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Flip the Script on Aging: Celebrating Older Americans Month 2025
Each May, we observe Older Americans Month (OAM) to honor the invaluable contributions of older adults in our communities. The 2025 theme, "Flip the Script on Aging," encourages us to challenge outdated stereotypes and embrace the diverse...
Your Voice Matters: Join Us for Older Adult Lobby Day to Advocate for Older Americans Month
At the Massachusetts Councils on Aging (MCOA), we believe advocacy is a year-round commitment—but there’s one day that truly unites our voices on Beacon Hill: Older Adult Lobby Day. This powerful day of action brings together older adults...
The Importance of Community Connection
On a showery and windswept day last fall, while on vacation in Ireland, I had the privilege to meet Paddy, Sean and Seamus and was invited into their Men’s Shed on Achill Island in County Mayo. This was on my “Bucket List”, and you may...
Hayley Wood: Championing the Well-being of Older Adults
In a world often focused on challenges, it's refreshing to hear stories of dedication, compassion, and the profound rewards of serving others. Hayley Wood, MCOA's Economic Security and Outreach Manager, offers a unique perspective, shaped...
The Heartbeat of Community: Uplifting Lives Through Council on Aging Social Services
In the bustling heart of any community, there lies a network of support, a lifeline for those navigating the complexities of aging and life's challenges. At the Council on Aging (COA), social services play a pivotal role, weaving together...
From Corporate Calls to Community Champion: Randy’s Second Act
In the heart of Framingham, Massachusetts, amidst the bustling activity of the Callahan Center, a story of transformation unfolded. Randy Aylsworth, a seasoned professional with a background in the corporate world, found himself drawn to...
Bridging Theory and Practice: How Social Work Interns Make a Difference at the COA
For Andrew Sylvia, an advanced standing Master of Social Work Student at Bridgewater State, the path to social work felt like a "calling." His experiences working with children with behavioral disorders and his close relationship with his...
From Garden to Table: Cultivating Community and Healthy Aging at the Chicopee River Mills Senior Center
At the Chicopee River Mills Senior Center, food is more than just sustenance; it's a catalyst for connection, a tool for empowerment, and a cornerstone of healthy aging. Sherry Manyak, the center's director, and her staff have cultivated...
Discovering Healthy Aging at MCOA: Empowering Older Adults in Massachusetts
Want to know the secret to a thriving community of older adults? In Massachusetts, the answer lies in empowerment. The Massachusetts Councils on Aging (MCOA) is dedicated to equipping local Councils on Aging (COAs) with everything they...
Building an Age and Dementia Friendly Community: It Takes a Village (and a Region!)
A Conversation with James Fuccione of the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative When it comes to creating communities where older adults can thrive, James Fuccione, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative,...
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
Are You Joining the Walk to End Alzheimer’s?
It's that time of year again--time to join a team and show your support for people living with Alzheimer's and those who care for them. Walks in Massachusetts are happening on various dates this month--the earliest one coming up is Saturday, October 18. If you aren't...
Leveraging Local Cultural Council Grants
Many MA artists, performers, and other cultural program-creators routinely partner with senior centers to apply for Local Cultural Council grants. These grants, offered yearly, provide funds for arts programming that might otherwise be inaccessible to Councils on...
Advocating for Caregivers
An Act supporting family caregivers, S.1938/H.3159, has been scheduled for a hearing in the Joint Committee on Revenue on Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at 10:30am in Hearing Room A1 and Virtual. This bill is supported by MCOA. Staff members at Councils on Aging know...