MBA Strategic Plan

1.    Promote Senior Friendly Communities:  Raise the awareness of population aging among community leaders across Minnesota; promoting local strategies that will ensure vital communities for persons of all ages in the years ahead.

ADVOCATE

1.1.    Provide information about the demographic changes that will affect community livability for older Minnesotans—as well as community residents of all ages.

1.2.    Promote policies that support senior friendly communities in the 2005 MBA Legislative agenda, emphasizing the following characteristics of age-friendly communities:

§        affordable and accessible housing options

§        universal design, “accessible public space" and visitability standards

§        preserve zoning to protect residential neighborhoods

§        private sector role—new business opportunities and market niches

§        new opportunities for senior leadership and community work 

§        respect for diverse values (including generational differences)

1.3.    Promote state and local transportation policies that address the needs of older persons—those who drive their own cars and those who do not.

1.4.    Encourage local communities to address these changes through local action, involvement and investment.

ADVISOR

1.5.    Provide information on older residents as community assets—both for their experience and leadership as well as their economic contributions.

1.6.    Promote media programming on this topic.

ADMINISTRATOR

1.7.    Partner with AAAs to promote senior friendly communities.

1.8.    Foster use of tools and model programs that emphasize service innovation and that maximize community strengths (e.g., transportation, housing options, volunteer-based resources, and new business opportunities).

2.    Consumer Direction: Create new models of service and support that emphasize consumer control over the goals of the service, and allow optimum tailoring to meet specific individual needs within budget constraints.

ADVOCATE

2.1.    Promote adequate capacity in the Senior LinkAge® and MinnesotaHelp.infoä systems so that Minnesota elderly and their families can make informed choices. 

2.2.    Promote informed consumer choice and autonomy in the MBA 2005 Legislative agenda.  This would include:

§        extension of health and long-term care service models that maximize consumer choice and direction.

§        information and incentives for persons to prepare for their own future long-term care needs.

ADVISOR

2.3.    Prepare materials for MBA members to use in raising local awareness regarding increasing consumer choice and control, including . . .

§        consumer direction—creating an optimum “tailored” service on a fixed budget wherein the consumer chooses both the services received and the service providers.

§        consumer choice—ensuring that consumers’ preferences are considered when designing and providing services; increasing the range of choices available.

2.4.    Promote media programming on this topic.

ADMINISTRATOR

2.5.    Implement recommendations of the Consumer Direction Task force in regard to nutrition services.

2.6.    Collaborate with the Robert Wood Johnson Project to promote the development and adoption of consumer direction models in Minnesota.

2.7.   Support and strengthen the statewide access system (Senior LinkAge® Line and MinnesotaHelp.infoä) to assist people in making decisions among an increasingly complex array of choices.

3.    Health system reform:  Continue efforts to reduce the fragmentation and complexity in the health care system and to control costs—to improve chronic disease management and quality long-term care.

ADVOCATE

3.1.   Advocate at the state and federal levels for new health care models that improve chronic disease management—across specialties and providers.  In the MBA’s Legislative agenda, promote programs that build bridges between the “medical” and “support” elements of health care (e.g., expansion of Minnesota Senior Health Option and similar models).

3.2.    Continue to promote policies and programs that increase the affordability and accessibility of basic health care, including prescription drugs.

ADVISOR

3.3.    Provide information to motivate Minnesotans of all ages to live healthy lifestyles (such as diet and exercise) to improve individuals’ health and to reduce the future demand for long-term care services. 

3.4.    Identify new communities in which to expand community-based health promotion programs (e.g., Wisdom Steps).

3.5.    Continue to raise the visibility of the Senior LinkAge Line® and MinnesotaHelp.infoä as resources for older Minnesotans and their families regarding health care choices.

3.6.    Promote media programming on this topic.

ADMINISTRATOR

3.7.    Partner with AAA’s as well as with new groups to develop and implement health promotion campaigns for specific target populations.

§        Improve health by reducing risk factors associated with lifestyle choices (especially diet and exercise)

§        Reduce health disparities by targeting populations at high risk.

4.    Technological change: Promote adoption of rapidly expanding technologies, particularly in the areas of communications and information management, to improve consumer access, service quality and system efficiency.

ADVOCATE

4.1.   Encourage incentives to adopt new health care technologies that improve access to information and services—particularly in rural parts of the state.

4.2.    Eliminate barriers to adoption of new technologies that improve quality and reduce costs.

ADVISOR

4.2.    Update and promote MBA white paper on technology and aging.  Articulate a clear vision of the uses of new technologies to enhance the well-being of older Minnesotans, including wider awareness and use of readily available technologies.

4.3.    Raise the visibility of community education programs regarding new technologies, such as Senior Surf Days.

4.4.    Promote media programming on this topic.

ADMINISTRATOR

4.5.    Partner with AAAs to promote appropriate adoption of new service technologies among OAA grantees.  Use Title III funds to leverage technological investments.

4.6.    Establish points of entry for older persons to new technologies through continued partnership with libraries as well as new sites such as community centers or senior housing.

4.7.    Continue to support AAA efforts to update management information systems to improve program accountability and performance.

4.8.    Explore expansion of inter-generational programs, such as younger persons teaching technology to older persons or telephone-based mentorships.