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Assisted living providers routinely face difficult questions about whether a person can safely move in (or remain in the community) when decision-making, communication or disability-related needs complicate the situation. Two new Minnesota laws change how providers must approach those decisions.

Every election season, senior housing communities receive calls from candidates asking to visit residents. These requests can raise as many questions as opportunities. While candidates are eager to meet older voters—one of the most civically engaged groups in Minnesota—property managers are focused on resident comfort, safety, and operations.

What makes the Annual Meeting & Leadership Forum different from other educational events? It starts with purpose. While many education programs focus on regulations, operations, or role-specific skills, Annual Meeting is intentionally designed to help leaders step back from the day-to-day and focus on the bigger picture.

Professional development doesn't always happen on a conference schedule. Whether you're working toward license renewal, onboarding a new leader, or simply looking for practical ideas you can put to work right away, our new 5-Pack Webinar Bundle makes continuing education more flexible—and more affordable.

LeadingAge Minnesota member Vivie has announced the appointment of Mike Fryar as its new chief revenue officer. In this newly created executive role, Fryar will lead efforts to align marketing, sales and growth strategies across the organization's expanding continuum of services. Read the full press release below to learn more about Fryar's background and Vivie's vision for this new leadership position.

Every day across Minnesota, aging services professionals, volunteers, leaders, board members, and organizations make a difference in the lives of older adults. Some moments are extraordinary. Many are quiet acts of compassion, leadership, innovation, and service that deserve to be recognized. 

Join us for our final two Fund Developer Network meetings of the year, both held virtually over the lunch hour.

Yesterday marked the completion of the second of four webinars for LeadingAge Minnesota’s Emergency Preparedness Training Series for assisted living providers and nursing homes.

Minnesota's plan to redesign its disability waiver system is still moving forward, but providers will have more time to prepare. The Department of Human Services (DHS) has confirmed that the new Disability Waiver Program will not launch January 1, 2027, as originally planned. A new implementation date has not been announced.

A change of ownership will transfer more than the facility’s operations, residents and employees to the new licensee. Beginning August 1, 2026, an assisted living buyer will also assume responsibility for certain unresolved regulatory obligations connected to the facility.

CMS has announced a major shift in how nursing homes will be surveyed. On July 16, 2026, CMS issued QSO-26-14-NH, formally launching the Risk-Based Survey (RBS) process nationwide beginning September 8, 2026.

Northern Minnesota's wildfires have pushed air quality to hazardous levels across much of the state this week, with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issuing alerts covering the metro, Duluth, Brainerd, St. Cloud, and dozens of other communities.

Your MDS data influences far more than documentation, it drives quality measures, Five-Star ratings, Value-Based Purchasing outcomes, and reimbursement.

There's still time to save on registration for the 2026 Assisted Living Conference, but not for long. Early bird pricing ends Friday, July 10.

State and federal regulations require nursing homes and assisted living facilities to have emergency plans that describe how they will respond to emergencies, including fires in the building. These same regulations also require facilities to practice those plans.

Professional development just became even more convenient. LeadingAge Minnesota has added 18 new webinars to our online Learning Center, giving members access to timely education on clinical care, workforce development, leadership, risk management, reimbursement, dementia care, ethics, and more.

As we begin planning for 2027 membership renewals, we'll soon be reaching out to gather updated organizational revenue information from our provider members.

Safe Homes Saint Paul, a tenant advocate organization, has collected 7,500 signatures to introduce a ballot measure to create an ordinance that could enable renters to arrange for repairs to their rented premises and, at times, common areas, and deduct the cost of the repairs from a future rent payment.

LeadingAge Minnesota members gathered across the state in June for the association's district meetings, bringing together providers, county leaders, advocacy partners and members for important discussions about the future of aging services in Minnesota.

Looking to strengthen your organization's MDS practices? LeadingAge Minnesota's in-person MDS training workshops provide practical education for both experienced professionals and those new to the role.

Minnesota’s DHS revalidation process is creating real and immediate challenges for providers. After thousands of high-risk providers were disenrolled, some assisted living and nursing home providers are now being impacted as well. 

Accurate MDS practice is essential to quality care, regulatory compliance, and reimbursement success. LeadingAge Minnesota is offering two in-person MDS training opportunities designed to support both experienced professionals and those new to the MDS role.

The 2026 LeadingAge Minnesota Leadership Academy officially launched in May with a two-day session focused on Authentic Leadership — setting the stage for a year of reflection, growth, and connection.

Strong quality leadership is essential in today’s aging services environment, where quality measures, payment programs, and consumer expectations continue to evolve.

Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) are a key part of a long-term care facility’s emergency preparedness plan, helping ensure residents can be safely transferred or temporarily sheltered when a facility cannot maintain operations.

You have questions. Our experts have answers. Join us for the Meet the Experts: Summer Series, a free virtual series from LeadingAge Minnesota created to help aging services providers navigate complex rules, regulations, and day-to-day challenges.

Connect with our team, hear from experienced experts, and learn how we support providers across the field. Open to members and prospective members.

Upcoming sessions

• June 30: Kelly Conrad and Shelli Bakken - Register here
• July 28: Kari Everson and Mark Schulz - Register here
• August 25: Anna Mowry, Jeff Bostic, and Julie Apold - Register here

Time: 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Location: Virtual

Cost: FREE

Save the dates and register today!

Accurate MDS practice is critical to aligning resident care, quality outcomes, and financial performance. To support providers in strengthening this work, LeadingAge Minnesota is offering two in-person MDS training opportunities tailored to different experience levels.

On May 1^st, the U.S. Department of Education published a final rule implementing changes to federal student loan limits for graduate and professional degree programs. The rule finalizes, without modification, the Department’s definition of “professional degree,” despite significant concerns raised during the public comment period.

A review of mechanical lift–related falls in Quarter 4 of 2025 reveals clear, recurring patterns. These events highlight system-level gaps that can be addressed with reliable processes and consistent practices.

The federal push to standardize quality in home and community-based services (HCBS) just got a lot more concrete, and a bit more complicated.