Aging Matters Blog & Newsletter
My Healthy Brain: When Research and Community Partnerships Come Together
A collaborative initiative between MCOA, Mass General Brigham researchers, and local Councils on Aging is helping older adults take an active role in their brain health—with promising early results. What happens when leading researchers partner with the people who...
A Voice for Older Adults: Patricia Baker Honored with 2026 David P. Stevens Advocacy Award
Recognizing a lifetime of advocacy, collaboration, and commitment to ensuring older adults have access to the resources they need to thrive. Advocacy is about more than changing policies. It's about listening, building relationships, removing barriers, and making sure...
Connecting Massachusetts: MCOA’s New Statewide Senior Planet Initiative
A new statewide initiative will expand opportunities for older adults to build digital confidence, explore technology, and stay connected to the world around them. Technology touches nearly every part of daily life. From connecting with family and friends to managing...
Focused on What Matters: Explore the Winning Photographs and Stories
Stories Through the Lens MCOA's First Annual Photo Contest 63 Entries. 125 Photographs. Countless Stories. Sometimes a photograph tells a story that numbers alone cannot. For our inaugural photo contest, Focused on What Matters: Supporting Our Older Adults, Councils...
Innovation Has No Age Limit: Ashland’s Award-Winning Digital Literacy Lab
How one Council on Aging transformed an aging computer lab into a welcoming space for learning, confidence, and connection. Sometimes innovation doesn't mean building something new. It means looking at what already exists and imagining what it could become. That's...
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...
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 community, learn new skills and,...
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 during its Innovation Open...
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 senior centers across...
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...