Launched in 2019, the Age-Friendly Health System seeks to transform health systems to provide evidence-based higher quality care to older adults. It is an initiative of The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the United States.
The 4Ms Framework Focus on the Needs of Older Adults
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC) has accomplished Level 2 in pursuing age-friendly care. CUHCC, which is part of the Federally Qualified Health Center Unified Health Network, is recongized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in "Age-Friendly Health Systems - Committed to Care Excellence (Level 2)!"
An "Age-Friendly Health System - Committed to Care Excellence" is a recognition for being exemplar in the movement based on:
- Having a description of how the 4Ms are being operationalized that is aligned with the "Age-Friendly Health System Guide to Using the 4Ms in the Care of Older Adults" and which has been approved by IHI.
- Having submitted at least three months' count of older adults reached with evidence-based, 4Ms care.
- The Minnesota Northstar GWEP, together with the Federally Qualified Health Center Unified Health Network, participates in a nationwide cohort to implement age-friendly principles.
- Age-Friendly Health Systems is focused on following an essential set of evidence-based practices (known as the 4Ms) so that all care with older adults is age-friendly care.
- The GWEP-CC Continuous Age-Friendly Health Ssytems Action Community is being held exclusively for the current 42 Cohort 3 GWEPs. Launched in January 2025, this continuous action community maintains a learning community for all GWEPs and their partners as they collectively work towards achieving age-friendly recognition.
- 2020-2027: The Minnesota Northstar GWEP has participated continuously in GWEP-CC action communities since its inception.
The Age-Friendly Health Systems movement is one of many efforts to promote an Age-Friendly society. This glossary describes some of those movements.
Age-Friendly Glossary
| Age-Friendly WHAT? | Who Sponsors | Key Feature | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community | AARP / WHO | Application process assigned by highest elected official; community planning / operations with Age-Friendly lens | Alexandria, Maple Grove, Minneapolis, Northfield |
| County | AARP / WHO | Application process assigned by highest elected official; community planning / operations with Age-Friendly lens | Hennepin, Olmstead |
| State | AARP / WHO | Application process assigned by highest elected official; community planning / operations with Age-Friendly lens | Minnesota |
| Health System | IHI / John Hartford Foundation | Addresses 4Ms in medical care | Hospitals, ERs, clinics |
| Action Community | IHI | Eight-month process for health system to become Age-Friendly | Smiley's clinic and CUHCC in MN Northstar GWEP |
| University | Dublin City University; AGHEd | Adoption / I | University of Minnesota, Michigan State |
Congratulations to Dr. Roli Dwivedi, who was named by the Minnesota Association of Community Health Centers a 2021 Visionary Leader!
Dr. Dwivedi, chief clinical officer at Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC), is one of the leaders of the project expanding the Age-Friendly Health Systems with the Minnesota Northstar GWEP. This project aims to include the four Ms of Age-Friendly care: mentation, medication, mobility, and what matters. We are honored to work with Dr. Dwivedi, who truly is a visionary leader.