Age Friendly Olmsted County 2022-2025 Action Plan Update

Here is a summary of Age-Friendly Olmsted County activities implementing the Age-Friendly Olmsted County 2022-2025 Action Plan since our last update in February 2023.

Action Area I: Age-Friendly Community Supports and Health Services

Goal #1: Increase availability of affordable Home and Community Based Services (HCBS).

• We were successful in lobbying the Minnesota Department of Human Services and the state legislature to provide a more sustainable funding model for Home and Community Based Services. Big thanks to support from AARP Minnesota.

Goal #2: Expand Service Navigators in community; and,
Goal #3: Develop cross-sector, holistic, culturally appropriate dementia informed approach to care.

• A Certified Caregiving Consultant is now on staff at Family Service Rochester (FSR) expanding this service in Olmsted County also being provided by Elder Network.

Action Area II: Aging in Place Readiness Planning

Goal #4: Make available effective tools & protocols for aging for aging in place for older adult service providers and individuals.
Goal #5: Education on Aging in Place is widely available.

• Age-Friendly Minnesota Community Grant for this work awarded to FSR. We are in discussions with some community partners about developing this project.
• There are also discussions related to housing for seniors that relate to these goals (see presentation below).

Action Area III: Age-Friendly Community Engagement

Goal #6: Ensure perspectives of older adults inform public planning and policy.

• Efforts in the state legislature to draft and pass legislation to provide funding to sustain HCBS programs were successful.
• Formed Digital Connection Committee in March 2023; awarded digital inclusion information project grant; conducted and completed a digital inclusion information project on June 30, 2023. Our stakeholder partners included 125 Live, Age Friendly Oronoco, Elder Network, Intercultural Mutual Assistance Association, and Rochester Public Library.
• Presentation to Rochester Area Housing Alliance on senior housing June 14, 2023.
• Participation in proposed Rochester sports and recreation complex planning project community engagement working group.
• Arranged and conducted focus group of older adults for proposed Rochester sports and recreation complex planning project June 28, 2023.
• Rochester Parks and Recreation Team led by Walt Rothwell continues to meet and is working to schedule conversations with Rochester Parks and Recreation Department and/or Park Board.

Goal #7: Extend age-friendly network participation in Olmsted County.

• We invited participation from Age Friendly Oronoco and Age Friendly Pine Island in the Digital Connection Committee.
• We will invite Age Friendly Oronoco and Age Friendly Pine Island to participate in the walk audit. (see below)

Goal #8: Address age-based barriers to opportunity and access for aging in place for older adult service.

• In consultation with the Rochester Department of Community Development and Department of Public Works, we submitted and were awarded an AARP Community Challenge Grant to conduct a walk audit in the Slatterly Park Neighborhood of Rochester in September 2023. To prepare and conduct the audit we are working with RNeighbors, the Slatterly Park Neighborhood Association, Rochester Public Works and Community Development Departments, and Family Service Rochester.
• We also anticipate conversations with the Rochester Parks and Recreation Department to address this goal.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

AARP and Age Friendly Minnesota conferences

A combined Age Friendly MN state conference and AARP national 2023 Livable Communities Workshop on September 27 – 29 (agefriendlymn.org/conference). The AARP focus will be on economic development. Age Friendly Minnesota will convene a series of regional in-person meetings on September 29. Our regional meeting will be in Oronoco. Details will be shared as they become available.

Minnesota Draft Digital Equity Plan Regional Gathering

We will be co-hosting/co-facilitating a regional gathering with the Minnesota Employment and Economic Development Office of Broadband Development in September to solicit feedback on the state’s draft digital equity plan. Details will be shared as they become available.

Finally, there are several objectives in the Action Plan Area III Age Friendly Community Engagement we are hoping to begin work in the coming months. If you have an interest in any of these please let us know at agefriendly@familyservicerochester.org .

Goal #7: Extend age-friendly network participation in Olmsted County

Objective ii Local colleges and universities join the Age-Friendly Universities Network.
Objective iii Business incorporate in age-friendly business practices.

Goal #8: Address age-based barriers to opportunity and access

Objective ii Diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) policies and initiatives prominently include [practices and metrics related to] ageism.

Objective iii Public educated about ageism.