DHS Announces Grant Opportunities for Care Centers

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Jonathan Lips

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has announced two small grant programs for Medicaid-certified nursing homes with applications due by July 1. 

Here is a description of the two programs, each of which is designed to improve the quality of life of the people you serve. 

Cycling Without Age: This program will provide up to $6,166 in funding for the implementation of a Cycling Without Age Program for up to 30 nursing facilities. The goal of this RFP is to solicit nursing homes interested in implementing a recreationally focused activity that takes the resident out of the nursing home environment and introduces (or re-introduces) the resident into the surrounding community. 

Cycling Without Age provides “trishaw rides” to nursing home residents. The trishaws are propelled by volunteer trishaw pilots. Residents are connected with the volunteer trishaw pilots, other ride participants and with members of the community who they encounter during trishaw rides. CWA utilizes a training program that takes into account the trishaws used and the typical mobility and health issues associated with nursing facility residents. The program has consultants who work directly with the nursing home to help the facility staff select and train on the equipment. The trishaws available are specifically designed and adapted for CWA’s program requirements.

Additional information about the Cycling Without Age Program can be found here: https://cyclingwithoutage.com/.

Dementia Live Training: This grant will support a dementia training project for direct care and support staff, with the goal of enhancing the quality of life and/or quality of care for nursing home residents with dementia. There are two distinct participation levels (up to $3,650 for the Basic Level and up to $6,000 for the Advanced Level), and you may apply for one or the other, but not both.

The training will be provided by AGE-u-Gate Training Institute through its Dementia Live experiential program.  Dementia Live provides an interactive live experiential simulation program that promotes a unique “inside-out” perspective of cognitive and sensory impairment.  Participants gain a heightened understanding of the dementia experience that can aid in fostering empathy and practical tools that can improve care for older adults living with dementia. This dementia training empowers caregiving staff with skills to help transform how they think about persons with dementia and feel about the relationships they maintain with residents.

For more information about this dementia training, view the video clip:  https://vimeo.com/251220094.