March 2021

Project Update Greetings, As we approach six months since the launch of the Age-Friendly Project, we are very happy to be sending you this newsletter as a means to share project updates and other relevant items. During this time, we have introduced the Age-Friendly Communities model to a wide array of community stakeholders and elected officials, formed a regional steering committee and started offering age-and dementia-friendly education and training sessions. Here is a brief rundown of our progress so far: Countdown to receiving the age-friendly designation The enrollment process in AARP’s Age-Friendly Communities Network is designed to involve community leaders from different sectors in the project from the beginning. One essential part of this enrollment process is gaining the official support of local elected leaders in the form of a Commitment Letter requesting entry into the network. So far, with the partnership of local COAs, almost a third of the 30 towns in our area have voted in favor of joining AARP’s network, and several of them have already issued a Commitment Letter. We will continue to connect with COAs and Selectboards to enroll more towns, both before and after we apply for the regional age-friendly designation this spring. Please reach out to us if you would like your Selectboard to host a presentation next. ([email protected] / 413-773-5555 x2299) Age-and dementia Friendly training / education programs One aspect of the age-friendly project that we have already started implementing is community education and training programs around age and dementia related issues. Our first program was held in collaboration with the Western Mass Medical Reserve Corps and focused on the concept of Reframing Aging and how changing the way we talk about older adults can advance our work. Our second program was presented by the Alzheimer’s Association and in collaboration with OASIS council at Greenfield Community College. The same program, (Know the 10 Signs of Dementia), was offered again during this month’s North Quabbin Community Coalition public forum. All three of these programs were held virtually. We will continue to offer these informational sessions throughout the project, so please reach out to us if you or your organization are interested in hosting one or getting more info: ([email protected] / 413-773-5555 x2299) Click here to see a list of the programs currently being offered. Age-Friendly Project Steering Committee Members Our deepest gratitude to each of our steering committee members: Amanda Mankowsky - North Quabbin Community Coalition Cathy Savoy - Athol Council on Aging Christina Johnson - South County Senior Center Denise Schwartz - OASIS council at GCC Jeanne Dodge - Rainbow Elders Lisa Enzer - Movement Educator Liz Kelner - Interfaith Council of Franklin County Lynne Feldman - LifePath Mary Giannetti - Heywood Healthcare Rachel Stoler - FRCOG

Age-Friendly Funding Opportunity

The application period for this year's AARP Community Challenge grant program is open and will run through April 14.  Part of the nationwide AARP Livable Communities initiative, this program is intended to help communities make immediate improvements and jump-start long-term progress in support of residents of all ages. Since the program's debut in 2017, AARP has awarded more than $6 million through 560 grants.  Projects focused on transportation, housing, public places, COVID-19 response and other innovative community improvement efforts are encouraged to apply. Funding is available for rural communities. The online application can be accessed here. Email any questions to [email protected]

Healthy Aging Spotlight  With a growing focus on issues of healthy aging worldwide, we now have access to many more successful aging related models to inform and inspire our work. The World Health Organization's Global Network of Age-Friendly Communities has surpassed 1100 participating towns and cities, and many other innovative solutions are being created and tested by civil society and local governments. One of these success stories is the work of Ibasho, a non-profit that partners with local organizations and stakeholders to create socially integrated and sustainable communities that value their elders. Ibasho is a Japanese word that means "a place where one can feel at home and be oneself". Founded by Dr. Emi Kiyota, Ibasho's first project was implemented in 2012 in northern Japan in response to the effects of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Working with the nonprofit staff, local elders started by creating Ibasho House as a café and community hub where they can contribute to the rebuilding of their area. Years later, Ibasho house has grown to include a vegetable garden, a farmers’ market, a ramen noodle shop, a daycare, an evacuation center, and a community resource center in which elders teach cultural traditions to younger people. Since then, the Ibasho project has been replicated in the Philippines in 2014 and in Nepal in 2015. In both cases, the project staff worked with local elders to redefine their role in the community and honor their desire to serve others and create better intergenerational connections. Click here to learn more about Ibasho's history, approach and specific projects.

Contact info: For questions, comments, or if you would like to share a story or article through this newsletter, please reach out to Age-Friendly Project Manager Nour Elkhattaby Strauch at:  [email protected] 413-773-5555 x2299 Helpful Links: Age-Friendly Project Overview Age- and Dementia- Friendly Education Programs  Age-Friendly Project Slides

Subscribe to this newsletter

About the Age-Friendly project: LifePath's Age- and Dementia-Friendly Communities project is a community-led effort that aims to bring about policy and systems-level change to make Franklin County and the North Quabbin more livable for people of all ages, with a focus on older adults.

This global model was developed by the World Health Organization and has been adopted by over one thousand communities worldwide. Using an 8-domain model focused on both the built environment and the social environment, the project will convene and support regional stakeholders to assess the current needs of the older population and propose concrete steps to meet those needs, including policy and planning recommendations, community education programs and physical improvements. The Age-Friendly Project is supported by the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Fund, one of three funding opportunities created as a result of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's landmark revision of the Determination of Need regulation in 2017.