News

The LeadingAge Minnesota Nominating Committee is accepting nominations for one director-at-large position and for Honorary Lifetime Membership.

CMS has announced a major shift in how nursing homes will be surveyed. On July 16, 2026, CMS issued QSO-26-14-NH, formally launching the Risk-Based Survey (RBS) process nationwide beginning September 8, 2026.

Northern Minnesota's wildfires have pushed air quality to hazardous levels across much of the state this week, with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issuing alerts covering the metro, Duluth, Brainerd, St. Cloud, and dozens of other communities.

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.

A licensing concern, background study issue or missing record may no longer remain confined to one part of an organization. Under Minnesota's new program integrity laws, compliance problems can quickly spread across licensing, billing, managed care and payment systems, with potentially significant financial consequences for providers.

A change of ownership will transfer more than the facility’s operations, residents and employees to the new licensee. Beginning August 1, 2026, an assisted living buyer will also assume responsibility for certain unresolved regulatory obligations connected to the facility.

Federally regulated affordable housing programs, including Section 202 and elderly-designated Section 8 communities, are subject to complex reporting and compliance requirements. Staying current on evolving HUD expectations is essential to reducing compliance risk.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on May 21, 2026 issued a new requirement for certain federally assisted housing providers to reverify the immigration status of certain tenants within 30 days.

CMS continues to test a risk-based survey process known as a “short survey” for select nursing homes that meet higher-quality indicators. The shorter survey approach is intended to focus survey resources while still protecting resident health and safety. The short survey still meets CMS requirements for the standard survey cycle.

Join us for our final two Fund Developer Network meetings of the year, both held virtually over the lunch hour. These sessions are designed for anyone tasked with raising funds for their organization — whether your role is in development, administration, leadership, communications, grant writing, community engagement or donor relations. 

HUD Housing Managers: our July networking group is right around the corner! If you are a part of the team at a HUD senior housing property, join us online on Tuesday at 12:30.

Yesterday marked the completion of the second of four webinars for LeadingAge Minnesota’s Emergency Preparedness Training Series for assisted living providers and nursing homes.

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. 

A review of mechanical lift–related falls in Quarter 4 of 2025 reveals clear, recurring patterns. These events highlight system-level gaps that can be addressed with reliable processes and consistent practices.

The 2026 edition of the Older Adult Services Orientation Manual is now available. This updated resource is designed to help board members quickly understand the complex and evolving world of aging services. Written in clear, accessible language, it includes an overview of key areas across the field along with a helpful glossary of terms.