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A Message from the Committee Chair |
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In-home and community based care has become a critically important service in allowing persons with chronic or other medical problems to remain in their homes as long as possible instead of going to a nursing home. Nursing homes in Minnesota are severely understaffed, and the wages of nursing home staff are far below what they should be.
Eleven key non-profits recently formed the Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging, a powerful network of senior advocacy organizations and service providers aimed at tackling the issue of home and community based funding. The coalition, of which MnSF is a lead partner, is working to balance of funding between nursing home funding and home and community based care. Currently, Minnesota has an excess capacity of nursing home beds---costing the state of Minnesota millions. The average cost of nursing home care is $3500/month, while the cost of in-home care is almost a one-forth the cost. LCOA has proposed reducing excess capacity of nursing facility beds and allocating resultant savings to home and community based services for seniors and their families to meet current and grown needs of an aging population. Please visit the MnSF calender, which includes committee information, and join us at our next Health Action meeting. If you are interested in working on this issue, call 651-645-0261 ext 104. Don Blood MnSF Health Action Committee Chair
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Issues and Activism 
