STORIES FROM THE FIELD
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Reforming policies to eliminate some housing barriers
One man’s story of discrimination as he reentered community after serving his time. A report from the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts shows that older adults with a criminal record are at low risk for committing a crime, yet at high risk for...
AARP Offers Examples To Spark Ideas and Applications to Community Challenge Grant Program
The 2020 AARP Community Challenge Grant opportunity is open and plenty of examples are being shared as part of the push to solicit applications that help cities and towns become more age-friendly. In their latest newsletter, the AARP Livable Communities Team released...
Pittsfield Placemaking Project Highlighted by AARP
In their recent newsletter, AARP Livable Communities focused on cities that are "activating" their alleyways into vibrant community spaces that turn into more than a pass-through or a place people avoid. In 2017, the community planning and design firm Team Better...
AARP Newsletter on Shared Community Spaces Highlights Swampscott Best Practice
In their recent newsletter, AARP Livable Communities shared a number of examples of cities and towns that co-located facilities to save costs and encourage inter-generational activity. Among the examples is a co-located high school and senior center in the town of...
AARP Wins Award for Video Celebrating Men as Family Caregivers
AARP recently won a prominent “Sharecare Award” for its video spotlighting men as family caregivers, raising attention to an often hidden but vitally important group of people. Co-produced with AARP Studios, the 3-minute video offers an inside look at a gathering of...
Boston Front and Center in Latest AARP Newsletter
The latest AARP Livable Communities Newsletter has a headline feature titled "Boston Is Putting Driverless Cars Through an Age-Friendly Road Test." The article is focused on the public-private partnership that is setting an example for other cities to follow when it...
‘Giving Voice’ Initiative Helps Choirs Include People Living with Dementia
Thanks to The Giving Voice Initiative, communities seeking to become Age- and Dementia Friendly have another way to be inclusive. The organization provides a free toolkit to help communities establish choirs that actively recruit participants living with memory loss...
Topsfield Fair Becomes First Dementia Friendly Fair in the Country on its 200th Anniversary
On it's 200th anniversary, the Topsfield Fair, the olderst agricultural fair in the country, will also be the first to become "Dementia Friendly." Hundreds of staff and volunteers who will be working at the Topsfield Fair have been trained to recognize the signs of...
City of Boston Launches Age- and Dementia Friendly Business Designation
Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the City of Boston's Commission on Affairs of the Elderly launched their Age and Dementia-Friendly Business designation, a new pilot program that encourages local businesses to make their spaces and services more inclusive for people of all...
Berkshire Eagle Podcast Discusses Age-Friendly Berkshires Action Plan
A new edition of the Berkshire Eagle Podcast highlights the ongoing work of Age Friendly Berkshires after the recent release of their action plan following three years of assessment and planning. The Berkshire Eagle podcast host Mark Mills speaks with Peg McDonough, a...