The PANPHA Board of Directors reviewed and approved the NorthStar Vision in the fall of 2006 after considerable input and dialogue among its members representing boards of directors, staff, community stakeholders and residents of communities across the state.

PANPHA members are now encouraged to use the components of the seven points of the NorthStar to steer their strategic plans and create their own navigation markers (benchmarks) to guide their path towards our collective preferred future. During the process of strategic planning, each organization will assess its resources, threats, opportunities and strategies to enact any or all of the seven points of the NorthStar. PANPHA member organizations will set their own timetables on how soon they intend to reach the NorthStar preferred vision. Use the NorthStar Check List during your strategic planning efforts to identify what goals and objectives flow from the seven components of the NorthStar.

The PANPHA membership and leadership also hope that government leaders and policy makers along with other stakeholders in the aging field will embrace the spirit and content of the NorthStar Vision. We trust it strikes a resonant chord among all sectors in the field offering a preferred future of long term care and senior services that respects the needs and wishes of those who deserve our best – our parents and grandparents.