Tag Archives: age-friendly communities

New Report Guides Efforts to Build Age- and Dementia Friendly Communities

News and Updates,

Over the past seven months, we’ve worked closely to align the efforts of the Collaborative with our partners working to build age- and dementia friendly communities across the Commonwealth.

Using as a guide the “Better Together” Report from AARP that crosswalks the age- and dementia friendly processes and toolkits, the Collaborative has coordinated outreach and engagement efforts with AARP-Massachusetts and Dementia Friendly Massachusetts. MHAC has also been working with those partners and the Alzheimer’s Association of Massachusetts/New Hampshire on tracking age- and dementia friendly commitments from cities and towns.

We now have a new resource to support these efforts. Tufts Health Plan Foundation just released the Report on Demographics, Programs, and Services for an Age- and Dementia-Friendly Commonwealth. This report provides a comprehensive look at the current activities and resources to support people living with dementia and their caregivers in our state. Research was conducted by Elizabeth Dugan, PhD, Nina M. Silverstein, PhD, Shuangshuang Wang, Bon Kim, and Natalie Pitheckoff from the Gerontology Institute of the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Continue reading →

Notice of Opportunity to Participate in DPH Community Health Initiative

News and Updates,

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) requests responses from individuals/organizations interested in participating on the new Determination of Need’s Community Health Initiative (CHI) Statewide Initiative Advisory Committee and/or the CHI Healthy Aging Fund Advisory Committee.

The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative (MHAC) encourages its members and partners to consider the Healthy Aging Fund Advisory Committee, specifically. DPH is partnering with the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) to establish and consult an Advisory Committee to develop and implement the CHI Healthy Aging Fund Initiative. MHAC applauds DPH and EOEA for prioritizing Healthy Aging as an area of focus. Continue reading →

Listening Sessions Announced for Governor’s Council to Address Aging in MA

Uncategorized,

Governor Charles D. Baker’s Council to Address Aging in Massachusetts will hold listening sessions to hear ideas about how to make the Commonwealth the most livable state for people of all ages. These sessions are a prime opportunity to shine a light on age-friendly and dementia friendly community efforts! Continue reading →

Age-Friendly Boston Reveals Progressive Action Plan

News and Updates, Stories from the Field, Systems and Best Practices

After a comprehensive assessment that drew the participation of more than 4,000 older adults from 23 neighborhoods across the city, Age-Friendly Boston announced a major milestone with the release of their 75-point action plan to enhance the quality of life for residents of all ages and abilities.

At an event emceed by Boston’s Commissioner for Affairs of the Elderly Emily Shea and featuring Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, AARP Massachusetts State Director Mike Festa, Tufts Health Plan Foundation president Nora Moreno Cargie, and Secretary for the state’s Executive Office of Elder Affairs Alice Bonner, the action plan was framed as the result of an impressive grassroots-style collaboration with the support of UMass Boston. The action plan was also touted as one of the most detailed and well-constructed that has crossed AARP’s review process. Continue reading →