Age-Friendly Maple Grove invites community to April 30 workshop
April 2024
Age-Friendly Maple Grove launched its new three-year action plan in January with a lively kick-off event for the community. Building on that momentum, AF MG leaders invite the community to help determine which items to tackle first, and learn about how they might contribute. AF MG is hosting a workshop on Tuesday, April 30, from 11am to 3:30pm where the community can weigh in on what projects to take on this year, and learn about how they might contribute to the work. This interactive workshop includes a mix of presentation, discussion, brainstorming, and networking - with breaks, refreshments and lunch throughout the day. All are welcome - no previous involvement or particular expertise required! If interested, please RSVP by April 24 to Liz Faust 763-494-6514 or efaust@maplegrovemn.gov.
AF MG releases new Action Plan!
January 2024
After an 18-month community needs assessment and planning process, Age-Friendly Maple Grove is excited to announce the release of its 2024-2026 Action Plan. This is the initiative's second action plan, the first of which ran from 2019-2021. The plans and the work are part of Maple Grove's membership in the World Health Organization/AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. AF MG hosted an Open House and Kickoff event on Wed., January 10 from 2pm-3:30pm at the Community Center to officially launch the plan and invite community involvement.
View the Action Plan here, and view the slide presentation from the Open House event here.
Age-Friendly Maple Grove preparing new action plan
August 2023
Age-Friendly Maple Grove leaders are developing their second three-year action plan and anticipate releasing it by end the year. The action plan is the next step after an 18-month community needs assessment that involved a community survey, key informant interviews with cross-sector professionals and partner organizations, and input from city staff and directors from nearly all departments. The action plan will address issues that emerged as priorities and opportunities that emerged from the needs assessment. It will be implemented from 2023 through 2025.
Age-Friendly Maple Grove completes 5-year cycles as an age-friendly community
January 5, 2023
Age-Friendly Maple Grove, launched in 2016, has completed its first five-year cycle as a member of the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. The City of Maple Grove enrolled in the network in 2016. The fifth city in Minnesota to join at the time, Minnesota now has 20 cities and counties enrolled in the network, and the state of Minnesota itself joined in 2022. Member communities follow a program with a flexible, five-year framework addressing various aspects of community life. Age-Friendly Maple Grove is a community-driven, city-sponsored initiative led by a mix of city staff, cross-sector professionals, and community members.
State of MN joins the AARP age-friendly network
January 24, 2022 - The State of Minnesota this month became the tenth state in the U.S. to join the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. The City of Maple Grove joined the network in 2016, and there now are 14 member cities and counties--including Hennepin County--in the state. Minnesota's enrollment is an exciting step for the state, which has been ramping up its age-friendly work in recent years. Governor Tim Walz issued an executive order in December 2019 establishing the Governor's Council on an Age-Friendly Minnesota, and the first ever age-friendly legislation passed in June 2021--extending the Council for two more years, and providing funding for a new age-friendly communities grants program and the hiring of an age-friendly executive director.
Click here to learn more about what it means for Minnesota to join the network >>
Age-Friendly Maple Grove releases findings from dementia grant
October 6, 2021 - AF MG has released findings from work it completed with support from a dementia grant from Trellis (formerly Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging). The project focused on the current role of faith communities in supporting people with dementia and their care partners. A community member survey was conducted in late spring, and over the summer, the grant team interviewed local churches and faith communities about what they observe and what supports they provide related to their members' experiences with dementia.
AF MG hopes to do more work related to supporting people with dementia and hopes to build off this project to help identify opportunities to do so. (Visit AF MG's Health and Wellness resource page for a helpful list of dementia and caregiving resources.)
New Age-Friendly MN video highlights need for new perspective
August 9, 2021 - Positively Aging is a new video that helps debunk myths about aging and highlights the important role of age-friendly communities. The seven-minute video was developed by the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging and the Minnesota Board on Aging as part of Age-Friendly Minnesota.