Living at Home Block Nurse Program

In 2023, the Living at Home Network provided support services to 33 member nonprofits that provide services to more than 8,000 older adults across the State of Minnesota, primarily with community volunteers. Services included technical support for public grants, member networking, lifting the voice of members and the people they serve at the local, regional and state level and with the Minnesota Leadership Coalition on Aging and providing key administrative services for cost-savings and efficiencies to these small organizations. Our guiding principles, to which all members abide: Is governed by neighborhood/community residents within geographic boundaries they define; Stimulates neighborly expressions of caring and friendship; Provides or arranges for quality comprehensive health, social and support services for older adults; Provides services that meet the older adults' comprehensive needs over time; Emphasizes health promotion, early intervention and management of chronic conditions. Service provision is based upon need rather than ability to pay; Conducts ongoing and proactive outreach in the community; Learns best practices, shares knowledge and avoids duplication of efforts within available resources; Maximizes current funding and develops new private and public funding sources; Evaluates program effectiveness regularly and responds to changing community needs. Programs live out these values by: Stimulating neighborly expressions of caring and friendship, which fosters community building; Providing or arranging for quality comprehensive health, social and support services for older adults, ensuring needs are met; Providing services that meet the older adults' comprehensive needs over time, making aging in place possible; Sharing locally developed ideas and materials, serving on the Network's task forces/ committees/Board, participating in surveys, testing new tools or approaches, and engaging in network dialogues concerning operations and fees; Emphasizing health promotion, early intervention, and management of chronic conditions rather than addressing only the most pressing issue. Service provision is based upon need, not on the ability to pay; Participating in aging-related education and networking opportunities to support system changes that benefit older adults.