New Happenings at Dorchester Neighbors

      Happy New Year ... Here's to a Healthy 2021! 

Highlight:  MA Council on Aging

MA Council on Aging has a wealth of resources, programming, news and tips around aging in Massachusetts.  Below is a summary of recent postings. 

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Resources Addressing Social Isolation on MOCA's  Resources Page

 

MCOA has added resources to address Social Isolation starting with: Intergenerational Companionship During the Pandemic – In this project, the Concordium is a Harvard-based social impact venture that matches Harvard undergrads with elders from Massachusetts, based on shared interests, who engage in friendly and interesting conversations via phone once a week. Due to COVID-19, students and elders alike are feeling especially isolated and can benefit from additional social support.

Spring is Around the Corner -- the many advantages of gardening

Gardening is associated with physical, psychological, and social benefits. In a recent study taking place in Australia, investigators examined the relationship between gardening and numerous outcomes  .Read More

More endorsements of Villages' Benefits

Neighborhood Watch: The Relationship between Physical Activity & Neighborhood Cohesion

    

While physical activity is a key contributor to the health and well-being of older adults, many people are inactive. Neighborhood social cohesion—trust and strong ties among neighbors—can help facilitate greater physical activity. Researchers investigated the links between neighborhood social cohesion, physical activity, and mental health.  Read More

Paul Irving and Nora Super shared their expertise on:  
Health benefits of volunteering -- READ MORE HERE

Retirement Amid the Pandemic.   READ MORE HERE.  

Age forward cities' policies and programs   READ MORE HERE.  

Growing racial and ethnic inequality in resources for aging  READ MORE HERE. 

Assessment of changes in long term care options for seniors.  READ MORE HERE. 

It's Winter Perfect Time to Catch up on Reading and Viewing!

The Stanford Center on Longevity, led by Laura Carstensen, collaborated to host the 2020 Century Summit to discuss the implications of a 100-year-life.  LEARN MORE HERE.

New Year -- New Information About COVID

The not-so-happy New Year News is that COVID infections in MA are worse than ever.  It's hard to persevere through all the COVID News but here are some vitals

1. Beware of Scammers for the Virus.  Questions -- call your primary doctor of the Bowdoin Street Health Center Below

2. Not sure where to get the "right" Information?  WWW.MA.GOV/COVID -- straight from the source. 

3. COVID and dementia ... this is confusing for all of us.  HERE IS A GREAT SET OF TIPS.

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Highlight:  Services, Fitness and Fun at Bowdoin Street Health Center

LGBT Aging 2025 Strategies for Achieving a Healthy & Thriving Older Community in MA.

A new report from The Fenway Institute finds that older LGBTQ adults in the Commonwealth report being diagnosed with depression at twice the rate of their straight, cisgender peers, and are twice as likely to fall and be injured in a fall over the past year. It also finds that while older LGBTQ adults are more likely to hold a college degree, they are more likely to report having had difficulty paying for housing or food over the past year. LGBTQ older adults living in rural areas of the state expressed concern about the lack of options for LGBTQ-affirming health care, as well as their on-going experiences with strong anti-LGBTQ prejudice and harassment in public settings and senior housing.  Titled “LGBT Aging 2025: Strategies for Achieving a Healthy and Thriving LGBT Older Adult Community in Massachusetts,” the report is based on data collected during nine listening sessions—five in-person and four virtual—organized between June 2019 and June 2020. The report also contains new information about LGBTQ people age 50 to 75 based on new analyses of public health data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the state’s Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

Problems related to social isolation and the lasting impact of trauma associated with systemic anti-LGBTQ discrimination were raised most frequently at each of the nine listening sessions. LGBTQ older adults who are also Black, Indigenous, and People of Color reported feelings of deep alienation from the LGBTQ community when they experienced racism from White LGBTQ older adults. Long-term survivors of HIV expressed concerns about being able to find doctors skilled in providing HIV care. LGBTQ adults of every race and gender expressed concern about their ability to pay for health care.

The public health data show that as compared with their straight, cisgender peers, LGBT older adults report higher rates of fair/poor overall health. They experienced suicidal thoughts in the past year at four times the rate of their peers, and were more likely to report serious difficulty in concentrating, remember, or making decisions.

“These findings are deeply troubling, and point to the need for vigorous enforcement of existing state and federal law prohibiting anti-LGBTQ discrimination, as well as targeted interventions to reduce social isolation among LGBTQ older adults and meet their unique health care needs,” said Sean Cahill, PhD, Director of Health Policy Research at The Fenway Institute and author of the report.

One successful intervention witnessed in real time as the listening sessions proceeded was the creation of online, virtual social gatherings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the first five listening sessions were conducted in person in Barnstable, Boston, Pittsfield, Salem and Worcester, the last four were conducted online. Although many listening session participants reported difficulties with accessing the Internet and navigating online platforms such as Zoom, some said that they were able to connect more easily with others because everything is online. Many isolated elders with mobility issues are less socially isolated now because so much programming is virtual.

Other themes brought up in the listening sessions include:

• Lack of reliable and affordable transportation, especially in rural and suburban areas
• The need for affirming, ongoing mental health care, including grief support for widows and widowers
• Anti-LGBTQ discrimination in assisted living and senior housing facilities
• Gender-based anti-LGBTQ sexual harassment in businesses and health care settings in the Berkshires
• The need for LGBTQ-friendly housing
• The need for computers and tablets and assistance using them, and Internet access in order to participate in virtual support groups that have been created during the COVID-19 pandemic
• The need for assistance navigating Medicare insurance options and the health care system
• The need to change existing rules so that HIV-positive individuals younger than 60 can access home care services

Although much of the data documented health disparities, some data evidenced resilience. For example, despite decades of anti-LGBTQ policies, LGBTQ older adults in Massachusetts were almost as likely as straight, cisgender older adults to be raising children and to be veterans.

“Although a lot of the information in this report focuses on health risks and disparities, we also found that LGBTQ older adults are resilient, in part, because they’ve had dramatically different life experiences than their straight and cisgender peers,” Cahill added. “They came of age when same-sex behavior or crossing gender boundaries was subject to imprisonment or institutionalization. Homosexuality was against the law in all 50 states into the early 1960s, and classified as a mental illness until 1973. Many LGBTQ people were shunned by their families. Many LGBTQ elders lost their life partners and social networks to HIV/AIDS. This is a population that has experienced a lot of trauma and its affects are on-going. But they are survivors.”

The report “LGBT Aging 2025: Strategies for Achieving a Healthy and Thriving LGBT Older Adult Community in Massachusetts,” is available online.

Boston &New Bedford in AARP’s COVID-19 Response Highlights

AARP highlighted COVID-19 response in age-friendly communities across the country and included examples from Boston and New Bedford.   The innovative responses of both age-friendly communities brought together a broad set of partners to address food access for older adults that reflect the diversity of each community.

AARP also shared survey results from age-friendly communities nationwide on COVID-19 response. More than 50 percent of respondents believe the community’s age-friendly efforts helped it be better prepared for responding to COVID-19 due to already-in-place partnerships, prior efforts to improve communications with older adults, earlier efforts to understand residents’ needs, and the presence of a volunteer network.  

The importance of relationships and partnerships reflect findings from a report supported by the Tufts Health Plan Foundation on the experience of selected communities in Massachusetts.

Dementia in Cultural and Linguistically Diverse Communities

Visit this webpage to view recordings in English, Mandarin, Portuguese and Spanish, as well as other resources: Let’s Talk Symposium. And here is a list of dementia-related resources, focusing on language and cultural access, that was compiled before and during the event.

Nutrition Update!

There is a lot of great news on the food security front! Be sure to check theNutrition Updates link regularly. This week's highlights include:  1) SNAP/MassHealth common application.  2) Cooking as Self-Care schedule for 2021; 3) P-EBT funding 

 

MA Vaccination Plan: Older Adults in Phase Two

The Baker-Polito Administration and the Department of Public Health developed a vaccine distribution timeline While the first phase prioritizes healthcare workers, including nursing home workers and home health care providers, older adults (age 65+) have been placed in Phase Two. See the phased approach and priority recipients here.

This Kaiser Health article addresses  broader vaccine distribution plans at the national level, Left off the list are family caregivers, who provide essential support to vulnerable older adults living in the community — an unpaid workforce of tens of millions of people.  More information about the Baker Administration’s announcement, including frequently asked questions and a slide deck of the vaccine presentation, is available here.

Boston: New Financial Programs in COVID Era

The City is committed to helping those in need through resources like the Rental Relief Fund. 

Another new resource to help people deal with the economic stress brought on by the pandemic, called Financial Navigators.  The program provides a free, half-hour phone consultation with Navigators who are trained to help you get access to the relief and services you need. They can also help untangle some of the financial chaos people are facing, and help make a plan for moving forward.   You can access the Financial Navigators by completing a form at ofe.boston.gov, the Office of Financial Empowerment. You can also call 617-356-8229 to sign up for help, or call 311 and ask about our Financial Navigators program. In addition to English, Financial Navigators are able to help in Haitian Creole, Spanish, and Portuguese.

MA: Programs for People Living with Dementia & Caregivers

Organizations and communities have a range of virtual programs to support people living with dementia and their caregivers during the holiday season. The Alzheimer’s Association of MA/NH is helping people honor and remember loved ones with dementia on December 21st – the winter solstice and longest day of the year. 
More information here.

DEMENTIA: New Research, New Therapies

A recent study explored how therapy may be improved for older adults living with dementia by incorporating personalized technology such as providing individualized puzzles, music, and videos. Older adults receiving treatment for dementia in two senior living communities participated in the study. Success of the program is primarily due to greater engagement with treatment; and individuals showed increasing levels of engagement over the course of treatment.  While more research is needed to validate these findings, the results showed that the right technology can make therapy more engaging for dementia patients, which in turn improves outcomes. The symptoms of dementia, such as memory and executive functioning impairment, means low engagement in therapy can be a common issue for this population. More information.

New Technology Resources

   
Let’s Go to a Conference on Aging … online

December 9-10 &14-15, the LongevityProject.com is hosting a free conference to bring together top leaders in business, media, policy and research to discuss the implications of the 100-year life. Convened in collaboration with the Stanford Center on Longevity, the Century Summit will offer leaders an opportunity to present new visions on how society can restructure work, reorganize our cities, enhance lifelong learning, create new financial security and promote greater health and vitality in the new age of longevity.

 

Each day will offer new insights and opportunities to develop a holistic understanding of the implications of the longer life:

• December 9th: Rethinking Longevity in the Age of Pandemics
• December 10th: Longevity and the New Map of Life
• December 14th: Funding the 100-Year Life
• December 15th: Longevity Next

Go Here to see speakers and daily agendas.

 

Go here to register.  Click on the orange button that says Select a Date.

MA. AG Call to Action on Equity in Health

Building Toward Racial Justice & Equity in Health lays  out ways to address the systemic health inequities facing people of color.

The report  outlines actionable recommendations to in the following areas:

1. Data for Identifying and Addressing Health Disparities
2. Equitable Distribution of Health Care Resources
3. Clinical Health Equity: Telehealth as a Tool for Expanding Equitable Access
4. Health Care Workforce Diversity
5. Social Determinants of Health and Root Causes of Health Disparities

Older adults are most prominently mentioned in the report under the third category, especially as it relates to “digital divide” issues. For example, the report mentions that, while telehealth has expanded during the pandemic, not all populations have equal access to devices, internet access or the comfort in literacy to utilize the technology.  At several points, the report talks about how older adults are among a series of groups in Massachusetts that could be left behind – at least in terms of telehealth usage and adoption – if digital divide issues remain unaddressed.  Recently, he Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative hosted a webinar, Technology as a Social Determinant of Health.  View it Here.  

How We Talk &Teach About Dementia in Cultural and Linguistic Communities

The virtual symposium Let’s Talk About Dementia and Culture: How We Talk and Teach About Dementia in Cultural and Linguistic Communities.  See info here. .  As part of the symposium, a resource list was created that is intended to improve access to information and resources related to dementia for a range of cultural and linguistic communities.  Here is the resource list.  For those interested, the sessions are recorded and available here  for viewing. Scroll down to Watch the Symposium. 

Are You Lonely and/or Stressed?  There’s Help

Join MA Council on Aging’s  Bimonthly Mutual Aid Groups to learn a resource or two you can use to deal with stress. Topics will include how do I keep my sanity with all this going on, planning for reentry and social isolation concerns, grief and loss, identifying when enough is enough as tension arises between individuals, and many more. This drop-in program is also confidential and open to all. Registration required.  Join the Mutual Aid Groups on the Fourth Friday of each month from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM, and the first Tuesday of each month from 4:00 PM to 5:00PM.

Register Here.

Boston Fire Dept. Keeps You Safe for Free

Boston Fire Department can provide and install a "Bed shaker alarm" (in case you don't hear well) as well as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for FREE.  
For more information call (617) 343 3337 or email: michelle.mccourt@boston.gov. 

Five Important Questions About Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine

Pfizer’s announcement y that its COVID-19 shot appears to keep nine in 10 people from getting the disease sent its stock price rocketing. Many news reports described the vaccine as if it were our deliverance from the pandemic, even though few details were released.

1. How long will the vaccine protect patients?

Pfizer says that, as of last week, 94 people out of about 40,000 in the trial had gotten ill with COVID-19. While it didn’t say exactly how many of the sick had been vaccinated, the 90% efficacy figure suggests it was a very small number. The Pfizer announcement covers people who got two shots between July and October. But it doesn’t indicate how long protection will last or how often people might need boosters.

“It’s a reasonable bet, but still a gamble that protection for two or three months is similar to six months or a year,” said Dr. Paul Offit, a member of the Food and Drug Administration panel that is likely to review the vaccine for approval in December. Normally, vaccines aren’t licensed until they show they can protect for a year or two.

2. Will it protect the most vulnerable?

Pfizer did not disclose what percentage of its trial volunteers are in the groups most likely to be hospitalized or to die of COVID-19 — including people 65 and older and those with diabetes or obesity. This is a key point because many vaccines, particularly for influenza, may fail to protect the elderly though they protect younger people. “How representative are those 94 people of the overall population, especially those most at risk?” asked Orenstein.

3. Can it be rolled out effectively?

The Pfizer vaccine, unlike others in late-stage testing, must be kept supercooled, on dry ice around 100 degrees below zero, from the time it is produced until a few days before it is injected. Pfizer has devised an elaborate system to transport the vaccine by truck and specially designed cases to vaccination sites.

4. Could a premature announcement hurt future vaccines?

There’s presently no way to know whether the Pfizer vaccine will be the best overall or for specific age groups. But if the FDA approves it quickly, that could make it harder for manufacturers of other vaccines to carry out their studies. If people are aware that an effective vaccine exists, they may decline to enter clinical trials, partly out of concern they could get a placebo and remain unprotected. Indeed, it may be unethical to use a placebo in such trials. Many vaccines will be needed in order to meet global demand for protection against COVID-19, so it’s crucial to continue additional studies.

5. Could the Pfizer study expedite future vaccines?

Scientists are vitally interested in whether the small number who received the real vaccine but still got sick produced lower levels of antibodies than the vaccinated individuals who remained well. Blood studies of those people would help scientists learn whether there is a “correlate of protection” for COVID-19 — a level of antibodies that can predict whether someone is protected from the disease. If they had that knowledge, public health officials could determine whether other vaccines under production were effective without necessarily having to test them on tens of thousands of people.

This KHN story first published on California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation.  Arthur Allen: ArthurA@kff.org, @ArthurAllen202

 

Are You Lonely and/or Stressed?  There’s Help

Join MA Council on Aging’s  Bimonthly Mutual Aid Groups to learn a resource or two you can use to deal with stress. Topics will include how do I keep my sanity with all this going on, planning for reentry and social isolation concerns, grief and loss, identifying when enough is enough as tension arises between individuals, and many more. This drop-in program is also confidential and open to all. Registration required.  Join the Mutual Aid Groups on the Fourth Friday of each month from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM, and the first Tuesday of each month from 4:00 PM to 5:00PM.  Register Here.

Older Adults, Social Technology & COVID Pandemic

A recent paper by Stanford PhD student Ryan C. Moore and Professor Jeffrey T. Hancock, both in the Stanford Communication Department, looks at the challenges faced by older adults trying to stay connected through technology during the pandemic.

 

In “Older Adults, Social Technologies, and the Coronavirus Pandemic: Challenges, Strengths, and Strategies for Support,” Moore and Hancock point out the “double risk” to older adults from the virus: they are especially vulnerable both to the effects of COVID-19 and also to the loneliness that may result from social distancing. Using social technologies to combat loneliness may be difficult for older adults with limited online access or digital literacy skills, especially given the huge amount of fraud and misinformation targeting this population. On the plus side, older adults possess many strengths that they can bring to bear, including the life experience to make judgments about online information once they are given the right tools; the ability to regulate their emotions; and the time and flexibility to ride out the pandemic with minimal upheaval.

 

Taking a fresh look at a growing problem, Moore and Hancock recommend that family and friends reach out to older people with low-tech social touches, such as a phone call to say hello, and offers of tech support. Government, technology companies and academic research also have roles to play in helping older adults develop the digital skills necessary to engage with technology with confidence and understanding. 
Read the report.

Innovative Community Responses to COVID 19 for Health Aging

Faced with the COVID-19 crisis, communities in Massachusetts have come together in inspiring ways to assess emerging needs, provide credible information, expand access to services, and provide opportunities for older adults and caregivers to connect with each other and with their neighbors. 

Massachusetts’ period of rebuilding can be a time of immense opportunity to create a more inclusive and equitable system to support older adults that leverages the momen-tum we have built over the last decade, communities’ unique strengths, and all we have learned through this experience. 

Thanks to FSG, Tufts Health Plan Foundation, MA Executive Office on Elder Affairs, and MA Healthy Aging Collaborative for making this report possible. 
Read the report here.

Studies on Alzheimer's &Dementia:  Early Findings, Chance to Participate

A recent study in Finland showed that relatively simple lifestyle interventions had a protective effect on cognitive function. A related project is underway in the U.S. — it’s called the US Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (POINTER) and it, too, will assess whether taking specific steps to improve aspects of our health can protect memory and thinking as we age. Participants are being recruited at five national sites (one of the locations is Rhode Island; to see if you’re a candidate, go to alz.org/us-pointer).  Preliminary Findings include: 
1. Increase physical activity
2. Eat Healthy
3. Get Plenty of Sleep
4. Take Care of Your Heart
5. Stay Socially Connected
Read More Here.

Milken Institute Summit on Social Isolation Findings

During a turbulent time in America, in the midst of a grim viral pandemic and fractious racial and social divides, the Motion Picture and Television Fund (MPTF) and the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging convened the Social Isolation Impact Summit in July 2020. We brought together a diverse group of experts and thought leaders in health and aging from across the country for one unifying objective: to share inspirational stories, innovative approaches, tools, and resources to confront and address the realities of isolation and loneliness and the risks to older adults.  Social isolation is the other pandemic, and the COVID crisis has elevated awareness of this urgent public health issue, which has been in the shadows for far too long. More than one in four adults aged 50 to 80 reported that they felt isolated even before the COVID outbreak.1 The impacts and health costs of isolation and loneliness to individuals, families, communities, and the broader society are massive and sadly under-reported. More attention has been needed for years, but the COVID pandemic has dramatically raised the stakes.   
Read the report here.  

New Resources about Aging

Dorchester Neighbors has created a set of resources on many topics related to aging, health, fitness, housing and other topics that apply to older adults.  The Page is AVAILABLE HERE  or accessible through the menu on the left that says Aging Resources.

Boston Fire Dept. Keeps You Safe for Free

Boston Fire Department can provide and install a "Bed shaker alarm" (in case you don't hear well) as well as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for FREE. 
For more information call (617) 343 3337 or email: michelle.mccourt@boston.gov. 

Are You Lonely and/or Stressed?  There’s Help

Join MA Council on Aging’s  Bimonthly Mutual Aid Groups to learn a resource or two you can use to deal with stress. Topics will include how do I keep my sanity with all this going on, planning for reentry and social isolation concerns, grief and loss, identifying when enough is enough as tension arises between individuals, and many more. This drop-in program is also confidential and open to all. Registration required.  Join the Mutual Aid Groups on the Fourth Friday of each month from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM, and the first Tuesday of each month from 4:00 PM to 5:00PM.

Register Here.

Dementia - helpful resources

• Helpful Tips for Dementia Caregiver

• "Safe Return" form

• Local Memory Cafe locations both virtual and in house

• "Safe Return" form

•  

• MASS OPTIONS -- Free counseling

Mass Options Counseling is a free service. It can help an older person, an adult of any age with a disability, their family member, or caregivers to make decisions on supportive services if they don't know where to turn. Finding help with personal care, household chores, transportation, nutrition, or medication management can be challenging. 

Link to MASS Options here.

Social Isolation -- new resources

UMASS Boston Gerontology Institute has recently published a new report on Social Isolation among seniors, It’s the Little Things: A Community Resource Guide for Strengthening Social Connections.  You can read it here.  For more resources on social isolation, go here and scroll down to Social Engagement.

Partnerships

The week of August 3^rd, representatives from Dorchester Neighbors had a zoom meeting with leaders of other groups in the Bowdoin Geneva community. These included:  The Greater Bowdoin Geneva Neighborhood Association, The Mayor’s Council of Neighborhood Services, St. Peters Church, Boston Policy, MA House of Representatives, Pine Street Inn, the Cape Verdean Association, and Bowdoin Geneva Main Street. 

 

The group discussed the need for social engagement among seniors as well as broad outreach across ethnicities and faith to ensure everyone is reached and included.  Dorchester Neighbors has been having its fliers and informational pamphlets translated into Spanish , Portuguese, Creole and Vietnamese to ensure inclusivity.  The gathering also addressed the need for volunteers and brainstormed a number of possible outreach techniques

Get Involved

Board Membership & Volunteering.

Dorchester Neighbors is welcoming applicants to serve on its board.  You can read more HERE.

 

Dorchester Neighbors is recruiting volunteers read more here and sign up to volunteer HERE.

New Happenings at Dorchester Neighbors

New Resources about Aging

Dorchester Neighbors has created a set of resources on many topics related to aging, health, fitness, housing and other topics that apply to older adults.  The Page is AVAILABLE HERE  or accessible through the menu on the left that says Aging Resources

Social Isolation -- new resources

UMASS Boston Gerontology Institute has recently published a new report on Social Isolation among seniors, It’s the Little Things: A Community Resource Guide for Strengthening Social Connections.  You can read it here.  For more resources on social isolation, go here and scroll down to Social Engagement.

Partnerships

The week of August 3^rd, representatives from Dorchester Neighbors had a zoom meeting with leaders of other groups in the Bowdoin Geneva community. These included:  The Greater Bowdoin Geneva Neighborhood Association, The Mayor’s Council of Neighborhood Services, St. Peters Church, Boston Policy, MA House of Representatives, Pine Street Inn, the Cape Verdean Association, and Bowdoin Geneva Main Street. 

 

The group discussed the need for social engagement among seniors as well as broad outreach across ethnicities and faith to ensure everyone is reached and included.  Dorchester Neighbors has been having its fliers and informational pamphlets translated into Spanish , Portuguese, Creole and Vietnamese to ensure inclusivity.  The gathering also addressed the need for volunteers and brainstormed a number of possible outreach techniques

Get Involved

Board Membership & Volunteering.

Dorchester Neighbors is welcoming applicants to serve on its board.  You can read more HERE.

 

Dorchester Neighbors is recruiting volunteers read more here and sign up to volunteer HERE.

New Happenings at Dorchester Neighbors

New Resources about Aging

Dorchester Neighbors has created a set of resources on many topics related to aging, health, fitness, housing and other topics that apply to older adults.  The Page is AVAILABLE HERE  or accessible through the menu on the left that says Aging Resources

Social Isolation -- new resources

UMASS Boston Gerontology Institute has recently published a new report on Social Isolation among seniors, It’s the Little Things: A Community Resource Guide for Strengthening Social Connections.  You can read it here.  For more resources on social isolation, go here and scroll down to Social Engagement.

Partnerships

The week of August 3^rd, representatives from Dorchester Neighbors had a zoom meeting with leaders of other groups in the Bowdoin Geneva community. These included:  The Greater Bowdoin Geneva Neighborhood Association, The Mayor’s Council of Neighborhood Services, St. Peters Church, Boston Policy, MA House of Representatives, Pine Street Inn, the Cape Verdean Association, and Bowdoin Geneva Main Street. 

 

The group discussed the need for social engagement among seniors as well as broad outreach across ethnicities and faith to ensure everyone is reached and included.  Dorchester Neighbors has been having its fliers and informational pamphlets translated into Spanish , Portuguese, Creole and Vietnamese to ensure inclusivity.  The gathering also addressed the need for volunteers and brainstormed a number of possible outreach techniques

Get Involved

Board Membership & Volunteering.

Dorchester Neighbors is welcoming applicants to serve on its board.  You can read more HERE.

 

Dorchester Neighbors is recruiting volunteers read more here and sign up to volunteer HERE.

New Happenings at Dorchester Neighbors

New Resources about Aging

Dorchester Neighbors has created a set of resources on many topics related to aging, health, fitness, housing and other topics that apply to older adults.  The Page is AVAILABLE HERE  or accessible through the menu on the left that says Aging Resources

Social Isolation -- new resources

UMASS Boston Gerontology Institute has recently published a new report on Social Isolation among seniors, It’s the Little Things: A Community Resource Guide for Strengthening Social Connections.  You can read it here.  For more resources on social isolation, go here and scroll down to Social Engagement.

Partnerships

The week of August 3^rd, representatives from Dorchester Neighbors had a zoom meeting with leaders of other groups in the Bowdoin Geneva community. These included:  The Greater Bowdoin Geneva Neighborhood Association, The Mayor’s Council of Neighborhood Services, St. Peters Church, Boston Policy, MA House of Representatives, Pine Street Inn, the Cape Verdean Association, and Bowdoin Geneva Main Street. 

 

The group discussed the need for social engagement among seniors as well as broad outreach across ethnicities and faith to ensure everyone is reached and included.  Dorchester Neighbors has been having its fliers and informational pamphlets translated into Spanish , Portuguese, Creole and Vietnamese to ensure inclusivity.  The gathering also addressed the need for volunteers and brainstormed a number of possible outreach techniques

Get Involved

Board Membership & Volunteering.

Dorchester Neighbors is welcoming applicants to serve on its board.  You can read more HERE.

 

Dorchester Neighbors is recruiting volunteers read more here and sign up to volunteer HERE.

New Happenings at Dorchester Neighbors

New Resources about Aging

Dorchester Neighbors has created a set of resources on many topics related to aging, health, fitness, housing and other topics that apply to older adults.  The Page is AVAILABLE HERE  or accessible through the menu on the left that says Aging Resources

Social Isolation -- new resources

UMASS Boston Gerontology Institute has recently published a new report on Social Isolation among seniors, It’s the Little Things: A Community Resource Guide for Strengthening Social Connections.  You can read it here.  For more resources on social isolation, go here and scroll down to Social Engagement.

Partnerships

The week of August 3^rd, representatives from Dorchester Neighbors had a zoom meeting with leaders of other groups in the Bowdoin Geneva community. These included:  The Greater Bowdoin Geneva Neighborhood Association, The Mayor’s Council of Neighborhood Services, St. Peters Church, Boston Policy, MA House of Representatives, Pine Street Inn, the Cape Verdean Association, and Bowdoin Geneva Main Street. 

 

The group discussed the need for social engagement among seniors as well as broad outreach across ethnicities and faith to ensure everyone is reached and included.  Dorchester Neighbors has been having its fliers and informational pamphlets translated into Spanish , Portuguese, Creole and Vietnamese to ensure inclusivity.  The gathering also addressed the need for volunteers and brainstormed a number of possible outreach techniques

Get Involved

Board Membership & Volunteering.

Dorchester Neighbors is welcoming applicants to serve on its board.  You can read more HERE.

 

Dorchester Neighbors is recruiting volunteers read more here and sign up to volunteer HERE.

New Happenings at Dorchester Neighbors

New Resources about Aging

Dorchester Neighbors has created a set of resources on many topics related to aging, health, fitness, housing and other topics that apply to older adults.  The Page is AVAILABLE HERE  or accessible through the menu on the left that says Aging Resources

Social Isolation -- new resources

UMASS Boston Gerontology Institute has recently published a new report on Social Isolation among seniors, It’s the Little Things: A Community Resource Guide for Strengthening Social Connections.  You can read it here.  For more resources on social isolation, go here and scroll down to Social Engagement.

Partnerships

The week of August 3^rd, representatives from Dorchester Neighbors had a zoom meeting with leaders of other groups in the Bowdoin Geneva community. These included:  The Greater Bowdoin Geneva Neighborhood Association, The Mayor’s Council of Neighborhood Services, St. Peters Church, Boston Policy, MA House of Representatives, Pine Street Inn, the Cape Verdean Association, and Bowdoin Geneva Main Street. 

 

The group discussed the need for social engagement among seniors as well as broad outreach across ethnicities and faith to ensure everyone is reached and included.  Dorchester Neighbors has been having its fliers and informational pamphlets translated into Spanish , Portuguese, Creole and Vietnamese to ensure inclusivity.  The gathering also addressed the need for volunteers and brainstormed a number of possible outreach techniques

Get Involved

Board Membership & Volunteering.

Dorchester Neighbors is welcoming applicants to serve on its board.  You can read more HERE.

 

Dorchester Neighbors is recruiting volunteers read more here and sign up to volunteer HERE.

New Happenings at Dorchester Neighbors

New Resources about Aging

Dorchester Neighbors has created a set of resources on many topics related to aging, health, fitness, housing and other topics that apply to older adults.  The Page is AVAILABLE HERE  or accessible through the menu on the left that says Aging Resources

Social Isolation -- new resources

UMASS Boston Gerontology Institute has recently published a new report on Social Isolation among seniors, It’s the Little Things: A Community Resource Guide for Strengthening Social Connections.  You can read it here.  For more resources on social isolation, go here and scroll down to Social Engagement.

Partnerships

The week of August 3^rd, representatives from Dorchester Neighbors had a zoom meeting with leaders of other groups in the Bowdoin Geneva community. These included:  The Greater Bowdoin Geneva Neighborhood Association, The Mayor’s Council of Neighborhood Services, St. Peters Church, Boston Policy, MA House of Representatives, Pine Street Inn, the Cape Verdean Association, and Bowdoin Geneva Main Street. 

 

The group discussed the need for social engagement among seniors as well as broad outreach across ethnicities and faith to ensure everyone is reached and included.  Dorchester Neighbors has been having its fliers and informational pamphlets translated into Spanish , Portuguese, Creole and Vietnamese to ensure inclusivity.  The gathering also addressed the need for volunteers and brainstormed a number of possible outreach techniques

Get Involved

Board Membership & Volunteering.

Dorchester Neighbors is welcoming applicants to serve on its board.  You can read more HERE.

 

Dorchester Neighbors is recruiting volunteers read more here and sign up to volunteer HERE.

New Happenings at Dorchester Neighbors

New Resources about Aging

Dorchester Neighbors has created a set of resources on many topics related to aging, health, fitness, housing and other topics that apply to older adults.  The Page is AVAILABLE HERE  or accessible through the menu on the left that says Aging Resources

Social Isolation -- new resources

UMASS Boston Gerontology Institute has recently published a new report on Social Isolation among seniors, It’s the Little Things: A Community Resource Guide for Strengthening Social Connections.  You can read it here.  For more resources on social isolation, go here and scroll down to Social Engagement.

Partnerships

The week of August 3^rd, representatives from Dorchester Neighbors had a zoom meeting with leaders of other groups in the Bowdoin Geneva community. These included:  The Greater Bowdoin Geneva Neighborhood Association, The Mayor’s Council of Neighborhood Services, St. Peters Church, Boston Policy, MA House of Representatives, Pine Street Inn, the Cape Verdean Association, and Bowdoin Geneva Main Street. 

 

The group discussed the need for social engagement among seniors as well as broad outreach across ethnicities and faith to ensure everyone is reached and included.  Dorchester Neighbors has been having its fliers and informational pamphlets translated into Spanish , Portuguese, Creole and Vietnamese to ensure inclusivity.  The gathering also addressed the need for volunteers and brainstormed a number of possible outreach techniques

Get Involved

Board Membership & Volunteering.

Dorchester Neighbors is welcoming applicants to serve on its board.  You can read more HERE.

 

Dorchester Neighbors is recruiting volunteers read more here and sign up to volunteer HERE.