Governor Maura Healey signed legislation to rename the Executive Office of Elder Affairs to the Executive Office of Aging & Independence to better represent and reflect the values of older adults in Massachusetts. Renaming the agency reduces negative images around aging, normalizes aging as a natural process, and recognizes that older adults value independence and self-determination, while emphasizing that the Healey-Driscoll Administration is here to support residents as we age.
Governor Healey proposed the name change in May. The new name was selected following significant research that included focus groups, surveys, and conversations with older adults, caregivers, service providers, and advocacy organizations. This research revealed that aging adults do not connect with the term “elder,” and often associate the term with someone who is at the end of their life. Instead, residents prefer neutral terms such as “aging” and “older people.”
“We are all aging. Growing older is not one agency’s focus. Across the Administration, policies and programs impact our older population,” said Aging & Independence Secretary Robin Lipson. “We are excited to work across the Administration to make Massachusetts a better place for residents of all ages to grow up and grow older, together.”
In addition, the name change legislation replaces outdated language across state statutes, such as “elder,” “elderly person(s),” and “handicapped” with “older adult(s)” and “adult with a disability.”