The Massachusetts Councils on Aging held their annual fall conference in the first week of October in Danvers, MA. Our own Chair of the Northern Hilltowns Consortium, Janice L. Gibeau, along with Deborah Hollingworth, Regional Facilitator and Sue LaRock, Coordinator, Plainfield Council on Aging presented “Down in the Weeds: Grass Root Development of Rural Age Friendly Communities”.
The Northern Hilltowns Consortium of Councils on Aging has found that regularly meeting together creates a strong forum for sharing problems, strategies and specific techniques to build cohesive community networks. The presentation/workshop focused on the dynamics of community development when changes are sought, strategies for creating cohesive relationships within the community and its stakeholders. It also addressed stages of development of an Age Friendly Community.