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MAAA NEWS
METROPOLITAN AREA AGENCY ON AGING
Prescription drug coverage
information available via the
Senior LinkAge Line@
Seniors, family caregivers and people of all
ages can learn about programs and information to
help make prescription drugs more affordable
through RxConnect™, a service of the Senior
LinkAge Line@. With the advent of the Medicare
Discount Cards, there are many coverage variables
and making choices can be overwhelming.
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Senior LinkAge Line@ Information Special-
ists, who are also state-certified Health Insurance
Counselors, can help consumers learn about their
options, their eligibility for specific programs and
how to access the major types of assistance in-
cluding:
. patient assistance programs offered through
pharmaceutical companies that provide
prescription drugs to qualified persons for
free or at a reduced cost,
. prescription savings discount cards or
publicly funded programs,
. websites for price comparisons,
. mail order pharmacies, and
. information on generic equivalents to save
on prescription costs.
Medicare beneficiaries can also get help to
enroll in the Medicare-Approved Drug Discount
Cards and Transitional Assistance credit for low-
income persons. These benefits are intended to
e provide some short-term financial relief until the
full Medicare Part D drug benefit becomes effec-
tive in January 2006.
MAAA News
June 2004
Comparison information on the 48
Medicare-Approved discount cards available to
Minnesotans can be found on the Medicare web-
site at www.medicare.gov. Since many Medicare
beneficiaries do not have Intenet access, and must
seek out help to compare their options, the Senior
Link-Age Line@ is a critical resource.
Along with information about prescription
drug coverage, MAAA's Information Specialists
offer in-depth information about transportation,
food and meal delivery, housing options, chore
services, caregiver support, education and recre-
ation opportunities, employment and volunteering,
and much more!
To reach an Information Specialist, call the
Senior LinkAge Line@ at 1-800-333-2433. Lan-
guage Line and Minnesota Relay Services are
available to meet the communication needs of
callers. Phones are answered Monday through
Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Messages can
be left after hours and on weekends for a return
call the next business day.
June 2004 1
Leadership Forum results
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On April 29 the Wilder Foundation, Ram-
sey County, Southeast Metro Eldercare Develop-
ment Partnership and the Metropolitan Area Agen-
cy on Aging sponsored a leadership forum, Build-
ing Communities Where Older Adults Thrive.
Approximately 100 participants discussed
a joint Wilder Foundation/Ramsey County survey
of approximately 500 adults which focused on
their quality of life, from basic needs to the things
that bring satisfaction and meaning to life.
The survey results paint a strikingly posi-
tive picture of the strengths and experiences of
older adults in the community. At the same time,
the survey reveals substantial concerns for a small,
but significant, portion of seniors, especially those
with very low incomes. Supplemental surveys of
smaller groups of African American, Hmong, and
Latino older adults point to some distinctive
themes that need further exploration.
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For information on the conference proceed-
ings summary (posted by July 1) or basic census
facts on older adults in Ramsey County, go to the
Wilder web site at
www.wilder.org/research/topics/olderadults.
MAAA board and staff
recognition
Congratulations to Kate Houston, Planning
Director, who was awarded the Little Brothers
Friends of the Elderly annual Marie Wasie "Ser-
vice to Aging" award on May 26.
Congratulations also go to Dolores Zeller,
Board Chair and Pam Zimmerman, Senior Link-
Age Line@/Health Insurance Counselor Program
Manager, who recently completed the Advocacy
Leadership for Vital Aging Certificate Program.
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DHS Consumer Directed
Community Service video
conference
Minnesota will offer Consumer Direct-
ed Community Supports (CDCS) across all
five waivers and the Alternative Care Program
beginning October 1, 2004.
In connection with the new program,
Aging and Adult Services, Minnesota Depart-
ment of Human Services is holding a Con-
sumer Directed Community Service - Part I
video conference on June 24. Targeted for
health plan staff and county staff charged with
implementation of CDCS, it will provide infor-
mation on policy implementation.
Part I of the series will address back-
ground, eligibility, service categories and pro-
vider standards and allowable and unallowable
services. Parts II, III, and IV are scheduled for
July 22, August 26 and September 23. The
content for these sessions will be announced
later.
The conference will be offered twice
on June 24 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon and
from 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. There are multiple
sites for each conference.
The PowerPoint presentation and other
supplementary learning materials will be e-
mailed to each participant prior to the event.
Starting on June 22, materials are also availa-
ble at www.dhs.state.mn.us.
Pre-registration is required at
. http://survev.dhs.state.mn.us/s.asp ?u-66207 64
354. Participants will receive documentation of
attendance.
MAAA News
June 2004 2
Store to Door receives national
recognition
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Store to Door has been recognized by the
U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA) within the
Department of Health and Human Services for
their innovative program for helping seniors.
Chosen as a Program Champion, Store to
Door was featured on the AoA's web site
(www.aoa.gov) during the May Older Americans
Month 2004 Aging Well, Living Well Program
Champion initiative.
AoA highlighted a different program every
business day in May with the spotlight focused on
Aging Well, Living Well target areas.
Store to Door is celebrating its 20th anni-
versary of helping homebound frail elders and
people with disabilities remain self-sufficient by
shopping and delivering groceries and prescript-
tions to their homes so they can remain indepen-
A dent. Over 300 volunteers and a small staff, cover-
- ing five locations in the Twin Cities, accomplish
this task.
Partnerships with other nonprofits include
Volunteers of America Minnesota and several
Home Delivered Meals programs.
For more information about Store To Door,
call 651-642-1892 or go to www.storetodoor.org.
Yale School of Management
selects DARTS
West St. Paul-based Dakota Area Resourc-
es and Transportation for Seniors (DARTS) has
announced that it is launching a vehicle mainte-
nance program that will service other nonprofit
wheelchair-accessible buses at a lower cost than
private garages.
A DARTS recently received accolades from
- the Yale School of Management and The Goldman
Sachs Foundation for being one of the best
income-generating business ventures. It is the
second Twin Cities nonprofit to receive the
award.
For more information on DARTS go to
www.darts1.org.
Making the Link to support
caregivers
A middle-aged daughter brings her 78
year-old mother to the doctor. This is a com-
mon occurrence. At first the daughter simply
helped her mother with grocery shopping. Now
she checks up on her mother twice a day,
drives her to all her appointments, and makes
sure she's taking her medications. The daugh-
ter is married, has a full-time job, and has two
children in high school. Though she wants to
help her mother, the daughter is increasingly
exhausted and tom between all her responsi-
bilities.
During the doctor's visit, the physician
asks the daughter how she's coping with her
family responsibilities. The physician hands
her a card with the telephone number for the
Senior LinkAge Line@ and suggests she call.
She is told that Information Specialists will
connect her to services that help her care for
herself so she can continue providing quality
care for her mother. Making the Link, an initi-
ative of the Metropolitan Area Agency on
Aging, seeks to make this scenario a reality
across the seven-county metro area.
Studies have shown that caregivers pro-
vide most of the long-term care services in this
country, while putting their own health at risk
to care for others. Concurrently, when the
health of the caregiver suffers, so does their
ability to care for family or friends. Making the
Continued on page 4
MAAA News
June 2004 3
Advocacy Leadership for Vital
_ Aging Certificate Program - call
.for applicants
The Advocacy Leadership for Vital Aging
Certificate Program has announced its 2004-2005
senes.
Partners in the program include Volunteers
of America of Minnesota, Minnesota Board on
Aging, Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging,
Minnesota Senior Federation, the University of
Minnesota Center on Aging, and the Vital Aging
Network.
People interested in developing their
leadership skills as advocates for vital aging are
encouraged to apply for the certificate program
offered by the College of Continuing Education at
the University of Minnesota. Class sessions will
run the second Friday of each month from Septem-
ber 10 through May 13. Most classes will be held
at the Continuing Education Center on the Univer-
e sity's St. Paul Campus.
Participants will learn about current issues
relevant to vital aging, develop leadership
strengths to help themselves and their communi-
ties, and expand their networks to support their
leadership work. The course is designed for adult
learners of all ages.
Organizations, groups and local units of
government working with older adults are invited
to sponsor participants in the Advocacy Leader-
ship Program.
Applications are due by July 16,2004.
The $1,000 registration fee, payable after appli-
cants are accepted into the program, covers all
course materials, refreshments and lunch breaks.
There are a limited number of scholarships avail-
able for participants who need financial assistance.
For more information, application materi-
als or scholarship opportunities, go to
e www.van.umn.edu or call the Information Center
at the College of Continuing Education at 612-
624-4000 or 1-800-234-6564.
Making the Link - continued
Link was designed to address these two issues by
encouraging physicians and other health clinic
staff members to look for opportunities to con-
nect caregivers of older adults with support ser-
vices. The connection is easy, a simple referral
to the Senior LinkAge Line@.
Once connected to the Senior LinkAge
Line@, caregivers are referred to a wide range of
caregiver services available in the Metropolitan
area. These include coaching and consultation,
respite services, education, Internet resources,
and support groups. The organizations providing
these services are also key partners in identifying
and maintaining relationships with health clinics.
Health clinics have responded very posi-
tively to the Making the Link program. Over 40
clinics across the Metropolitan area have agreed
to refer caregivers to the Senior Linkage Line@
to connect them with support services. Efforts
are underway to increase this number. This
project also helps meet the Area Agency's goals
of inte-grating social services with the health
care sys-tem to get better information to
consumers, while enhancing coordination of care
to maxi-mize supports for frail seniors and
caregivers.
Making the Link is a program of the
Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging in coop-
eration with the National Association of Area
Agencies on Aging and the U.S. Administration
on Aging. For more information, contact Lynne
Holman at 612-722-0213 or
Lvnneholman@cs.com.
MAAA News
June 2004 4
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The Age Odyssey 2004: A Timeless Journey
The Minnesota Department of Human Services and the Minnesota Board on Aging announce The
Age Odyssey 2004: A Timeless Journey statewide conference on aging, August 24-25,2004 at the
St. Cloud Civic Center. This year's conference highlights promising practices, state-of-the-art
programs, policy updates, and other critical aging information. Health and human service
providers, educators, planners, and other professionals who serve diverse rural and urban
Minnesota communities are invited to attend this special event.
National policy analyst Emily Friedman and national Journalist Connie Goldman are featured at
this year's event. Also joining the conference is Josefina Carbonell, Assistant Secretary of Aging
at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Pat Morrissey, Commissioner of the
Administration on Developmental Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
This year's conference themes include: 1) Rebalancing Long-Term Care; 2) Live Well, Live
Long: Health Promotion and Wellness; 3) Our Aging Communities; 4) Family Caregivers: Long-
Term Care Heroes; and 5) Aging Policy and Elder Rights.
A selection of 60 concurrent sessions, 14 special topic roundtable discussions, 15 poster sessions,
exhibitors, and networking opportunities is offered to meet a wide variety of professional needs.
Continuing education units (CEUs) will be offered to social workers and nursing home
administrators. Nurses and other health and human service professionals may self-submit to their
respective licensing boards.
For registration, hours, conference agenda, exhibitors, and additional information, visit
www.mnagin~.orglageodyssey. For additional information, contact ageodyssev@tcaging.org or
call 651-917-4645.
"Hope for a sustainable future depends on reshaping the life cycle...
not the individual life cycle alone, but the overlapping and intersecting cycles
of individuals and generations. This involves reaffirming the past and future in families and in the
institutions we build and share." Mary Catherine Bateson
MAAA News
June 2004 5
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AGE ODYSSEY AWARD
NOMINA TIONS
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The Minnesota Department of Human Services and the Minnesota Board on Aging
are pleased to announce the 2004 annual Age Odyssey A wards of Excellence.
The awards are given to individuals and organizations that help to improve the health,
well-being, and resilience of older Minnesotans in rural and urban communities.
A ward recognition to organizations and individuals will take place at the Age Odyssey
Conference on August 24-25, 2004 at the St. Cloud Civic Center in S1. Cloud, Minnesota.
The deadline for nominations is July 1, 2004. Please forward all nominations, based on the
attached guidelines, to:
2004 Age Odyssey Awards, 1600 University Ave. West, Suite 300, S1. Paul, MN 55104
Phone: 651-917-4645/ Fax: 651-641-8618
E-mail: ageodvssey@tcaging.org
www.mnaging.orgfageodvssev
For more information about the 2004 Age Odyssey, please visit
www.mnaging.orglageodvssev. The conference brochure and registration information is now
available on line.
MAAA News
June 2004 6
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Profile, Jan Hively, MAAA
Board member
Jan Hively joined the MAAA Board in
July 2001. She also serves on the Nominating
Committee and was elected to its chair in
January 2004.
Jan says she became a MAAA board
member because she "believes in the Board's
mission and feels that MAAA is a catalyst in
building communities where elders live with
dignity, mutual respect and shared responsi-
bilities across generations and cultures." She
says she "also enjoys working with the compe-
tent and committed staff and board."
As the Chair of the Nominating Commit-
e tee, Jan "urges every reader of MAAA News to
think about nominating a prospective board
member." She states that "MAAA is seeking
diverse candidates who know about finance and
fund development, marketing, legislative affairs,
health care services, and/or wellness. We en-
courage people to suggest any potential candi-
date who would bring energy and wisdom to the
board. "
Jan says she has personally benefited
from becoming involved in aging issues and the
Agency by developing a broader understanding
of seniors' needs and the services provided to
older adults in the Metro area.
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When asked how she would describe the
Agency's mission and its impact, she said that
"MAAA provides an efficient, trustworthy and
fair system for allowing available funds to be
designated to services that meet the needs of
seniors. Beyond that top priority, it convenes key
stakeholders to address issues and advocates for
policies and programs that meet senior needs."
J an is a widow who has two children of
her own, plus two step children, all grown. She
is a grandmother of two.
Her hobbies include sewing, knitting and
writing. Other interests include having deep, rich
conversations, attending the theater, art shows,
films, dance, bicycling, doing water aerobics and
walking.
Jan says she is personally turned off by
greed, dishonesty and guarding of "turf."
She hopes to accomplish much during
her retirement years, specifically doing more
travel via home exchanges. She also wants to
live simply, become "more human," find more
balance in her life (too much work now) and
learn to have more fun.
MAAA thanks J an for her assistance with
communications, planning, education, manage-
ment, community organizing, and social entre-
preneurship. She's a tremendous asset for
MAAA and the community!
MAAA News
June 2004 7