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Brainerd joins AARP age-friendly network; county and AARP to launch community needs survey
Summary
Crow Wing County and AARP Minnesota presented Brainerd—s induction into the AARP age-friendly network, announced a community needs assessment survey to start the following day, and said the effort will follow a five-year assessment–plan–implement–evaluate cycle with a pending grant decision in February.
Representatives from Crow Wing County Community Services & Public Health and AARP Minnesota on Jan. 21 briefed the Brainerd City Council on the —Brainerd for All Ages— initiative and the city—s induction into the AARP network of age‑friendly communities.
Gina Hyer, Public Health Manager for Crow Wing County Community Services & Public Health, and Megan Redmond, AARP Minnesota associate state director for community engagement, described the initiative—s five‑year cycle: assessment, action-plan development, implementation, evaluation and renewal. Hyer said Brainerd and Crow Wing County will launch a community survey the day after the meeting and plan focus groups to gather input across the World Health Organization—s eight domains of livability (housing; outdoor spaces/buildings; transportation; communication/information; civic participation/employment; respect/inclusion; community supports/health services; social participation).
Hyer said a core team is already in place that includes the city, Crow Wing County, Crow Wing Energized, Brainerd YMCA, St. Croix Hospice, Central Minnesota Council on Aging and community members. She noted local demographics — including a comparatively high share of residents age 65 and older in Brainerd/Crow Wing County — make the community a candidate for age‑friendly planning. Hyer said the county submitted a grant application to Age‑Friendly Minnesota to serve as the fiduciary and expected to hear results in February.
Redmond described the national AARP role in facilitating the WHO age‑friendly framework and encouraged public participation in the survey and subsequent focus groups.
Council members asked whether survey results will be made public; Hyer said results are typically published and the Brainerd team expects to make findings available. AARP presented a certificate recognizing Brainerd—s entry into the age‑friendly network at the meeting.
