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.

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.
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.
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.
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?  
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.
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.
State releases new COVID-19 guidance to allow more visitors in long-term care
After months of strictly limited visitation policies, Minnesota's long-term care facilities will soon be allowed to cautiously open their doors a little wider — but only if they meet strict criteria laid out by the state.