The St. Cloud community demographics are changing, as is the population of theUnited States, and by 2030 one in every five people in the U.S. will be over age 65.
The World Health Organization and the AARP Age-Friendly Communities initiative present an excellent opportunity for St. Cloud to plan and respond to these changes with inclusion, integrity, and respect for each individual.
The City of St. Cloud Aging Services staff started a discussion in May 2020 with City leadership regarding the initiative. In October 2020, City Administration, Planning, and Aging Services departments and the Central MN Council on Aging submitted the official application to AARP to join the Age-Friendly global movement to focus on livable communities for people of all ages groups. Members of the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities commit to conducting an initial community needs assessment.
Contact the City of St. Cloud Aging Services Department at Phone: 320-255-7245 and Email for more information.
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There are approximately one million older adults in Minnesota, and that number is growing rapidly. Soon, the number of adults over age 65 in our state will exceed the number of children. Older adults may face challenges related to financial security, housing, transportation, healthcare, employment, and social service needs. In addition, thousands of direct support workers and the estimated 650,000 family and friends who provide unpaid caregiving struggle to meet the ever-increasing demand for care.
Age-Friendly Minnesota is a collaborative statewide effort to make our systems and communities more inclusive and responsive to older adults. It is part of a global movement to prepare for an aging population and ensure that older people are valued and integrated into communities at a new level.
The 8 Domains of Livability framework is used by many of the towns, cities, counties, and states enrolled in the AARP Network of the Age-Friendly States and Communities to organize and prioritize their work to become more livable for both older residents and people of all ages.
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The first step of creating an age-friendly St. Cloud was Creating a Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of agencies that relate to the 8 domains of livability. The Task Force is expected to grow and new members are invited to join at any time. Contact rsvp@ci.stcloud.mn.us if you are interested in joining.
Currently, the St. Cloud Age-Friendly Community is on Step Two of the Process within the Program Cycle. The initial Community Assessment has been conducted. Click on the Summary Report to learn more. The next step is to conduct Focus Groups, Branding, and develop the Action Plan in 2022.
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