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New Resource: ‘Age- and Dementia Friendly Design Considerations for Physical Infrastructure’

September 28th, 2022

The Massachusetts Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Disease and All Other Dementias created a workgroup with a goal of defining age-and dementia friendly design considerations for physical infrastructure, disseminating those findings and advocating for their inclusion in relevant state funding programs.

That workgroup is pleased to share the culmination of that work in the form of a guide titled Age and Dementia Friendly Design Considerations for Physical Infrastructure, which highlights design considerations supporting people living with dementia and focused on four types of infrastructure: Continue reading →

RAISE Act Family Caregiving Council Announces 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers

September 28th, 2022

The 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers was created to support family caregivers of all ages, from youth to grandparents, and regardless of where they live or what caregiving looks like for them and their loved ones.

The local strategies may be of interest to communities working to become more age and dementia friendly and also integrating caregiver support into their action plans. Continue reading →

Mass. Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Launches Emergency Services Card

September 28th, 2022

The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH), in partnership with the Department of Fire Services (DFS) and Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS), has created a visual tool called the Emergency Services Card (ESC) to assist EMT’s, firefighters and Deaf and hard of hearing individuals communicate better in the first moments of an emergency.

Links and instructions for use are listed below and may be useful for age/dementia friendly community partners to promote locally. Continue reading →

Baker Administration Announces SNAP Benefit Increase

September 28th, 2022

The Baker-Polito Administration announced that approximately 550,000 Massachusetts households who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will see an increase starting in their October 2022 benefits. In response to the annual cost of living adjustment, SNAP benefits will increase 12%, with Massachusetts households receiving an average monthly increase of $25-$30. Continue reading →

Alzheimer’s Association Support Group Events for October and November

September 28th, 2022

Check out the following events from the Alzheimer’s Association of MA/NH for support groups for the months of October and November.

These groups create a safe, confidential, supportive environment for participants to develop informal mutual support and social relationships. They also offer participants an opportunity to learn about dementia and develop methods and skills to cope with challenges. Continue reading →

Baker Administration Celebrates Five Years of Accomplishments of the Governor’s Council to Address Aging in Massachusetts

September 22nd, 2022

In honor of the five-year anniversary of the Governor’s Council to Address Aging, Governor Charlie Baker, Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders, and Secretary of Elder Affairs Elizabeth Chen joined Council Members and stakeholders at a celebratory meeting to reflect on the strides made to support healthy aging in Massachusetts.

Co-Chaired by Secretary Sudders and philanthropist Eileen Connors, the Governor’s Council to Address Aging was established via Executive Order in April 2017 with the goal of making the Commonwealth the most age-friendly state for people of all ages. Today’s final Council meeting under the Baker-Polito Administration was held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where Governor Baker first signed the Executive Order that launched the Council. Continue reading →

AARP Announces Resource on ‘Discovering and Developing Missing Middle Housing’

September 21st, 2022

Created by AARP Livable Communities and Opticos Design, Discovering and Developing Missing Middle Housing provides age- and dementia friendly communities, local leaders, building and planning professionals, and involved community members with information about what Missing Middle Housing is, where it still exists, and why it’s time for communities nationwide to return this versatile residence type to America’s housing portfolio. Continue reading →

New Report Aims to Better Address Health Issues of Family Caregivers

September 21st, 2022

The report “Chronic Disease Family Caregiving: The Framework for Family Caregiving and Public Health,” was developed with support from The John A. Hartford Foundation and in partnership with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD). This framework is based on recognizing two main root level issues: that family caregiver health and wellness is an issue that must be addressed and that care coordination efforts are of particular concern as the complexity of care is increasing. Continue reading →

New Data Shows Where Funding for Affordable Connectivity Program is Being Spent

September 14th, 2022

With a new data dashboard, advocates and stakeholders working to advance digital equity can see state and local stats on where and how $14.2 billion in federal funding is being spent via the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which was designed to help American households pay for the monthly cost of their Internet subscription.

The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative encourages communities working to become more age- and dementia friendly to use the data to promote local engagement of older adults who may be eligible for the program promoting digital access. Continue reading →