The Minnesota Association of Area Agencies on Aging (m4a) works closely with elected officials to raise awareness of issues affecting older adults and caregivers. During the session year, the directors provide updates on services offered, gaps and opportunities to assist in keeping older adults independent in their communities and caregivers supported. This year was no different.
Over the past few years, a focus has been on nutrition and ensuring that older adults are food secure. The COVID-19 pandemic saw increased funding around nutrition to ensure that those who were isolated still received nutritious meals. Although the COVID-19 relief dollars are sunsetting, the need for nutritious meals for our most vulnerable population is not. In 2023, the State of Minnesota re-invested in the senior nutrition program. We used 2024 to share the success stories of this program with legislators.
Like many organizations working with older adults in Minnesota, m4a followed the Legislative Task Force on Aging meetings. The Task Force on Aging, created in 2023, has been charged with determining the governmental entity to plan, lead, and implement recommended policies and funding for aging Minnesotans across the state. It is expected to produce a report to the legislature in January 2025. A draft report is available for public review on the Task Force’s website.
The Minnesota Board on Aging worked with legislators to eliminate the Senior LinkAge Line (SLL) Housing Verification Code. Initially, the intention was to introduce older adults to the Senior LinkAge Line before moving into an assisted living facility; the procedure was identified as not getting to the older adult soon enough. Instead of leading up to a decision, the call to the Senior LinkAge Line occurred at the time of move-in. This was repurposed in 2024 to reach older adults and families before a decision to move into assisted living. m4a is excited about this change and will work closely with hospital discharge planners to provide information as soon as possible to assist older adults and their families find resources.
Although 2024 saw continued progress in addressing older adult and caregiver needs, a few items that m4a championed did not make it across this session’s finish line. An area that we will continue to advocate for in the forthcoming legislative cycle is permanent appropriations for caregiver respite. As we continue to see a gap in the workforce for older adults, we must build successful caregiver programs to avoid caregiver burnout.
m4a is looking ahead to the 2025 legislative session. We are committed to partnering with organizations to serve older adults and caregivers to ensure an equitable voice is heard in Saint Paul. Our focus at the state legislature includes, but is not limited to, senior nutrition, caregiver support and implementing recommendations from the Task Force on Aging.
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