Age Friendly Minnesota council asks legislature to codify and continue work (SF2630)

The Age Friendly Minnesota council told the Senate Human Services Committee that its statewide blueprint for aging recommends a long-term, cross-agency approach to help older Minnesotans ‘‘live well at home’’ and to adapt public infrastructure and services to a rapidly aging population.

Sherry Pugh, chair of Age Friendly Minnesota, described a multi-year effort that began under an executive order in 2019 and included statewide surveys, regional convenings and 88 community grants that tested local practices. ‘‘Age friendly is about…to have parking, to have parks where I can go with my grandchild, and I can be with my walker or wheelchair,’’ Pugh said, asking the committee to support codifying and continuing the council’s work beyond its current funding horizon.

Adam Sumala of the Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging told members the council’s ‘‘multi-sector blueprint on aging’’ offers a 10-year road map and urged legislators to avoid a short-term, piecemeal approach to aging policy. Sponsors said the governor’s budget did not include continued council funding and asked the committee to preserve the council as a standing commitment to aging policy. The committee laid SF 2630 over for possible omnibus inclusion.