|
|  |
|
| As of February 5, 2010, we have 329 days until January 1, 2011, when the first baby boomers begin turning 65. Are we ready for the age wave? We are now a month into 2010, the year our project has used as a goal for transforming our systems and services so that we are ready for the upcoming historic demographic changes. Watch for increased activity during the year 2010 as we count down to 2011! |
| Minnesota is a place where all individuals live well, age well and help others in their communities to do the same. |
| Transform 2010 is a partnership between the Department of Human Services, the Minnesota Board on Aging, the Department of Health and many other state agencies. The purpose of Transform 2010 is to prepare Minnesota for the coming age wave of baby boomers and a permanent shift in the age of our state’s population. |
In 2011, the large baby boom generation begins to turn 65 and, for the next 50 years, the aging of our society will dominate the demographic landscape. Transform 2010 seeks to heighten the sense of urgency to transform our policies, infrastructures and services, so that Minnesota is prepared for these historic changes. Transform 2010 has developed a framework—a Blueprint for 2010―for what needs to be done across all systems to prepare for the future. (Click here for a summary of the Blueprint.)
What’s New? |
| Recruitment and retention of long-term care workers in order to meet the needs of an aging population was a big concern of Minnesotans who attended our Transform 2010 meetings, and is discussed in the Blueprint for 2010. Many experts believe that lack of health insurance and other benefits is one of the barriers to greater retention. A legislatively mandated study was recently completed that examined the feasibility and the cost of providing additional money in rates paid to long-term care providers so they could provide health insurance to their workers. |
| The contractor for the study, The Lewin Group, analyzed detailed information collected on long-term care workers, their health insurance coverage, and the costs of this coverage, and completed an actuarial analysis on the cost of several options for providing coverage to this group of workers. The study is available at http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/dhs16_147640 |
Peter Spuit's authorship of a Transform 2010 policy brief earned him a trip to Georgia to participate in the Rosalyn Carter Institute for Caregiving’s National Summit and Training Institute in October. As a project consultant with Transform 2010, Spuit wrote the policy brief Transform 2010 Policy Brief on Family Caregiving.
In extending the invitation to the event, a Carter Institute official said, “Other states entertaining how to best integrate evidence-based programs for caregivers into their menu of services can look to this document as an example of laying out the need and presenting the case for funding of effective programs.” The official later reported that Spuit was one of the highest rated speakers at the training institute.
| This interactive web portal provides access to county-level demographic data to support planning and action. Included is both current data and projections out to 2035, focusing on population counts by county, age and gender. Also available is detailed information on cost of living for households 65+ by county, developed through the EESI Project. |
| The themes for action needed to prepare Minnesota for the upcoming demographic shifts are: |
| • Redefine work and retirement |
| • Support caregivers of all ages |
| • Foster communities for a lifetime |
| • Improve health and long-term care |
| • Maximize the use of technology |
| ----------------------------- |
| Staff continues to receive many requests to present Transform 2010 and the themes for action to businesses, communities and providers. As of January 2010, it has been presented to over 5,000 individuals within health, long-term care, workforce, economic development, voluntary agencies, and business sectors. There is no charge for this presentation. If you are interested in scheduling this presentation for your organization, contact our staff at Transform.2010@state.mn.us. |
| Financing Long-Term Care for Minnesota’s Baby Boomers, a 2005 report to the Minnesota Legislature, summarizes issues facing Minnesota as baby boomers age and begin to need long-term care. The report makes recommendations on what the state should do to preserve Medical Assistance for those who have exhausted their personal resources and suggests options that could be expanded to help those with the resources needed to utilize private financing options. |
| A booklet entitled Timeline to Retirement offers a checklist for retirement planning and counts down the years until retirement with practical steps individuals can take each year to prepare for the retirement of their dreams. For more information on how to obtain copies, contact larhae.knatterud@state.mn.us. |
| | |
|
