Keynote : “Living in 2 Worlds”

Living, as an Ojibwe/Anishinaabe in today’s world comes with unique challenges. Our culture and way of life are deeply rooted in tradition yet we are highly adaptable. We follow a seasonal way of living, guided by the four seasons, while also striving to experience the four phases of life. Our connection to the land fosters a healthy and fulfilling life, allowing us not to only sustain ourselves, but to thrive!

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the seven guiding principles that the Ojibwe follow in their daily lives.
• Explain the traditional Ojibwe family structure and its significance.
• Describe the migration of the Ojibwe to the Great Lakes region and the role of a specific food in that journey.

4A: Three Rivers Park District Age-Friendly Programs

Giannina will highlight work being done with our Latino communities and Bisharo will highlight work being done with our Somali communities. There have been several programs this year (and in previous years) that has brought seniors out into the parks for various programming and to be in community with one another and they will also discuss the many benefits this has brought to these communities.

Learning Objectives:

• The benefits of socialization on older populations.
• The benefits of positive experiences in the outdoors on older populations.
• What TRPD has to offer in terms of age-friendly programming

4B: Demystifying Geriatrics: Navigating Clinical Professional Services 

Clinical geriatrics is provided by a range of providers each offering important insight into the health of all of us as we age. These providers often work in acute, primary, and long term care settings. This panel will explore professional scope of practice, trends in service provision, and insights from clinical geriatrics professionals. Data from a study of Minnesota Medical Directors will be presented to understand more about their role, needs, and challenges.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the role of professionals providing clinical geriatrics.
• Explore the trends and insights in clinical geriatrics from experts

4C: PANEL: Supported Decision Making in Minnesota: From Theory to Practice

Minnesota embedded supported decision making into its guardianship law in 2020, with the intention of promoting less restrictive approaches, self-determination, and autonomy rather than reliance on unnecessary utilization of guardianship in situations where people with neurocognitive, developmental and other disabilities may struggle to independently meet their own needs. In 2024, six agencies were awarded supported decision making grants from DHS to provide supported decision making services. In this session, panelists will share their program goals and outcomes to date to demonstrate how supported decision making is a viable approach to assist adults across the lifespan to preserve their autonomy while getting support to address vulnerabilities and risk.

Learning Objectives:

• Define supported decision making from legal and practical perspectives
• Discuss the practical application of assisting people living with vulnerabilities to balance their goals and wishes with need for safety and basic needs utilizing supported decision making
• Explore replicability in findings from agencies providing SDM services in Minnesota

4D Speaker 1: Bridging the River to Age-Friendliness: A Two-City Approach

Creating an age-friendly community is challenging—doing it across two cities, two counties, and two governments adds another layer of complexity. Join us as we share our journey to make Mankato and North Mankato more livable for all ages. Learn about our process, key milestones, and how we’re balancing the needs of both communities to develop a unified action plan. Whether you're working on a similar initiative or simply curious about what it means to be an age-friendly community, this session will offer valuable insights and inspiration.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explore the Age-Friendly Assessment Process – learn how to design and implement a community assessment using surveys and focus groups, analyze key findings, and apply these insights to shape age-friendly initiatives.

2. Identify Effective Strategies for Cross-Sector Collaboration – explore approaches to building partnerships across multiple jurisdictions, organizations, and community groups to create a shared vision for age-friendly communities.

3. Describe How to Establish a Strong Foundation for Long-Term Age-Friendly Success – understand how an initial assessment and action plan can serve as a catalyst for sustained progress, ensuring ongoing engagement and impact in age-friendly efforts.

4D Speaker 2: Listen To Your Elders: Age-Friendly Conversations with Immigrant Communities”

Most of us working in the human services industry struggle to find ways to engage older adults from immigrant communities. We suspect that there is a need for services, but cultural and language differences can cause barriers to our success. As part of our Age-Friendly work, Keystone Community Services in Saint Paul set out to learn from the elders in three different immigrant communities what types of services they would like to see in their communities and to learn if Keystone could partner with existing cultural resources to help meet those needs. In this session, hear how we reached out to the local Karen, Spanish-speaking, and Eritrean/Ethiopian communities. We will share how we connected, what we learned, and where we hope to go from here.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn about how Keystone led dialogs with immigrant elders and how to replicate the project
• Discuss what services and programs elders requested
• Understand barriers to participation that immigrant elders identified

4E: Seeing Aging Differently: Unpacking Ageism Through the Lens of Mindfulness

In a society often driven by youth-centric ideals, ageism ”both societal and internalized” can significantly influence perceptions of aging. This session invites participants to examine the narratives surrounding aging and, through mindfulness practices, gently unpack and challenge these limiting beliefs. By promoting awareness and self-compassion, Dr. T will introduce tools to help cultivate a more age-affirming mindset. Attendees will learn to approach aging with curiosity and joy. They will leave with practical mindfulness techniques designed to encourage inclusion, reduce internalized ageism, and inspire a reimagined and empowered view of aging in their lives and communities.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and Reflect upon Common Narratives of Ageism. Participants will be able to recognize societal and internalized ageist beliefs and understand how they impact self-perception and community engagement.
• Apply Mindfulness Techniques to Address Internalized Ageism. Attendees will learn practical mindfulness strategies to foster self-compassion and reduce internalized ageism, enhancing their sense of inclusion and empowerment.
• Cultivate a Positive and Empowered Perspective on Aging. Participants will leave with tools to reframe aging as a journey of curiosity and joy, equipped to inspire age-friendly mindsets in their personal lives and broader communities.

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