2025 MCOA Fall Conference Sessions

After the keynote, join Steve for an engaging Q&A where he dives deeper into your questions about fostering optimism, building resilient teams, and bringing a playful mindset to your work and life. This is your chance to connect directly and walk away with even more practical insights tailored to your organization’s needs.

In this humorous, yet informative presentation, Robert Rivest shares his joyful journey in the performing arts, the healing arts, and the art and science of laughter. He then teaches several ways to bring more happiness and joy into our everyday life. Robert will lead participants in the joyful practice of Wellbeing Laughter. Wellbeing Laughter is a health and wellness practice that helps free the body and mind of stress and anxiety, in a light-hearted way. Participants learn science-based methods such as mindful breathing, gentle movement, and healing laughter, as a creative way to optimize wellbeing, happiness and joy.

Collaboration between Aging Service Access Points (ASAPs) and Councils On Aging (COAs) is crucial to ensuring that older adults in your community have access to the full array of services they need to remain living with dignity and independence at home where they want to be. Learn about the wide range of services that ASAPs provide and the important role that COAs play in connecting older adults and their caregivers to these supports. This training will provide COA staff with a clear understanding of how ASAPs and COAs can effectively collaborate, align support efforts, and advocate for the needs of older adults across Massachusetts.

Are you curious about Memory Cafes; interested in starting a Memory Café or looking for new ideas for your existing Memory Café? Join Susan Curtin, Director and Kristin Agganis, Dementia Friendly Coordinator of the Norwell Council on Aging to learn about their successful Forget Me Not Café Program that began in 2023 with 6 participants and has served over 120 people from 14 communities! In this session, you’ll learn tips about program planning, funding and marketing for any stage, as well as experience a mini café program. Participants are invited to bring their ideas, best practices, and successes to share with others during a roundtable discussion. Participants will then leave with a toolkit to help guide their own Memory Café program.

Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact Andrea@mcoaonline.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. Professionals working in direct care, those new to the field, or seasoned professionals who want a refresher on dementia care best practices will benefit from this presentation. This session will provide professionals with an overview of Alzheimer’s disease including a deeper understanding of dementia, knowing the ten warning signs, and modifiable risk factors with an emphasis on the importance of early detection. As people living with dementia progress in their journey, their ability to communicate also changes. Professionals must discover new ways to communicate effectively for all stages of the disease. Body language and looking beyond the words for communication becomes key for effective communication. Participants will gain an understanding of dementia vs Alzheimer's, be able to identify three warning signs of dementia and develop strategies for effective communication.

Join fellow mobility coordinators for our third annual roundtable discussion to ask questions, problem solve, and learn from one another about the most efficient ways to accommodate transportation needs within our communities.

What can we learn on our own that will help us dig out of Burnout? There’s a lot to be said about things that help with burnout: build resilience, be mindful, make time to process your emotions, indulge in self care, do your shadow work, communicate better, be compassionate towards yourself... We'll break down the skills that resilience is made of, and see how they combine to help us dig out of burnout, slow our descent, and help us stay ahead of burnout in the future.

We do! Join seasoned COA Directors Jodi Zepke and Janice Fitzgerald for an informal conversation about the challenges you face every day - staffing issues, senior concerns, policy headaches, building dilemmas, and more. Bring your questions and ideas, and leave with new perspectives, shared strategies, and the reassurance that you’re not in this alone.

Hoarding disorder is a complex and often misunderstood mental health condition that significantly impacts the well-being of many Older Adults. Beyond creating safety hazards, hoarding can also affect physical and medical health, yet interventions often focus solely on cleanup rather than addressing the root causes of the behavior. This workshop will explore hoarding behaviors within the Older Adult population, examining underlying psychological and environmental factors and the broader impact on their health and quality of life. Participants will gain essential knowledge, skills, and strategies to effectively support Older Adults struggling with hoarding. Emphasizing empathy and sustainable solutions, the session will provide practical approaches for protective services worker, mental health professionals, social workers, caregivers, and anyone seeking to navigate hoarding situations with sensitivity and effectiveness. By attending, you will be equipped with the tools and insights needed to foster positive change and improve the lives of those affected by hoarding disorder.

Join us for a look at how COA's and police departments can team up to build safer, more connected communities. Through real-world examples, creative partnerships, and a few cups of coffee, this session will discuss how collaboration between COA's and police departments leads to big wins for public safety, trust, and engagement. You’ll walk away with best practices, ideas to overcome the barriers, and fresh ideas, to take back to your community.

Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact Andrea@mcoaonline.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasizes the importance of strong vaccine confidence within communities to reduce disease outbreaks and improve health outcomes. Trusted messengers, like Councils on Aging, play a crucial role in increasing vaccine acceptance by delivering public health messages in culturally sensitive and understandable ways. These messengers can build trust through empathy, creating safe spaces for conversations, and long-term reliability. Councils on Aging staff have the opportunity to share reliable health information that enables seniors to make informed health decisions regarding vaccines, thereby improving their own health, and the public’s health in general. The Massachusetts Vaccine Confidence Project offers this session on understanding the facts that contribute to vaccine confidence such as historical factors, misinformation, and trust. The session will also include communication strategies (motivational interviewing) that can improve conversations about vaccines.

The film WHY WE DANCE documents a beloved Zumba Gold dance class hosted by the Newton Department of Older Adult Services; the dancers, mostly women, range in age from 49 to 85. The film explores why we dance even as we age, and what we get from doing it. We consider two related forms of movement: each dancer’s unique physical embodiment, and our movement from one phase of life to another, seeking renewed zest, strength, community, and relevance as we age. The dance teacher Ketty Rosenfeld, an Indonesian immigrant in her early 60s, is the film’s driving force, and many students in this class are immigrants. This is a personal, hands-on project. The Covid pandemic impelled us to learn how to film ourselves dancing and revealed to us that we older people have a special capacity for resilience in hard times. We’ll show the 36-minute film, and then, after brief remarks from our workshop leaders, we’ll open a discussion with attendees about the many issues the film raises.

Older adults experiencing homelessness or living under guardianship are among the most isolated and underserved in our communities. This presentation shares frontline insights, practical strategies, and real stories from outreach efforts to connect with these individuals — many of whom have no voice, no visitors, and no one truly acting in their best interest. Learn how to navigate complex systems, leverage public records, and build interagency collaborations to create real impact.

Attendees interested in dementia friendly work and those from communities who are actively engaged are invited to attend a peer-to-peer conversation about their process, accomplishments large and small, and tips for maintaining a commitment to making their communities more welcoming places where people living with dementia and their caregivers can thrive.

The discussion will be focused on providing a basic 'Kitchen Management 101' course designed specifically for senior center nutrition programs resulting in improved communications between the departments and maximizing the overall impact on the senior community each serves. Although highly skilled, educated and credentialed in providing supportive services to a senior population, the running of a commercial kitchen is usually not part of a director's skill set. It is, in fact a full- blown manufacturing facility operating within the building. They are responsible for its success (or failure) yet more often than not aren't comfortable taking a leadership position in its day-to-day operation. Therein lies the gap that this seminar is intended to bridge.

In the summer of 2024, the Melrose Council on Aging hosted a two week long, Olympics themed program. This was the first attempt at an 'event series' where multiple activities were connected under one umbrella. Over the course of nine days, the Milano Center hosted 34 events included in this series, 186 different participants, and 398 check-ins! It was a great opportunity to highlight existing programs that needed more participation, soft-launch new activities to gauge interest, and create a friendly competition that participants loved! The best part? This event was a low cost because it used many existing supplies and activities the center already offered. At the closing ceremonies, participants were already requesting that this event become a yearly opportunity. This presentation will provide you with tips and tricks on how to run your own program series based on current events. The Milano Center has used this model to celebrate other themes including The Oscars, The Kentucky Derby, and Mardi Gras. An 'event series' model creates greater interest from participants and can make monthly planning a breeze!

Most older adults would prefer to age at home, but chronic illness like dementia make the goal of aging at home out of reach absent of support. Further, an aging population is adding strain on community resources, healthcare systems, and our caregivers. There is significant need for enabling at home care solutions to scale and to reduce caregiver fatigue. AgeTech, digital technologies built around the needs of older adults that include them in the design process, have the potential to provide a needed scaling factor. MassAITC, one of three NIA funded AI centers for aging research, is funding pilots to accelerate the development of AgeTech, including AI, to empower older adults to age within their communities. In this session, MassAITC will discuss the current landscape of technologies that are enabling older adults with dementia to age at home with a lens towards wearables, passive sensors, and mobile devices. Attendees will hear from three pilots that are developing AgeTech solutions for dementia care support.

The Role of Movement & Strength in Aging Well How COA's, personal trainers, and physical therapists can team up to support seniors to create joint movement programs that are accessible, adaptable, and community-driven and how local organizations can collaborate to make strength training more accessible for older adults.

This interactive session is designed for Council on Aging staff who want to enhance their event marketing and storytelling through high-quality phone photography and video.

Effecting up to six percent of the population, hoarding disorder has a significant impact on not only the individual but the community in which the individual lives. Despite being a mental health condition, hoarding disorder is best addressed through a collaborative approach between community partners. Appropriate identification, rating and treatment can improve the life of the individual impacted and reduce the overall effect on the community.

Come learn how a regional model of collaboration has helped COA Directors on Cape Cod partner and work collectively to leverage connections and promote a progressive perception of aging and the work of Councils on Aging.

Social prescribing, or culturally relevant access to arts and cultural programming, is an effective and readily available means of addressing mental illness, social isolation, and loneliness, and an effective way to reduce overall healthcare costs. Social prescribing has been shown to reduce ED visits, increase adherence to chronic disease management, and allows healthcare providers and payors an opportunity to get ahead of mental health and loneliness epidemics, particularly within senior populations. Art Pharmacy is a national non-pharmaceutical mental health solution for healthcare providers to prescribe arts interventions to individuals with a range of health concerns. Art Pharmacy works with health plans, health systems, universities, and community partners to enable arts-based social prescribing, the prescription of arts and culture programming for physical and mental health needs. This can include arts and dance classes, seniors-focused events, museum exhibitions, and more to combat the loneliness epidemic.

Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact Andrea@mcoaonline.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. Senior isolation is a growing public health crisis with serious emotional and physical consequences. In this session, Nolan Zibrak, founder of GoldenVoice Outreach, shares his research on the impacts of senior loneliness and presents a scalable, low-cost model that connects isolated older adults with consistent companionship through weekly phone calls. Attendees will learn actionable strategies to implement similar outreach in their own communities.

This session is designed for staff and volunteers who may find themselves in a role where Medicare beneficiaries are asking for advice — particularly when SHINE appointments are fully booked. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of Medicare coverage options, including the differences between Medicare Advantage and Supplement plans, and learn how to respond to common and basic questions to offer support. The session also includes tips on where to direct individuals for additional trusted resources. You'll leave better prepared to support your community during the Annual Election Period (Oct 15–Dec 7)

Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact Andrea@mcoaonline.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. In April of 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) accepted close to 400 organizations across the US to deliver a new comprehensive dementia care pilot program – the GUIDE (“Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience”) Model – which will run through June 2032. This presentation will cover the components of the GUIDE Model, the dementia intervention research that informed the model, and how GUIDE fits into the larger dementia care landscape. The presentation will describe how different sites in Massachusetts are implementing the GUIDE Model and how to refer patients to receive care. A case example of a patient-caregiver dyad will bring to life how care is delivered in the GUIDE Program at McLean Hospital. There will be time for questions and discussion with the audience.

Since 1979, MetroWest Mediation Services has been providing community and family dispute mediation. Our elder care mediation offers an opportunity for seniors to address issues around future plans, current care, and familial responsibilities in a collaborative manner. In this workshop, presented by professionally trained mediators, attendees will learn essential conflict resolution skills tailored for working with elders and their families. Attendees will also learn about the various services available through MetroWest Mediation Services, enhancing their ability to support aging individuals and their families effectively. Whether you are a family member, a caregiver, or a professional in the field, you will leave with a deeper understanding of conflict resolution skills and the resources available to support seniors and their families. Join us to enhance your skills, expand your knowledge, and make a positive impact on the lives of aging individuals and their families.

Are you interested in innovating, expanding, or joining the age- and dementiafriendly movement? Then join us to hear all about the state’s new multisector ageand dementia-friendly plan. Governor Healey released ReiMAgine Aging 2030: The Massachusetts Plan earlier this year as an update to the state’s vision and aspirations for growing older in the Commonwealth. In this session we will discuss the process of refreshing the state Plan, the Plan’s strategies, and outline how you can use the state Plan as a roadmap to enhance, amplify, support, or begin your own age-friendly journey. This Plan provides a framework and guidance to support communities and partners, to reflect on their communities’ unique needs, align where possible, and prioritize their age- and dementia-friendly actions. Come along and learn more about how to become a champion of the Plan today and ensure Massachusetts is a great place for everyone to grow old and thrive!

Two local assessors will conduct a round-table discussion on how your local Assessor's Office can work in cooperation with Senior Center Directors, Council on Aging members and Outreach workers to help people in your community take advantage of all the property tax relief they are entitled to receive. Assessors Kevin Rudden (Holliston) and Sherrie Bates (Mendon) will talk about how they work with their local Senior Centers to publicize what programs are available, who can fill out necessary paperwork, and how to petition the state legislature to pass your own local Means tested Senior Citizen Property Tax Exemption.

Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact Andrea@mcoaonline.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. This session offers practical insights into Medicare’s parts, eligibility, and enrollment, with a focus on using the Medicare Plan Finder tool. Attendees will learn how to compare plans, costs, and providers, and how to guide beneficiaries in choosing the best coverage for their needs and budget. Bring your laptop or tablet for this hands-on session.

The genealogy community is uniquely suited to support and promote healthy aging. In this very informative session, Jeff will demonstrate how genealogy helps seniors connect with their families as well as other seniors. This presentation will include topics such as: how family history research supports healthy aging; unique activities that support this unique community; how the family history community helps energize all seniors; and how research, analysis and writing stimulate brain activity. Ideas will be presented to assist you in starting a genealogy club at your senior center. This is a hands-on presentation where we will go to some actual genealogy sites. There will be time for questions at the end; and a hand-out with useful information to get you started, will be provided.

Andrea Cordis, Training and Education Manager and Kelly Burke, Member Services Manager will co-present a workshop specifically designed for new COA Directors, offering strategies and insights to help them navigate their roles with confidence and success. New Directors 101, a foundational workshop designed to introduce new COA Directors to MCOA’s team, key resources, and highlights from the InfoHub. The session will conclude with dedicated time for networking, allowing attendees to connect, share experiences, and build a strong peer network from the start of their leadership journey.

This session will share actionable lessons learned from designing and renovating senior centers across the country. Attendees will gain insights into understanding user needs, creating adaptable spaces, and addressing challenges such as budget constraints. Through case studies and practical advice, we'll demonstrate how thoughtful architectural design and collaboration with architects can enhance senior centers' ability to serve their communities effectively.

Presented by the Massachusetts SHINE program at the Executive Office of Aging and Independence, this informative session will explore a range of strategies to help Medicare beneficiaries better manage their health care costs. Participants will learn about key federal and state programs that provide financial assistance, along with practical tips and lesser-known strategies for choosing affordable medical and prescription drug coverage. This presentation may be especially valuable for outreach professionals, social workers, and Council on Aging staff who support older adults facing financial challenges.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the digital divide in older adults. On top of that, the digital sphere continues to evolve. Findings from these situations have taught us how to pay better attention to the benefits and harms of the digital sphere on older adults. One approach to tackle this issue is investing in the community relationships that were built through the Enhancing Digital Literacy for Older Adults and Hybrid Programming for Councils on Aging grants. In this talk, we will illustrate various examples from these grants and feature a couple of grantees to show how COAs and older adults benefited from new relationships with previously unknown partners. Individually, we all possess a wealth of knowledge and experience. Collectively, we can tackle digital inequity effectively. We hope this presentation will allow you to start or continue thinking of new and creative ways for partnerships to address this need. Together, let’s discuss how we can continue to create a more digitally equitable world for older adults.

AGE Assistant Director Jodi Breidel will moderate a panel discussion of five COA Directors presenting the successes and challenges of implementing a Field Demonstration Grant.

Protective Services (PS) in Massachusetts is dedicated to safeguarding Older Adults 60 years and older living in the community from Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation and Self-Neglect. This workshop will provide an overview of the PS network; the types of Abuse investigated; signs and symptoms; what happens once a report is made; and how we can work together to best protect and support Older Adults in the community. PS collaborates closely with community partners to ensure comprehensive protection and support for Older Adults and Adult Protective Services in Massachusetts plays a crucial role in protecting these vulnerable adults. Unfortunately, Protective Services cannot often resolve these situations alone and rely on the partnering of their community allies. By working collaboratively with community partners, PS can ensure a robust support system that effectively addresses the needs of at-risk individuals and prevents Abuse. Community involvement and cooperation are key to creating a safer environment for all adults.

The Dementia Care Planning Tool kit was developed by the Care Planning Work Group of the Massachusetts Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Disease and All Dementias to assist those living with dementia and care partners as well as professionals to help identify priorities of care and what matters and communicate this to providers.

Designed as a follow-up to New Directors 101, New Directors 201 is geared toward Council on Aging Directors who have settled into their roles and are now navigating the more complex aspects of leadership and community engagement.

The workshop on our internship program aligns with the themes of Social Support and inclusion, and Employment and job Training and highlights its impact on workforce development in the ASAP and human services field.

Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact Andrea@mcoaonline.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. This roundtable will focus on loneliness and social isolation among older adults who attend senior centers across Massachusetts. Presenters will describe a new research project comparing two evidence-based approaches: group cognitive behavioral therapy and social prescribing. Attendees will learn about communityengaged research practices, including strategies for building trust and codeveloping interventions with older adults and community leaders. Presenters will also introduce a collaborative opportunity for senior centers to participate in the research study. A key goal of this session is to invite senior center staff to share their insights about current challenges and to co-develop feasible, scalable, and impactful solutions together. The session will include a facilitated discussion to understand barriers to addressing loneliness, identify service gaps, and generate ideas for future innovation in partnership with senior center leaders.

Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact Andrea@mcoaonline.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. The family caregiver population is growing with the aging of the population, and they form a vital part of the supportive care for older adults. The healthcare sector presents as a critical access point for older adults and caregivers, yet the healthcare sector is still not adequately trained to support them. This is reflected in the research findings that highlight how caregivers do not feel adequately understood nor receive adequate preparation around caregiving. What needs to be done? More education and training of professionals about the challenges faced by caregivers is needed, along with knowledge of the resources available in the community as well as support and recognition of caregivers' efforts. This presentation provides an overview of what training is essential for healthcare workers in order to ensure that they are better prepared to effectively support family caregivers.

Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES) promotes the health and independence of older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers residing in 11 communities north of Boston, Massachusetts as an Aging Service Access Point, Area Agency on Aging and an Aging and Disability Resource Consortium. We will present an overview of how MVES has developed an innovative co-located respite program to benefit both caregivers and care recipients in conjunction with our local Councils on Aging. This presentation will begin with an overview of MVES and our caregiver support program with a focus on our enhanced co-located respite offerings. We will focus on how MVES developed these respite programs through support of the Councils on Aging, our lessons learned, and the benefits for both caregivers and care recipients.

Movies help us to learn by watching a person's story unfold right in front of us. They help us to see through a window into the actual lives of real people facing real challenges, struggles, love, and loss. Watching together and then discussing what we saw, felt, and 'experienced,' often encourages and even inspires us to learn about and consider other life and death choices than we had previously thought of.

Learn the pros & cons of Reverse Mortgages and how to use one as a financial resource to stay in your home, or how to use a Reverse Mortgage as part of purchasing a new home when you're looking to relocate.

The Supportive Day Program (SDP) Business Model offers a practical foundation for establishing a COA-based Supportive Day Program designed to support individuals with mild to moderate dementia. The presentation will include an introduction to municipal collaboration, recommended staffing requirements, funding opportunities, contracting with ASAPs, billing procedures, and SDP policies and procedures. Our primary goal is to provide a replicable, sustainable template for a COA-operated program that provides respite to the care-giving community, while also ensuring a healthy and enriching program for people living with dementia. We will provide a comprehensive description of the daily functions of running a supportive day program. People living with dementia remain an underserved community within the COA network. As one of the longest-running Supportive Day Programs in the MCOA community, the Franklin SDP will present a viable and impactful option for dementia-friendly programming.

Building on AGE's first and second COA Statistical Reports for Fiscal Year 2022 and 2023, AGE will be presenting new COA data for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24). The FY24 report will describe innovative and effective COA programs, and provide updated statistical data. Josh Furgeson, Director of Data Insights & Program Evaluation at AGE, Along with Liz Gallagher, Strategy & Analytics Manager, has aggregated and analyzed the annual report data from over 300 Councils on Aging and will walk you through salient findings, emerging trends and a few surprises. He will share how this data can help COAs inform their own practice, and present an overview of COAs to help funders develop policy for older adults in Massachusetts.

Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact Andrea@mcoaonline.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. Financial exploitation of seniors is a sad reality, becoming more prevalent every day. Scams relative to quick cash sales of real estate, phone calls from purported IRS representatives, health care workers or family members who goal is to infiltrate families in order to gain access to assets – the list is growing every day – threaten to strip seniors of their security. This seminar will update you on the latest and offer ways to protect your council on aging constituents from falling victim to scams.

This panel discussion will feature innovative and practical ways to solve the challenges of providing door through door transportation. We will cover paid and volunteer models for medical escort service. Andover Council on Aging will talk about their program to provide transportation and medical escort using home care workers. The Brookline Council on Aging will discuss using both paid home care workers and volunteers to provide service for those that need door through door transportation.

In this 75-minute training session, we’ll review how to create and send broadcasts, explore the new events system, learn how to create and schedule appointments, and master online registration with MyActiveCenter. Along the way, we’ll cover tips and tricks to maximize your efficiency. Even if you've been using MySeniorCenter for 20 years, we guarantee you'll learn something new.

The Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards will discuss the top employee safety and health considerations for COA's and their facilities. Topics to be discussed will include Emergency Action Plans, Electrical Safety, Safe use of Cleaning Chemicals, and Preventing Trips and Falls.

Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact Andrea@mcoaonline.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. Elder abuse and neglect impacts every community in the Commonwealth, cutting across every geography, income level, and background. It takes many forms, including physical harm, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, and self-neglect. This abuse often goes unreported, and the consequences can be devastating, impacting the health, safety, and well-being of older adults who deserve to age with dignity and respect. This workshop will cover resources and strategies available to Councils on Aging to address elder abuse and neglect through a multipronged and collaborative approach.

Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact Andrea@mcoaonline.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. In the fast-paced world of senior care and aging services, leaders often prioritize the well-being of others while neglecting their own. However, replenishing and reinvigorating yourself is essential for successful leadership—allowing you to show up with clarity, energy, and purpose. This half-day retreat is a unique opportunity to step away from daily demands and immerse yourself in an experience designed to cultivate clarity, resilience, and innovation. Through guided mindfulness practices, reflective exercises, and meaningful conversations, you will gain valuable tools to reduce stress, enhance focus, and lead with greater intention.

The purpose of this presentation is to work with the Massachusetts Council on Aging community to ensure that all stakeholders are aware of MassHealth plan options for dually eligible (eligible for Medicare and Medicaid) individuals and other aging residents of Massachusetts. MassHealth provides health benefits and help paying for them to qualifying children, families, seniors, and people with disabilities living in Massachusetts. One Care, PACE, and SCO provide opportunities for individuals to remain healthy while living, working and participating in their community and meeting their own personal goals. The Integrated Care team at MassHealth would like to provide attendees with key updates regarding upcoming changes to Integrated Care Plans.

We have a lot to cover. This session will get into the nitty-gritty of updates to: Touchscreen MyActiveCenter Virtual wallet Transportation Outreach services Home-delivered meals Volunteers ...and more if we have time. This is a great companion session to the morning Training, where we won't have time to cover all of these components.

Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact Andrea@mcoaonline.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. In the fast-paced world of senior care and aging services, leaders often prioritize the well-being of others while neglecting their own. However, replenishing and reinvigorating yourself is essential for successful leadership—allowing you to show up with clarity, energy, and purpose. This half-day retreat is a unique opportunity to step away from daily demands and immerse yourself in an experience designed to cultivate clarity, resilience, and innovation. Through guided mindfulness practices, reflective exercises, and meaningful conversations, you will gain valuable tools to reduce stress, enhance focus, and lead with greater intention.

Provide an overview of the PACE program, describe who offers PACE in MA, identify new locations that will make PACE available in communities where PACE has not previously been available (set to open Spring 2025). We'll also talk about the online trainings available for free to stay up to date on PACE.

Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact Andrea@mcoaonline.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. Have you ever wondered about sexuality once an individual has passed beyond menopause and viropause? Most of us are familiar with the term, ‘menopause’ but what about ‘viropause’? Viropause refers to the phase associated with a decline in testosterone levels. Have you ever received other questions that were difficult to answer about older adults’ sexuality? Here's an opportunity to learn what you need to talk with older adults (and possibly ourselves) about what happens on the biopsychosocial and cultural levels to our bodies as we round the curve of menopause and viropause. As taboo as these topics often remain, many older adults welcome an open dialogue with people they trust. With a unique, pleasure-focused, medically-accurate, frank and humorous perspective, Dr. Fleishman, a sexuality researcher, writer, podcaster, presenter, and consultant, will lead a riveting discussion of sexuality as we age. She has presented for MCOA many times in the past and, as always, will leave ample time for all of your questions and concerns.

Looking for new and exciting activities and events for your senior center or older adult facility? Want to brainstorm with other programming professionals in a fun and interactive way? Join us for a relay of ideas in this team challenge environment! Walk away with a list of energizing ideas of weekly, monthly and annual events you can replicate in your community. “Bonus points” for anyone who brings a written description of their program's coolest, most innovative activity/event. Description should include information that would help colleagues replicate the event in their community (25 copies please). Have you attended this workshop in the past? Happy to have you back. The ideas shared and programs discussed changes with each new group.