Following in the wake of the Minnesota Senior Federation which gave seniors a voice, a new advocacy organization called Mature Voices Minnesota is filing incorporation papers so that they can begin representing local seniors to the Legislature. It plans to address some of the big issues that concern today’s seniors, like universal health care, Medicare, drug costs, housing, property taxes, transportation and long-term care.

Unlike its predecessor, Mature Voices Minnesota, it’s not going to be so focused on membership and services; it will be more flexible, and will not ask for dues from those seniors in need of support. Contributions and grants will be relied upon to fund the organization, and they pride themselves, even before their launch on having no age restrictions or formal memberships; so the support and advocacy is available to everyone. The focus here is upon truly giving a voice to senior issues, whether they’re brought up by young grandchildren or seniors suffering through inadequate living stands in long-term care homes.

Unlike previous organization, a major focus of Mature Voices Minnesota will be upon addressing issues that the aging baby boomer population will face as their senior years approach; so the focus won’t be limited to those that are seniors today, it will secure a place for them in the future.

Stay tuned Minnesota Seniors, because as soon as this organization launches, they’ll be ready to listen and give you a voice.

Via: StarTribune

Image: dflseniors.wordpress.com

Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s isn’t easy, as many Minnesota caregivers know. It is so hard to watch someone you love virtually change before your eyes, and oftentimes, even responding to you in an aggressive way. Unfortunately, some level of agitation can occur as part of this unfortunate cognitive illness; but with 6 tips, you can prevent and deal with aggressive Alzheimer’s behavior:

1. Try to narrow down the cause of the behavior – ask “who, what, where, when, why?” and try to find commonalities in the situations when the behavior occurs. This will help caregivers to determine if the changes in behavior could be caused by physical discomfort, over-stimulation, confusing surroundings, complicated tasks, or frustrating situations with communication problems

2. Be prepared to soothe and distract – have a memory box, photo and other familiar items ready to soothe or distract the combative and upset senior

3. Watch for signs – be aware of physical signs that they’re becoming agitated; most will be non-verbal and you might be able to defuse the situation before the senior becomes too upset

4. Move it – move to a different environment or a quieter spot if the senior is over-stimulated

5. Slow down your actions – as the senior becomes more upset, he/she is likely to speed up communication and actions in the agitation. Slow down, talk slowly, and you can have a soothing effect

6. Remove dangerous objects – keep sharp, pointy and other dangerous objects in a safe and secure place. If the senior becomes agitated, he/she might accidentally harm themselves or someone else

Via: Wellington Parc

Image: jupiterimages.com

Minnesota currently has the largest number of uninsured people in their population, and what this means for seniors is that their financial stability and health is always at risk, because when and if a medical emergency occurs; they just might not have the means to keep themselves afloat when they need to scramble to finance their health care and pay their living costs all on a limited budget.  This may sound like a negative, and today, it is. But, as Minnesota is attempting to bring a universal health care program to the state, the financial and health implications of seniors and their families might be an advantage.

With so many people in Minnesota living without health insurance, there is even more urgency to bring in a universal health care program to make sure that residents of all ages receive health care that will prolong their lives. According to studies, due to the costs of preventative medical care, like checkups to monitor existing conditions like blood pressure, seniors avoid stepping through the doors of a doctor’s office or into a hospital until their health presents an emergency situation, and at that point, it’s not just their health but also their finances that are at a greater risk.

By implementing universal health care, seniors in Minnesota should finally be able to focus on living, without worrying about the impact healthcare has on their wallet.

Sources:

1. Associated Content

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