One of the many ways to find amusement while we are all ordered to stay home is to play Scrabble or any other board game. Above, Daryl Popkes is well on his way to losing a game of scrabble to his two sweet dogs that are well protected from catching the COVID-19 coronavirus. Photo courtesy of Daryl Popkes
The Census happens just once a decade and serves to count every person living in the United States. It is used it to determine representation in communities across the nation and informs critical funding decisions. The 2020 census will require counting an increasingly diverse and growing population of around 330 million people in more than 140 million housing units.
“One of the biggest challenges in providing services to older adults in rural Minnesota is overcoming the vast geographic distance to reach those who need a little assistance to remain safely in their homes. The Census Bureau has a method to get an accurate count of those living in licensed community housing settings, but I would ask all community members to be aware of and willing to encourage and assist family members and neighbors who are living in isolated rural areas, to help make sure they are counted,” said Kristi Kane, Director, Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging (AAAA.)
Pat Eliasen, Cook County Sheriff and Chair of the AAAA Advisory Committee on Aging, notes that “in addition to funding; the Census helps keep our community members safe and provides valuable insight as to how funds are being utilized. By completing an accurate census, it not only assists with federal funding, but is also important when planning for risk mitigation.”
Census responses provide data that determines where over $675 billion in federal funding is spent each year in states and communities. For our communities, this includes funding for supports such as the Title III funding under the Older Americans Act, Medicaid (Medical Assistance and Elderly Waiver), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (food benefits), and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
The Older Americans Act (OAA) provides critical services—such as home-delivered and congregate meals, family caregiver support, in-home assistance, preventive health services, transportation, job training, protection from abuse, and other supportive services— that help older adults live as independently as possible. In the Arrowhead region in 2020, this translates to $1,777,167.00 in vital funding for community programs and services. Cook County will be granted $35,404.74 of that share.
Medical Assistance (MA), Minnesota’s Medicaid program, provides health care services to those who meet income and asset thresholds. In fiscal year 2018, federal MA expenditures in Minnesota for services amounted to $7.213 billion. The elderly, and the disabled or blind, accounted for 60.4 percent of MA spending.
Minnesota’s Elderly Waiver (EW) program serves people age 65 and older who are financially eligible for Medical Assistance, who need the level of care provided in a nursing home, but who choose to receive services in the community rather than receiving services in a more costly and restrictive setting. In fiscal year 2017, the program served 29,329 older adults, at a cost of $343 million dollars (state and federal funds).
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides food-purchasing assistance for low-income people. Benefits are distributed through each state’s social service system at the county level. In Minnesota, there are over 50,000 seniors enrolled in the SNAP program.
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides utility payment assistance and home weatherization programs to low-income households. The gross LIHEAP allocation to Minnesota in 2017 was $114,498,307. 126,149 low-income households in Minnesota received LIHEAP in 2017 with 36.99% of those recipients being over the age of 60.
The 2020 Census will influence community funding and congressional representation for the next decade. You can respond to the census online, by phone, or mail. Choose the option most comfortable for you.
For more information, visit: 2020CENSUS.GOV.
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