Individuals nationwide dedicate their lives to making sure senior community members are provided ample care and resources. In Marquette County, these individuals combine resources, share knowledge, and support one another via the Senior Provider Network.
The Marquette County Senior Provider Network is a collaborative group that meets monthly to identify and address unmet needs of the senior community. Started in 2009, group members meet with goals of sharing resources and decreasing duplication of services. In addition to meetings, the network advocates for improved funding. For the past 12 years, all projects to date have been completed using no outside funding, only volunteer time and a small community grant award.
Lori Stephens-Brown and Julie Shaw are co-directors of the Senior Provider Network. Stephens-Brown provides nutrition for seniors as the Community Nutrition Services Director for Community Action Alger Marquette (CAAM). Shaw serves individuals with disabilities and their families as Associate Director of the Superior Alliance for Independent Living (SAIL), Disability Network of the U.P.
“We started the Senior Provider Network out of a need for more communication when it comes to community senior services. The main concern was to stop duplication of services that were going on in the community,” Stephens-Brown said. “At the time, there was a lot of competition going on when it came to funding. We wanted to get to know each other and collaborate.”
CAAM is a non-profit that works to support families and individuals in improving their quality of life. Stephens-Brown said that being involved in the group has had a positive impact on her work with CAAM and on the Meals on Wheels program. Forming relationships with other providers in the community has created a broader network of resources available.
Shaw realized the lack of resources available for caregivers while caring for her father. Her mission from that point forward was to help others in the position she found herself in; to find resources for senior community members and to serve them. When it comes to her work with SAIL, the advocacy found within the Senior Provider Network is essential. When members apply for grants, other partnering agencies write letters of support.
SAIL supports individuals with disabilities. This includes helping senior centers with resources and services such as education and transportation. Efforts such as these, including workshops and programs, are funded with dollars from the CAREs Act and are only available while COVID funds last. Members of the Network assist Shaw in utilizing funds by finding seniors who need rides and who may benefit from workshops on topics such as social isolation.
“All of this work would not happen if I tried to do it on my own,” Shaw said. “It’s because of the collaboration within our network, knowing each other and our ability to work together to keep our seniors happy and healthy. It’s all about connection, collaboration, and joining forces to advocate”.
One of the Network’s biggest “wins'' to date was a collective trip to Lansing that was initially encouraged by the late Senator, Tom Casperson. Designated Network members traveled to share their stories with Michigan State legislators. Instead of hearing about senior services from the head of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, legislators heard from the people who work in the field and support seniors every day.
Network representatives, along with the head of the Marquette County finance program, met with the head of the budget committee. The group also convened with members from former Michigan Governor Snyder’s team. Initially, they set aside 20 minutes for a meeting, but that ended up lasting an hour. In anticipation of the trip, Network members represented their region by distributing Yooper candy bars with pride.
Since that trip to Lansing, funding for senior services has increased substantially through grant opportunities and state funding. “I think this little group from Marquette made an impact on the future of funding for senior services,” Stephens-Brown said. “We were just tiny players in the game across the state, but I feel like we really did make a difference.”
Completed Network projects include the development of a 2011 video (which was shown on the floor at the Michigan State Legislature) and working with author Dixie Franklin throughout exploratory conversations which contributed to her 2011 book titled Another Way: Hospices of Marquette County. According to the book’s overview, “It explores the options available to patients faced with terminal illnesses who choose to spend their remaining time in the comforts of their own homes. It covers the introduction of the world’s first recognized modern hospice by a London physician, the journey of this new concept across the world, and to Marquette County, Michigan. Through contributions from nineteen local residents including physicians, nurses, social workers, volunteers and other members of the hospice team, the author introduces personal stories, the challenges of terminal illnesses, and the heroes who respond to need. It is not so much about dying, but rather about living every day of life to its fullest. The theory described in "Another Way" transcends beyond Marquette County and can be applied to most any place in the United States”. As a result of the book’s release, a project researching law enforcement response to senior emergencies occurred and several positive changes took place.
“We’re kind of conversation starters,” Stephens-Brown said. “We bring in as many people as we can to see how we can tackle issues as a community.”
Currently, three of the biggest issues facing our senior population are lack of program funding, low working wages and limited public transportation. Funding is needed to continue developing programs and to pay workers a living wage. Recruitment and retention of quality employees is important to maintain consistent standards. As it exists now, agencies rely heavily on volunteer services putting additional strain on agencies to maintain services.
When it comes to transportation, affordable and reliable public transportation is lacking in Marquette County. Seniors who no longer drive have limited options when it comes to running errands such as grocery shopping, picking up prescriptions, and attending medical appointments. This is an area where Shaw said she has seen little improvement over the years.
“Transportation is a difficult thing to solve, although we have worked very diligently on it,” she said. “It’s because we are so rural and our numbers don’t prove the need to have a transit system. It is the one big piece to keep social determinants of health for our seniors, to get them to medical appointments.”
For many medical procedures at hospitals, a patient is required have someone present and available to drive them home and stay with them for some time. This service is currently not available through any agencies in Marquette County. As a result, many seniors choose not schedule and attend routine and necessary appointments.
Improving transportation and other resources comes back to funding and advocacy. Stephens-Brown said in order to improve resources available to our senior community, more effort must be put into building and supporting senior centers. These centers have the potential to serve as the hub of the community. Bringing in professionals like social workers would be beneficial, so seniors could call their local center for any issue, even if a referral is needed.
Currently, the Senior Provider Network is focusing on keeping our vulnerable senior community members safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group keeps up with the latest CDC requirements and is in constant communication about how to keep seniors safe as well as the staff who takes care of them. Another major focus as of late is how to get vaccinations to seniors who don’t leave their homes.
“As a network we discuss what other agencies are doing and what the protocol is in the Marquette Community Emergency System,” Shaw said. “We are constantly learning from each other.”
When it comes to showing support for the Senior Provider Network mission, fellow community members are always welcome to attend a meeting. Doing so may help individuals interested in helping decide which volunteer or advocate opportunities to pursue.
“Every meeting we’ve had from the beginning has had magical moments. There is at least one moment every so often where there is an amazing connection made or just something amazing happens. Bringing people together and giving them freedom for conversation and ideas has just worked really well for our community. We're lucky to live in such a giving, caring community” Stephens-Brown said.
In addition, Stephens-Brown notes the best way to support senior services in the community is by supporting local fundraisers and checking on senior neighbors to see if they are in need of any assistance.
To learn more about the Marquette County Senior Provider Network, locate resources, or find ways to get involved, contact the Network on Facebook.
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The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health seeks to improve the health and well-being of Upper Peninsula residents and communities by developing collaborative partnerships that enhance the access and availability of affordable, quality healthcare services. For questions or comments related to this story, contact ruralhealth@nmu.edu.