Leadership in Action: Meet 2026 Director of the Year Michelle Kelleher
Lexington’s Senior Services Director demonstrates how collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to inclusion can strengthen an entire community.
Great leadership isn’t always measured by the number of programs offered or events organized. Sometimes, it’s measured by the relationships built, the barriers removed, and the opportunities created for others.
For Michelle Kelleher, Senior Services Director for the Town of Lexington, that philosophy is at the heart of everything she does.
The Massachusetts Councils on Aging (MCOA) is proud to recognize Michelle as its 2026 Director of the Year, honoring her exceptional leadership, vision, and dedication to improving the lives of older adults.
For National Senior Center Month, an Irish “Men’s Shed” offers an idea worth bringing home.
Last year, while traveling in County Cork, Ireland, my husband and I visited a Men’s Shed in Allihies. We expected to see a workshop. What we found was something much bigger: a place where men could build things, contribute to their...
Innovation is Thriving at Massachusetts Councils on Aging! ✨
Every day, Councils on Aging across the Commonwealth are finding creative ways to engage older adults, strengthen communities, and redefine aging. Here are just a few recent highlights: 🏡 Dennis COA showcased the future of aging services...
MCOA Meets with National Council on Aging Leadership to Advance Healthy Aging
The Massachusetts Councils on Aging (MCOA) recently met with Ramsey Alwin, President and CEO of the National Council on Aging (NCOA), to strengthen collaboration and showcase the innovative work taking place in Councils on Aging and...
More Than a Newsletter: Creating Communications That Connect
For many Councils on Aging, the monthly newsletter remains one of the most important communication tools they produce. It keeps older adults informed about programs and services, shares important community resources, celebrates volunteers...
Building Skills. Strengthening Connections. Supporting Those Who Support Older Adults.
Every day, Council on Aging and Senior Center professionals step into conversations that require equal parts compassion, patience, and resilience. They help older adults navigate grief, isolation, mental health challenges, family...
Practical Philosophy for COAs: New Resources to Support Older Adults, Caregivers & Staff
At the Massachusetts Councils on Aging, we are always looking for creative, meaningful ways to support older adults, caregivers, and the professionals who serve them every day. That’s why we are excited to introduce a new collaboration...
A Different Kind of New Year Intention, Questions.
As another year begins, many of us felt the familiar pull to make resolutions, to do more, be better, fix what feels broken. But for those of us working with older adults, families, and communities through increasingly complex and...
Cultivating Connection: How Orleans Council on Aging Built a Welcoming Space for LGBTQ+ Older Adults
Cape Cod, especially the Lower Cape region, is home to a significant population of older adults, with nearly 60% of Orleans residents over the age of 60. Within this demographic lies a vibrant, yet sometimes isolated, LGBTQ+ community....
Bridging Divides: How OutstandingLife is Cultivating Connection and Combating Isolation for LGBTQ+ Older Adults
In Massachusetts, a significant grassroots effort is underway to combat loneliness and isolation among LGBTQ+ older adults. OutstandingLife, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit, has emerged as a vital online community, creating connections and...
Building Bridges and Fostering Belonging: Bourne Council on Aging’s Commitment to Inclusivity
The Bourne Council on Aging (COA), led by Director Debora Oliviere, serves residents aged 60 and above, a threshold tied to critical grant funding that supports many of their vital programs. Since assuming the director role in 2020, just...
MCOA Leads Dementia Friendly MA, Offering Resources and Grants
MCOA is the state lead for the Dementia Friendly Massachusetts (DFM) initiative, a community-based, grassroots movement to grow awareness, services, and infrastructure to support the lives of people living with dementia and their caregivers. Communities often choose to merge DFM goals with corresponding and overlapping goals for network membership in the Age-Friendly Massachusetts movement, which is steered by AARP-MA.
Latest News
MCOA Digital Equity & Senior Planet Readiness Survey
Building Digital Skills, Connections and Opportunities for Older Adults Across Massachusetts Estimated completion time: 15-20 minutes Introduction MCOA is exploring the opportunity to bring Senior Planet programming to more Councils on Aging and senior centers across...
Appealing Medicare Advantage Plan Denials: Worth the Effort!
Alice Bers, Elder Law Attorney with the Center for Medicare Advocacy and Community Legal Aid in Western MA, wrote a guest column for the Greenfield Recorder (July 21, 2026), encouraging enrollees of Medicare Advantage Plans and their advocates to appeal denials. Odds...
More Than a Newsletter: Creating Communications That Connect
For many Councils on Aging, the monthly newsletter remains one of the most important communication tools they produce. It keeps older adults informed about programs and services, shares important community resources, celebrates volunteers and participants, and tells...