News

As Minnesota is in peak summer season, a familiar seasonal illness is drawing extra attention this year. Cyclosporiasis is a gastrointestinal illness that is the subject of a large multistate outbreak that has sickened more than 18,000 people nationally, with a subcluster tied to iceberg lettuce from a Taylor Farms supplier sourcing from central Mexico.

New videos, on-demand webinars and practical tools help aging services providers recruit, support, and retain New American employees while creating stronger, more welcoming workplaces for everyone.

The 2026 LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation Golf Tournament helped raise record-breaking funds for the next round of caregiver scholarships. In total, thanks to golfers, sponsors, volunteers, on-course games, and ticket sales, the event raised nearly $108,000 before expenses.

The golf event was held on Aug. 4 at Prestwick Golf Club in Woodbury. It was a gorgeous day for golf.

The Foundation supports initiatives designed to transform how we care for aging Minnesotans – including building the workforce of tomorrow, developing future leaders, and furthering collaborations that transform the experience of aging. This annual golf fundraiser specifically raises money to fund a statewide scholarship program available to all members of LeadingAge Minnesota and their staff. The money raised will help those who serve older adults advance their skills and find continued growth in their careers as caregivers.

Prize winners
Congratulations to all the stand-out golfers who won one of the many prizes:

• 1^st Place Team: Grange Farr, Brian Holbrook, Andy Marden, and Vinny Signore
• 2^nd Place Team: David Effertz, Bill Green, Dewey Pettit, and David Schomaker
• 18^th Place Team: Chris Hinnenkamp, Samuel Pahl, Dave Shaw, and Kathy Youngquist
• Longest Drive Men: Justin Uhrich
• Longest Drive Women: Jen Mitchell
• Closest to Pin Men: Marcus Peterson
• Closest to Pin Women: Briana Sturm
• Longest Putt: Sam Satovich
• Closest to the Line: Paul Libbon
• Split the Pot Winners: Anne Major, Chris Krebsbach, Jennifer Grams, and Crystal Speer

Event sponsors
Thank you to all of the sponsors who helped make the day a success:

• Top Dog Sponsor: Bauer Design Build
• Foursome Sponsors: BMS CAT, Bristol Hospice, CBS Construction Services, CFS Interiors & Flooring, Colliers Securities, Community Living Solutions - A Division of DBS Group, Compass Capital Management, Consonus Healthcare, DBS Group, Elim Preferred Services, Healthcare Purchasing Connection, Herzing University, Martin Bros. Distributing, Meridian Healthcare Strategies, Northwest Respiratory Services, Pope Design Group, and St. Croix Hospice
• Electronic Leaderboard Sponsor: EduCare (the power of OnTrack)
• Happy Hour Food Sponsors: Business Essentials and VeriCore Consulting Group
• Lunch Sponsors: Piper Sandler & Co. and Weis Builders
• Tee Box Sponsors: Accelerated Care Solutions, BDH, Behavioral Care Solutions for Adults and Seniors, Bristol Hospice, CBS Construction Services, CFS Interiors & Flooring, Elder Dynamics, Guardian Pharmacy Minnesota, Health Dimensions Group, Healthcare SOS, Herzing University, Insight Restoration, Marcus Construction, Minnesota Exteriors Commercial, New Horizon Foods, Pathway Health, and Senior Care Solutions
• Hole-in-One Contest Sponsor: Brown & Brown Insurance
• Beverage Cart Sponsors: Align Senior Care Consulting and Sterling Long Term Care Pharmacy
• Putting Green/Challenge Sponsor: BMS CAT
• Awards Sponsor: Northwest Respiratory Services
• Event Photographer: Vye
• Happy Hour Beverage Ticket Sponsors: Paul Davis Restoration of Greater MSP and Procare HR
• Driving Range Sponsor: Consonus Healthcare
• Giveaway Sponsors: Healthcare Purchasing Connection and Pope Design Group
• Flag Sponsors:  Bristol Hospice, Continuum Therapy Partners, Hoglund Bus Company, Humble Hill Consulting, Service Restoration, St. Croix Hospice, The Conversations That Matter, and VC

Volunteers
Events like this wouldn’t be possible without the amazing volunteer efforts of our members pulling together to make a difference. Special thanks go to our Foundation Golf Tournament Work Group:

• Kelsey Barrett
• Kalli Doyle
• Brett Frith
• Tammie Graupmann
• Brian Holbrook
• John Huhn
• Ward Isaacson
• Allison Jablonsky
• Laura Johnson
• Stacy Jones
• Bernard King
• Jeff King
• Janie LaBelle
• Terry Maass
• Andy Marden
• Scott Nelson
• Jenny Parker
• Amy Peterson
• Katie Shelander
• Nancy Skow
• Heidi Sprado
• Brian Stollenwerk
• Tim Warnken

If you are interested in serving on this golf planning work group next year, please reach out to Jenny Prosser.

In response to discussions with LeadingAge Minnesota, The Department of Public Safety (DPS) has created an additional topic on their Alcohol & Gambling Enforcement (AGE) website intended to give clarity to apartment buildings.

The work of building a strong assisted living operation does not end when the license is issued. Whether an organization is preparing to welcome its first resident or has served residents for years, the same challenge remains: turning complex regulatory requirements into policies, training, documentation and everyday practices that work together.

Minnesota's plan to redesign its disability waiver system is still moving forward, but providers will have more time to prepare. The Department of Human Services (DHS) has confirmed that the new Disability Waiver Program will not launch January 1, 2027, as originally planned. A new implementation date has not been announced.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized changes to COVID-19 vaccination reporting requirements under the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP).

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has officially released the FY 2027 Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS) Final Rule, and the biggest takeaway is one of stability. The final rule closely mirrors the proposed rule issued earlier this year, with very few substantive changes. While there were no major surprises, there are several important updates that skilled nursing providers should understand as they prepare for the years ahead.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has updated the Five-Star Quality Rating System Technical Users' Guide to reflect changes to the Quality Measure (QM) domain rating thresholds, which will take effect with the quarterly Five-Star refresh scheduled for July 29, 2026.

Please note that the LeadingAge Minnesota Data Portal will be unavailable beginning Friday, August 7, at approximately 2:00 p.m. as we proactively shut down office-hosted IT services ahead of a scheduled building power outage.

Independent living housing managers are invited to join our next IL Operators Professional Networking Group on Tuesday, August 11, at 10 a.m.

Stars Among Us Awards nominations are open through Sept. 28. You don't have to be a professional writer to submit a great award nomination. The strongest nominations have one thing in common: they tell a story. The Stars Among Us Nomination Guide can help.

St. Francis Health Services of Morris, Inc. (CEO, Carol Raw) and Benedictine (CEO, Jerry Carley) have signed a non-binding Letter of Intent to explore an affiliation between the two Catholic, nonprofit organizations in which Benedictine would become the sole corporate member of SFHS. If the membership substitution occurs, Duluth Benedictine Ministries would, subject to its own agreement, become the Catholic sponsor of SFHS.

LeadingAge Minnesota member Vivie has announced the appointment of Mike Fryar as its new chief revenue officer. In this newly created executive role, Fryar will lead efforts to align marketing, sales and growth strategies across the organization's expanding continuum of services. Read the full press release below to learn more about Fryar's background and Vivie's vision for this new leadership position.

Every day across Minnesota, aging services professionals, volunteers, leaders, board members, and organizations make a difference in the lives of older adults. Some moments are extraordinary. Many are quiet acts of compassion, leadership, innovation, and service that deserve to be recognized.