Main Attractions

Opening Keynote Speaker

Monday, August 18, 11:30 am, Lunch
Lake Superior Ballroom

Greg Case
Office for Planning and Policy Development
Administration on Aging

Shaping the Future of Long-Term Care in America

Our nation has arrived at a critical juncture in history.  As the “baby boomers” age, and America’s older population grows larger and more diverse, our current systems of long-term care are inadequate to meet the challenges we will face. 

The U.S. Administration on Aging, in collaboration with a number of Federal and other national partners, has been promoting a new strategy designed to modernize the way we provide long-term supports and services in America.  This plenary session will examine the key tactics embedded in this strategy to better position our state and local human services networks to play a strong role in shaping the future of long-term care. 

Strategies to be discussed during this session include: 

• Promote informed decision-making regarding long-term supports and services for people with disabilities of all ages;
• Provide greater flexibility to states to target funds to individuals at high-risk of nursing home placement, and;  
• Enable older adults to reduce their risk of disease, disability and injury.

 

Closing Keynote Speakers

Wednesday, August 20, 11:30 am Lunch
Lake Superior Ballroom

Katie Beckett
Advocate for Ticket to Work and Work Advisory Panel, Social Security Administration

Julie Beckett
Co-founder of Family Voices

One Person Can Make A Difference

Katie Beckett was the first Medicaid waiver child in the country with her exception to policy being granted in 1981 at the behest of then President Ronald Reagan. Julie and Katie will speak about the importance of civic engagement and getting involved and staying involved at a level that changes people’s lives. Julie will speak about her work with Family Voices and Katie will update about her advocacy role on the Ticket to Work and Work Advisory Panel for the Social Security Administration.

 

Mini-Plenary

Monday, August 18, 1:45 pm
Split Rock Rooms 1 & 2

Martha A. Roherty
Director of the National Association of State Units on Aging

Project 2020: Fulfilling the Promise of the Older Americans Act

Even before the first baby bommer turned 60 years old in 2006, national spending for long-term care, especially under Medicaid, was placing significant strain on federal and state resources. In 2008, there are already over 52 million Americans over age 60. By 2020, almost one in six individuals will be age 65 and older. The fastest growing segment of the aging population is individuals over 85, the most vulnerable older adults who tend to need long-term care and whose numbers are expected to double by 2020. These demographic trends make our current strategy for financing long-term care costs through the Medicaid and Medicare programs unsustainable. In this session, Martha Roherty, executive director of the National Association of State Units on Aging will discuss Project 2020 a bold new proposal to provide for a coordinated national long-term care strategy that will generate savings in Medicaid and Medicare at the federal and state level while enabling older adults to get the support they need to successfully age where they want to – in their home and community.

 

Awards Night Entertainment & Full Menu of Hors d’ Oeuvres

Monday, August 18, 5:00 – 7:30 pm
Lake Superior Ballroom

David Harris
Comedian / Magician

David Harris is a comedian/magician from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He entertains at Fortune 500 companies, colleges, and clubs across the Midwest and beyond with his innovative, interactive, and personal style of comedy and magic. David has been featured on ABC, CBS, and FOX TV affiliates and continues to carve an exciting new path in the world of entertainment. For more information, please visit: www.davidharrislive.com.

In addition, a full menu of hors d’ oeuvres with a cash bar will be served and a live DJ from Party Unit will also be entertaining us with music. Bring your song choices! For information on the awards, click here.

 

MinnesotaHelp.info® Cyber Café

Open during conference hours Monday - Wednesday
Registration Area

Back by popular demand! Stay connected to friends, family or colleagues at the Cyber Café. A bank of computers will be set up near the registration booth to allow access to email and the web. While you’re there, have a cup of your favorite coffee from the Cappuccino cart!

 

Networking Opportunity

Tuesday, August 19, 5:00 – 6:30 pm
City Side Atrium

The 2008 Age & Disabilities Odyssey is a prime opportunity for networking with other professionals. Talk with conference Speakers, DHS Staff, MBA members, fellow conference attendees. Who will be there? Greg Case, Loren Coleman, Jean Wood, Alex Bartolic, Mickey Ellis, Krista Boston, Hal Freshley, MBA Members, Elder Care Development Partners, CS/SD recipients and others from the Aging and Disabilities divisions to name a few….

 

Exhibit Hall

Technology Focus
Don’t miss the new products, services and live demonstrations showcasing new technologies and ideas sure to inspire and inform! On stage in the exhibit hall, watch live presentations on cutting-edge products, technologies, and concepts. Immerse yourself in interactive displays and connect with the people transforming how we live, work and play. Speak directly with agencies and businesses about their array of services and solutions.

At this year’s Age & Disabilities exhibit hall, the Odyssey is providing attendees with an interactive experience that encourages them to visit more booths and best-of-all…..win prizes!

Eats and treats
Complimentary continental breakfast and morning and afternoon snack breaks are located at the back of the exhibit hall each day. Remember to take in a Poster Session or Roundtable discussion while enjoying lunch in the exhibit hall on Tuesday, August 19!

Massage
Chair massage is back by popular demand. Come and experience a relaxation break by professionals. Only $1 per minute!

 

Come and check out the *NEW* Resource Development Lounge

Please join us to explore and share our collective wisdom.  As a conference attendee, you will be able to help shape the lounge by contributing your thoughts and ideas and sharing the topics you want to explore with colleagues from similar and different fields. Be informed and inspired!

Activities will include:

• Meet the new Community Service/Service Development Grantees (CS/SD) for FY’ 09. Their project ideas will be on display and attendees will have an opportunity to learn about their ideas and projects.
• The CS/SD poster sessions will be combined with “coffee with the Eldercare Development Partners (EDP's) and the Transform 2010 staff”, EDP’s and Transform 2010 staff will be available for in-depth one-on-one discussions about equipping and engaging Minnesotan’s for the age wave. Grab a coffee at the Cappuccino Cart and bounce your ideas around with other professionals!
• Minnesota Help Network™, a Network of Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC): Come stop by the Minnesota Help Network™ table and chat with staff about what Minnesota’s federally-designated Aging and Disability Resource Center model is and how you might become part of the network. In addition see photos of current Minnesota Help Network™ sites.  When you visit, don’t forget to pick up your Free Minnesota Help™ materials and a free mouse pad about our website, www.minnesotahelp.info. We look forward to seeing you at the conference!
• Informal networking tables available. Sign up while you are there for a time and topic and see who comes to share ideas.
• Visit the art display by Interact Center!  Interact Center is the only center nationally that offers professional-level training, performances, and exhibitions in multiple disciplines, for artists with a wide range of disabilities, from physical to developmental to mental to behavioral.  At Interact, adult artists with disabilities explore and expand their creativity as actors, writers, painters, sculptors and musicians.
• Stop by to visit Artist Bridget Riversmith and the Arrowhead Alliance of Arts with Disabilities (www.aaawd.blogspot.com).  Bridget Riversmith is an emerging self–taught artist, web designer, and animator with a disability from Duluth, Minnesota. According to Riversmith, "artwork is all about transformation, creating something from nothing, and revealing what is hidden or forgotten. Anyone who can take whatever they have to hand (or in mind) and make something of it is an artist. You just need wit, imagination, and will." In 2002, VSA Arts of Minnesota (an organization which supports artists with disabilities) helped her set goals, and she had her first show. She's since gone from rewiring lamps at Goodwill Industries to exhibiting her art and animation in Toronto, Budapest, San Francisco, and New York City. Riversmith has been awarded two grants to help fund her next film project: a 2007 Artist Recognition Grant from VSA arts of Minnesota (www.vsaartsmn.org), and a Fiscal year 2008 Career Development Grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council (www.aracouncil.org) which was made possible through an appropriation from The McKnight Foundation. Her official website is located at: www.redrabbitriversmith.com
• Talk with Public Policy Fellow, Stacey D’Andrea, JD, to talk about the hub-and-spoke model.  The hub-and-spoke model facilitated by Critical Access Hospitals may be a practical solution to the challenges associated with delivery of home and community-based services in greater Minnesota.  The model combines long-term care expertise, fiscal stability and community wide collaboration in pursuit of sustainable services for older adults in rural areas. Critical Access Hospitals are located throughout the state in designated rural regions, receive cost-based reimbursement from Medicare, and have flexible staffing requirements - all of which are important elements to sustainable home and community-based services.
• Build your skills around Results Based Accountability; a disciplined way of thinking and taking action to improve the quality of life in the communities you work with.  Sign-up to work 1:1 with a RBA trainer and complete your own “Turn the Curve” exercise and learn more about the DHS Continuing Care Administration’s RBA initiative -- the CCA Hall of Results.  Staff will be available at the Resource Development Lounge on Tuesday, August 19, 12:00 – 3:00 p.m.
• Build your skills on 'preventing bad meetings' and 'dealing with difficult situations (and people) in meetings' by Ralph Brown from Management Analysis & Development at the MN Department of Administration.  Ralph will be available for mini-sessions on Tuesday, August 19 from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m..
• Did you know that the State provides free services available to small business owners? Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) provide services to Minnesota businesses through its Business Services Specialists, Workforce Development Centers and Small Business Development Centers. Staff will be available to discuss and provide information the services offered through regional centers located throughout Minnesota. These services include professional business consulting on a variety of business needs including one-on-one business management counseling to existing and prospective business owners and managers; training on business topics; loan packaging, and access to business information.
• Are you curious about Communities for a Lifetime?  Transform 2010 seeks to engage and equip Minnesotans in an effort to foster communities that are good places to grow up and grow old, and offer physical, social and service features for their residents of all ages. What does this mean? How can communities begin to meet this goal? What are communities doing? What is a “community for a lifetime?” And how are such communities fostered? Come hear about what is currently going on and share your thoughts about what communities for a lifetime mean to you.
• How to Chose the Right Mobility Solution for your Patients/Clients & Get it Paid For! New coverage guidelines for manual & power wheelchairs, scooters, canes, & walkers. Mary Jo Lindstrom ATS, CRTS of Midwest Medical Equipment and Supplies will be available to discuss the Medicare coverage guidelines for mobility equipment that is being requested for patients that reside in their own homes assisted living homes and long term care facilities. There are specific guidelines for coverage of all types of medical mobility equipment and supplies and most insurance companies are now following Medicare guidelines for coverage.  Mary Jo has worked in the medical equipment industry for over 30 years and is a member of the National Registry of Rehab Suppliers since its beginning in 1993 and is certified as an Assistive Technology Supplier by RESNA the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America.

 

Continuing Education

Continuing education units for nurses, nursing home administrators and social workers are offered. Certificates of attendance will be provided at the conclusion each day.

Nurses should not submit continuing education documents unless instructed to do so by the Minnesota Board of Nursing. Continuing education documents are required if selected for an audit. Nursing home administrators and social workers are responsible to self-submit for continuing education credits to their professional boards.

 

Gift Selection

This year’s conference vendor, Northwoods Pioneer Gallery & Gifts, is offering an assortment of books and gifts. You will have an opportunity to purchase gifts and books throughout the conference.

 

Drawing

Special prize drawings will be held each day of the Odyssey. Make sure you fill out the drawing slip when you arrive. Unique and fun gift baskets from Baskets on Occasion will be given away! Also, keep your eye out for additional prizes (Hint: Roadmap to Empowerment – a device for your car to help you find your way home from Duluth).