The National Council on Aging (NCOA), a trusted national leader working to ensure that every person can age well, is honoring more than a dozen women, men, and organizations around the country who are working toward a just and caring society that allows all of us to age with dignity, purpose, and security. Among the honorees is the Healthy Living Center of Excellence, a partner and Executive Committee member of the Healthy Aging Collaborative.

The honorees will be announced throughout NCOA’s Age+Action 2019 Conference at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, DC, June 17-20, 2019.

“We are proud to recognize these outstanding national and local leaders who share our mission to improve the lives of millions of older adults, especially those who are struggling,” said Jim Firman, NCOA President & CEO. “They represent the future of aging well in America—working to ensure diversity and inclusion, launching innovative solutions, and strengthening programs that all of us depend on as we age,” added Firman.

Healthy Living Center of Excellence
Foreseeing the need for collaborative approaches to evidence-based program sustainability, Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley developed the Healthy Living Center of Excellence (HLCE) in 2013. Today, HLCE serves as the “hub” for a Massachusetts-wide network delivering chronic disease self-management, falls prevention, behavioral health, and family caregiver and nutrition programs, all with a goal of supporting older adults and adults with disabilities in proactively managing their health. NCOA is honoring HLCE because it is an important model of successful partnerships between health care and aging services to address the social and behavioral determinants of healthy aging.