NEWS

Upcoming Events in Healthy Aging

Apr 15, 2026

The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative is pleased to promote the following events and learning opportunities that help promote inclusive age- and dementia friendly communities:

Join the Executive Office of Aging & Independence for a special April Caring for the Caregiver webinar in recognition of Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month. This session is designed for people living with Parkinson’s, family and care partners, and aging network professionals. Together, we’ll explore practical ways to strengthen the “Parkinson’s village” by building the right care team, connecting with community-based supports, and planning ahead with confidence. We are pleased to welcome Cathi Thomas, RN, MS, American Parkinson’s Disease Association (APDA) Information and Referral Coordinator and Program Director at the Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Center at Boston University Medical Campus; Anne Muskopf, OTR/L, Director of the Charlotte & Richard Okonow Parkinson’s Family Support Program at Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JF&CS) in Waltham; and Virgil Stucker, Care Partner and Coordinator of the Berkshire Parkinson’s Support Group at the Monterey Council on Aging.

Register here.

The Executive Office of Aging and Independence (AGE) and the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative are excited to bring you another Technology Learning Collaborative for Healthy Aging this Spring! The Technology Learning Collaborative is a forum to learn and share updates on best practices, funding opportunities, and partnerships regarding digital equity for older adults. On April 27th, we will hear from State Representative Lindsay Sabadosa and Adam Delmolino from the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association as our featured speakers to talk about digital equity advocacy.

Registration is available here.

  • Listening Session: Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Aging, May 6, 1:00 – 3:00 PM (in-person) Northampton Senior Center

The Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Aging invites a diverse group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and other identified (LGBTQ+) older adults, family, friends, and allies to join a dialogue about what is and isn’t working well for LGBTQ+ older adults and caregivers across the Commonwealth.

The Commission focuses on a number of key areas including: health, housing, and social connections for LGBTQ+ older adults and their caregivers, and making recommendations to improve access to benefits and services where appropriate and necessary.

To register, call 413-587-1228.

Join a transformative, one-day virtual conference focused on advancing scholarly expertise, practice, and dialogue about the needs of aging LGBTQIA+ adults and their caregivers.

With a keynote address, nine workshops, professional exchange, advocacy, and personal narratives, the event aims to bridge gaps, increase visibility, and promote equity in LGBTQIA+ aging.

Details and registration are available here.

On Wednesday, May 13th, 2026, the Alliance for Digital Equity and our partners across the state will convene 150-200 digital navigators working inside of healthcare systems, libraries, Councils on Aging, in businesses, at community-based organizations and municipalities to advance digital access and digital literacy across the Commonwealth. Co-designed by digital navigators working in the field, the program areas will focus on professional development and cross-pollination of strategies, networks and outcomes of this emerging field.

Details are available here.

This year’s Older Adult Behavioral Health Network (OABHN) conference, presented in collaboration with the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership, will focus on practice, policy and partnership in the aging and behavioral health fields. Join us to:

  • Discover how behavioral health and aging professionals can learn from one another and work together more effectively
  • Explore whole-person approaches that promote positive behavioral health and overall well-being in later life
  • Identify best practices for coordinated care across the continuum – from crisis intervention through recovery

Please note: CEUs are pending in the following practice areas: RN, SW and LMHC. Registration includes a light breakfast, lunch, and beverages.

Learn more and register here.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being deployed to support aging populations through applications such as remote monitoring, fall detection, cognitive assessment, and caregiver support.

This webinar presents a structured approach to moving from AI validation to evidence-driven deployment readiness for aging care systems. The session will explore lifecycle-based evaluation methods spanning data, model development, pilot testing, real-world deployment, and continuous monitoring. It will highlight approaches for assessing fairness across aging populations, ensuring safety in real-world environments, and generating structured evidence to support deployment decisions.

Details and registration are available here.

  • Dementia Friends Info Session & Champion Training, June 16th (virtual)

Be a Dementia Friend and learn the 5 key messages about how dementia affects people by attending a free, interactive 1-hour information session. Find an information session to attend at www.dementiafriendsma.org/find-a-session, or a recorded session at https://dfamerica.org/become-a-dementia-friend/.  

Become a Dementia Friends Champion and learn how to lead an information session for your community! Take part in a free, 3-hour volunteer training on Zoom. Champion trainings are held in English and upon account approval, you will receive access to all of our adapted and translated materials in 9 languages. (There is an option to attend only the first hour and 15 minutes for those who only want to become a Dementia Friend. Those who would like to become a Champion are required to attend the whole training.)