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Press Releases
Current News
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
The Balance Study: Balancing Life and Reducing
Stress for Those Providing Elder Care
Caring for an elder relative with dementia can be
a stressful experience for family members. The
Balance Study is looking at ways to help
caregivers manage stress and maintain a healthy
life balance. The study is looking at two types of
programs:
Community Caregiver Education and Support (CCES)
and
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR),
both are 8-week courses led by experienced
instructors in a group format of up to 18 people.
Participants in the CCES course learn about a
variety of important issues related to elder care
and receive social and emotional support in a
group discussion format. Participants in the MBSR
course learn mindfulness meditation techniques and
simple yoga exercises such as stretching.
Adults 21 years and older who are
providing care for a family member with dementia
and are experiencing stress related to caregiving.
Participants are eligible to receive some funds
for study participation with additional funds
available for low income individuals needing help
with respite care.
If you are interested in
participating in the study or have any questions,
please contact Dana McGree, study coordinator at
952-967-5031 or
Dana.A.McGree@HealthPartners.com. The Balance
Study will run through 2009, all data collected
will be kept strictly confidential.
Read more about
The Balance Study
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
02.28.08
Building Health Communities for Active Aging
Awards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently
honored the Carver County Public Health Division
and Carver County Health Partnership with the
Commitment Award.
Carver County developed a "Communities for a
Lifetime" approach to address the needs of its
older adult population, which is expected to
quadruple by 2030. The approach addresses the need
to improve housing, transportation and physical
activity options throughout the county.
The Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging has worked
closely with Carver County and the Health
Partnership to develop and implement the
county-wide project.
The principal goal of the Building Healthy
Communities for Active Aging Award program is to
raise awareness across the nation about healthy
synergies that can be achieved when communities
combine and implement the principles of smart
growth with the concepts of active aging. Awards
are presented to communities demonstrating the
best and most inclusive overall implementation of
smart growth and active aging at the neighborhood,
municipal, tribal, county and regional levels.
Applicants are evaluated based on the overall
effectiveness of their programs, level of
community involvement and outreach, use of
innovative approaches, and overall environmental
and health benefits of the project.
More about the award from the EPA website.
02.15.08
Living Well in the Midst of Change and Loss
Minnesota State University, Mankato's Center
and Aging and MAGEC South sponsor the 3rd Annual
Chesley Lecture on Monday, April 7, 2008,
5:30pm-8:00pm. Email registration to
chesleylecture@mnsu.edu or call 507.389.1796.
02.15.08
It’s All In The Genes:
Aging And The Family
Minnesota Gerontological Society (MGS)
Conference, April 25, 2008. Bridging the gap
between research and practice in the field of
aging.
Minnesota Gerontological Society Conference link
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.
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 comes 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.
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.
Back to Top
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)
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