Eldercare Development Partnership Story – Proactive Problem Solving to Meet the Needs of Older Adults in an Evolving Region of Minnesota

ROCHESTER, MINN.?The state of Minnesota funded Eldercare Development Partnership (EDP) grant taps into the expertise of regional organizations to develop and grow services for older Minnesotans.?The EDP grantees aim to improve and increase sustainable home and community-based services (HCBS) options for older Minnesotans, and caregivers. Each regional grantee has a focus to grow services like homemaker, chore, caregiver services, respite, transportation, and affordable housing options. And each regional grantee has a pulse on the local needs in their communities, like the Southeast Minnesota Area Agency on Aging (SEMAAA) grantee that monitors an 11-county region in the southeast corner of Minnesota.?

In that 11-county region is the Mayo Clinic located Rochester. The Mayo Clinic looms large. So large, the impact of a $5 billion Destination Medical Center (DMC) will change the complexity of the community. A byproduct of the DMC is development of affordable housing buildings for older people. One of the buildings is a 94-unit market rate apartment building next to a rapid bus system that will transit older people free of charge to the new Mayo complex.?Because of their connections and experience, the SEMAAA grantee was tapped for their expertise. As such they met with the developer over 10 times to offer their technical assistance to ensure the needs of older people will be met. Moreover, with the connections and expertise of the SEMAAA grantee they coordinated a stakeholder meetings between the developer and local aging service providers to discuss housing needs of older people.????

An alarming trend, similar to other parts of Minnesota was happening in the 11-county SEMAAA region.?The trend was the number of falls by people over 60 years old. Between 2016 through 2019 there were 3,158 people in Olmstead County over 60 treated and released from the emergency room due to a fall. Another 2,492 required hospitalization due to injuries sustained from a fall. Locally in 2022, the Rochester Fire Department provided about 250 lift assists and in Northfield EMS responded to approximately 140 falls. When older people fall, this can lead to serious injury, decrease in mobility, cost a substantial amount of money to the older person as well as the cost to emergency providers. The compound effects of a fall can also lead to isolation.?

Eyeing this trend, the SEMAAA grantee became instrumental in the formation of the Olmstead County Falls Coalition. The participants include public health officials, physicians, social workers as well as physical and occupational therapy staff.?

The coalition is divided into four subcommittees:

·?One, data analysis and explore opportunities for improvements.?

·?Two, Design a falls prevention website for the Olmsted County Public Health Healthy Homes

·?Three, Implementation and planning of Fall Prevention Awareness month activities.

·?Four, Evidence-based practices and emergency room summary & discharge process.

With the leadership of the SEMAAA grantee, there is a plan to understand the trends, help people that fall and get them to the right services/resources to help live in the community.

Overall, because of the advocacy of the SEMAAA grantee they help providers in the rural and larger communities grow services for older Minnesotans.? The two examples above illustrate with local expertise from grantees like SEMAAA they can design a positive aging experience of older people in their 11-county region.