The volunteer UMRA Care Guides continue to be available for consultation on a health care emergency, especially involving long-term care. To speak to a Care Guide, call the Center on Aging, 612-624-1185.

The Care Guides service started January 2016, as a joint project of UMRA (led by the UMRA Cares Committee) and the University Center on Aging. Volunteers have been trained and are supervised by the Center on Aging. They  have available the center’s information resources to assist in consultations. All discussions are confidential.

Now the Care Guides want to discuss a new initiative in which they could assist UMRA members with health concerns not restricted to long-term care. They plan to meet in October with Professor Bob Kane, director of the Center on Aging, to plan for this new Care Guide role.

We are interested in your personal experiences (and troubles) in giving or receiving care for a health issue. These experiences frequently leave families with definite ideas about what could or should have been done to make life better or easier. Please share those frustrations and ideas to help our planning and to improve CareGuide services.

Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call Earl Nolting (651-633-4333). Information provided will be used in planning and held in confidence.

— Earl Nolting, Cares Committee