HYANNIS – The Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs has released a two-year progress report on efforts to create a state that is more age-friendly.
The process was initially started before the COVID-19 pandemic, and had to make a change of direction once the pandemic was underway.
By encouraging community involvement, the state attempted to better figure out and meet the needs of the older population.
A virtual celebration was held to celebrate May as “Older Americans Month” when the Executive Office of Elder Affairs released the two-year progress report.
The report details the steps taken and progress made so far in the multi-year plan.
Digital literacy and increasing dementia-friendliness were big focuses of the campaign.
Supporting the aging population through the pandemic, especially in health matters was and important point of 2020 operations of the plan.
Previously, a Governor’s Council to Address Aging was established by Executive Order 576 in the spring of 2017 to better address the needs of the older population.
The council recommended the state join the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities, which it ended up doing the following year.
The entirety of the plan can be found here.
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