Age Friendly Pioneer Valley News

Making the Pioneer Valley a great place to live for people of all ages

December 7th, 2021

Pioneer Valley Age and Dementia Community Updates

The Age Friendly Pioneer Valley website is close to completion and will serve as a space for updates on communities doing the work of developing Age and Dementia Friendly Communities. The beginnings of the website may be viewed at http://www.pvpc.org/age-friendly-pioneer-valley. Please send any comments on the website to [email protected]. The website and this newsletter were created by our UMass intern Nicole Orent who has developed many of the outreach materials for the community assessment projects.

The Towns of Belchertown and South Hadley have received final designated as Age and Dementia Friendly Communities, having submitted their Community Assessments and Action Plans to AARP Massachusetts and Dementia Friendly Massachusetts. Final reports for both communities are on the website.

The City of Northampton and Town of Agawam have completed their Community Assessments and Action Plans, which are being reviewed by community leaders for final approval to submit the reports to AARP and Dementia Friendly Massachusetts. Draft reports for Northampton and Agawam will be available soon on the Age Friendly Pioneer Valley website.

The Town of Ware is also in the process of reviewing early drafts of and Age and Dementia Friendly Community Assessment and Action Plan. Email [email protected] if you would like to participate in developing the Action Plan for Ware.

Hadley and Monson's Livable Community Surveys are Open!

Hadley and Monson are in the process of conducting their Livable Community Surveys. If you live in one of these communities, take the survey online here, pick up a paper copy at the Senior Centers in both communities, and share our flyer below.

Take the Hadley Survey here!

Take the Monson Survey here!

Technical Assistance for Age and Dementia Friendly Planning and Regional Designation

PVPC is in the middle of the second year of a three-year grant from the Tufts Health Plan Foundation to assist communities in Hampden and Hampshire Counties to be Age and Dementia Friendly. The Town of Amherst is gearing up to start the planning process in January, and we have availability to assist additional communities that are ready to start planning or are in the middle of the process and could use some additional assistance with surveys, community engagement, and report development. Contact [email protected] to request assistance.

As we are finding common themes and priorities in many of the communities that we have worked with to date, we are also developing an application for designation as an Age and Dementia Friendly Region. This would require several communities to sign on in support of this application, and development of a regional advisory committee. Please contact Becky Basch at [email protected] if you are interested in signing on to this effort.

Upcoming Events

Dementia Awareness Training for First Responders

December 7th & January 7th

Alzheimer's Association is hosting an educational session for Fire and EMS to better recognize dementia and improve effectiveness when responding to people living with dementia and their caretakers. "Understand, Approach & Respond: Effective Interventions for First Responders in Working with People and Families Living with Dementia" will be on December 7th from 6:00-8:00PM and January 7th from 7:00-9:00AM. Learn more and register here.

Attend a Dementia Friend Information Session

December 15th, January 21st & January 25th

Dementia Friends Massachusetts is offering three zoom trainings to become a Dementia Friend! This 2.5 hour training will provide knowledge and materials needed to become a "Champion" Dementia Friend, allowing you to facilitate your own Dementia Friends sessions within your own community! Zoom trainings will be held on December 15th 1:00-3:30PM, January 21st 9:00-11:30AM, and January 25th 2:00-4:30PM. Learn more and register for a session here.

Age Friendly Pioneer Valley Quarterly Meeting

January 11th, 2022

The next quarterly meeting of the Age Friendly Pioneer Valley network is scheduled for January 11th from 1-3:00PM on Zoom. The topic of this meeting is Aging in Place, and will include discussion of Home Modification Loan Programs, and Village or Neighbor networks that can provide support for people to age in place. Please click here to register for this meeting.

Age and Dementia Friendly News

Berkshire Transportation Program Recognized in NADT Best Practices Compendium

The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center included Age-Friendly Berkshires and Berkshire Regional Planning Commission's transportation program as one of their best practices.

The grant program was funded by NADTC from 2017 to 2019 and developed a transportation program that paired local entities with surrounding communities to provide rides for older adults and people with disabilities.

Read NADTC's Best Practices Compendium here and see if any of these models can support your community!

Funding Opportunity- MassTrails

MassTrails grant applications are open until Tuesday, February 1st, 2022! Grants will support recreational trail and shared use path projects across Massachusetts. Eligible grant activities include project development, design, engineering, permitting, construction, and maintenance of recreational trails, shared use pathways, and the amenities that support trails.

Learn more about MassTrails Grants and get application materials here.

Senior Living Community at Lasell University Fosters Intergenerational Connections and Educational Opportunities

Lasell University in Newton Massachusetts was praised by AARP for their senior living community on campus. Older residents of Lasell Village live on campus and are required to take 450 hours of class each year. Older adults also have access to university health care, social activities, and fitness classes.

Read AARP's story here and learn how your community and surrounding university can partner with a senior living community.