RCLLG November Newsletter

Thanks for reading RCLLG's November newsletter! Read our other newsletters detailing how different communities in Ramsey County have been handling the Pandemic.

Newsletter Content:
1. Age Friendly Ramsey County Meeting Recap
2. Age Friendly Ramsey County “Asks” for RCLLG Members
3 R.S.V.P. for the December Annual Meeting! 12-4-20
"Age Friendly Ramsey County" Meeting Recap
Last Friday, November 13, RCLLG held their members meeting on the topic of the “Age Friendly Ramsey County” initiative.

The meeting began with RCLLG members discussing their organizations’ current intersection with seniors. It’s evident that COVID has been fundamentally changing these conversations. The biggest issue facing seniors is isolation, especially for seniors who normally use community spaces to interact, exercise, and attend educational programs. Many enrichment programs have been halted, unfortunately, and while online interaction is available, the tech curve is steep for seniors. There is an increased demand for essential programs such as Meals on Wheels. 

Sue Vento, MET Council District 11, has sat on the "Age Friendly Ramsey County" council the last few months. In September, this group submitted a report to the Governor's office. Read the "Governor’s Council for an Age-Friendly Minnesota" report here.

This meeting served as an information exchange – letting each other and the Age Friendly Ramsey County representatives hear what communities are up to!

The Age Friendly Ramsey County representatives on the call were:

  • Julia Wolfe, Ramsey County Public Health, Healthy Aging
  • David Brosnahan, Roseville Assistant Fire Chief
  • Teisha Magee, Senior Services Program Manager at Keystone Community Services
  • Emmy Treichel, Senior Resident
About the Initiative

Age Friendly Ramsey County is a 5-year process based on the current state of the county. Even though the plan is 5 years, the goal to have systems in place lasting 15-50 years. This is not a County effort; it is community-driven! The Core Group (Steering Committee) has about 12-15 members, meet monthly, and are also looking for new members! This group's goal is figuring out how this process will look and who will join. Join the Core Group if you want to join on the 'ground floor!' Or if you can help make connections, join the “Circles” Group, which is not as time-commitment heavy. If you are interested in joining a group, they can help you find your fit! As Julia stated, “There is no limit to who we can involve and who should be involved – every level of government, every level of community, every level of organization.”

When Dave introduced the initiative, he explained “There is nothing we really need to fully recreate, but just to start bringing connections and groups/systems together.” None of us can do this by ourselves! Programs will be put in place to be pro-active rather than reactive, as sustainability is key. Dave added “If this is a 100-year process, this is step 1. Perhaps today’s meeting could be Step 2."
“Asks” for RCLLG Members

1. Please fill out this form regarding age-friendly programs your organization is implementing or is involved with. It is a google doc, so others with the link will be able to see what you've written. The target date for this info is this year’s end.
2. Join a group! Volunteers for the Core Group (Steering Committee) are needed, for example. Contact Julia Wolfe if interested.

3. Spread the word! RCLLG Members, please share this initiative. When informing your communities, feel free to use this language:

Ramsey County is beginning the process to become designated an age-friendly county. The goal of the effort is to create a livable county that’s fully inclusive of older adults and where they can age in community. It involves ensuring that older adults are safe, have affordable and appropriate housing and have transportation options. It also includes having accessible, supportive community features and encouraging services and engagement to increase connections. There are different levels of involvement in the Age-friendly Ramsey County process and all are welcome to join at any or all levels. For more information, contact Julia Wolfe: [email protected] or 651-443-0984.


Overall, Age Friendly Ramsey County needs our help to connect with the group on all levels of participation. By the end of the initiative’s second year, they will have a report of their current state and action plan, and they need folks to commit to be an Age Friendly Community. This includes looking at the current states of your communities and encouraging those communities to take actions on recommendations from the report. Lastly, a website on the Age Friendly Initiative is also in the works- stay tuned!

Sue Vento, MET Council, said it well in saying that it takes all of our communities and counties to work on this!
Thank you to those who attended!
RCLLG Annual Meeting & Program
The RCLLG Annual Meeting & Program will feature special guest David Schultz, Distinguished University Professor of Political Science and Legal Studies at Hamline University. Professor Schultz will be providing his expert analysis of the 2020 election - who won and why, and what it means for Minnesota and the nation in 2021 and beyond.

Following the program, all members are invited to participate in RCLLG's annual meeting to elect officers and hear what the organization has planned for 2021.

Free to all members - R.S.V.P. now by emailing [email protected] and watch for more details coming soon!
If you have any questions about RCLLG, your membership, or this event, please email [email protected].


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