A press release from the North Dakota Department of Human Services announced Wednesday, May 6th, that North Dakota has received funds from the federal Administration for Community Living (ACL) to help older adults stay connected and to address other COVID-19-related needs. Read the full press release here.
“Grant funding will be focused on addressing and preventing isolation, which we know can
negatively impact individuals’ health and well-being, and on ensuring older adults and people
with disabilities can access the care, support services and supplies they need to remain living in
the community,” said Aging Services Division Director Nancy Nikolas Maier.
The department, she said, is partnering with ND Assistive to provide technology solutions to
nursing homes and basic care facilities – especially those in rural areas – so that facility residents,
their families and caregivers can stay connected.
The Long-Term Care Association is surveying its members to identify technology and other
communication needs. Based on those results, ND Assistive will be distributing assistive
technology devices and equipment and will provide training if needed to participating facilities.
What does this mean? What will ND Assistive be doing as a part of this grant?
- ND Assistive will be working with partners across the state to reach isolated and lonely people, especially seniors and individuals with disabilities.
- To begin, ND Assistive’s efforts will focus on targeting long-term care and congregate care communities who have been forced to restrict visitors to their facilities due to the vulnerable populations that live there.
- ND Assistive will be providing extensive training on technology to help reduce social isolation. This will include a new section of our website where anyone can access the training materials. Facilities and individuals will be able to access the support they need to implement these technologies.
- ND Assistive will be posting new information as it is learned and will be sharing success stories.
ND Assistive will be updating this blog with additional details regarding this exciting new grant as they become available.
Contact Us
Could your facility benefit from this program? Do you have already have ideas/wants for training materials you’d like to see? Please contact us at 800-895-4728 or info@ndassistive.org.