AGING
The Dancing Sky is 1 of 7 Minnesota Area Agencies on Aging.
Our goal for the people of Minnesota is simple: To work with rural communities to help older
adults stay in control of their choices.
We envision vibrant communities invested in their elders and older adults and caregivers
planning for the future.
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Together, older adults and communities thrive.
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Funding Partners
Minnesota Board on Aging
Department of Human Services
Partnering Counties
Innovations for Aging, LLC
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Service Area
Proudly serving the counties of Becker, Beltrami, Clay, Clearwater, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Pope, Red Lake, Roseau, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin.
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Funded Services
• Senior Nutrition
• Senior Housing & Home Modification
• Assisted Transportation
• Legal Services
• Housekeeping & Chore Services
• Dementia Capability
• Medication Management
• Caregiver Support
• Grant Funding
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Community Classes
• A Matter of Balance
• Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance
• Powerful Tools for Caregivers
• Living Well with Chronic Conditions
• Living Well with Diabetes
• Living Well with Chronic Pain
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Education & Presentations
• Senior LinkAge Line: Who We Are & What We Do
• New to Medicare
• Senior Medicare Patrol: Prevent Healthcare Fraud & Abuse
• The File: The "One Place to Look"
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Contact the SLL for more topics.
All services are provided in accordance with the Older Americans Act (OAA) of 1965.
The OAA supports a range of home- and community-based services.
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Background
In 1973 Amendments to the Older Americans Act created Area Agencies on Aging to allow local senior citizen participation in the administration of OAA funds.
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The Dancing Sky Board of Directors meets quarterly to discuss and approve major items while an Advisory Committee for each region meet on a monthly basis to make decisions which affect their specific counties.
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Planning & Grant Funding
Identification of needs, setting priorities, developing a plan and providing grant funds to agencies for the provision of services to meet priority needs. Administration of grants involves quarterly and annual monitoring, technical assistance and coordination.
The DSAAA provides funding to providers for services that enrich the lives of older adults and their family caregivers. Such as State Congregate Nutrition and Home Delivered Meals. ​
To help accomplish this goal, the DSAAA awards Older American Act funding (authorized under Title III of the Act) to agencies and organizations that provide direct services for people age 60+ and their caregivers.​
We also receive local support through the Northwest Regional Development Commission tax levy and other means of county financial support.
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Program Development
The Dancing Sky AAA provides technical support including information, training to service providing, community groups and municipalities interested in providing services to older adults.
This includes:
Developing Service Programs
Developing organization plans for sustainability
Providing information on aging demographic
Conducting Community needs assessments, asset mapping and opportunities
Provide educational opportunities for Older adults
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Fall Prevention
Matter of Balance
Stay Active Independent for Life (SAIL)
Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance
Chronic Disease Prevention
Living Well with Chronic Conditions
Living Well with Diabetes
Living Well with Chronic Pain
Caregiver Support
Powerful Tools for Caregivers
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Senior LinkAge Line (SLL)
The SLL strives to develop community partnerships and serve older adults.
Four Service Areas of the SLL
Resource Specialists
Pre-Admission Screening Specialists
Resource Coordinator
Senior Outreach Specialists
The SLL helps simplify the complex issues and decisions you face every day as a senior,
Baby Boomers, Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers or someone trying to reduce prescription drug costs.​
The SLL not only helps connect you to services in your community, but also provides the actual assistance to help you get the information and personalized help you need to make good decisions. This includes providing face-to-face help to you in your home and community.​
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The SLL is a free information and assistance service — offered by the State of Minnesota — which makes it easy for older adults and their families to find community services or plan for their future.
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Just one phone call away (800) 333-2433!
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Advocacy
Discussion on policies and issues that affect older adults, information, referral, assistance and action to protect the rights of individuals. As well as, outreach services, including; one-to-one assistance and educational presentation.
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A message from our
Aging Director
As we wrap up another exciting year in our 21-county planning and service area, we reflect on the collective impact made with our providers and partners. Our vision is for our older adults and communities that thrive. The aging population in rural Minnesota faces unique challenges such as aging alone. social isolation, food insecurity, transportation barriers, and overall lack of access to resources. Older adults in rural Minnesota face these and many other challenges at a greater rate and impact than those of their urban counter parts. Our advocacy efforts continue to target these gaps. In our dedication to serving our rural communities of choice, we partnered with our Area Agency on Aging colleagues on the state serving rural areas and conducted an in-depth study by U of M Rural Health Research Center and Rural health innovations. Find the report on our website.
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We are excited to continue to be part of Age-Friendly Minnesota work, offering technical assistance to many community grantees.
2024 brought an exciting opportunity to partner with county Adult Protection offices with American Rescue Plan funding allowing the Area Agency on Aging to award funds on direct service. This exciting Pilot will go through September 30th, 2025.
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We continue to support the state-wide Senior LinkAge line services offering unparalleled support to consumers, caregivers, and providers.
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We are honored by our staff, board members, and provider partners. Their contributions, dedication, time and resources have made Northwest Minnesota a better place to live at any age.
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On behalf of Dancing Sky, thank you to those who support our work in making a collective positive impact on our rural communities.
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Impact Story WRAPS
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Through American Rescue plan funding, Dancing Sky has been able to partner with county adult protection offices, administering funds to adults in need to reduce or mitigate their risk of maltreatment. The program started in our office in April 2024 and funding is extended through September 2025. We are excited to continue to grow the project in 2025. The model was built off a similar system in Missouri, we have contracted with a closed-loop referral system between the partnering county and ourselves. This system tracks the referral and serves as the software charting system. As of November 2024, we have had 54 referrals. To date 13 of our 21 counties have agreements with us to refer clients.
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Client testimony "Wonderful, very blessed, beyond grateful...over the moon, and it was finished on my birthday. Financially, we could not have done this. It was a pleasure to work with you."
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Our team is looking forward to the impact we will have with our partners in 2025!
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Heather Pender
