A Housing Choice Designation from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts rewards communities that are producing new housing and have adopted best practices to promote sustainable housing development. Communities that achieve the Housing Choice Community designation have...
NEWS
Salem for All Ages Releases Year 5 Progress Report
As a community that committed to becoming more age-friendly early on, and with a broad, cross-sector coalition, the Salem for All Ages initiative has commonly been highlighted as an example for others. Recently, the city's age-friendly work hit another milestone with...
Medicare Planning to Launch Coverage of Over-the-Counter COVID Tests
In addition to recent efforts to expand Americans’ access to free testing, people in either Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage will be able to get over-the-counter COVID-19 tests at no cost starting in early spring. Under the new initiative, Medicare...
Checklist Created to Support Community-Based Dementia Friendly Initiatives
A checklist has been created by Dementia Friendly Massachusetts to support a community’s journey and commitment to becoming dementia-friendly, which compliments a list of resources in the state's Age- and Dementia Friendly Integration Toolkit. Every community making...
JAHF Survey Results Illustrate that Support is Needed for Direct Care Workers
A new poll commissioned by The John A. Hartford Foundation (JAHF) found that 73% of people in America think direct care workers are underpaid and 94% believe oversight of nursing homes and home care agencies is important. Direct care workers provide hands-on care with...
Age-Friendly Funding Alert: BCBS Special Initiatives Grant
The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) Foundation will provide a limited number of non-renewable one-year grants of up to $50,000 through its Special Initiatives grant program. Grants will support nonprofits seeking to positively impact health or health...
Point32Health Foundation Awards More Than $1.1 Million to 10 Community Organizations
The Point32Health Foundation announced that 10 community organizations across the region will receive grants totaling more than $1.1 million. Funding will support work to advance policies and practices that address disparities and create more inclusive communities....
MHAC Adds New Local Advocacy Resources to Assist Age- and Dementia Friendly Community Efforts
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...
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...