​Provider-led partnership builds on Minnesota's leadership in developing innovative workforce solutions for aging services.

​FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — July 8, 2026 — LeadingAge Minnesota Solutions, the business services subsidiary of LeadingAge Minnesota, and Global Care Recruiters (GCR) today announced a strategic partnership designed to expand ethical international nurse recruitment and strengthen workforce solutions for aging services providers.

The partnership builds on a provider-led model created by four LeadingAge Minnesota member organizations and reflects Minnesota's continued leadership in the development of innovative workforce solutions for aging services.

Minnesota’s aging services providers continue to face one of the most significant workforce challenges in the state’s history. More than 11,000 positions remain unfilled across the continuum of aging services even as Minnesota's older adult population continues to grow. The result is longer wait times for care, increased pressure on caregivers, and difficult decisions about admissions and services. Meeting this challenge will require continued public policy leadership, stronger recruitment and retention efforts, expanded career pathways, and innovative workforce partnerships.

Founded by four LeadingAge Minnesota member organizations—Guardian Angels Senior Services, Mount Olivet Careview Home, Prairie Cottages, and Vista Prairie Communities—Global Care Recruiters was created by providers who recognized that addressing the workforce crisis would require new thinking and long-term investment.

Unlike traditional recruitment firms, GCR was designed from the outset as a provider-led organization committed to ethical international recruitment and long-term workforce sustainability.

Through the partnership, LeadingAge Minnesota Solutions will provide executive leadership and operational support while Global Care Recruiters remains independently governed and focused on its mission of ethical international recruitment.

“For nearly 60 years, LeadingAge Minnesota has been a trusted advocate for aging services,” said Kari Thurlow, President and CEO of LeadingAge Minnesota. “That mission has not changed. What has changed is the complexity of the challenges facing providers. Today's workforce crisis requires strong advocacy, but it also requires practical, collaborative solutions that help providers continue serving older adults. This partnership reflects both.”

“It also demonstrates what is possible when providers identify a shared challenge, create a new approach, and work together to expand its impact,” Thurlow said. “The leadership of Guardian Angels, Mount Olivet Careview Home, Prairie Cottages, and Vista Prairie Communities reflects the very best of our field. We are honored to help support and expand that vision.”

“What began as four organizations coming together to solve a shared workforce challenge has grown into something much larger,” said Roger White, Executive Director at Mount Olivet Careview Home and one of the founders of Global Care Recruiters. “This partnership with LeadingAge Minnesota represents the next chapter for Global Care Recruiters. It allows us to preserve our provider-led mission while helping more aging services organizations access ethical international recruitment as part of a broader workforce strategy. We're excited about what we can accomplish together—not just for providers, but for the older adults who depend on them.”

Minnesota has long been recognized as a national leader in aging services innovation. This partnership reflects what is possible when providers, mission-driven organizations, and strategic partners work together to address complex workforce challenges. As Global Care Recruiters grows, the organizations believe the model has the potential to benefit providers both in Minnesota and beyond.

LeadingAge Minnesota will continue advocating for workforce investments, expanding career pathways, supporting caregiver retention efforts, and pursuing innovative workforce solutions.

Together with Global Care Recruiters, the organizations are committed to strengthening the workforce that older Minnesotans depend upon today and for generations to come.

About LeadingAge Minnesota
LeadingAge Minnesota is the state's largest association of aging services organizations, encompassing more than 1,600 member organizations, including more than 900 communities. Driven by a purpose to transform and enhance the experience of aging, we work with more than 55,000 caregivers throughout the state and support organizations that serve more than 60,000 older adults each year. Our members span the full continuum of aging services, including independent housing, assisted living, nursing homes, adult day services, and home care and hospice.

About Global Care Recruiters
Global Care Recruiters (GCR) is an international healthcare workforce organization specializing in the ethical recruitment, immigration support, and placement of internationally educated nurses with healthcare providers across the United States. Through its direct-hire model, GCR partners with healthcare organizations to connect highly qualified, NCLEX-passed nurses with long-term employment opportunities while providing comprehensive support throughout the immigration, relocation, onboarding, and retention process. Guided by a commitment to transparency, integrity, and ethical recruitment practices, GCR helps strengthen the healthcare workforce while creating meaningful career opportunities for nursing professionals.

Media Contact
Ben Hansen Director of Communications, LeadingAge Minnesota
bhansen@leadingagemn.org
651-659-1443