Bill aims to enhance support for seniors and caregivers in the community
The Minnesota Senate’s Human Services Committee on Monday heard Senate File 1902, authored by Senator Carla Nelson (R-Rochester), which provides a grant for the successful Live Well At Home program. It would be the first funding increase for the program in ten years. This program focuses on improving the quality of life for seniors by offering resources to help them stay in their communities, surrounded by the people they love. Senate File 1902 will help the program remain an effective tool in supporting seniors’ desire to live in their communities.
“The Live Well At Home grant program has a proven track record of success,” Nelson said. “From long-term care facility renovations, access to long-term services and supports such as respite care, and core funding for small home-and community-based service providers, the Live Well at Home has been an amazing resource for Minnesota and our loved ones. This expansion will help seniors across the state access the resources they need to live their retirement years comfortably.”
Family Service Rochester is one of the recipients of a 2023 Live Well at Home grant. The program will provide community-based services in Olmsted and Rice counties, helping more than 900 residents live better in their homes and communities. Services include caregiver support, housekeeping, transportation, and home modifications.
Minnesota’s family caregivers, who provide an estimated $8.6 billion in economic contributions, play a critical role in supporting seniors and delaying the need for expensive nursing home care. However, their efforts often come at a high personal cost, leading to burnout and exacerbating health issues such as depression and hypertension. The bill seeks to address these concerns by offering additional support to unpaid caregivers.
The Live Well at Home Program, administered by the Department of Human Services, offers grants to nonprofit, for-profit, and tribal nations to bolster community-based long-term services and supports for older adults. Grant funds can be used for services to enable older adults and persons with dementia to live in the least restrictive community settings, provide them with low-cost services that delay the move to a facility, and achieve greater awareness of lower-cost in-home services as an alternative to a nursing home or residential facility. By providing a necessary infusion of resources, this program empowers communities to better serve their aging populations.
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