Connecticut Age Well Collaborative

06/16/2026

Partnership for Strong Communities has a coming up next Friday, June 26 - The Intersection of Affordable Housing and Aging in Place. It's all about how Connecticut's housing landscape impacts older adults and the policy solutions and community resources that can better support aging populations across the state. Our Director, Alyssa Norwood, is honored to be presenting, along with Natalie Shurtleff from AARP and Jim Farrales from Continuum of Care. Register at https://tinyurl.com/49a2t7m9

Join us for the next conversation in our Intersectional webinar series! The Partnership is featuring advocates, policy experts and leaders in other sectors across Connecticut who aim to promote intersectional solutions to help address the critical need for diverse, accessible and affordable housing....

06/11/2026

Thinking about nominating an age-inclusive place or program for Age Well Across Connecticut... but stumped about what to say? Here's our advice: keep it simple and personal.

Back in 2024, one nominator wrote, "The Accessible Nature Trail at the Barnes Nature Center is a mile-long trail fully accessible to people using wheelchairs, strollers, walkers, and other mobility devices. Enjoying the health benefits of being outdoors and learning about the natural environment is important for people of all abilities and ages!"

It sounded so cool, we took our Steering Committee to the Nature Center for a quarterly meeting. More than a dozen folks were first-time visitors, and a handful of hardy souls put up their umbrellas and walked the accessible trail in the rain.

Now, start spreading the word about the local gems that are making YOUR community a great place to age well! You can submit as many as you like, and local picks from previous years can be nominated again. Nominations for the 2026 list close on June 30. Get started at https://tinyurl.com/546zuekt

06/09/2026

Our friends at the NH Alliance for Healthy Aging have a free webinar coming up on June 17. “Policy, Trends and State Strategies to Strengthen the Direct Care Workforce” will explore how federal and state policy changes are impacting the direct care workforce in New Hampshire, and what opportunities exist to strengthen and support this essential sector moving forward. Learn more and register at

• Learn how federal policy is evolving regarding the direct care workforce • Understand policy implications for New Hampshire's direct care workforce • Hear how NH is investing resources to support this critical workforce • Explore opportunities to engage

06/08/2026

We're excited to learn that Dementia Friendly America has released an updated set of sector guides! These free resources are designed to help community leaders, organizations, businesses, and advocates create more welcoming and supportive environments for people living with dementia and their care partners. Each practical, action-oriented guide offers simple, meaningful steps to improve communication, accessibility, inclusion, and service delivery. Check them out at https://dfamerica.org/sector-guides/

Sector Guides Donate today! Dementia Friendly America Sector Guides offer practical steps that organizations, professionals and community members can use to better support people living with dementia. Each guide provides simple actions tailored to each sector to strengthen communication, create supp...

06/05/2026

Glad to see the American Society on Aging rebut Samuel Moyn's opinion piece in the New York Times. Published in May, Moyn posited that older Americans are hoarding potential — controlling too much wealth, too many jobs, too many homes, and too many votes — and suggested punitive measures to counteract it.

As ASA rightly points out, this viewpoint is ageist and overlooks some important realities of aging in America. Poverty is rising among older adults. Over a third of Americans fear they have not saved enough for retirement and will need to continue working. The U.S. is short approximately 3.8 million housing units, and older adults are the fastest-growing group experiencing homelessness. Our problem isn't older people — it's inequality.

It's an important piece, and we hope you'll check it out. https://generations.asaging.org/when-a-yale-professor-calls-older-americans-the-problem-heres-whats-really-at-stake/

A response to Samuel Moyn's New York Times essay and a call to action for everyone in the aging sector.

06/04/2026

Are there local gems that make your community a great place to age well? Now is the time to nominate them for Age Well Across Connecticut!

Our community-nominated list celebrates places and programs that make our state more age-inclusive — from the best accessible attractions, to the most welcoming local businesses, to the most inspiring programs and initiatives.

Nominations for our 2026 list close on June 30. Nominating can take under 5 minutes, and you can submit as many as you like. Get started at https://tinyurl.com/546zuekt

06/03/2026

It's awesome to see how the community poster campaign that we helped the West Hartford Community Leaders Fellows get started has grown! New light pole banners featuring photos of community members are now up around town, promoting a positive narrative about growing up and growing older in West Hartford.

05/28/2026

Save the date! On September 15, we're hosting the first-ever AgeWellFest at the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center in Wethersfield. It's a two-part learning, networking, and celebration opportunity for every Connecticut community, with a public celebration of our 2026 Wellspring Award winners at 5:00 pm and a more intimate gathering at 1:30 pm for Community Leaders Fellows — present, past, potential future, and curious.

More details coming soon — stay tuned!

05/21/2026

Is there a hidden gem in your community that's making it a great place to age well? Inquiring minds want to know! Spread the word about your favorite age-inclusive places and programs by nominating them for Age Well Across Connecticut. Nominations for our 2026 list are due by June 30.

Your comments inspire visitors to check out places that are new to them — one nominator made The Next Chapter in West Hartford sound so cool, our team took a field trip to shop there!

"A great used bookstore! This shop is part of West Hartford Public Schools, developed to address the ongoing educational, vocational, social and communication needs of young adults with disabilities. It offers an incredible selection at great prices, ranging from preschool to adult — every year, I buy a stack of their $2 Birthday Book gift certificates as gifts!"

Nominating can take under 5 minutes, and you can submit as many as you like. Get started at https://tinyurl.com/546zuekt

05/19/2026

There's still time to register for our next — join us at LiveWell in Southington on Monday, June 1, from 1:30 to 4 pm.

In this session tailored specifically to municipal and nonprofit leaders, we'll explore how ageism impacts our lives and communities — and how you can build relationships within your community to work toward meaningful change. Register today at https://tinyurl.com/22pbusxb