On November 10, 2020, JF&CS hosted the virtual symposium Let’s Talk About Dementia and Culture: How We Talk and Teach About Dementia in Cultural and Linguistic Communities. Over 625 participants joined in a far-reaching discussion of disparities in the risk of developing dementia and in access to diagnosis, research, and care, as well as how we can learn from the values and wisdom of many cultural traditions. Continue reading
Category Archives: Conferences
Upcoming Events for the MHAC Network, Communities and Partners
Please see the list of upcoming virtual meeting and opportunities below that support communities and environments for older adults and people of all ages. Continue reading
Join Taskforce to End Loneliness and Build Community for Oct. 1 Summit
Join the Taskforce to End Loneliness and Build Community on Thursday, October 1st for a state-wide summit to disseminate information about raising public awareness, growing intergenerational opportunities and specific strategies to build community in a variety of ways. Continue reading
Upcoming Healthy Aging Webinars: Mass. Business Roundtable, Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day
Communities and partners in the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative network may be interested in the following virtual opportunities:
- Supporting Family Caregivers in the Workplace – Mass Business Roundtable
During this unprecedented time of COVID-19, the demand on family caregivers has never been greater. There are more than 840,000 family caregivers across the Commonwealth providing care to loved ones while balancing their work and other family responsibilities. The Roundtable helped launch the Massachusetts Caregivers Coalition bringing together business, education and public sector leaders to better understand and address the needs of family caregivers, a growing and essential part of workforces across every industry sector.
In this webinar, first in a planned series, a panel will address the realities of caregiving during COVID-19 and provide resources and strategies shared by experts. Confirmed speakers and moderators include Roundtable member Mark Butler, Cigna New England, Robin Lipson, Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs and Alexandra Drane, ARCHANGELS, as well as leaders from Roundtable members Seniorlink and Care.com.
- National Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day – COMBATING SOCIAL ISOLATION FOR SENIORS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Join the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and the National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging (NCMHA) for a thoughtful discussion on ways to prevent social isolation and promote mental health during this unprecedented time in our history.
Suicide, depression, anxiety, and problems with alcohol and medications are issues that older adults face. The U.S. Census Bureau indicates that by 2030, there will be nearly 75 million Americans over age 65. A 2012 study from the Institute of Medicine found that nearly 1 in 5 older Americans has one or more mental health/substance use conditions. According to 2018 data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and reported by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, adults in the 75-84 and 85+ age groups are among those with the highest rates of suicide.
Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day 2020 will feature remarks from Lance Robertson, ACL Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging, and Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use. It will also share the latest information on social isolation and loneliness from Dr. Dilip Jeste, University of California San Diego Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry.
More Information on COVID-19 Responses:
- ACL Resources for older adults, providers, communities, and states
- SAMHSA Resources to assist individuals, providers, communities, and states
VA Resources, including What Veterans Need to Know and Maintaining Your Mental Health and Well-Being
Brigham & Women’s Hospital Hosting ‘Road Map’ Series on Aging and Memory Loss
Expert speakers, including people living with dementia and their caregivers, will headline a three-part series of events hosted by Brigham & Women’s Hospital with comprehensive information about dementia diagnosis, research and caregiving with additional suggestions from physicians and patients. Continue reading
Travel Training and Aging Service Providers: Three Example
If you are interested in learning how agencies are supporting older adults in learning to use fixed-route public transit services such as the bus, please join MassMobility at an upcoming event at Greater Lynn Senior Services from 10:00am to noon on September 24th.
Attendees will hear from aging services providers that have incorporated travel instruction into their offerings. Travel instruction is the professional activity of helping older adults or people with disabilities learn the information and skills they need to ride fixed-route public transit independently and safely. Continue reading
Intergenerational Symposium to be held at Lasell University
Are you purposefully bringing together people of different ages like older adults and youth? Would you like to start but you’re not sure how?
Attend the second annual Intergenerational Symposium: Developing Your Toolbox, coordinated by Bridges Together with the support of the Encore Boston Network and the Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies. Continue reading
Upcoming Webinar on Celebrating Diversity Hosted by Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging
The Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging, which covers the northern New England states, is hosting a webinar titled “Celebrating Diversity: Promoting community inclusion and access to community supports and health services.” Continue reading
AARP Shares Materials and Presentations from Rural Livability Conference
Back in June, AARP hosted a Rural Livability Conference, which touched on a range of issues from housing and transportation to broadband access and extreme weather preparedness. Continue reading
Upcoming Events in Healthy Aging: September 2019
There is never a shortage of events and activities for promoting and supporting healthy aging in Massachusetts!
Here are a few opportunities across the state coming up in September: Continue reading