Aging Forward August 2026
Aging Is Everyone’s Issue: New Toolkit Helps Communities Take Action
On August 18, 2026 by Gina DiMaggio
Connected Communities is proud to announce the launch of its new toolkit, a practical, community-informed resource designed to help Minnesota communities strengthen social connection, support aging well, and create places where people of all ages can thrive.
The toolkit was shaped directly by the experiences of five Connected Communities pilot sites across Minnesota, where local leaders, organizations, older adults, and community members have spent the past six years testing new ideas, building partnerships, and addressing the issues most important to their own communities. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all model, the Connected Communities approach encourages communities to identify their greatest local challenges, from social isolation and transportation to housing, mental health, civic engagement, and access to services, and build solutions that reflect their unique strengths and needs.
Aging’s Wide Reach
At its core, Connected Communities recognizes that aging is not a niche issue area. It is a cross-cutting demographic reality that intersects with nearly every aspect of community life, including healthcare, housing, workforce, transportation, economic development, and social connection, creating opportunities for people across sectors to see themselves in the work and at the table.
The impact of this work is already measurable. In 2025 alone, two of the five pilot communities generated an estimated $1.5 million in health savings, impacted nearly 3,500 people through healthcare and social determinants of health (SDoH) resources, and engaged nearly 4,500 people in social connection and mental health programs designed to reduce isolation, support mental health, and strengthen community belonging.
Toolkit Use
The new toolkit captures the lessons, strategies, and successes emerging from these pilot communities and turns them into practical guidance that other communities can adapt and use. Whether you are a senior care provider, city leader, nonprofit organization, healthcare provider, housing partner, faith community, or community advocate, the toolkit offers actionable ideas grounded in real-world experience, proving that stronger, more connected communities are possible in places of every size, including rural communities.
Explore the Connected Communities toolkit and discover how communities across Minnesota are building a more connected future for all ages.