Aging

Minnesotans are living longer and that trend is expected to continue. According to Minnesota State Demographic Center projections, the number of adults 65 years and older is anticipated to double between 2010 and 2030. That means 1 in 5 Minnesotans will be an older adult.

MPR News is looking at this shift and what it means to all of us.

Related: End in Mind delves into how our culture engages with loss, dying and death and offers resources to live more and fear less.

More options for people with hearing loss
The Food and Drug Administration decided in August to allow hearing aids to be sold without an exam or prescription. Over-the counter-hearing-aids could be available as soon as October in Minnesota. On Wednesday, MPR News host Angela Davis talked about how to make hearing aids more affordable, accessible and effective. 
The Minnesota Department of Health said a “growing list of unpaid bills and inability to meet payroll threatened staffing levels, critical services and medications for residents" of Pine Haven Care Center in Pine Island.
Scans reveal the brain's early growth, late decline and surprising variability
A study of more than 120,000 brain scans shows rapid growth before age 2 and accelerating decline after age 50. The results may one day help pick up abnormalities in the developing brain.
Senior services try to build trust in Minnesota communities they had not served before
Organizations that help explain Medicare and find help for caregivers are using speakers in Spanish, Hmong, Somali and other languages more often. The state’s senior population is expected to become more diverse in the coming years.
The quality, cost and future of long-term care in Minnesota 
COVID-19 hit nursing homes hard at the beginning of the pandemic and now many of them can’t find enough workers to care for vulnerable older adults. Host Angela Davis talked about the cost, quality and future of long-term care in Minnesota.
The pandemic pummeled long-term care – it may not recover quickly, experts warn
Hundreds of thousands of nursing home workers have quit since the pandemic began, and the ones still working suffer from burnout. Industry leaders worry the system is fracturing.
MN Senate Republicans propose bonuses for long-term care workers
State Senate Republicans outlined a proposal Thursday to spend $322 million on $1,000 bonuses to long-term care staff members who stay on in their current roles, as well as signing bonuses for those who decide to join the industry. The plan also calls for grants to cover costs of education and training.