After three years, nearly 2,000 surveys, several focus groups and countless meetings, the Age- and Dementia Friendly Franklin County & North Quabbin initiative launched its action plan with a room full of supporters, volunteers, partner organizations and older...
News: Data and Reports
Research from JCHS at Harvard Compares ADU Issues in Massachusetts to Other States
New research by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University (JCHS) examines policies and initiatives to promote the creation of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which have been advanced as a housing solution for age-friendly communities. ADUs are small,...
New Report on Exclusionary Zoning Touches on Age-Restricted Housing
As part of Boston Indicators’ new Racial Wealth Equity Research Center initiative, the organization commissioned a new report called "Exclusionary by Design: An Investigation of Zoning’s Use as a Tool of Race, Class, and Family Exclusion in Boston’s Suburbs, 1920 to...
JAHF Poll Finds Disparities in Awareness and Understanding of Advance Care Planning Terms
According to a new poll commissioned by the John A. Hartford Foundation, terms regarding planning and care for serious illness is unfamiliar to adults age 50 and older, but strongly desired once defined. Specifically, 97% of adults 50+ think it is important to have...
AARP Releases New Livability Index, Including ‘Top Scoring’ Communities
AARP’s Public Policy Institute announced the 100 top-scoring livable communities across the U.S., as part of the AARP Livability Index™ Top 100. However, the data shows that most of the highest scoring communities lack affordable housing and accessibility options,...
UMass-Boston Report: Late Life Gender Disparities in Economic Security
National averages suggest that half of older women living alone, along with 42% of older men living alone, have annual incomes below the Elder Index, which is a list of measures developed by UMass-Boston to measure economic insecurity among older adults. Now,...
World Health Organization Releases Toolkit for Promoting Physical Activity Among Older People
Noting the myriad benefits of physical activity for older adults, including the ability to maintain and improve mental health and cognitive ability, delay the onset of dementia, and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, the World Health Organization (WHO)...
MassINC, MACP Release ‘Connected Communities’ Report on Digital Equity and Affordable Housing
MassINC alongside Massachusetts Competitive Partnership (MACP) recently released a report called "Connected Communities: Providing Affordable Housing Residents with Unfettered Access to Digital Opportunity in Massachusetts," which explores strategies to close the...
Healey-Driscoll Administration Releases ReiMAgine Aging, a Podcast Highlighting Massachusetts as a National Leader in the Age- and Dementia-Friendly Movement
The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative is excited to join the Healey-Driscoll Administration and partner organizations in announcing the release of a podcast series on age- and dementia-friendly innovations across Massachusetts called ReiMAgine Aging. The...
American Planning Association’s 2023 Trend Report for Planners Includes Support for Age-and Dementia Friendly Community Efforts
The 2023 Trend Report for Planners from the American Planning Association includes "dementia and aging populations" as a highlighted issue. The report states that, "Planning for aging in place and dementia are more important than ever...Housing policies need to...