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SANDWICH GENERATION: New AARP survey seeks statewide insight on community support for seniors

How do you think Minnesota and your community are doing when it comes to meeting the needs of older adults?

MINNEAPOLIS — Efforts are underway to make Minnesota a more livable and age-friendly state.

A new community survey by AARP is helping to achieve that by driving coordinated action across state agencies. An executive order signed by Governor Tim Walz in December of 2019 set Minnesota on a course to seek enrollment in the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities and to strive to become a better place to live and grow old for people of all ages. 

That action came just days before the first days of 2020, the year in which Minnesotans over the age of 65 were set to outnumber school-age children for the first time. The network provides cities, towns, counties and states with the resources to become more age-friendly by tapping into national and global research, planning models and best practices.

“The survey is intended to gain insights statewide from residents about how communities are supporting older adults currently; and what those communities and the State of Minnesota will need to do to tackle the challenges and opportunities of an aging population,” said Will Phillips, state director for AARP Minnesota. “Community input is critical to this work,” Phillips concluded.

The full survey can be found here and can be taken by individual Minnesota residents, age 45+ through July 3, 2020. The work that happens within the network, which is a program within the larger AARP Livable Communities initiative — is hands-on and locally determined and directed. The common thread among the enrolled communities and states is the belief that the places where we live are more livable, and better able to support people of all ages, when local leaders commit to improving the quality of life for the very young, the very old, and everyone in between.

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment.

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