LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation
Connected Communities for Healthy Aging
Connected Communities helps older adults connect with the care, resources and relationships they need to thrive. With funding and support from the LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation, five rural Minnesota pilot communities bring together local organizations, older adults and families to design solutions around what matters most to the people who live there. Together, they are building stronger connections across services and creating new ways to support aging well close to home.
Impact At A Glance
Five Pilots, Local Solutions
Each community brings different strengths, needs and ideas. Our five pilots bring together local partners to build connections across health care and community services—and turn those connections into practical support for older adults and their families.
Connected Communities Pilot Sites
Elevate, Led by Perham Health
Elevate creates opportunities to meet people, volunteer and take an active role in personal health and wellbeing. Through social activities, health coaching and connections to local resources, it helps people build relationships and find support close to home.
Thryve, Led By Guardian Angels
Thryve helps older adults and families find resources, plan ahead and stay involved in community life. Community Connectors, social and educational opportunities, and caregiver guidance help people navigate changing needs with support from people they know and trust.
Connected Community of Freeborn County, Led by St. John’s
Connected Community of Freeborn County links older adults with local health, wellness and everyday support. By combining personal check-ins, technology and community partnerships, it creates more ways for people to feel safe, connected and supported at home.
Lakes Area Connected Communities, Led by Vivie
Lakes Area Connected Communities, led by Vivie, helps older adults and families navigate health care and find practical support for needs such as food, transportation and housing. Its population health team provides personalized care coordination, help connecting with community resources, and guidance for planning future health care so people’s wishes are understood.
Bethesda Connected Communities
Bethesda builds relationships with older adults who may face isolation, language barriers or difficulty finding services. Through culturally responsive outreach, navigation and wellness activities, it helps people connect with support and feel more connected to their community.
Bring These Ideas to Your Community
You don’t have to start from scratch. The Connected Communities Toolkit draws on lessons from our Minnesota pilots to help you bring partners together, build on local strengths and create practical solutions with older adults and families.
Explore the toolkit for guidance, examples and tools you can adapt to your community. Interested in getting started or learning more? We’d welcome a conversation.
Contact Us About Connected Communities