Connecticut Age Well Collaborative

08/27/2026

Announcing our last — but definitely not least! — 2026 Wellspring Award winners! Lisa Bress and Cynthia Hyland are this year's individual award winners.

Lisa and Cynthia are both former participants of the Community Leaders Fellowship program, Collaborative Steering Committee members, and part of a team of co-authors of 'A Kids Book About Ageism.' They are profound difference-makers, and we're grateful for their invaluable contributions to the Collaborative's work.

Lisa is a retired educator with an M.S. in Special Education and an M.S. in Educational Leadership. She is currently caregiver for a loved one with dementia and has advocated for worker/disability-rights for over 35 years. While she was a Fellow, she served as the Deputy Mayor of Windsor.

Cynthia holds a master’s degree in Social Ecology and has a longtime interest in livable communities. Inspired by her learning during the Fellowship, she is now studying Health and Wellness Coaching with a minor in Critical Disability Studies at Southern Connecticut State University. She lives in Hamden with her husband and son.

We're celebrating Lisa and Cynthia — all the 2026 Wellspring Award winners — at AgeWellFest on September 15. Come join us! https://ctagewellcollaborative.org/agewellfest/

08/24/2026

The University of Michigan's National Poll on Healthy Aging recently found that LGBTQ+ people over 50 can face higher rates of age-related challenges than people over 50 who are not LGBTQ+. For example, LGBTQ+ people over 50 are more likely to report fair or poor mental health, activity-limiting disabilities, isolation, and lack of companionship.

The disparities are heartbreaking, but also critical to be aware of as we foster communities where every one of us can age well. We hope you'll check it out at https://tinyurl.com/4wt4vama

08/20/2026

We're especially excited to tell you about our next Wellspring Award winner — they've been chosen for our community organization award, which honors an exemplary Age Well Across CT site!

The Harry C. Barnes Memorial Nature Center is home to the Wallace Barnes Accessible Nature Trail, recognized in 2024 as one our first-ever Age Well Across CT community picks. This mile-long, fully-in-the woods trail represents the Center's incredible attention to detail and deep commitment to co-creation with trail users seeking an accessible trail. Since completing their trail, the Center has gone on to mentor other organizations seeking to build trails fully accessible to people using wheelchairs, strollers, walkers, and other mobility devices.

Join us to recognize the Barnes Memorial Nature Center — and three more award winners! — at AgeWellFest on September 15. https://ctagewellcollaborative.org/agewellfest/

08/13/2026

Announcing our next 2026 Wellspring Award winner... our partnership award goes to LiveWell.

LiveWell empowers individuals with dementia through innovative care and resources, and they share our values of fostering community, well-being, and belonging. Along with residential and support facilities, their campus features a beautiful café that is literally called "The Gathering Place." It's open to the public and helps normalize cognitive change by inviting the broader community into this space of vibrancy and connection. LiveWell has generously opened their campus to the Collaborative to host Daring Dialogues, Community Leaders Fellowship programs, and even team retreats — we're grateful for their continued partnership.

Join us at AgeWellFest on September 15 to recognize LiveWell — and all of our 2026 winners. https://ctagewellcollaborative.org/agewellfest/

08/11/2026

Point32Health Foundation - one of our key funders - recently released a report on the impact of their trust-based approach to philanthropy. It aims to dispel the myth that general operating support and accountability are at odds with one another.

The Foundation's support has been game-changing for the Collaborative — and we were fascinated to read about the meaningful impact that their philanthropy has provided for other organizations in New England, too. Check it out at

08/06/2026

This month, we're excited to reveal our 2026 Wellspring Award winners! These annual awards recognize local governments, partners, organizations, and individuals who are leading the effort to build Connecticut communities where we all can age well.

First up, our local government award goes to the Town of Avon, Connecticut. A participant in the 2026 Community Leaders Fellowship program, the Town of Avon has collaborated with older residents to create a local resource guide. Based on our framework to promote community livability, the guide also educates users on how ageism — internalized, interpersonal and institutional — can be a barrier to accessing the resources to successfully age in place.

We'll be honoring the Town of Avon — and three more winners! — at AgeWellFest on September 15. Join us! https://ctagewellcollaborative.org/agewellfest/

08/03/2026

AARP recently released the 2026 Longevity Economy Outlook, and it has some fascinating insights. From careers to caregiving, older Americans are powering economic growth and boosting the economy for everyone. There's work to be done, however — like thinking more carefully about how communities can help make longer working lives productive, rather than precarious.

Find the national report, plus individual state profiles, at https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/work-finances-retirement/economics-aging/longevity-economy-outlook/

People age 50 and older are fueling economic growth, stimulating jobs, and creating opportunities for all.

07/29/2026

Will we see you at on September 15? Don't forget — we're gathering at Wethersfield's Keeney Memorial Cultural Center to celebrate every age and every community in our state. Come at 5:00 to honor our winners, or join us at 1:30 in the afternoon for a deeper dive into our and other age-friendly initiatives that are transforming Connecticut communities.

Get all the details at https://ctagewellcollaborative.org/agewellfest/

07/27/2026

The Regional Plan Association is hosting a webinar this Wednesday, July 29, all about their latest report, “Homes on Track: Connecticut | Part Two: Building Thriving Communities Around Transit."

The conversation will review recent policy changes supporting transit-oriented communities (TOCs) in Connecticut and present an analytical framework to identify opportunities for commuter rail and bus rapid transit areas to support TOCs across the state. Register at

Join Regional Plan Association and other panelists to discuss our latest report, “Homes on Track: Connecticut — Part Two: Building Thriving Communities Around Transit." Moderated by RPA CT Director Pete Harrison and Pro-Homes CT Policy Director Phoebe Allen, this conversation follows significant...

07/23/2026

We're so excited to see that the ADA Coalition of Connecticut has made their outstanding ADA Coordinator Training Program available on-demand! Now you can work toward your CT ADA Coordinator certification at your convenience, on your schedule. Summer project, anyone?

Check it out at https://www.adacc.net/ada-coordinator-classes

Are you the ADA Contact for your municipality, business, school or organization or, just looking for more information about the ADA? Consider attending the State Conference, enrolling in our ADA Coordinator Certification classes or participating in our Members Only Lunch & Learns.