Mac users: Increase text size by holding command and +. Decrease text size by holding command and -.The city of Salem and its age-friendly initiative – called Salem for All Ages – continues to make progress as evidenced in their recently released Year Three Report, which covers the developments made during 2019. Continue reading
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Age-Friendly Funding Alert: MassTrails, Blue Cross-Blue Shield Foundation, Community Care Corps
MassTrails provides grants to support recreational trail and shared use pathway projects across the Commonwealth. Grant amounts are dependent on the project and its needs, but generally range from $5,000 to $100,000 with grants of up to $300,000 awarded to projects demonstrating critical network connections of regional significance. Continue reading
Age-Friendly Funding Alert: MAPC Technical Assistance Program
Please submit project concepts for work to be undertaken by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) for the benefit of your municipality through our Technical Assistance Program (TAP).
Through this Call for Project Concepts, MAPC is soliciting ideas for projects that will commence in the winter/spring of 2020. Continue reading
Age-Friendly Job Alerts: EOHHS, Springwell, MAPC
Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) – Disability Housing Manager
The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) is seeking a proactive and results-driven professional to serve as the Disability Housing Manager. The selected candidate will assist in identifying and creating housing opportunities for people with disabilities and elders, including those transitioning from institutions to community-living or at risk of institutionalization. The Disability Housing Manager will work collaboratively across EOHHS agencies, and in partnership with the Department of Housing and Community Development and MassHousing to identify and explore housing opportunities for our disabled/elderly populations served. Continue reading
Age-Friendly News Clips: November and December 2019
Periodically, the Healthy Aging Collaborative will share news articles that mention state and local efforts to make cities, towns and regions in Massachusetts Age- and Dementia Friendly.
Check out the following articles from November and December 2019 on the momentum of this movement building across the state. Continue reading
Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative Receives $175,000 Grant from Tufts Health Plan Foundation
The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative (MHAC) was awarded a two-year grant for $175,000 from Tufts Health Plan Foundation to support the development of additional age- and dementia-friendly communities in the Commonwealth. This is one of nine new community investments totaling nearly $1 million reflecting the Foundation’s commitment to policies and practices that support healthy aging.
“We value advocacy and leadership among older people,” said Nora Moreno Cargie, president of Tufts Health Plan Foundation and vice president for corporate citizenship at Tufts Health Plan. “The organizations we are supporting demonstrate collaboration with state agencies and other community groups that spurs innovation and makes our communities better places to grow up and grow old.”
Massachusetts has emerged as a national leader in the age-friendly movement. The state was one of the first to earn the Age-Friendly state designation from AARP and 68 of its 351 cities and towns are working to ensure they are great places to grow up and grow old. Inclusing the regional collaborations, those efforts will benefit more than 100 communities. MHAC is a key resource in this work. This grant will support the development of strategic regional partnerships to promote local engagement and continued efforts to advance equity and inclusion.
“We are excited and grateful for the support of the Tufts Health Plan Foundation, but also deeply appreciate that – beyond that – their partnership and leadership has been vital for advancing this collective work,” said MHAC Senior Director James Fuccione. “The state’s position as a leader in promoting and supporting inclusive age- and dementia friendly communities has come through collaboration and recognizing the amazing work already happening in our cities and towns.”
About Tufts Health Plan Foundation
Established in 2008, Tufts Health Plan Foundation supports the health and wellness of the diverse communities we serve. The Foundation has given more than $37 million to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island nonprofits that promote healthy living with an emphasis on older adults. The Foundation began funding in New Hampshire in 2016 and in Connecticut in 2019. The Tufts Health Plan Foundation funds programs that move communities toward implementing age-friendly policies and practices that are relevant, focus on older adults and include them in community solutions. Visit www.tuftshealthplanfoundation.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
Nationwide Count of Age-Friendly Communities Approaches 425
More communities, regions and states are joining the Age-Friendly movement via designation by AARP and the World Health Organization that signals a commitment to improving that location as a welcoming and supportive place for people of all ages.
The number of those commitments is approaching 425, with nearly 70 in Massachusetts, which also was among the first states to join. The most recently designated community in the Commonwealth is Norwood and holds the distinction as the first of more than 400 communities to be led by a chamber of commerce. Continue reading
Updated Interactive Trailmap Unveiled by MAPC
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) has updated their interactive Trailmap, the most comprehensive and up-to-date collection of biking and walking trails in Massachusetts.
This new-and-improved version of Trailmap allows users to search by address to find trails near them and provides easy access to detailed maps of foot trails, bicycle facilities, and multi-use paths. Users can see all existing paths and toggle on maps showing paths that are in development. This can be a useful planning and assessment tool for age- and dementia friendly communities seeking to improve access to such outdoor transportation and recreational opportunities. Continue reading
Age-Friendly Funding Alert: Tufts Health Plan Foundation’s Systems and Best Practices, Community Engagement
The Tufts Health Plan Foundation is accepting letters of intent for Systems and Best Practices and Collaboration and Community Engagement grants to community organizations working on age-friendly issues. The deadline is Friday, January 24, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. ET. Continue reading
Pop-up Placemaking Toolkit from AARP Can Help Create Vibrant Spaces that Create Community
The term “placemaking” refers to the work of improving a particular public space or overall area to make it more of a destination and shared gathering place.
The Pop-Up Placemaking Tool Kit was created by AARP and Team Better Block to inform a broad audience of local leaders, policymakers, advocates and neighborhood residents about the many ways temporary projects can inspire positive community change. Continue reading