Local Councils on Aging: Champions of Economic Security and Community Outreach for Older Adults
Enjoying the comforts of home as we grow older is everyone’s goal, and it comes with economic challenges. The Council on Aging network is here to serve as a bridge to multiple resources. We seek to amplify the voices of seniors, envisioning a future where graceful aging thrives within our communities. Together, let’s bolster our support, imagine and create new tools to increase wellbeing, and foster connectivity that makes aging in place a reality for everyone.
Monthly Outreach Zoom meetings
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Thursday January 9th: Tyler Compton from the Pension Action Center
Tyler Compton, Lead Attorney for the Pension Action Center at UMass Boston, will share information about their program. The Pension Action Center is staffed by experienced pension lawyers and pension counselors that help clients understand their rights under pension law and can assist clients in claiming retirement income benefits.
Register on the MyMCOA Infohub
- Thursday, February 13th: Julie Pearce from the South Hadley Council on Aging
Julie Pearce, Director of the South Hadley Council on Aging, will discuss the concept of vicarious trauma and suggest coping mechanisms for processing difficult experiences working with high-needs clients.
Register on the MyMCOA Infohub
- Thursday, March 13th: Mary Tibma from the MA Dept. of Family and Medical Leave and Sarah Stephens Winnay from Archangels
Register on the MyMCOA Infohub
If you have questions, contact: Hayley Wood, Economic Security & Outreach Manager, hayley@mcoaonline.org; 413-923-1939
Economic Security
The Massachusetts Councils on Aging (MCOA) actively supports Councils on Aging (COA) staff in promoting economic security and outreach for older adults through various initiatives and programs.
Here are some ways in which they assist:
- Training and Education: MCOA provides training and educational resources to COA staff to enhance their knowledge and skills in economic security and outreach strategies. This may include workshops on financial literacy, benefits counseling, and effective outreach techniques.
- Resource Allocation: MCOA allocates resources to support economic security programs, ensuring that COA staff have the necessary tools and funding to implement initiatives that enhance the financial well-being of older adults.
- Networking Opportunities: MCOA facilitates networking opportunities for COA staff, allowing them to connect with other professionals in the field. This enables the exchange of ideas and best practices related to economic security and outreach.
- Collaboration with Agencies: MCOA collaborates with relevant agencies and organizations to bring additional resources and expertise to COA staff. This collaborative effort helps in expanding outreach efforts and improving economic security programs.
- Information Dissemination: MCOA acts as a central hub for information dissemination. We ensure that COA staff are informed about the latest programs, services, and policies related to economic security and outreach, enabling them to better assist older adults.
- Grant Opportunities: MCOA may seek and provide information on available grants and funding opportunities that COA staff can leverage to enhance economic security initiatives and outreach programs.
- Advocacy: MCOA advocates for policies that support economic security for older adults at the local, state, and federal levels. This advocacy helps create an environment that is conducive to the economic well-being of older adults, benefiting both staff and the individuals they serve.
Through these avenues, the Massachusetts Councils on Aging play a crucial role in empowering COA staff to address economic security challenges and expand outreach efforts for the aging population.
Affordable housing seeking
- Housing Navigator MA Pro tip: If you see a unit listed as “first come, first served,” it means that unit is open
- Metrolist, Boston’s best bet for finding income-restricted housing
- Common Housing Application for MA Program (CHAMP), for housing managed by Local Housing Authorities
- Local Housing Authorities in MA
Tenancy preservation and legal services
- MassHousing Tenancy Preservation Program
- Contact information and program area map for regional offices in Boston, Northeast, Southeast, Worcester, Western MA
- Community Legal Aid has local offices in Central and Western and can offer free legal services to income-eligible people over 60. They also offer this useful list of self-help resources
- The MA Law Reform Institute supports advocates in several policy areas: economic and food security, healthcare, housing, and immigration to name a few
Funding for Renovations and Modifications
- Home Modification Loans for people with disabilities and/or older adults who need to adapt their homes for greater safety and comfort. Loans range from $1,000-$50,000, 0% interest, payment deferred
- Home Repair Programs in MA
- Pioneer Valley Planning Commission’s Housing Rehabilitation Program, deferred payment loans with 0% and no monthly payments; the maximum is usually $40,000
- Gateway Housing Rehabilitation Program
- USDA Grant for Repairing Single Family Homes in MA, CT, and RI
Financial Relief for Homeowners
- Reverse mortgages are mortgage loans for senior homeowners in which the mortgagor (the homeowner) is paid from their home equity, and repayment is due upon the sale of the home or the death of the resident mortgagor. The state both mandates counseling before taking out such a loan, and approves specific lenders.
- Property Tax Deferral for Seniors: Call your local assessor’s office for details.
Reports, Guides, and Articles
Housing for Older Adults (currently on MCOA website under “Resource Tools)
SHINE Program in MA
SHINE stands for Serving Health Insurance Needs for Everyone. Trained and certified SHINE counselors work in sites all over the state to provide expert assistance to Medicare enrollees and to support people who are planning to enroll. Most Councils on Aging provide access to local SHINE Counselor volunteers year-round.
- Find a SHINE Counselor in MA
- Become a SHINE Counselor in MA
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Medicare.gov
- Log in or create an account on Medicare.gov (All Medicare enrollees should have an online account, and they should be urged to save their passwords!)
- CMS’s overview video on the Plan Finder feature of Medicare.gov (2023)
- For questions regarding prescription drugs and drug plans, the MA College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Pharmacy Outreach Program is an excellent resource, staffed by pharmacists and SHINE counselors.
MassHealth
MassHealth is Massachusetts’ Medicaid program, providing health insurance programs to income- and asset-eligible people.
- Eligibility
- SACA-2 Application for MA people age 65 and older
- Senior Care Options for older adults who are enrolled in both Medicare and MassHealth (“dual-eligibles”)
- Community Health Centers in MA (CHCs, as well as many other practices and hospitals, serve MassHealth enrollees)
- Eligibility Redeterminations
Are you…
unemployed for the first time in your life and experiencing self-doubt about the future
unemployed at just the wrong time [college tuition, equity line, child’s wedding debt]
under-employed and cobbling together several part–time jobs to make ends meet
retired, but unfulfilled in your retired lifestyle
retired, but not able to afford to be fully retired and need to work
trying to re-enter the workforce after a lengthy employment gap
Check out the Resources at
50+ Job Seekers in MA Statewide Networking Group
The Discovery Center for Civic Engagement is housed in the COA where people age 55 and older can meet (virtually or in person) with a Coach/Mentor called a Transition Navigator to discover how to engage with nonprofits, governmental agencies and others by using their skills and experience in social purpose work and reaping the benefits of living purposeful, active lives.
Discovering What’s Next (DWN) will support you and your COA in implementing and sustaining a Discovery Center by:
- Conducting an Information Session to attract volunteer Transition Navigators and potential participants.
- Conducting Discovery Seminars, i.e. Discover Your Purpose, Discover Your Encore
- Conducting a 3-hour training session for new Transition Navigators and providing ongoing support
- Providing Transition Navigators with a Discovery Toolkit full of tips, tools, and resources
- Forming cohort groups so that COAs can share lessons learned, problem-solve and share best practices.
- Meeting with participating COAs and Transition Navigators in person and virtually (online)
- Sharing results of Discovery Center based on reports from each Transition Navigator.
- Providing marketing support for local print and media sources.
If you are interested in becoming a Discovery Center, please contact dguydan@gmail.com
Agencies Hosting Behavioral Health Outreach for Aging Populations (BHOAP) Programs
Formerly BHOAPs were known as Elder Mental Health Outreach Teams; their purpose and team-based structure remain the same.
Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts
Elder Services of Berkshire County
Elder Services of Worcester Area
Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center
Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services
Additional behavioral health resources administered by the Executive Office of Elder Affairs can be found on their Behavioral Health for Older Adults webpage.
Did You Know?
Almost 23% of Massachusetts residents are 60 or older (source: 2020 US Census) and nearly all of them would like to remain in their home communities as they continue to age. However, the high cost of living in the Commonwealth has led to the fact that “nearly 300,000 Massachusetts single or coupled residents aged 65 or older live with incomes below what it takes to cover essentials,” according to Jan E. Mutchler, Nidya Velasco Roldán, and Yan-Jhu Su, authors of “Living Below the Line: Economic Insecurity and Older Americans Insecurity in Massachusetts, 2022.”
Economic Security & Outreach Blog
The US Senate Special Committee on Aging Publishes The Consequences of Clutter
Some may remember that in March of this year the US Senate’s Special Committee on Aging distributed an RFI, seeking written testimony from people with lived experience and other stakeholders on the effects of hoarding. Committee members have finished their report, and...
The Driving Conversation and Carless Cost Savings
It’s not unusual for Senior Center personnel to witness some visitor driving that makes them question whether or not the driver should still be behind the wheel.
When Pharmacies Don’t Recognize Medicare Savings Plan Drug Pricing
More Medicare-enrollees than ever are now eligible for the Medicare Savings Program (MSP), which covers the monthly $174.70 Medicare Part B premium, eliminates some co-payments for outpatient services, and provides a program called Extra Help that significantly lowers prescription drug prices.
But sometimes a pharmacist over-charges for drugs because the customer’s MSP enrollment status has not been updated in any of the systems they use in order to know what to charge.
Housing Consumer Education Centers in MA
If you’re working with a clients on a housing search or improving their housing stability because of a landlord conflict or other issue, staff members at Housing Consumer Education Centers might be able to assist.
MA Housing with Connections to PACE
Housing authorities and management companies are still the gatekeepers and in charge of tenant screening and selection, but learning how to place a client on a waiting list for specific PACE-set-aside units will increase options for PACE enrollees.
Learning More about Supporting Housing Stability with MassHousing
MassHousing has an excellent series of trainings: Housing Stability Trainings. They provide support to housing advocates as well as property managers of rental units to increase their capacity to support tenants and cope in a fair and humane way with conflicts that arise.
Comprehensive Regional Database: 413CARES
Since 2019, western Massachusetts has been served by 413CARES.org, a database of resources in several important categories including, but not limited to: food, housing, transportation, caregiver support, mental health, substance use, reentry, digital resources, and mentoring.
The Affordable Connectivity Program Ending
The Affordable Connectivity Program, a broadband internet discount program funded by Congress and administered by the FCC, is discontinuing. Many MA residents will know this program as the LifeLine Program. The program stopped accepting applications on February 7,...
Connecting Clients to PACE
Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) are in sites spanning most of Massachusetts. They offer a strong opportunity for high-needs older adults to receive all the medical and social services they need in one place while continuing to live in their homes.
Money Management Services: Not a One Size Fits All Approach
I have never had a client accept help with their finances willingly, but I keep thinking about how we can describe available services in a way that makes it easier for someone who needs them to say yes.
Toolkits
What is a Memory Café?
A memory café is a welcoming place for people with forgetfulness or other changes in their thinking and for their family and friends. Memory cafés meet at a variety of places including coffeehouses, museums, or community organizations.
Each memory café is different.
Some cafés invite guest artists, some offer education about memory changes, and some are just for relaxing and chatting. But all cafés share one goal: to help guests feel comfortable and to know that they are not alone.
Cafés are a place to talk with others who understand what you are going through, to forget about limitations and instead focus on strengths, to enjoy others’ company, and to explore something new.
Find out more through Beth Soltzberg at JF&CS:
bsoltzberg@jfcsboston.org
Motion Picture Licensing
Movies at the Senior Center
The Massachusetts Councils on Aging (MCOA) has a long-standing working relationship with Motion Picture Licensing Corporation (MPLC) to provide members with a discount on MPLC’s Umbrella License® which allows senior centers to play movies legally for activities and events.
Would your center like to schedule a senior matinée, holiday movie, or classic film festival? Senior centers that wish to play movies that are legally obtained, whether rented, purchased, or borrowed via DVD, downloaded, or through a streaming service, must have a public performance license to comply with the US Copyright Act. While noncompliance carries steep and significant penalties, it is equally important to program activities at your center legally and with integrity.
The MPLC Umbrella License is a simple and affordable copyright compliance solution. This annual license keeps you safe from the fines and embarrassment that a copyright violation can impose upon your center, and gives you low-cost access to a variety of titles from over 1,000 motion picture rightsholders, ranging from major Hollywood studios like Disney, Warner Bros., and Twentieth Century Fox, to independent and family friendly producers.
Our members can purchase an annual license from MPLC at a reduced rate of over 35% off the standard non-member rate.
If you currently show movies at your senior center or wish to start, you need the Umbrella License. Classic films, educational programs, holiday favorites, and movie matinées are all a click away with a public performance license from MPLC. See the full list of studios affiliated with your license here.
To ensure copyright compliance at your senior center, simply complete the application provided in the custom brochure for MCOA members. For questions and additional information about MPLC’s simple and affordable license, please contact MPLC directly at (800) 462-8855 to take advantage of the MCOA member discount. If you are currently an MPLC license holder, there is no need to reapply; MPLC will send you a renewal license and invoice directly.
Obtaining the Umbrella License is a simple one-step process that will allow your seniors to enjoy Hollywood movies and give you legal peace of mind.
Download the brochure to see details on licensing.
Questions?
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- mplc.org
- (800) 462-8855