Grants support living at home for aging Minnesotans

Release from the Minnesota Department of Human Services:

New state grants will help older Minnesotans continue living in their own homes by funding services such as caregiver support, help with housekeeping, modifications to prevent falls, and more accessible gardens.

Fifty-seven organizations will receive more than $7 million in Live Well At Home grants from the Minnesota Department of Human Services to support aging Minnesotans. The goal is to help older adults stay healthy, independent and involved in their communities.

The latest projects include:

• Expanding caregiver support for older people and their families to the Red Lake Nation, White Earth Nation, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, and Lake of the Woods County.
• Funding a raised-bed vegetable and flower garden in McGregor to allow access for people using wheelchairs and walkers.
• Providing new services for American Indian elders in their homes in Minneapolis, including homemaker and chore services, home safety assessments and modifications to prevent falls. 

“Most people want to live at home as long as possible,” said Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead. “Supporting older Minnesotans to stay in their homes can lead to better health and quality of life. It can also ease pressure on residential care facilities that are struggling to find enough staff.”

Below is a list of grants by location, grouped by region.

Central Minnesota

• Aging Services, St. Cloud, $198,000.Community Health Workers will serve as front-line liaisons between health care, social services and community members, with a focus on family caregivers and rural members of Latino and East African communities.
• Assumption Community Faith Services, Cold Spring, $108,000.The program will increase accessibility and support to older adults in Stearns County and the St. Cloud area.The Tri-Community Living at Home Block Nurse Program will strengthen services and supports.
• Paynesville Area Living at Home Block Nurse Program, Paynesville, $55,000.Services including accessible transportation, homemaking assistance and caregiver support will continue, supporting older residents of Belgrade, Brooten and the Paynesville area.
• CARE – Community Action Respecting Elders, Foley, $60,000.Services will help Benton County residents better live in their community, reduce long-term care placement and decrease reliance on state programs. Objectives include reducing social isolation; continuing transportation, repair and homemaking chore services; and identifying volunteers.
• Frazee Neighbor to Neighbor, Frazee, $57,000.The program helps keep residents out of nursing homes through services including transportation, Meals on Wheels, senior socials, household repair services, home modifications, health and exercise classes, and more.
• PARTNERS, Rothsay, $40,000.People Around Rothsay That Need Area Routine Services helps residents remain in their homes through exercise programs, blood pressure screenings, foot care and other strategies. The program serves Rothsay, Carlisle, Foxhome and nearby communities.
• West Central Minnesota Communities Action, Elbow Lake, $275,000.Chore services and Ready Ride Transportation will continue for aging residents. WCMCA serves more than 7,000 households with programs including energy assistance, weatherization, home modification and other services.
• Granite Falls Living at Home Block Nurse Program, Granite Falls, $58,000.Volunteers serve seniors, people living with chronic conditions and caregivers. Outreach will focus on Montevideo, Dawson and Madison.
• Habitat for Humanity, Douglas County and Alexandria, $111,000.The Aging in Place program for low-income older homeowners will expand. The goal is to help people remain in their homes through low-cost, high-impact home modifications to reduce the risk of falling and improve safety.

Northern Minnesota

• Lighthouse Center for Vital Living, Duluth, $350,000.The program will convert a donated building into an assistive technology center for older adults. Lighthouse provides long-term services and supports to help people age in place, avoid injury and manage chronic health conditions.
• Legal Aid Service of Northeast Minnesota, Duluth, $93,000.Attorneys will serve on the health care teams of rural American Indian elders. Uniting legal and medical teams helps address social factors that impact the health of American Indian elders and their caregivers.
• Volunteer Services of Carlton County, Carlton County, $196,000.The Communities Called to Care Program will restart services that were closed during the pandemic, including assisted transportation and DayBreak Group Respite. The program will also enhance services such as caregiver counseling, chore services and health and wellness programs.
• Care Partners of Cook County, Grand Marais, $45,000.Services include specialized medical care, care coordination and caregiver support for people with serious illnesses; help with transportation, delivery and chores; and activating volunteers for companionship.
• Access North, Hibbing, $122,000.Assistancehelps homeowners return safely to their homes after a hospital, rehab or nursing facility stay. Services include home access ramps, grab bars, handrails and tub cuts. Creating access for aging people who may be facing disabilities can enhance their environment and create critical social connections to family and friends. 
• Elder Circle 2, Grand Rapids, $68,000.Funds will provide affordable transportation to help older adults engage with friends, family, and community in Itasca County. Transportation needs far outstrip supply, leading to disconnectedness and raising risks of nursing home placement and illness.
• Something Cool Inc., McGregor, $44,000.Three initiatives focus on veterans, American Indian elders and adults with disabilities. The Service Exchange chore service pairs older adults with youth crews. The Ultimate Social Club creates opportunities for fitness, new skills and relationships. Reverse Mentoring connects youth and families with older adults to help them resume activities such as fishing, boating and hiking.
• Angels, McGregor, $41,000. A raised-bed vegetable and flower garden will offer easy access for seniors living with disabilities and using wheelchairs and walkers. Volunteers will provide transportation to the garden. Volunteers who are deaf will assist clients with hearing loss.
• Red Lake Reservation Housing Authority, Red Lake, $101,000. The Enhanced Modernization Program will assist 10 homeowners who need accessibility and health- and safety-related modifications to their homes. Fifty Tribal elders will receive personal emergency response systems to enhance safety and peace of mind for elders and their caregivers.
• Northwoods Caregivers, Bemidji, $260,000.Expanded home and community-based services and caregiver support will focus on the Red Lake Nation, White Earth Nation, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, and Lake of the Woods County. More than 800 older people will benefit from the expansion and additional capacity in Northwoods Caregivers’ current service area.
• Living at Home of the Park Rapids Area, Park Rapids, $107,000.Services includelocal and long-distance transportation, light housekeeping, repair services, friendly visits and phone calls, ramp building, respite care, youth mentoring and dementia education and awareness.
• Horizon Family Services, McIntosh, $66,000.A pilot program in Polk and Norman counties will offer Lyft ridesharing.
• Stephen Living At Home, Stephen, $40,000.Essential services will expand, including transportation, meal delivery, friendly visits, phone reassurance, medication reminders, caregiver support and homemaking.
• Middle River Thief Lake Living Well at Home, Marshall County, $27,000.Services will expandfor older adults and veterans to enable them to remain in their homes and integrate medical and home and community-based services to better manage chronic illnesses.
• Tri-Community Living At Home Block Nurse Program, Newfolden, $60,000.The program will maintain and strengthen services and supports, while serving more people.
• Argyle HOPE Program, Argyle, $60,000.Grant dollars will focus on companionship, medical transportation, activities of daily living, respite care, meals, exercise classes, and more. Priorities include socialization, volunteers and financial sustainability.
• Pelican Rapids OAKS Living at Home Network, Pelican Rapids, $52,000.OAKS will strengthen existing services, dedicating more time to health, wellness and isolation, and enhancing caregiver and companion support services for a diverse elder population.

Southern Minnesota

• Family Service Rochester, Rochester, $187,000.TheNeighbors Helping Neighbors program will provide culturally appropriate community-based services in Olmsted and Rice counties, helping more than 900 residents live better in their homes and communities. Outreach will focus on Black, Indigenous and people of color, low-income, rural and veteran elders. Services include caregiver support, housekeeping, transportation and home modifications.
• Southwestern Minnesota Opportunity Council, Worthington, $145,000.The Age Safely at Home program provides financial assistance and project management for home modifications such as ramps and bathroom remodeling. The work will reach 20 low-income households with modifications and essential furnishings, reducing their chances of moving into long-term care.
• La Crescent Area Healthy Community Partnership, La Crescent, $60,000.Neighbors in Action offers services for at-risk seniors, including veterans, LBGTQ+ and culturally and racially diverse people throughout Houston County. Caregiver support is also available.
• Rebuilding Together Twin Cities 2 – for Pipestone County services, Minneapolis, $98,000.Serviceswill expand to Pipestone County in southwestern Minnesota, with accessibility modifications for 23 senior homeowners and 50 Safe at Home kits for senior homeowners.

Twin Cities

• Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, St. Paul, $52,000.The project will improve access to home and community-based services for Southeast Asian older adults living in St. Paul public housing. Staff will increase capacity to offer language and culturally specific support, create an outreach and engagement system, provide screenings and referrals, and more.
• St. Anthony Park Area Seniors, St. Paul, $60,000.Services delivered through a block nurse program will improve, with volunteers providing rides to medical appointments, chore help, respite care and companion visits. Exercise classes, outings and arts classes will continue.
• North-End-South Como Block Nurse Program, St. Paul, $50,000.Wellness and health promotion activities will support healthy lifestyles and reduce isolation and loneliness. Volunteers will offer companionship, transportation, grocery shopping and chore help.
• Faith Community Nurse Network of the Greater Twin Cities, St. Paul, $180,000.The network will expand to reach older adults with accessible, affordable whole-person mental health care. Newly trained faith community nurses will carry out mental health screenings and wellness assessments, helping to address mental health concerns among older adults.
• Como Park Living at Home Block Nurse Program, St. Paul, $60,000.This program provides services including transportation, grocery delivery, caregiver support, dog walking, spring and fall yard clean-up, gardening, and more.
• Cerenity Senior Care-Humboldt, St. Paul, $293,000.This assisted living facility for extremely low-income seniors will transform to put residents at the center and improve quality of life. Investments will include a new generator, accessible kitchenettes, microwave and mini-fridge cabinets, and automatic shut-off faucets in resident bathrooms.
• Jewish Family Service, St. Paul, $125,000.The program will expand and improve access to cultural communities and a wider group of older adults and caregivers. A pilot will test a cultural adaptation for older Hmong adults. The goal is improved well-being and increased social connectedness for older adults and caregivers dealing with depression.
• Vietnamese Social Services of Minnesota, St. Paul, $132,000.The Healthy & Joyful Elders Circle fights depression and isolation faced by many refugee elders. Bilingual and bicultural staff interpret and assist with applications and other resources. A caregiver support group helps children caring for their elderly parents with coaching and resources.
• Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, St. Paul, $125,000.Home modifications will help older, low-to-very-low-income residents remain safely in their homes longer, with a focus on serving more homeowners of color. Modifications include bathtub cutouts, raised toilets, grab bars, hand-held shower heads, accessible ramps, hand railings and technology upgrades to enable people to live safer and healthier in their homes and communities.
• Hamline Midway Living at Home/Block Nurse Program, St. Paul, $57,000.Serving the diverse St. Paul neighborhoods of Hamline-Midway and Frogtown, Hamline Midway Elders will continue work with older adults and volunteers to provide services that support older adults living in their own homes.
• East Side Neighborhood Services, Minneapolis, $251,000.Programming will help older adults better understand mental health issues, better manage chronic conditions, prevent falls, maintain independence and increase community connection. Other services will increase technology literacy, support caregivers and connect older LGBT adults to resources and social opportunities.
• Minneapolis American Indian Center, Minneapolis, $128,000.The organization will add in-home supportive services for Native elders, including homemaker/chore services, home safety assessments and modifications to prevent falls. A monthly wellness breakfast will educate elders on chronic health issues including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and mental and cognitive health.
• Lao Advancement Organization of America, Minneapolis, $52,000.LAOA will provide assistance to ethnic Lao caregivers and recruit volunteers to provide in-home respite care, with a goal of serving 25 ethnic Lao seniors with respite care during the first project period.
• Nokomis Healthy Seniors Program, Minneapolis, $60,000.The program organizes volunteers to provide transportation to medical appointments, grocery shopping, caregiver respite, exercise classes and social interactions. Seniors are encouraged to volunteer.
• Rebuilding Together Twin Cities, Minneapolis, $151,000.Morelow-income older adults will receive home accessibility modifications. Outreach to Black, Indigenous and people of color will increase, with a focus on Native American residents. Outreach to veterans will increase.
• Longfellow/Seward Healthy Seniors Program, Minneapolis, $60,000.Outreach to Somali elders in the greater Longfellow area of south Minneapolis will increase, with a Solos Resource Group for older adults who don’t have traditional family support networks. The goal includes addressing health and well-being, social isolation and food insecurity.
• Metro Meals on Wheels, Minneapolis, $96,000.The program will create a mobile app to improve communication with seniors and caregivers. Outreach to East African and Southeast Asian communities will help create equitable access to Halal menus and translate materials into the Hmong language.
• Korean Service Center, Minneapolis, $185,000.The programhelps Korean immigrant older adults live well at home through services including transportation, virtual visit care service, caregiver support services and bedside care.
• Southeast Seniors, Minneapolis, $60,000.Services include companionship, in-home nursing on a sliding fee scale, service coordination, transportation, chore services, grocery shopping, intergenerational programs, health promotion activities and caregiver support.
• Pillsbury United Communities, Minneapolis, $136,000.Elderly East African Minnesotans will receive support to continue living healthy and connected lives in their homes. East African seniors are disproportionately impacted by health disparities including chronic diseases, mental illness, and social isolation. Coyle Community Health provides services including a chronic disease self-management program, walk-in clinics, East African Community Health Coordinators, and more.
• Apparent Plan, Eden Prairie, $63,000.START Senior Solutions, formerly known as Apparent Plan, will expand care coordination services to serve 80 older adults and family caregivers, add service areas in Anoka and Big Stone counties, and pilot outreach nurse services.
• Cerenity Senior Care, White Bear Lake, $350,000.This 43-unit building will make interior renovations to make units accessible and meet ADA requirements. Work will include removing walls, enlarging doorways and adding “curbless” showers.
• Senior Community Services, Minnetonka, $96,000.With a target population of low or moderate-income older adults at risk of moving into long-term care, the program will expand critical chore and homemaking services in Wright and Sherburne counties.
• DARTS, West St. Paul, $69,000. DARTS will expand respite and home services, which improve quality of life for older adults. The organization will also establish and operate an affordable group respite program, expanding home services into Dakota County.
• CAPI USA, Brooklyn Center, $86,000.The Hmong Seniors program provides culturally appropriate support to enable independent community living for more than 100 low-income Hmong seniors. Programs include case management, caregiver support, benefits enrollment support, community gardening, home food delivery, volunteer companionships and more.
• Ebenezer Society Foundation, Edina, $207,000.M Health Fairview and Ebenezer Society renovated St. Joseph’s Hospital in St. Paul to create the Fairview Community Health and Wellness Hub. Ebenezer’s adult day care services will serve approximately 100 older adults.
• Scott, Carver and Dakota Community Action Partnership, Shakopee and Rosemount,$36,000.CAP will expand CHORE programming and activities for aging adults, cultivate relationships with more community-based service providers, and train new volunteers.