Nonprofit Resource Connection Newsletter
Second Quarter 2010

Brainerd For a Lifetime
Julie Vreeland, Nonprofit Resource Specialist, Brainerd

By 2020, there will be more adults age 65 and older than school age children in Minnesota. Are we prepared for this Silver Tsunami to hit Brainerd? Is our community prepared to absorb this unprecedented shift in our population? Unlike many tsunamis, this Silver Tsunami is arriving with advance warning. We have time to evaluate the areas that affect a community's older population and devise a plan to address issues that may otherwise lead to an unstable, destructive effect in the Brainerd area.

The goal of Brainerd for a Lifetime is to identify where the Brainerd community is falling short and what must occur to affect change in each of the areas. The Brainerd for a Lifetime steering committee has identified four major community-wide assessment areas:

* Access to Health Care Opportunities/Care Giving
* Safety & Security
* Transportation & Walkability
* Housing

Assessment teams of 6-8 individuals will formulate a method to address the areas that the committee has identified. These Discovery Teams, comprised of community members with current understandings and interests in each area, work together to develop specific recommendations for each area. Assessments may require extensive research and contact with key businesses or organizations in the community.

Brainerd for a Lifetime is a unique opportunity for this community to take action and prepare for the Silver Tsunami. The Central Minnesota Council on Aging selected Brainerd as the pilot city for the community-wide assessment program. A grant from the Otto Bremer Foundation was awarded to the Central Minnesota Council on Aging, helping to make this community assessment and evaluation possible.

Brainerd for a Lifetime Access to Health Care Opportunities & Care Giving
The health care system becomes one of the most important systems in an aging society; older people have more illnesses and use more health care than younger age groups. It seems the number of health care concerns is ever expanding as life expectancies increase. Now, as we prepare for such drastic demographic changes in our community, these concerns are amplified exponentially.

Potential Health care topics to include in discovery efforts:
* Proximity to health services
* Access to health services
* Continuing care retirement communities
* Care at home
* Local clinics
* Assistance with mental health or Alzheimer's Disease

Brainerd for a Lifetime health care goals:
* Promote good health for all seniors
* Provide access to quality medical services
* Help seniors remain independent as long as possible

Brainerd for a Lifetime Transportation & Walkability
It is increasingly difficult for older residents in many communities to get to shops, services and recreational opportunities without an automobile. Unfortunately as age increases, our abilities to drive independently often begin to decrease. For older adults who do not drive much or who have stopped driving altogether, it is essential to find alternative means of transportation. Among these alternatives is walking and pedestrian-friendly means of reaching vital destinations, such as shopping and medical facilities.

Potential transportation topics to include in discovery efforts:
* Public transportation
* Quality & type of public transportation
* Bus routes/services
* Dial-a-ride
* Other mobility options
* Street signs
* Intersections
* Left-hand turns
* Parking
* Challenges for pedestrians
* Discontinuous and disjointed sidewalk routes
* Traffic conflicts
* Difficulty in crossing streets
* Personal security
* Poor design
* Lack of maintenance (clearing ice & snow obstructions)

Brainerd for a Lifetime transportation & walkability goals:
* Providing several transportation options for out-of-town travel
* Offering affordable transportation to common destinations that riders find convenient, safe and dependable
* Ensure walking is a practical, viable option for seniors
* Design and maintain physical environments that are sensitive to the needs of seniors
* Easy use of barrier-free, multi-purpose trails and walking paths