The Return to Community Initiative Lisa Graham MA

The Return to Community Initiative Lisa Graham, MA, LSW Minnesota. Help Network™ Community Living Specialist Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging 2011 Minnesota Age and Disabilities Odyssey June 21, 2011

Minnesota. Help Network™ Telephone and Web Based Services

Senior Link. Age Line® 1 -800 -333 -2433 • • Medicare Health Insurance Counseling Prescription Drug Expense Assistance for all ages Long-term Care Options Counseling Application and Forms Assistance Long-term Care Partnership Caregiver Planning and Support Health Care Fraud and Abuse

What is the Return To Community Initiative? • Service provided through the Minnesota. Help Network™ • Provided by the Senior Link. Age Line® Staff • Based on report issued to DHS by the U of MN School of Public Health & the Indiana University Center for Aging Research • Effort to help nursing home residents return to the community who have expressed a desire to do so upon admission • Result of 2009 legislative session

Return to Community Goals • Effort to change mindset that nursing homes are best long-term residence for people who have the potential to live successfully in the community • Facilitate successful transitions from the nursing home to the community • Respect people’s preferences for living and caregiving arrangements • Use public resources efficiently • Promote good health and quality of life

Find a Community Living Specialist Near You… Nancy Sandahl nancy@nwrdc. org Land of the Dancing Sky AAA Leslie Sauve lsauve@ardc. org Arrowhead AAA Connie Pelzer Connie. Pelzer@cmcoa. org Central MN Council on Aging Sheila Neurauter sheila@tcaging. org Metropolitan AAA Lisa Graham lgraham@tcaging. org Metropolitan AAA Heather Lincoln heather@rndc. org Minnesota River AAA Holly Glunz holly@semaaarochestermn. org Southeastern Minnesota AAA Jessica Schaffhausen Jessica@tcaging. org Metropolitan AAA

Why is this service important? • It focuses on private pay individuals – Upstream planning is unique • Intensive follow-up services are available for people assisted out of the nursing home – Also available for those we don’t specifically assist • Trend data will be available for years to come