Age-Friendly City

Age-Friendly Health & Tech Showcase

in Honor of Older Americans Month

On May 31, the Live Well Springfield Age-friendly Coalition, in collaboration with the Aging Unbound Department of Alder Affairs Outreach Division, hosted an Age-friendly Health and Tech Showcase for over 125 older adult residents and community participants at the Raymond A. Jordan Senior Center. 

 

In the morning attendees participated in two workshops for older adults and caregivers. Tech Spring and Live Well Springfield hosted a workshop with 30 - 40 older adults and caregivers to understand their motivation and hesitation about health solutions at home. The Alliance for Digital Equity hosted the second workshop introducing a cyber senior peer-to-peer model. Participants had the opportunity to visit vendors specializing in health, tech, wellness, and the digital divide throughout the duration of the event.  

 

Attendees heard remarks from Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Commissioner of Health and Human Services Helen Caulton-Harris, State Representative Bud L. Williams, Public Health Institute's Executive Director Jessica Collins, and Eliana Gutierrez of the Department of Elder Affairs.  

 

Press Coverage : 

 

Highlights from our event can be seen below in our recap video. 

 Age-Friendly Recap Video

Age-Friendly Summit Declaring Springfield the

1st To Have An Age-Friendly City, Dementia Friendly City, With An Age-Friendly Hospital System


The LWS Age-Friendly Cities Initiative works with community partners and residents to assess the racial inequities and access issues for older adults in the Age-Friendly domains of housing, transportation, health, and community services. 


Through funding from Massachusetts Community Health and Healthy Aging Fund and Tufts Health Plan Foundation, now Point32 Foundation, we're working to assess the Health Impacts of older adults living with a CORI. The Health Impact Assessment report highlights the lived disparities of a CORI record and recommendations for policy and practice change. We aligned this detailed report with lived experience of resident advocates most impacted by this barrier. 


As the nation’s first triple designated city, the coalition is working with age-friendly partners to advance health care at home options for older adults while addressing digital divide barriers. Motivations for an Age-Friendly Ecosystem stem from the findings of the 2019 Age Friendly City Report [PDF] and Terry Fulmer's Moving Towards a Global Age-Friendly Ecosystem Report. 


State Representative Bud Williams presented the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts with a citation at our Age-Friendly Health & Tech Showcase, on May 31, 2023, for advancing the goals of our age-friendly initiative in Springfield. 


The Live Well Springfield (LWS) Age-Friendly City initiative aims to make a community where older adults can thrive and lead healthy, productive lives. 


For a look at the initiatives we’ve worked on over the past few years, check out our 2019 Age Friendly City Report [PDF].

See our most recent Age Friendly Transportation and Housing Assessment findings. For more information, please contact Samantha Hamilton, Live Well Springfield Coalition Director Samantha Hamilton, via phone at: 413-794-2807, or email at: shamilton@publichealthwm.org. 

Age-Friendly City Initiative Committee

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