Dunn County ADRC: “We are here for you!”
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — “What is an ADRC?” you ask.
ADRC stands for Aging and Disability Resource Center.
Every county is required to have an ADRC by state law, although some counties have teamed up for a regional ADRC effort, such as Barron County and Rusk County, said Tracy Fischer, manager of the Dunn County ADRC.
Fischer has been the manager of the Dunn County ADRC since November of 2021. She has been a certified social worker since 2002, and before accepting the position of ADRC manager, Fischer worked as the Director of Social Services for The Neighbors of Dunn County for 12 years.
Prior to working at The Neighbors, Fischer served as an adoption social worker, as a social worker in homeless services and as a youth justice social worker.
“The mission of ADRCs is to provide older adults and people with physical disabilities or intellectual disabilities the resources needed to live with dignity and security, and achieve maximum independence and quality of life,” Fischer said.
Dunn County has a population of about 45,500.
There are nearly 7,500 elders in Dunn County, according to U.S. Census data, and about 3,400 adults with disabilities who are younger than 65.
An elder is someone who is 60 years or older.
“All of those individuals could be served by the ADRC,” Fischer said.
The Dunn County ADRC provided services to more than 1,500 residents in 2022, she noted.
“The goal of the ADRC is to empower individuals to make informed choices and to streamline access to the right and appropriate services and supports. Any person aged 18 or older with a disability, or any elder aged 60 years or older is eligible for services with the ADRC,” Fischer said.
As the manager of the Dunn County ADRC, Fischer is responsible for directing and supervising the activities of the ADRC.
She looks for opportunities to provide new programming of interest to adults with disabilities or elders living in Dunn County and meets with community members and community groups to provide information and education about the services available to county residents.
“Every day is unique at the ADRC, and I often find myself participating in something I’ve never done before, but I view those as opportunities to learn something new or to help in a new way,” Fischer said.
Income requirements
Although some programs available to individuals may have income requirements, working with the ADRC itself has no income requirements, Fischer said.
The counselors who work at the ADRC to help county residents access the services they need can describe any income requirements for the various programs to the people with whom they are working. There is no cost to county residents to use the services of the ADRC and the counselors, she said.
The most common reason people contacted the ADRC in 2022 concerned information on public benefits for which they might be eligible, Fischer said.
Other reasons for contacting the ADRC included concerns about abuse or neglect of an elder or an adult with a disability, for information on home care services, for questions about insurance programs as well as questions about nursing home admission or alternatives to placement in a nursing home, Fischer said.
Many services
Fischer says that many county residents appear to be unaware of all of the services available at the ADRC.
The ADRC can help people with a disability who need assistance in applying for Social Security and can answer questions about Medicare plans, she said.
The ADRC also can help family members who are providing care for an elderly or disabled loved one, can assist grandparents who are parenting grandchildren, and can help those who have been diagnosed with dementia and the people who are providing care for them, Fischer said.
“We really do have a lot of information and support for people who have a disability or are an older adult themselves or those who are caring for such individuals,”she said.
In addition, the ADRC provides support groups, nutrition programs, including Meals on Wheels, health and exercise programs that are both fun and evidence-based, and many other programs, Fischer said.
“Although we are the place to come for those who are interested in information about long-term care programs, that is certainly not the only thing we do,” she said.
In person
Information and assistance specialists are available to meet with people in person to discuss their questions and concerns and to talk about services that might fit their needs the best, Fischer said.
People can schedule an appointment, or they can call and talk to someone by telephone. People also can just drop into the ADRC office Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to speak with the specialist in the office that day, she said.
If people are unable to come to the ADRC office, visits to a person’s home can also be arranged if that is what works best, Fischer said.
The Dunn County ADRC is located in the Dunn County Government Center on U.S. Highway 12 on the east side of Menomonie.
The Dunn County Government Center formerly served as the Dunn County Health Care Center.
Specialists
The ADRC has a number of specialists on staff, including a Caregiver Coordinator, a Dementia Care Specialist, an Elder Benefit Specialist, a Disability Benefit Specialist, a Nutrition Program Coordinator and a Community Health Worker.
Social workers serve as the information and assistance specialists and options counselors at the Dunn County ADRC who provide information about the choices you have when making decisions about where to live, what kind of help you need, where to receive care and help and how to pay for it, Fischer said.
The specialists also can provide one-on-one consultation to help you think through the benefits and the drawbacks of the various options considering your situation, values, resources and preferences, she said.
The Community Health Worker position is a unique position in Dunn County. The county received a 15-month grant through the state of Wisconsin for the position. The state-funded grant was intended to provide community health workers to serve under-served populations in a county, Fischer said.
Dunn County’s community health worker’s primary goal is to work with members of the Hmong community who are adults with disabilities or elders and to make sure they are comfortable accessing the services provided by the ADRC, she said.
Family members
Family members or friends of an elder or a person with a disability are more than welcome to contact the ADRC for information about services or for assistance, Fischer said.
If there are programs or services the family member or friend believes would be useful to the person for whom they are requesting information, then that person must be in agreement and be willing to meet with an ADRC information and assistance worker to get information for themselves and to sign up for programs, she said.
If someone is aware of an elderly family member, neighbor or friend or someone with a disability that they are concerned about, those people can contact the ADRC, Fischer said.
The Dunn County ADRC serves as the central point of contact for the county’s adult protective services department (APS), she said.
Anyone with a concern about an adult with a disability or an elder in Dunn County can call the ADRC at 715-232-4006 to report the situation, Fischer said.
Volunteer opportunities
Volunteer opportunities are available at the ADRC for those who would like to help out.
“We have many wonderful volunteers already working with us. Some of our current main areas of need are volunteer drivers and Meals on Wheels volunteers,” Fischer said.
Volunteers drivers are people who are willing to provide rides to residents of Dunn County who need transportation to medical appointments. The volunteer drivers can use their own vehicles, and they can be reimbursed for their mileage, she said.
Meals on Wheels volunteers can help in several ways, including serving meals at meal sites, such as the meal site at The Grapevine Senior Center in Colfax, and also by delivering meals to homebound individuals in Dunn County, Fischer said.
Both of these volunteer opportunities are very flexible and can be tailored to fit the needs and wishes of the volunteers, she said.
Number one
When asked the number one thing she wanted people to know about the Dunn County ADRC, Fischer said she wants people to know help is available, and they are welcome to ask at the ADRC.
“I really want people to know that we are a helpful, empathetic, non-judgmental and kind group of folks here at the ADRC. Our goal is to help people get the best information available so that they are able to make decisions that are best for their situation,” she said.
The people who work at the ADRC are there to provide assistance and to outline options for Dunn County residents who are 18 or older with a disability or for those who are 60 and older, Fischer said.
“We are often a great place to start if you have any questions regarding services that you or a loved one may need or may need in the future. We are happy to speak with you about any of your questions and concerns, and if we don’t know the answer, we will try our best to help you find it,” she said.
“Don’t be afraid to give us a call, e-mail or come on in to see us! We are here for you!” Fischer concluded.
In addition to Fischer, the ADRC staff includes Bernie Allen, nutrition program coordinator; Bethany Schneider, elder benefit specialist; Casey Romsos, caregiver coordinator; Carla Berscheit, dementia care specialist; Lisa Schuler, disability benefit specialist; Ruth Huske, senior social worker; and Wendy Sterry, senior social worker.
Contact the ADRC at 715-232-4006 or by e-mail at adrc@co.dunn.wi.us.
