Vibrant Communities and
Healthy Aging Go Hand-In-Hand
The Connecticut Age Well Collaborative is a statewide, cross-sector initiative that fosters Connecticut communities where we all thrive as we grow up and grow older. The Collaborative co-creates, educates, innovates, celebrates and evaluates best practices, projects and policies to shape more aging, dementia, and disability-inclusive communities. Delegated by the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity & Opportunity, the Collaborative is leading the state's livable communities initiative (Section 17b-420a of the Connecticut General Statutes).
Our guiding principlEs
Emphasize access, equity, and inclusion.
Change the conversation about aging from “challenge” to “asset”.
Listen more and let everyone’s voice be heard.
Maintain a sense of urgency and accountability.
Ensure the nature of work is interactive and transparent.
Be responsive to evolving and emerging issues.
Promote a community of continuous learning.
Celebrate success among our partners.
OUR ACTION PLAN
Inform efforts with lived experience and co-create
Raise awareness
Provide resources and support
Celebrate and scale action
Evaluate rigorously to inform scalability
SHAPING COMMUNITIES WHERE WE ALL THRIVE
The Connecticut Age Well Collaborative is aligning efforts across organizations and has established this integrated framework for communities across Connecticut to foster greater aging, dementia and disability inclusivity across the lifespan.
COMMUNITY LEADERS FELLOWSHIP
The Collaborative is launching the Community Leaders Fellowship, a compensated opportunity for Connecticut community members who are aging, living with dementia, living with a disability, or acting as a care partner to someone who is. In a process of shared learning, trust-building and empowerment, participants will help guide and shape the work of the Collaborative and help pilot a model for municipal community engagement that emphasizes valuing lived experience, especially from historically disempowered populations. A subset of the Fellows will be selected to join the Collaborative’s Steering Committee longer-term. The application period for the 2023 Community Leaders Fellowship is now closed.
Click to download.
Watch the recording of our info session. To learn about what the Connecticut Age Well Collaborative is, what Fellows learn and do, the benefits of participating, and how fellows applied and were selected, watch, the recording of our info session here.
Selection Criteria:
- Applicants must be Connecticut residents, have been Connecticut residents within the previous two years, or will have been Connecticut residents by March 15, 2023.
- To the extent possible, Fellows will be equitably selected from various regions across Connecticut.
- Preference will be given to applicants who are:
- Aging, living with dementia, living with a disability, or acting as a care partner with someone who is;
- From historically marginalized groups;
- Low-income (based on the average media income of their geographic location);
- Working in or have an interest in learning more about community organizing/social justice movements; and
- Willing to share information and lived experiences to help shape local policy to make communities places where we all can thrive.
We will do our best to provide any requested accommodation that would improve accessibility.
WELLSPRING AWARDS
Connecticut is a wellspring of ideas and innovations on how to foster aging, dementia and disability inclusivity. How does YOUR community inspire others throughout the state? Join us for the Connecticut Age Well Collaborative’s first annual Wellspring Awards. Awards will be presented in-person at our Sharing and Celebration Summit at the State Capitol on April 26 from 11 AM to 1 PM.
Connecticut-specific, community-based projects, initiatives and policies implemented within the past five years and/or with ongoing, meaningful, relevant community impact will be considered. Strong nominations will promote aging, dementia or disability inclusivity; integrate the voices of individuals with lived experience; and have long-term, systemic community impact going beyond provision of individual services and supports. Our nomination period is closed for this year. For updates on our Wellspring Awards, sign up for our enews.
AGE WELL ACADEMY
Our communities are stronger when they include the full scope of our energy, including the contributions of older people, individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and individuals with disabilities. Learn more in our 2023 Age Well Academy, with special recognition to be awarded to participants who join us for four events in 2023. To access recordings of prior events, visit our YouTube channel.
Eligible for Certified Connecticut Municipal Official Credit (CMMO) with the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM).
We’ve been singing about aging. Yes, singing! We commissioned the incredibly talented Connecticut composer, musician, storyteller and teacher Jeff McQuillan to help compose and perform our musical theme, We Age Well, which premiered with the launch of our Age Well Academy. The melody, instrumentation and lyrics of We Age Well all seek to capture the spirit of celebration and vibrancy that we hope to inspire in communities across Connecticut. You can listen to the song and download the lyrics.
Practical Action for Aging, Dementia and Disability Inclusivity: Best Practice Guidelines
Wednesday, September 13, 2023, 11am to 12:30pm | Virtual
Honoring Lived Experience and Creating Community Authority
Wednesday, October 18, 2023, 11am to 12:30 pm | Virtual
RESOURCE GUIDE SERIES
Municipal government, community stakeholders and residents can work together to create more aging, dementia and disability-inclusive communities, resulting in more just, equitable communities for everyone. The Connecticut Age Well Collaborative’s resource guides series supports local government in shaping communities where we all can age well. We released our first resource guide Fostering Aging, Dementia and Disability Inclusivity last November. Our second and newest guide is Reframing the Aging, Dementia and Disability Narrative: Celebrating Vitality and Promoting Inclusivity in Our Communities. Look for future guides to be released concurrent with our remaining Age Well Academy events in 2023!
CONNECTICUT HEALTHY AGING DATA REPORT
The Connecticut Healthy Aging Data Report helps residents, agencies, lawmakers and community leaders understand the older people who live in their cities and towns. It provides data and recommendations to help advance healthy aging to aid in building vibrant, healthy communities that work for all ages. Connecticut is one of only four states in the nation to have such extensive data available for healthy aging.
Within this report, you will find interactive maps, in-depth charts, and comprehensive profiles that include nearly 200 indicators of healthy aging for each of the state’s 169 cities and towns, plus 12 neighborhoods in Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, and Stamford.
All data was compiled by researchers at the Gerontology Institute of the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The work was funded by the Point32Health Foundation (formed by a combination of the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation and Tufts Health Plan Foundation).
leadership, staff & Partners
Our Steering Committee Members:
Ellen Carter
Ayesha Clarke
Stephanye Clarke
Joel Cox
Anna Dorghazi
Margaret Gerundo- Murkette
Gretchen Knauff
Christy Kovel
Andrea June
Melissa Lang
Mag Morelli
Sherry Ostrout
June Renzulli
Kyle Shiel
Deborah Stein
Christie Stewart
Dianne Stone
Michael Werner
Our Staff:
Alyssa Norwood
Karen Green
Our Partners:
Collective impact brings people together in a structured way to achieve social change. The Connecticut Age Well Collaborative plans and implements its work through a collective impact model. This evolving list reflects strategically cultivated relationships with governmental, nonprofit and academic organizations who were invited as partners. “Partners” are organizations committed to collaborating to align efforts and shared resources toward fostering Connecticut communities where we all thrive as we grow up and grow older. We also look forward to cultivating more formal relationships with municipalities, community centers of power, grassroots leaders and other key stakeholders. To explore partnership with the Connecticut Age Well Collaborative, e-mail ctagewell@ctcommunitycare.org.
CORE COLLECTIVE IMPACT PARTNERS
Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity & Opportunity
Connecticut Community Care
Connecticut Council of Developmental Disabilities
Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services
Point32Health Foundation
COLLABORATING COLLECTIVE IMPACT PARTNERS
AARP Connecticut
Alzheimer's Association CT Chapter
AgingCT
The Arc Connecticut
Center for Medicare Advocacy
Central Connecticut State University
Connecticut Association of Directors of Health
Connecticut Association of Senior Center Personnel
Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness
Connecticut Conference of Municipalities
Connecticut Local Administrators of Social Services
Connecticut Main Street Center
CT Chapter of American Planning Association
CT Council of Small Towns
CTData Collaborative
CT Department of Public Health
CT State Independent Living Council
CT Training and Technical Assistance Center at UCONN
The Housing Collective - Centers for Housing Opportunity
LeadingAge Connecticut
National Conference for Community and Justice
Partnership for Strong Communities
Regional Plan Association
Sustainable CT
UConn Center on Aging, University of Connecticut
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