News

Knights of Columbus Grilled Pork Loin Dinner May 6th – to benefit the Elder Network.

Elder Network · April 24, 2023 ·

Saturday, May 6th after the 5:15 Mass

Menu: Grilled pork loin, baked potato, mock crab salad, dessert and beverages.
Grilled hot dogs/buns will be available for kids.

Dine-in only (Containers available if you cannot stay and dine with us)

Price: $12 Adults | $8 Students | 5 & under free | $35 Family

The proceeds from this event will benefit Elder Network. Please > support our May 6th Knights of Columbus dinner by putting in your > FlockNote order(s) for the meal in our Pax Christi Church Dining Hall.

Save lives this Take Back Day

Elder Network · April 20, 2023 ·

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, April 22. Mayo Clinic, in collaboration with the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, Olmsted Medical Center, Zumbro Valley Medical Society and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), will host a community drop-off event to collect unused or expired medications. Anyone can anonymously drop off medications in Rochester on April 22 from 9 a.m.–1 p.m., at Mayo’s Gonda Building, at the west entrance drop-off circle located at Third Ave. Southwest. “The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office and Violent Crimes Enforcement Team (VCET) are proud to team up with Mayo Clinic and other community partners to participate in the National Drug Take Back program,” says Capt. Tim Parkin of the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office.

Take Back Day events offer a safe, free and convenient means to dispose of unnecessary medicines stored in the home that can be susceptible to abuse and theft. The events also provide an opportunity to educate the public about related community health issues.

Medications accepted for safe disposal at take back locations include:

Prescription drugs
Over-the-counter medications
Ointments, patches, creams, inhalers and vials
Pet medications
Nonaerosol medications

Liquid medications must be in the original container. Vape pens and other e-cigarette devices are accepted, with the batteries removed.

PREVENT CUTS for funding in SE Minnesota!

Elder Network · April 10, 2023 ·

Dear Valued Community Member,

Because of your connection to Elder Network, you know personally how valuable the services that we provide are. Now we are in need of your help. We have received some highly disappointing news that will greatly impact funding from a very important funder of ours-Southeastern MN Area Agency on Aging (SEMAAA).

The MN Board on Aging allocates the funding to Minnesota’s 6 Area Agencies on Aging and is prepared to cut SEMAAA grants to nonprofits by $252,023 and administration funding by $28,447. Elder Network is one of the nonprofits that receives grant funding. This impacts our programs in 2025-2035! The final funding decision will be made in the next few months. We have only one opportunity to voice our concerns about this cut to funding, and that is through a public comment period of 30 days, from April 3rd, 2023 – May 3rd, 2023. We need you to tell the MN Board on Aging to maintain current funding.

Instead of receiving additional funding to help us support the growing aging population and their needs, the MN Board on Aging has kept our funding “flat-lined” or the same, for many years. Unfortunately, they are now going to significantly cut funding, while still expecting that we provide more services to more seniors and their caregivers. This is not financially feasible, and will result in longer waitlists, needing to turn away more seniors and caregivers in need, as well as the potential need to raise prices of services. We do not want to do this, so we need your help to voice the damaging impact that this cut in funding would result in for you, personally.

Please use the attached template, signing and printing your name, and adding your personal experiences at the bottom of the page and/or the back side of the letter.

If you email your comments to Becca at beccah@elder-network.org, we will forward it on to MN Board on Aging. Or, you can mail directly to:

MN Board on Aging
State Plan-Public Comment
PO Box 64976
St. Paul, MN 55164-0976

If you need a non-written option, you can call 651-431-4410. In place of the letter, you can register online to access the portal to leave your comments through this link: www.greaterminnesotaaging.org/alerts.

Your story matters, and the experiences that you have are essential in helping to change the minds of the members of the MN Board on Aging. We need your help! What we are asking is that you share this message, adding in your experience with Elder Network, and emphasizing the importance of the work that we do. If you have questions, please call our office at 507-285-5272 to learn more.
Without your support, we cannot ensure those 55 and better and their caregivers have the opportunity to thrive and lead rewarding lives.

Best Regards,

Kathy Scheid
Executive Director
Elder Network

Meet Danelle Lawson – our new Winona Program Manager.

Elder Network · January 9, 2023 ·

Danelle lives in the Winona area with her husband and 4 children. They have a house full with 2 cats that rule the home, a dog that causes chaos whenever she can, a turtle named Oscar and a water frog named Gerald.

She has a BS in Addiction Studies and an AAS in Cosmetology. This summer, she will be returning to school to obtain her certificate in Nursing Home Administration. She owned her own salon for a few years and then moved into the mental health field where she worked in residential housing for 9 years. She spent the last year as an Executive Director of a home health agency.

Danelle shares, “Every path I’ve taken has led me to helping people and with my new position at Elder Network. I can continue that work. I am looking forward to learning this new job and all the people I’ll get to work with!”

Kathy Scheid receives the Senior/elder achievement award

Elder Network · December 5, 2022 ·

On December 1, 2022, Mayor Kim Norton honored 14 Rochester residents who went above and beyond to serve the community with the Mayor’s Medal of Honor. Elder Networks Executive Director Kathy Scheid was among those awarded with the Senior/elder achievement award.

Scheid is the executive director of Elder Network, a nonprofit providing services to seniors and their caregivers in Southeast Minnesota, including transportation, friendly visiting and caregiver respite. She previously worked with the American Cancer Society and Olmsted County Public Health.

While her time at Elder Network started during the pandemic, she worked to expand services, such as Program to Encourage Active Rewarding Lives, memory cafes and Technology Assistance Program. Scheid regularly researches elderly needs and implements them into improving services.