All posts by James Fuccione

First-of-its-Kind Rural Policy Plan for Massachusetts Includes Age-Friendly in Recommendations

Data and Reports, ,

The state’s Rural Policy Advisory Commission engaged in a comprehensive program of research and outreach over a two-year period, including listening sessions at ten locations across the Commonwealth in late 2018 and continuing in 2019 with over 20 focused stakeholder meetings to refine the information and develop the recommendations in
this first of its kind Rural Policy Plan for Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative is excited that the Commission accepted its recommendations along with input from cities, towns and stakeholders in MHAC’s network to encourage rural communities to join the Age-Friendly movement – specifically pursuing the Age- and Dementia Friendly Community Compact Program.

The Community Compact is a best practice initiative for municipalities and regions established by the Baker Administration. This program has the potential for funding support and technical assistance. One of the choices among the best practices is Age-and Dementia Friendly.

The inclusion of Age-Friendly in this report also speaks to the state’s Age-Friendly Action Plan, which endeavors to embed “aging in all policies” across agencies and initiatives.

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DPH, Health Policy Commission Announce ‘Moving Massachusetts Upstream’ Program and RFP

News and Updates, ,

The “Moving Massachusetts Upstream” (MassUP) initiative is a partnership across Massachusetts state agencies including the HPC, the Department of Public Health (DPH), the Office of the Attorney General, the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

The vision of the MassUP initiative is better health, lower costs and reduced health inequities in Massachusetts through effective collaboration among government, health care systems, and communities. MassUP includes two distinct but complementary work streams: an investment program, and a state-level interagency policy alignment working group. Continue reading →

AARP Newsletter on Shared Community Spaces Highlights Swampscott Best Practice

Stories from the Field, ,

In their recent newsletter, AARP Livable Communities shared a number of examples of cities and towns that co-located facilities to save costs and encourage inter-generational activity.

Among the examples is a co-located high school and senior center in the town of Swampscott, Mass. Continue reading →

Age-Friendly Funding Alert: Safe Routes to Schools ‘Signs and Lines’ Program

News and Updates, ,

The Safe Routes to Schools “Signs and Lines Program” from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will provide design services and up to $6,000 in construction funding to a selected municipality for a low-cost infrastructure project around a public elementary or middle school. For any communities working to become more age- and dementia friendly and have – or are seeking – partnerships with local schools, this is a great opportunity to create inter-generational activity. Continue reading →

University of Massachusetts becomes first university system to join Age-Friendly University Global Network

News and Updates,

The five-campus University of Massachusetts system endorsed the 10 principles of the Age-Friendly University, as defined by Age-Friendly University (AFU) Global Network at Dublin City University, joining an international effort intended to highlight the role of higher education in responding to the challenges and opportunities associated with an aging population. Continue reading →

AARP Hosting Virtual Placemaking Workshop

News and Updates,
The 2019 AARP Livable Communities Placemaking Workshop will showcase the many ways local leaders and community volunteers can help to create public spaces that are vibrant, welcoming, safe and accessible.
Workshop attendees will:
  • learn about the economic, social and health impacts of placemaking
  • be introduced to examples of infrastructure-intensive placemaking efforts that have successfully transformed a city, town, street or neighborhood for the better
  • see how smaller, temporary “pop-up” demonstration projects (including parklets, bike lanes, plazas and alley “activations”) can be used to inspire a community
  • gain strategies and tools for implementing placemaking projects

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Age-Friendly Funding Alert: Local Cultural Council Program

News and Updates

Mass Cultural Council’s Local Cultural Council (LCC) Program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, humanities, and sciences annually. Each year, LCCs award more than $4 million in grants to more than 6,000 cultural programs statewide. The program promotes the availability of rich cultural experiences for every Massachusetts resident.

With an application deadline of October 15th, these grants can benefit local Age-Friendly and Dementia Friendly initiatives by improving inclusiveness of older adults and access to arts and cultural opportunities for residents of all ages. Continue reading →

Age-Friendly Grant Opportunity: Mass. Census Equity Fund 2020

News and Updates,

The Massachusetts Census Equity Fund 2020 is a statewide funding initiative with the mission to increase participation in the 2020 census in communities that are at significant risk of being undercounted.

Through this statewide grant program, the aim is to support community based organizations to educate, organize and empower residents in hard-to-count communities to respond to the 2020 Census. The 2020 Census will face additional challenges and barriers reaching those in historically undercounted communities.

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