Who We Are
About Us
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 inclusive, vibrant, intergenerational places where we all can thrive across the lifespan. Such places include physical infrastructure, services, and opportunities for connection for all residents. They are intentional in planning with an aging, dementia and disability lens.
We center our work around promoting equity. Current systems and structures produce disparate outcomes for women, people of color, LGBTQ+ populations, low-income residents, and rural residents — including declining health at an earlier age, higher rates of social isolation, and economic life near or below poverty. Structural racism and other biases follow populations across the lifespan. Building a more just society helps us all as we journey through different ages, stages and abilities.
Our Action Plan
Embrace every age, every ability.
We developed, launched and lead a campaign to inspire each of us to look at our own deeply held, implicit beliefs about aging, dementia and disability.
Build community authority and value lived experience.
We convene the Community Leaders Fellowship program, 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, to create community authority and deepen municipal government’s valuing of lived experience in local planning.
Celebrate and scale community action.
We celebrate innovation in Connecticut communities through our Wellspring Awards, with emphasis on projects and policies with long-term, systemic community impact.
Provide education, resources and support.
We lead the Age Well Academy, a training series tailored specifically to municipal leaders and staff but open to everyone to share best practices on fostering greater aging, dementia and disability inclusivity at the local level. We also provide customized community assistance, including facilitating Daring Dialogues.
Lead multi-sector planning and policy efforts.
We’re laying the groundwork for Connecticut to develop and implement, a multi-sector plan for aging and disability, a roadmap to help transform policy, infrastructure and service coordination across all sectors for rapidly aging populations and people with disabilities.
Our Guiding Principles
Emphasize access, equity, and inclusion.
Change the conversation from “challenge” to “asset."
Listen more and let everyone’s voice be heard.
Maintain a sense of urgency and accountability.
Ensure the nature of the work is interactive and transparent.
Be responsive to evolving and emerging issues.
Promote a community of continuous learning.
Celebrate success among our partners and stakeholders.
More to Explore
Download the Fact Sheet
Our printable fact sheet offers a brief overview of the Connecticut Age Well Collaborative and explains our mission, our action plan, and our Framework for Communities.
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