited
to offer you an opportunity to hear about the
latest national and state trends in aging and
disabilities services. Mark your calendars now,
but watch your mail or e-mail for information on
how to submit a proposal for presentation, or join
us in the national exhibit hall.
01.20.2006
Rating Minnesota nursing homes
Minnesota Department of Health launches new
nursing home comparison site. If you need
assistance in choosing a nursing facility, contact
the Office of the Ombudsman. The article is
available from the
Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care.
Click here to see the
Minnesota Department of Health Nursing Home Report
Card.
01.10.2006
Survey of Older
Minnesotans
Results of the 2005 Survey of Older Minnesotans now available!
In 2005 the Minnesota Board on
Aging conducted a statewide survey of persons aged
50 and over in Minnesota. The MBA conducts such a
survey approximately every five years to monitor
the changing needs, assets and expectations of
older persons in the state and uses this
information to improve the design and targeting of
public programs for older persons and to help
researchers and policy makers better understand
Minnesota’s older population.
Read the 2005 Survey of Older Minnesotans Data Tables.
01.05.2006
2005 White House Conference on Aging
Check out the new press release, click
here.
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2005
11.01.2005
2005 White House Conference on Aging
The MBA hosted an orientation
meeting for
Minnesota’s 21 delegates to the
2005 White House
Conference on Aging on October 27th in the new
Elmer Andersen Human Services Building. Attendees
discussed the issues identified in 11
pre-conference events held in Minnesota in
preparation for the national conference that will
be held in Washington, DC, December 11-14, 2005.
The MBA held two pre-conference forums, one
focused on
National Health and Long-Term Care Strategy
and another on
Social Security Reform.
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Press Releases
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