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.

November 25, 2020 4:00 AM

Research: Older people resilient, but stressed by COVID-19 isolation

The pandemic has isolated many of us from friends, family and coworkers. But for older people who live alone, the loss of connection can cut even deeper. Researchers have been talking with dozens of older adults in Minnesota and North Dakota since the pandemic started, in an ongoing study of the impacts of isolation.

by Dan Gunderson

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November 19, 2020 10:39 AM

Not just COVID: Nursing home neglect deaths surge in shadows

As more than 90,000 of America’s long-term care residents have died in the coronavirus pandemic, advocates for the elderly say a tandem wave of death separate from the virus has quietly claimed tens of thousands more, often because overburdened workers haven’t been able to give them the care they need.

by The Associated Press

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November 9, 2020 5:45 AM

Minnesota's elder care facilities try to balance safety with mental health as COVID rises

As winter nears, long-term care facilities across the state are figuring out how to safely bring more visitors inside, while keeping the growing pandemic threat outside. In doing so, the home operators are hoping to boost the mental health of residents.

by Peter Cox

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October 26, 2020 4:00 AM

Minn. nursing homes in rural areas see staff shortages worsen with COVID-19

Facilities caring for older adults are struggling with low staffing levels, as COVID-19 makes an ongoing problem even worse. Nursing home operators say they’re scrambling to make sure they have enough nurses and others to ensure the safety and well-being of residents.

by Peter Cox

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October 15, 2020 11:37 AM

Amid pandemic, Minnesota snowbirds wonder whether to stay put or go south

The pandemic is forcing some snowbirds to reevaluate their winter plans. One Minnesota couple is gearing up for their first winter in the state in 10 years.

by Madison Moroder

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October 13, 2020 5:13 AM

Minnesota to allow more visits to nursing homes, long-term care facilities

More people soon will be able to visit loved ones in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. The Minnesota Department of Health says the changes are set to go into effect on Saturday.

by Peter Cox

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September 4, 2020 11:27 AM

How to care for older people in the pandemic (and a printable guide!)

Three experts share advice on how to help the older people in our lives — parents, grandparents, neighbors, relatives, friends — feel comfortable and safe in the pandemic.

by Malaka Gharib

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September 3, 2020 11:30 AM

What are the next steps for senior care facilities in the midst of the pandemic?

Long-term care facilities were ground zero for COVID-19 deaths this spring. Those numbers are trending downward now. But what happens in the next phase of the pandemic?

by Chris Farrell and Kelly Gordon

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August 27, 2020 7:17 AM

As one family navigates COVID-19, they ask whether it’s safe to disagree during a pandemic

For months, members of the sprawling Hochstetler family disagreed on how seriously to take the coronavirus pandemic. But when four family members — and two close friends — got sick, they had to grapple with a challenging question: Whether it’s safe to agree to disagree in a pandemic.

by Catharine Richert

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August 20, 2020 4:38 PM

1 in 5 nursing homes short on PPE and staff in virus rebound

One in 5 nursing homes in the country faced severe shortages of protective gear like N95 masks this summer, according to a new study that found facilities also struggled with a lack of staff as COVID-19 cases rebounded.

by The Associated Press

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