Aging in the Right Place: Senior Housing Transitions Mentorship Pilot Project

Family Service Rochester Aging Services and Elder Network have been awarded a grant from the Coalition for Rochester Area Housing to conduct two year pilot program to create, coordinate, and provide mentoring services for older adults (55+) in Olmsted County interested in transitioning from a family home to an alternative housing option that better meets their housing needs.

Many seniors live in single family homes, which are in short supply for the overall housing market. Seniors need more housing options that meet their needs and desires, and the local housing market will benefit from seniors having the appropriate and economically reachable options. This pilot project aims at increasing opportunities for participants to connect with local peers who have already experienced a housing transition to transition to the right place for accessible, safe, healthy, and vibrant living with a focus on autonomy and choice.

Advancing senior housing options is a Coalition priority based on the findings of a 2020 and updated 2025 Olmsted County Housing Needs Study indicating nearly one-third of the overall housing demand is for senior housing options. A Coalition Senior Housing Co-Design Report identified lack of information for older adults regarding housing options from a trusted source as a barrier to successful housing transitions for seniors. This barrier was further explored by the Coalition’s Senior Housing Transitions Workgroup consisting of local seniors and community stakeholders. The Workgroup provided program recommendations to the Coalition for a Senior Housing Transitions Mentorship Pilot Program to provide trusted resources, support, and connections to housing opportunities to assist seniors in negotiating the challenging decisions related to right sizing from their family home.

The Coalition is a cross-sector funding collaborative of the Mayo Clinic, City of Rochester, Destination Medical Center, Olmsted County, and Rochester Area Foundation committed to creating and preserving affordable housing for the Greater Rochester area. The Coalition was founded in 2017 based on the recognition that to truly move the needle on the systematic issue of affordable housing in our region would require resources, leadership, and innovation beyond any one organization or sector.