MCOA News & Events
News & Insights
Hannaford donates $1.3 million to Maine Council on Aging to improve the well-being of older adults in New England and New York
Hannaford’s new Connection, Health and Equity Through Food program enhances access to food and social connection, creating a path to better health for older adults – December 12, 2023
Hannaford Supermarkets is donating $1.3 million to the Maine Council on Aging (MCOA)to launch a major new initiative aimed at improving the well-being of older adults in New England and New York.
Under the banner of Hannaford’s “Eat Well, Be Well – A Path to Better Health” initiative, the Connection, Health and Equity Through Food (CHEF) program will fund organizations and projects supporting the needs of diverse older adults, including improving access to food and increasing opportunities for socialization.
Read more.
Maine Council on Aging Recognizes Inspired Leaders
2023 award recipients to be honored at Change AGEnt Summit – September 13, 2023
Today, the Maine Council on Aging (MCOA) announced the 2023 award recipients who will be honored for their inspired and sustained leadership at the CHANGE AGEnt Summit, on September 27, 2023.
“Our annual awards shine a spotlight on Maine people who are quietly dedicating part or all of their careers to making Maine a healthier, safer, more inclusive place to live and work for older Mainers,” said Jess Maurer, executive director of the Maine Council on Aging. “These honorees have had an impressive impact on the lives of older Mainers, and we honor them to ensure Maine people know about their important work and leadership.”
Read more.
The High Cost of Undervaluing Direct Care Work – April 26, 2023
Maine’s direct care workforce is in a fragile state due to a fundamental undervaluing of care. Now is the time for bold solutions that center on care workers and the people and families who rely on the services they provide. The Maine Center for Economic Policy just issued a report, The High Cost of Undervaluing Direct Care Work, about the consequences and how to address the problems.
Read the report.
The Maine Council on Aging, the Maine Center for Economic Policy, and PHI, are leading Maine’s Essential Care & Support Workforce Partnership which is working to increase access to quality direct care and support in Maine by changing the way we value workers and the work they do.
Learn more about it.
Maine Council on Aging Seeks Economic Justice for Older Diverse Mainers – April 20, 2023
Today, The Maine Council on Aging (MCOA) will provide testimony on LD 1522, An Act to Provide Economic Justice to Historically Disadvantaged Older Citizens by Amending the Laws Governing the Medicare Savings Program, a bill it proposed after years of inquiry into the economic status of older women, older people with disabilities, and older diverse Mainers.
Read more.
From Age Friendly to Longevity Ready: Evolving Maine Communities to Work for Everyone – March 9, 2023
In 2023, the Maine Council on Aging will be using the Stanford Center on Longevity’s New Map of Life to explore the many ways we need to evolve our systems and institutions to successfully embrace our new longevity. One critical part of this “New Map” involves building “Longevity Ready” communities. While Maine is home to more than 100 “age friendly,” “lifelong,” “village,” and “aging in place” communities, few of these communities have implemented the kinds of planning, zoning, and infrastructure changes and investments needed to make communities fully inclusive for people in their 80s, 90s, and 100s.
We held a discussion on March 9th which featured an inspiring presentation by Dr. Alexandre Kalache, former director of the World Health Organization’s global aging program and current President of the Internal Longevity Centre-Brazil and co-President of the Global Alliance of International Longevity Centres. Dr. Kalache shared learnings, stories and calls to action from over 15 years in leading this work. His presentation was followed by a multi-sector discussion about what it will take to begin to design and build communities that are truly longevity-ready, and to make investments in infrastructure through the lens of longevity and age-equity. Watch the program.
The event was supported by Point32Health Foundation and hosted by the Maine Council on Aging.
MCOA Awarded Significant Grant from Point32Health Foundation – February 14, 2023
The Maine Council on Aging has received a major boost to its efforts to create an Age-Positive Maine, with a three-year, nearly $300,000 grant from Point32Health Foundation. This grant will expand MCOA’s impact in addressing and eliminating ageism through education, advocacy and research.
Read more.
Jess Maurer Discusses Partnership to Support Maine’s Direct Care Workers – February 7, 2023
Last year, PHI began partnering with MCOA on Maine’s Essential Care & Support Workforce Partnership. Executive Director Jess Maurer recently sat down with PHI to discuss how this initiative will impact Maine’s direct care workers and the essential service they provide for older adults and people with disabilities.
Read more.
Join the Age+ Movement in Maine today!
MCOA launches 2022 Biennial Report
Download the Biennial Report Here.
First of Its Kind “Leadership Exchange on Ageism” Receives National Funding from NextFifty Initiative
Last fall, the Maine Council on Aging (MCOA) launched the Leadership Exchange on Aging, the first leadership skill-building course focused on ageism in the nation. The third cohort of leaders graduated from the program in early June, making 60 Maine and New Hampshire leaders who have graduated from the program. The program has been garnering national attention and just received funding from NextFifty Initiative, a Colorado-based foundation that supports efforts to improve the lives of older adults and their caregivers. This funding will allow the MCOA to host 40 additional leaders in the program, evaluate program effectiveness, and build a strategy to replicate the program in other states.
Click here to learn more!
First of Its Kind “Leadership Exchange on Ageism” Receives National Funding from NextFifty Initiative
Last fall, the Maine Council on Aging (MCOA) launched the Leadership Exchange on Aging, the first leadership skill-building course focused on ageism in the nation. The third cohort of leaders graduated from the program in early June, making 60 Maine and New Hampshire leaders who have graduated from the program. The program has been garnering national attention and just received funding from NextFifty Initiative, a Colorado-based foundation that supports efforts to improve the lives of older adults and their caregivers. This funding will allow the MCOA to host 40 additional leaders in the program, evaluate program effectiveness, and build a strategy to replicate the program in other states.
Click here to learn more!
Policy Matters: Women and Aging – June 7, 2022
We’re excited to talk about our recommendations that stem from the Report on the Economic Status of Older Women in Maine. Join in the conversation on June 7th at 6:30!
Click here to learn more!
MCOA featured on Maine Ties, Maine Community Foundation podcast – May 26, 2022
The Maine Community Foundation has been a leader in helping us understand how we reframe how we talk about older people and aging in Maine. Because of their good work, we were able to launch the Power in Aging Project, and later the Leadership Exchange on Ageism. We’re thrilled that they have taken the time to share more about the work that they fund! Take a quick listen to our Executive Director, Jess Maurer, talk about combating ageism and supporting older Mainers.
Click here to read to listen to the podcast!
Economic Security of Older
Women in Maine – Data Report, January 2022
The MCOA is so pleased to have issued this report on the Economic Security of Older Women in Maine along with the Maine Women’s Lobby. This report shows that the economic disparities women face over a lifetime add up to poverty, or near poverty, for too many in later life. While we must ensure future generations of women do not age into poverty, we must also redesign our supports and services to equitably address historic gender-based injustices that have led to tens of thousands of older Maine women having insufficient resources to meet their basic needs.
Click here to read the report!
Confronting Ageism in Health Care
On Oct. 21st Jess Maurer participated in a national web event hosted by the Kaiser Health Foundation and sponsored by the John A. Hartford Foundation: Confronting Ageism in Health Care: A Conversation for Patients, Caregivers and Clinicians.
Watch the archived recording!
The Retirement Success in Maine Podcast: The State of State of Aging in Maine
Congratulations to MCOA Executive Director!
We are thrilled to announce that Executive Director, Jess Maurer, has been named one of two awardees for the Dr. Wendy J. Wolf Health Leadership Award in 2021, by The Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF). The award recognizes the exceptional leadership and achievements of nonprofit leaders working to promote access to quality health care and improve the health of Maine people.
Click Here to Learn More
Maine Council on Aging Announces New Members of Board of Directors
Peter Baker, Catherine Ryder, and Angela Westhoff elected during September Annual meeting.
Click Here to Learn More
Upcoming Events
MCOA Monthly Conversation Series
Please join us for our Monthly Conversation call where we discuss the challenges Mainers face as we age, and the solutions and resources available to alleviate those challenges.
Upcoming calls are scheduled for the following dates:
Oct 26, 2023
Nov 30, 2023
SAVE THE DATE
2024 Change AGEnt Summit
September 25, 2024