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Stay the course
–
MBA wants to
continue balancing long-term care
Long-term care
reform remains a top priority as the Minnesota Board
on Aging (MBA) enters into the 2002 Legislative
session.
"Older people
and their families want options in long-term
care," said MBA Chair Ken Moritz. "Older
people need information to make critical choices
that help them stay in their own communities and
keep them healthy and self-sufficient for as long as
possible. Our legislative goals reflect their
desires – we must continue to increase options and
information about those options, so older
Minnesotans are informed decision makers."
Minnesota has spent
much of the last 30 years financing an
institutional-based infrastructure.
"It’s a
highly structured model," Moritz said.
"Unfortunately, it doesn’t meet the needs of
today’s seniors."
The 2001 session
saw major reform in long-term care, including:
- Helping
consumers get the information they need. The
state charged the MBA with the task of creating
a comprehensive long-term care database that
would help all Minnesotans learn about and
locate options in their communities. MBA staff
are currently building the database, which is
set to go online later this year. Not only will
the database be a tool for Minnesotans, but it
will also help specialists, such as county
social workers, Senior LinkAge Line® workers,
and other advocates of the aging, to locate
available resources.
- Building new
community-based services. Funds were set aside
to create more home and community-based options.
Services such as assisted living, chore
services, expansion of grocery-delivery programs
and more.
- MBA’s
legislative agenda for 2002 includes the
following priorities:
- Foster greater
personal responsibility and create more
community-based solutions. "Seniors and
their families have a responsibility to make
good choices when it comes to
long-term-care," Moritz said. "They
need to consider options such as long-term care
insurance. At the same time, the state needs to
encourage the building of more community
services. Not only are community-based services
less expensive than large institutions, they are
preferred by older Minnesotans."
- Encouraging and
rewarding family-centered caregiving.
- Developing
policy that allows older persons to age-in-place
and maintain independence.
- Renovating or
remodeling existing housing to eliminate
physical barriers that may make it challenging
for an older person to age in place.
- Linking
community services to all types of housing to
make it possible for older persons to get the
help they need wherever they live.
- Adequately
compensating and training long-term care
workers.
- Maintaining
quality assurance measures and policies for
long-term care.
- Using seniors as
volunteers.
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