A New Era of Transparency, Accountability, and Justice in Elder Care In 2025, Elder Voice Advocates (EVA) reached a defining moment in its mission to transform elder care. Through bold advocacy, strategic partnerships, and major investments in innovation, EVA expanded its reach and strengthened its role as a national leader in elder justice, transparency, and accountability. At the heart of this progress is Elder Care IQ , EVA’s groundbreaking public information platform that

Assisted living facilities are implementing a "no touch" policy, directing staff to instead call 911. Kris Sundberg speaks on behalf of families who suffer as a result of these policies. Refusing to pick up fallen elderly residents | FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul

Minneapolis, MN (April 29, 2025) Elder Voice Advocates (EVA) proudly announces it has received an $840,000 grant from the Bush...

Minnesota investigation finds senior living facility liable for resident's death

Minnesota is grappling with a serious elder care crisis, especially in rural areas where skilled nursing facilities are disappearing rapidly. With nursing home beds dwindling and demand increasing, families are left asking: where will our loved ones find the care they need? Alarmingly, nearly half of the state’s nursing homes have been cited for serious deficiencies, putting vulnerable elders at risk of neglect, abuse, and preventable deaths. To help families make informed de

We are proud to announce that  Elder Voice Advocates  has earned the  Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency , the highest level of recognition awarded by  Candid (formerly GuideStar) ! This achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to  accountability, transparency, and measurable impact  in our fight to protect the rights and well-being of elders and vulnerable adults in long-term care. The  Platinum Seal  recognizes our dedication to sharing key performance metrics, ensu

Elder Voice's Kris Sundberg and Dr. Eilon Caspi provide data and insight into the lack of accountability in negligent deaths. By James Walsh | The Minnesota Star Tribune A woman who had suffered a stroke, was blind in one eye and mostly blind in the other transferred from a nursing home to Golden Nest Assisted Living in northeast Minneapolis. Her second-floor room was 20 feet from the front stairs. Two days later, on Sept. 15, 2024, she was found at the bottom of those stair

How many Minnesotans die in assisted-living facilities due to alleged maltreatment? State lacks data totaling deaths. Story by James Walsh, Star Tribune During at a state Senate committee hearing in 2018, Kristine Sundberg, president of Elder Voice Family Advocates, called for reforms to Minnesota's system for handling elder abuse complaints. (David Joles/The Minnesota Star Tribune) After a Brooklyn Park assisted-living resident was found dead in his room in August, investiga

View Article Kimberly Bonvissuto January 17, 2025 Resident fears of retaliation from staff members for voicing concerns about care and services are common but preventable in assisted living communities and nursing homes, according to a new report from a gerontology expert. The report, “A Bridge Over Scary Water,” documents instances of resident retaliation, along with barriers in addressing resident fears, from ombudsmen across the nation. Eilon Caspi, PhD, a gerontologist a

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (December 20, 2024) – Elder Voice Advocates is making it easier for Minnesota families to find safe, high-quality senior care with a major expansion of Elder Care IQ, the trusted tool for screening long-term care providers. Built on the foundation of state surveys and investigations, Elder Care IQ now delivers a complete picture view of a provider’s track record by incorporating federal nursing home data through the integration of ProPublica’s Nursing Home Ins

Advocates say the state needs to do more to plan for and support a fast-growing population of older residents. Lawmakers are considering a new state agency. By Jessie Van Berkel The Minnesota Star Tribune August 29, 2024 at 3:00PM View article Older Minnesotans need a stronger champion at the Capitol, experts on the topic of aging say. But they disagree on who should lead the charge. Some are calling for a state Department on Aging following this summer’s launch of the Depart

Elder Voice's Kris Sundberg speaks with State of Reform regarding the need to coordinate initiatives aiming to help older Minnesotans live healthier lives. By State of Reform | August 15, 2024 View article Advocates discussed their support for a proposed department for community aging in Minnesota during a Legislative Task Force on Aging meeting on Wednesday. Kristine Sundberg, executive director of Elder Voice Advocates, said a department of community aging is needed to coo

Personal Conflicts, Even Violence, Are Not Uncommon in Long-Term Care Arguments, verbal abuse and aggression are not unusual in elder care settings. Better staffing and training can ease the tensions, experts say. New York Times By Paula Span , June 9, 2024 At an assisted living facility in New York State, a small crowd had gathered at the dining room entrance at lunchtime, waiting for the doors to open. As a researcher observed, one woman, growing tired and frustrated, asked

Disability Voice Advocates (DiVA), a program of Elder Voice Advocates (EVA), raise grave concerns about a proposed change to the funding program, Waiver Reimagine. EVA Board members Misti Okerlund, disability rights attorney, and Lauren Thompson, a person with disabilities, and DiVA member Lance Hegland are quoted throughout the article.  Minnesotans fear disability benefits overhaul will lead to more institutionalization The state is revamping its systems for assessing and f

We recognized that Elder Voice Advocates (EVA) needed to offer elders, individuals with disabilities, and their families a trustworthy and impartial resource for screening care providers. We deliberately avoided sources with a pay-to-play model, like A Place for Mom, as we believed such approaches could be misleading at best and potentially disastrous at worst. This well research article underscores why EVA pooled its resources to develop Elder Care IQ. This innovative screen

Featuring Elder Voice's Eilon Caspi May 2, 2024 In this short episode of the JAG podcast, Editor-in-Chief Debra Dobbs meets with author Eilon Caspi to discuss the findings of his recent paper on the fear of nursing home residents of reprisal from facility staff when voicing care concerns and making mistreatment complaints. Listen now

Legislation proposes more transparent ownership and financial information so Minnesota can be sure its investments in nursing homes actually improved facilities, care. By Jeremy Olson Star Tribune MARCH 16, 2024 — 8:00AM View Article Lawmakers are demanding more information about the ownership and finances of Minnesota's nursing homes, after spending taxpayer dollars on the rescue of a for-profit Red Wing facility that ran out of money anyway. Problems at Bay View Nursing &

By Jordan Rau View Article This article is part of the Dying Broke series examining how the immense financial costs of long-term care drain older Americans and their families. Published Nov. 19, 2023 Updated Nov. 20, 2023 Assisted-living centers have become an appealing retirement option for hundreds of thousands of boomers who can no longer live independently, promising a cheerful alternative to the institutional feel of a nursing home. But their cost is so crushingly high t

Board Member, Eilon Caspi, speaks with CT Insider about his latest book on memory loss through the eyes of a child Jordan Nathaniel Fenster, Staff writer View article here In a newly released book for children, a University of Connecticut researcher debunks one by one the common misconceptions about dementia, offering alternative outlooks that are each backed by scientific research. “What I've Learned About Grandma's Memory” features a 10-year-old Black girl who decides to v

What I've Learned About Grandma's Memory: A New Children's Book on Alzheimer's Disease A New Children's Book on Alzheimer's Disease Lori La Bey talks with Eilon Caspi who is a Gerontologist, Dementia Behavior Specialist; Assistant Research Professor at the University of Connecticut; Founding member and board member of Elder Voice Advocates, and Author. Also joining us is Kate Goebel who is a music therapist, entrepreneur, and owner of Kate's Musical Memories and KG Freelance.