The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative is pleased to promote the following events from our partners that support the age- and dementia friendly movement:

• MHAC Statewide Network Meeting, Sept. 23rd from 10:00 – 11:30 am (virtual)

Join the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative for our upcoming Statewide Network meeting!

These quarterly meetings provide a chance for any organization or community partner to connect with others around practices, policies, opportunities, and resources that support inclusive age- and dementia friendly efforts. On 9/23, attendees will hear from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on the recently announced awards from the Community Health and Healthy Aging Funds totaling $17.9 million. The 31 awardees will advance work in three areas:

1) Building healthier communities by advancing community-driven policies, systems and environments that make it easier for residents to lead healthy lives;

2) Coordinating community health improvement planning by bringing local partners together to identify health priorities and develop solutions; and

3) Supporting healthy aging through age-friendly policies, systems and community supports that help older adults live safely and independently.

Attendees will also hear from Meredith Boericke, ADU Program Director for the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP). Meredith oversees the the ADU Incentive Program, which is a statewide initiative administered by MHP in collaboration with Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (HLC) to help property owners evaluate and advance ADU projects. The program will support homeowners in obtaining professional feasibility studies to assess whether an ADU is possible on their property, what it may cost, and what steps are needed to move forward.

We will have space at the end of the meeting for partners that have updates to share on age- and dementia friendly initiatives. Those interested in sharing can contact James Fuccione at MHAC (James.Fuccione@mahealthyaging.org).

Registration is available here.

• Dementia Friends Info Session & Champion Training, Jewish Family & Children’s Service, Sept. 23rd from 9:30-12:30 (virtual)

This training will begin with a Dementia Friends information session that is open to the public, from 9:30 AM to 10:45 AM. Those who wish to become volunteer Champions are required to attend the whole training from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM.

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.)

• Questions: Visit dementiafriendsma.orgor contact Beth Soltzberg at bsoltzberg@jfcsboston.org

Dementia Friends is a global public awareness program that helps everyone in a community learn about dementia, how it affects people, and the simple things that we can all do to make a difference.

There are two ways to participate in Dementia Friends:

(1) Attend an information session to become a Dementia Friend.

(2) Attend a Champion training to learn to lead your own information session.

• To find a session:
  • Dementia Friends Massachusetts Champions schedule information sessions for the public throughout the year. Our materials are available in 8 languages and several English versions for specific ages and communities. In addition, Dementia Friends USA now offers a recorded information session with captions available in four languages.
  • To request an information session for a specific group, please email Beth.

• To find a Champion training:
  • Public champion trainings are held quarterly on Zoom. These are open to any adult or high school student in Massachusetts.
  • To inquire about the possibility of a Champion training for a specific group, please email Beth.