Meals for Seniors | Volunteer Driver Coalition
Our 2024 Legislative Priorities
m4a has defined the following key priorities for 2024. Download a PDF.
Senior Meals – Language Revision
m4a advocates for supporting the Senior Nutrition program in Minnesota. In 2023, the State of Minnesota made historic investments in the Senior Nutrition program. This funding will assist in meeting the needs of the growing aging population. It is imperative that we target these dollars to those most in need and support innovative approaches.
m4a supports:
- Innovation in delivering congregate meals, home-delivered meals, and food security for older adults and caregivers.
- Focus on providing meals and other nutrition support to family caregivers that reside within the older adult recipient home.
- Allocation of 10% of state senior nutrition program funds to Area Agencies on Aging. These dollars would be to award funds to community providers, establish program outcomes, monitor the use of funds, provide technical assistance to service providers, and ensure program compliance and reports to the State.
- Sustainable funding for older adult meals to meet the increasing demographics.
Volunteer Drivers
m4a advocates for transportation options that enable older adults to access services and reduce social isolation through continued support for volunteer drivers. m4a is an active member of the Minnesota Volunteer Driver Coalition.
m4a supports:
- House Resolution 3032, Volunteer Driver Tax Appreciation Act of 2023, introduced by Representative Peter Stauber (MN-08), with bipartisan support.
- Changing the charitable mileage rate, from $0.14, to be equal to the current business rate.
- Allowing the IRS to adjust the mileage rate on a regular basis utilizing a similar mechanism to the business rate.
- Raising awareness to Minnesota-based companies on the recent legislation changes around the definition of a volunteer driver and reimbursement rates.
Caregiver Support
m4a advocates for increased awareness, and funding to support caregivers (formal and informal) who care for older adults. Special focus on care recipients who suffer from Alzheimer’s and other cognitive diseases.
m4a supports:
- Partnering with the Alzheimer’s Association to raise awareness around caregiving options.
- Allocating caregiver funding through the Area Agencies on Aging to ensure that services across the state are met.
- Partnering with employers and organizations to support employees who are also caregivers.
Download the m4a’s 2024 Legislative Priorities.
Key Policy Areas
As we rapidly approach the milestone year of 2030 when one in every five Minnesotans will be 65 or older, we are called upon to face the challenges and embrace new opportunities. As Minnesota grows older, it is also growing more diverse, adding increased complexity to addressing needs in our communities.
The following are key issues that we must address.
Protecting vulnerable adults from abuse and neglect
Vulnerable older adults are often out of sight and too easily overlooked. As memory fails or other physical or mental conditions impair judgment, older adults can become victims of fraud, abuse or neglect (including self-neglect). Abuse can come from those who are paid to care for older adults, whether in the elder’s home or a nursing or assisted living facility, or from family members or others associated with the older adult. Financial exploitation and schemes to defraud are often targeted toward older adults. Deeply ingrained ageism can be a contributing factor. Legislative action taken in 2019 significantly increased protections for older adults in nursing homes and assisted living but we are all responsible for and must be vigilant about protecting vulnerable adults from abuse.
Keeping older adults physically, mentally, socially and financially healthy
Increased longevity has provided opportunities for people to do more, be more, live more but with it has come an increase in chronic conditions and other health and social issues that can stand in the way of good quality of life. Older adults need access to both health care and social care in order to function as valuable members of society in which they can both contribute and be cared for. They also need education and support for preventative steps that will protect their health and well-being. As the population ages, there will be increased demand for home and community-based services, services that Minnesota’s AAAs are well-positioned to help organize and support.
Supporting family caregivers
Family caregivers are the backbone of the care system for older adults. According to AARP, 640,000 Minnesotans provide 540 million hours of care annually, which has an estimated economic value of almost 8.6 billion dollars per year. Family caregivers provide support that simply would not be possible if relying upon paid caregivers, yet they are stretched to their limits. Better support for family caregivers is a social and economic imperative.
Expanding the supply of affordable housing
Minnesota is on an unsustainable path related to affordable housing. This is true across age groups but is of particular concern for people 65 or older. According to the Minnesota Housing Partnership, more than 150,000 senior households, about one-third of households 65 or older in the state, pay more for housing than they can afford. Lack of affordable housing leaves many older adults struggling to make ends meet and has profoundly negative effects on health and well-being.
Enabling access to transportation
As Minnesota ages, access to transportation takes on increased urgency. A large portion of older adults, particularly rural and suburban residents, are at increased risk for isolation and immobility as they are no longer able to drive and public transportation is not available. Transportation options should allow older adults to travel independently. According to MinnesotaGo, issues center around three topics: mobility, affordability and safety. Volunteer drivers are an important part of the solution (see Volunteer Driver Coalition for information about supporting volunteer drivers.)
Reducing inequities and disparities for immigrants, people of color and Indigenous people
Older adults of color are at increased risk of health disparities and a multiple of factors that can interfere with quality of life. As the percent of people of color is on track to be 25 percent of older adults by 2036, it is increasingly important that our society address the inequities that produce shorter lifespans and greater health inequities in this population.
Ensuring opportunities for older workers
Many older workers are impacted by the economic downturn associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The April 2020 unemployment rate for people 65+ hit an all-time high of 15.6 percent, quadrupling between March and April, 2020. The pandemic is not just a health risk for older adults it is also a risk to financial security. In addition, according to AARP, three in five older workers have seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace. Yet, older works bring talent, experience and skills to the workplace. Many older adults do not have the savings needed for a secure retirement, and their ability to continue to work is important for their own economic security and for the economic security of our communities. Luckily, many organizations are starting to see that older adults are valuable assets as they create multigenerational teams.