From Care Partners and PHHS - October 10, 2023 – Care Partners of Cook County and Cook County Public Health and Human Services (PHHS) are launching both a survey and a series of community forums throughout Cook County and Grand Portage to better understand the experiences of aging in our communities. 

These efforts are part of the Age-Friendly Initiative, a grant project funded through a grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services. The Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities is an initiative of the American Association of Retired People (AARP), a national non-profit organization whose mission is “to empower people to choose how they live as they age.” For more information on the Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities, see https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/network-age-friendly-communities/. After completing a needs assessment for aging through both a survey and community forums throughout our local communities, our local elected officials will be able to decide whether to formally become an Age-Friendly Community through the AARP network.

The local survey is available in multiple formats.  It can be accessed online at https://carepartnersofcookcounty.org/2023/10/06/the-cook-county-age-friendly-initiative-is-here/, in paper format at either Care Partners or the front desk of Cook County Public Health and Human Servies, or by calling Care Partners at 218-387-3788 to either take the survey over the phone or to ask for a copy of the survey to be mailed to you. The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete, and those who answer can be entered into a raffle to win a $50 grocery gift card.

In addition to the surveys, Care Partners and PHHS are hosting a series of community forums throughout Cook County and Grand Portage, along with a virtual option throughout the next six weeks. There will be light refreshments and an additional chance to enter the gift card raffle for participants in the community forums. Pre-registration is preferred, but not required to participate in these community forums, which offer an opportunity for Care Partners and PHHS to listen to the perspectives, experiences, and concerns about aging in our communities. You can register online at https://carepartnersofcookcounty.org or by calling Care Partners to register at 218-387-3788.

 Both the survey and community forums focus on eight domains of livability. These include:

• Outdoor Spaces and Buildings
• Transportation
• Civic Participation and Employment
• Communication and Information
• Respect and Social Inclusion
• Social Participation
• Health Services and Community Supports
• Housing

The goal of the Age-Friendly Communities project is to enhance the quality of life for residents at every stage of life by listening to and understanding people’s diverse experiences. Findings from both the surveys and the community forums will be shared back with the community throughout the first months of 2024, including a presentation to the Cook County Board of Commissioners. This is a preliminary step toward deciding how and whether it makes sense to partner with state and national level Age-Friendly initiatives in the future.

About Cook County, MN 

Cook County encompasses the sovereign nation of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa; the City of Grand Marais; the Townships of Lutsen, Tofte and Schroeder; and unincorporated areas in the easternmost part of Minnesota’s North Shore. Cook County Government values transparency and strives to deliver superior services and programs in a fiscally responsible way. We value the dignity of all County residents and seek to create a community that provides opportunity for all. Many of our offices are in the Cook County Courthouse at 411 W 2nd St, Grand Marais 55604. Other departments and facilities, such as the Airport, Community Center, Highway and Sheriff are located nearby. Call 218-387-3000 or visit: https://co.cook.mn.us.

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Contact:

Julie Wilson, Executive Director, Care Partners, [email protected], 218-387-3788

Andrea Tofte, Public Health Educator, Cook County PHHS, [email protected], 218-264-9465