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.

December 6, 2021 5:35 PM

Walz names long-term care sites to get Guard staffing help

The governor also announced plans to recruit and train at least 1,000 certified nursing assistants to deploy to long-term care facilities by the end of January.

by The Associated Press

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November 22, 2021 10:39 AM

Walz pledges National Guard help for nursing homes

Gov. Tim Walz said Monday he will deploy teams from the National Guard and pledged $50 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to help nursing homes in Minnesota deal with short staffing and other needs related to COVID-19.

by MPR News Staff

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November 19, 2021 12:29 PM

A Minnesotan with Alzheimer's plans for death on her own terms

When Cheryl Hauser of Hopkins, Minn., was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, she made plans to eventually end her life on her own terms through a process called VSED, or voluntarily stopping eating and drinking, before the worst of the disease takes hold. Hauser and her daughter spoke with host Cathy Wurzer about the decision.

by Cathy Wurzer and Julia Franz

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November 12, 2021 4:00 AM

A 105-year-old runner created a new age bracket for the 100m — and set the record

Julia "Hurricane" Hawkins crossed the finish line in 1:02:95. "It was wonderful to see so many family members and friends. But I wanted to do it in less than a minute," she said.

by Joe Hernandez

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November 7, 2021 3:25 PM

'Nimblewill Nomad,' 83, is oldest to hike Appalachian Trail

M.J. “Sunny” Eberhart, 83, of Alabama, known by the trail name Nimblewill Nomad, strode into the record books Sunday as the oldest hiker to complete the 2,193-mile Appalachian Trail.

by The Associated Press

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November 5, 2021 8:48 AM

Long-term care industry, facing staffing shortages, on edge over vaccine mandate

President Joe Biden’s administration announced this week that all nursing home employees must get the COVID-19 vaccine by Jan. 4. Some Minnesota long-term care leaders say they are worried the requirement could cause more staff to quit at a time when there are 23,000 open jobs in the industry.

by Peter Cox

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October 29, 2021 9:48 AM

Vaccinated seniors navigate life in mostly unvaccinated rural America

Vaccination rates in much of rural America remain low. But there's one demographic with rates consistently higher than the national average: seniors, many of whom remember lining up eagerly as children to get the polio vaccine.

by Kirk Siegler

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October 25, 2021 1:40 PM

State takes control of Minneapolis nursing home amid financial concerns

A recent review of Twin City Gardens Nursing Home found evidence of unpaid bills for oxygen, insurance, medications and electricity and that staff payroll checks had bounced, the Minnesota Department of Health said Monday.

by Peter Cox

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October 13, 2021 4:00 AM

University of Minnesota students redesign walker for younger users

Four University of Minnesota students have come up with a new way for people to move around. They took the wheeled walker that many seniors use and reimagined it for a younger clientele.

by Peter Cox

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October 8, 2021 3:50 PM

Long-term care CEOs: Pandemic pushing staff shortages to crisis levels

Minnesota long-term care leaders say they have 23,000 open positions and that the shortage has never been worse. That’s forcing some care facilities to restrict admissions. "We can't admit people if we don't have the staff to take care of them," one CEO says.

by Peter Cox

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