The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative is pleased to promote the following events that offer awareness, resources and other opportunities for stakeholders in the age- and dementia friendly movement:

• Alzheimer’s Association New England Family Conference – virtual, March 1st and 2nd from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm (both days)

This free, virtual conference is intended for those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia and their families. Sessions will feature notable guest speakers and include a panel of persons living with early stage dementia.

The Alzheimer’s Association will be offering live, simultaneous Spanish interpretation during the conference using Zoom’s built-in interpretation feature. Attendees can click the globe-shaped “Interpretation” icon in Zoom during the conference to select Spanish and hear the interpretation.

Details on the program, including presenters and registration info, is available here.

• Pension Action Center Summit to Fight Fraud – in person OR virtual, March 19th from 9am to 3pm

Sponsored by Investor Protection Trust, and presented with the Massachusetts Securities Division, the Pension Action Center will host an in-person convening on fraud prevention on Tuesday, March 19th, 2024.

Hosted in the UMass Ballroom space from 9am-3pm, with programming starting at 10am after a breakfast welcome reception, we will gather a group of experts in this field: guest speakers and panelists including several Q & A sessions. We aim to have presenters from community law enforcement, AARP MA, the Banker’s Association, state officials, in addition to other stakeholders and experts in this space.

Programming will likely include the following:  Secretary of State Galvin, Mike Festa from AARP MA, Anna-Marie Tabor from UMass Boston, Rachel Webber NWDA, as well as Undersecretary Layla D’Emilia.  This will be a hybrid event, live streamed for those who can’t join in person on the day.

Link to Register: https://www.alumni.umb.edu/s/1355/22/interior.aspx?sid=1355&gid=3&pgid=11393&content_id=19184

• Dementia Friends Champion Training, virtual via Zoom, March 24 from 1:00-4:00 pm

This training will give you the knowledge and materials you need to lead a Dementia Friends Information Session in your community. An Information Session is a face-to-face or virtual session that lasts about an hour. It covers the five key messages everyone should know about dementia through activities and discussion. The goal of the Dementia Friends Information Session is to help community members understand dementia and the simple things they can do to make a difference for people living with dementia.

Trainings are led in English. However, Champions can use materials in nine languages and for specific communities. Champion trainings are led by Beth Soltzberg, MSW.
Read about the Champion’s role and expectations. 

This Dementia Friends Champion Training is open to any adult and high school student in Massachusetts.

Please register by noon on March 20 by clicking this Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvce-vpzsrHNStvR3UXOkjizPzyjmKLWPx
You will receive an automated confirmation from Zoom, along with your unique link to join the meeting.

After completing a training, you will need to register as a Champion on the Dementia Friends Massachusetts website in order to obtain the Dementia Friends Information Session materials.

For more information, please contact Beth Soltzberg, Dementia Friends Massachusetts Lead, bsoltzberg@jfcsboston.org or 781-693-5628.