About Our Senior Services
Mission“We support area neighbors 60 years and older to continue living independently in the home of their choice through community volunteerism”
Our program is part of the Living at Home Block Nurse program. We work in collaboration with existing agencies that provide services to elders. Our goal is to respond to the growing number of seniors requesting services to remain in their homes, and to reach out to new volunteers to serve our aging population.
Our Vision
By working together, the aging neighbors of our community will live longer, happier, and more meaningful lives.
Program History
CARE – Community Action Respecting Elders (CARE) is one of the 32 programs throughout Minnesota that makes up the Live Well at Home Network. All of our programs provide services to keep seniors thriving in their homes. Our programs began 47 years ago when nurses in the metro area provided services to seniors such as foot care, medication set up, and blood pressure checks. They realized they could help prevent premature nursing home placement among our senior population. This concept grew throughout our state and into our rural communities. Services may vary from program to program, but we are united in our vision.
Our local program was founded as Foley Area C.A.R.E. in 2002 by a steering committee of concerned community members. Through the Minnesota Council on Aging, a community coach representing the Elderberry Institute held an initial meeting with this committee. To begin the program, a community services development grant was approved by the State of Minnesota. Also, the program received a generous cash donation. With this first cash infusion of over twenty thousand dollars, the program began serving seniors within a 10-mile radius of the City of Foley. The C.R.O.S.S Center provided office space in Foley. It served as the non-profit fiscal agent until the C.A.R.E. Program obtained its non-profit status. In 2007, the program moved to space provided by the City of Foley.
By 2013, C.A.R.E. had outgrown the space at the city hall and moved to office space provided by Benton County, where we currently reside. The program’s growth had also expanded the area we served. Therefore, a name change was needed to reflect that growth and expansion. CARE-Community Action Respecting Elders now serves seniors throughout Benton County and its surrounding areas.
Our Growth
What we do
No one disputes that given a choice, our elders usually prefer staying in their own home as long as possible. More often than not, quality of life is the reason for remaining there, with the benefit of a multi-generational community enjoying the wisdom, experience, and roots of its elders.
With that in mind, the CARE (Community Action Respecting Elders) Program, a Living At Home/Block Nurse Program (SM), has been established.
The CARE Program geographically serves people 60 years of age and older that reside in Benton County & surrounding area.
Find out how YOU can be a volunteer with us or how YOU can help us with your financial assistance. Your help will be greatly appreciated!
Governance
Our current community member Board of Directors governs the CARE Program. The Board of Directors currently oversees the Program Director’s activities as well as our Executive Committee, Finance Committee, Fundraising Committee, Communications Committee, Fun Days Committee, and Nominating Committee.
Current Board Members
- Joyce Rife, Board Chair
- Brian Lorenz, Vice Chair
- Joyce Simones, Secretary
- Karen Kampa, Treasurer
- Dennis Clark, Board Member
- Gini Kalton, Board Member
- Dr. Richard Cash, Board Member
- Evelyn Kirby, Board Member
- Ron Miller, Board Member
- Philip Miller, Board Member
- Rosalie Musachio, Board Member
- Rev. John Lassen, Board Member
Staff
- Connie Cardinal, Executive Director conniec@CAREelders.org
- Linda Goodman, Transportation Coordinator lindag@CAREelders.org
- Deb Helmin, Administrative Assistant debh@CAREelders.org
- Karen Cross, Administrative Assistant karenc@CAREelders.org