Communities working to become age- and dementia friendly often identify needs or opportunities that can be addressed through advocacy on a local level. To help stakeholders influence and improve local government policy for healthy aging, the Massachusetts Healthy...
NEWS
Age-Friendly Funding Alert: MetroWest Health Foundation, MassDOT Shared Streets & Spaces, AARP Community Challenge
The MetroWest Health Foundation announced their Spring 2022 grant round with a deadline for concept papers on March 11th. While "healthy aging" is not specifically called out, there are opportunities for communities working to become age and dementia friendly via the...
Behavioral Health During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Update on Need and Access in Massachusetts 2020/2021
A newly-released issue brief provides an updated snapshot of the need for behavioral health care and experiences accessing it in the Commonwealth as of 2020/2021, based on a new survey commissioned by the Blue Cross-Blue Shield Foundation. The survey gathered...
AARP Releases New Walk Audit Tool
The AARP Livable Communities team has updated their Walk Audit tool, which can help inform local decision-making by prioritizing areas in need of improvement and educating community members about the importance of street and sidewalk design. The tool kit publication...
MassDOT Includes Dementia Friendly Design Guide in ‘Shared Streets & Spaces’ Grant Resources
The Shared Streets and Spaces Grant Program from the Mass. Department of Transportation (MassDOT), which has a current funding round with application due on March 1, has provided an opportunity for cities and towns to improve public health, safe mobility, and...
Justice in Aging Includes MHAC Healthy Aging for All Guide in its ‘Advancing Equity in Aging Toolkit’
Justice in Aging uses the power of law - through advocacy, legal processes, and trainings - to strengthen the social safety net, and remove the barriers low-income seniors face in trying to access the services they need. As a part of Justice in Aging’s Strategic...
New Resource Helps Communities Create Bus Stops for People of All Ages
While transportation infrastructure and services investments are being made broadly across the Commonwealth, bus stops are one place for a local community to start and make an incredible impact on residents. To help communities working to become age- and dementia...
‘Transit for All Program’ Offering Free Technical Assistance Opportunity
The Transit Planning for All Program, (TP4A) which is funded by the Administration for Community Living of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a transportation-planning project that seeks to explore and promote the practice of inclusive planning. TP4A...
Age-Friendly Funding Alert: The 2022 AARP Community Challenge Grant
The AARP Community Challenge provides small grants to fund quick-action projects that can help communities become more livable for people of all ages. This year, applications will be accepted for projects to improve public spaces; housing; transportation; civic...
MassDOT Promotes Tools to Help Communities Address Vehicle Speed Management
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has added data and tools that can help communities, including those working to become more age-friendly, to address vehicle speed management. MassDOT hosts a crash data portal where users can view preliminary...