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Mass. Receives Four 2021 AARP Community Challenge Grants

July 28th, 2021

For the fifth annual AARP Community Challenge, AARP received more than 3,500 applications from nonprofits and government entities, resulting in a highly competitive selection process.

Nearly $3.2 million is being distributed to fund 244 quick-action projects across the country, helping urban, rural and suburban communities make immediate improvements and jumpstart long-term progress to support residents of all ages.

Massachusetts communities brought home four of the awardees of the nationwide program, which are listed below. Continue reading →

AP-NORC Poll on Community Support of Older Adults Finds Disparities in Services and Access

July 28th, 2021

Overall, more people think their local area is doing a good job than a poor job meeting the needs of older adults when it comes to many services, including health care, healthy food and nutrition, social activities, transportation, and in-home supports, according to a new study from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Crucially, however, it finds that non-white adults and those in lower-income households hold more negative evaluations of how well their community provides many of these services. Continue reading →

US HHS Encourages States to Educate Eligible Immigrants about Medicaid Coverage

July 28th, 2021

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an informational bulletin to states’ Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) agencies reaffirming that the 2019 Public Charge Final Rule – “Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds” – is no longer in effect and states should encourage their eligible immigrant populations to access public benefits related to health and housing. Continue reading →

Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation Releases Policy Options for Integrating Housing and Health for Low-Income Older Audlts

July 21st, 2021

With support from Arnold Ventures, and in partnership with the Leading Age LTSS Center @UMass Boston, the Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation embarked on research to understand the barriers to successfully linking affordable housing and health care and chart potential solutions.

Through focus groups with low-income older adults and stakeholder interviews, our research surfaced five key building blocks for success:

Continue reading →

More Age-Friendly Infrastructure Projects Supported in Latest Announcement of MassDOT Shared Streets & Spaces Grant Program

July 21st, 2021

The Mass. Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced the award of $6.5 million total to cities and towns which applied for funding from the Shared Streets and Spaces Grant Program. Among those are several projects that are inclusive of older adults, thanks to bonus points that encourage applicants to consider improving the built environment around councils on aging, senior housing, and other public spaces. Continue reading →

‘Caring for Those Who Care’ Webinar Series Continues with Trainings on Supporting Diverse Caregivers, Older Adults

July 21st, 2021

The “Caring for Those Who Care” webinar trainings, in partnership with the Diverse Elders Coalition, is halfway through the six-part series.

Please join us, AARP Massachusetts and the Public Health Institute of Western Mass., who serve as the co-chairs of MHAC’s Equity in Aging Committee, for the remaining webinars below: Continue reading →

MBTA Soliciting Feedback with Bus Network Redesign Travel Survey

July 21st, 2021

The Bus Network Redesign being conducted by the MBTA is a once-in-a-generation attempt to make bold improvements to the bus network for the people who depend on it most. The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative encourages our network to submit feedback to promote age- and dementia friendly design on the Bus Network Redesign survey. Continue reading →

Emergency Broadband Benefit Program Available to Older Adults

July 14th, 2021

As of July 4^th, over 34,000 Massachusetts households have enrolled in the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative encourages communities working to become age-and dementia friendly to raise awareness about this program to help connect older adults to internet access.

The EBB provides eligible households with a temporary, monthly discount of up to $50 towards their broadband service. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price. Continue reading →

Free Training Offered on Running Local CarFit Events

July 14th, 2021

Aging services staff and volunteers are invited to get involved in CarFit, a joint initiative of AAA, AARP, and the American Occupational Therapy Association to promote older driver safety and mobility by assisting drivers in understanding how they fit in their vehicles and making adjustments to improve comfort and safety. Continue reading →

EBT SNAP Online Purchasing Options Expanded in Massachusetts

July 14th, 2021

The Baker Administration announced that Massachusetts residents who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can now use their EBT SNAP benefits to buy fresh food and pantry staples online from a variety of participating stores for same-day delivery and pickup via Instacart, including Price Chopper, ALDI and newly added Hannaford and Stop & Shop.

Residents can shop for groceries from Hannaford, Stop & Shop, Price Chopper and ALDI via the Instacart online site and mobile app. Continue reading →