Note: If you are interested in the certificate of Age-Friendly Community Development, you will need to submit your reflections for ten chapters. If you do not want a certificate, we hope you will browse the chapters that are relevant to you.
For more information or to report a technology glitch, email lifelong@maine.edu.
Mental health is vital for healthy aging, affecting overall well-being and resilience to age-related challenges. This chapter promotes understanding and support for older adults, emphasizing potential for growth throughout life. Topics include:
Ageism, Life Events, and Resilience
Positive Mental Health and Personality
Challenges to Mental Health
Conclusion - Mental health and the Whole Person
To enhance your knowledge about structuring conversations with older residents seeking resources and support, explore "Interviewing for Advocacy: Purposeful Engagement, Respecting Boundaries, & Creating Mutual Direction." Note: Both the Aging and Mental Health and Interviewing Chapters count as one unit to the required 10 chapters to achieve a certificate of completion.
Dementia inclusion is vital for people living with dementia to live with purpose and meaning in our communities. In this chapter, you will explore what dementia is, why dementia inclusion matters, and how to become a community where people experiencing cognitive changes can thrive. Topics include:
Dementia Inclusion - What It is
Dementia Inclusion - Why It Matters
Dementia Inclusion - How to Be It
Elder abuse is a growing yet often invisible problem. The National Council on Aging reports that nearly 1 in 5 older Americans experience some form of abuse. Despite its prevalence, our communities often struggle to acknowledge and address this issue. Topics include:
Elder Abuse - Awareness
Elder Abuse - Response
Elder Abuse - Action
Are you intrested in starting a community initiative to support end of life issues, including grief and mourning? This chapter starts at the beginning, offering a basic understanding of grief, loss, and mourning and then provides some helpful tips to support those who are experiencing grief (including yourself) and ideas for raising awareness of the issues in your community.
A two-part exploration of hoarding disorder in older populations, examining psychological foundations and unique age-related challenges. Part one defines hoarding and its prevalence, emphasizing compassionate approaches. Part two highlights community-based treatments involving multiple stakeholders, considering AI's potential role in support systems. Includes practical reflections and resource guidance.
This chapter emphasizes the key role of advocacy in age-friendly. We explore three key strategies—relationship building, power mapping, and effective messaging—to help you influence policies, programs, and societal attitudes. Topics include:
What is Advocacy and Why Should We Care?
Relationship Building
Mapping Power Relationships in the Community
Policy Analysis
Messaging & Communication around Advocacy
Advocacy-By Us For Us
This chapter explains the basics of ageism and offers definitions and insight into how detrimental it is to our individual and collective health and wellbeing. Information and resources essential for recognizing and reflecting on ageist attitudes towards yourself and others will help you take steps to be less ageist! Topics include:
Defining Ageism
Ageism in Daily Life
Impact of Ageism
Avoiding Ageist Language
Elderspeak
Dignity of Risk
This chapter will guide you through an enriching learning experience designed to enhance your understanding of culture, diversity, and the impact these concepts have on our daily lives. The activities are carefully crafted to help you reflect on your own identity, biases, and how they shape your interactions with others. Topics include:
Culture and Diversity
Diversity and Creating a Sense of Belonging
In this chapter you’ll learn about essential components of volunteer engagement, age-friendly strategies for recruitment, and explore a variety of topics to help you strengthen your retention of volunteers. We’ll discuss how to have difficult conversations, and how to measure and celebrate volunteer impact. Topics include:
Essential Components of Volunteer Engagement
Laying the Groundwork
Strengthening your Team
Measuring and Celebrating Volunteer Impact
Coming soon!
This chapter examines boundaries: their definition, importance, and maintenance in age-friendly communities. Discover resources for self-reflection and boundary-setting, and practice skills to navigate real-life situations effectively. Topics include:
Boundary Basics - Professionalism, Safety, and Trust
Understanding Our Own Needs & Boundaries
Responding to Common Boundary Challenges
Boundaries in Action
In this chapter, we’ll explore how to build trust and honor our neighbors’ dignity by practicing confidentiality. Learn about privacy, protected information, and the importance of confidentiality. Discover strategies to safeguard sensitive information and practice through real-world scenarios. Topics include:
What is Confidentiality?
Considerations in Your Community - Strategies for Protecting Confidential Information
Confidentiality in Practice - Scenarios
Discover the power of data to showcase impact. Learn the different kinds of data that can demonstrate progress and short-term impact, ensuring your efforts are both measurable and meaningful. We will also explore effective data collection methods and introduce logic models as strategic planning tools. Topics include:
Identifying and collecting Meaningful Data
Organizing for Data-Driven Decision Making
Grant writing is a powerful tool for funding age-friendly programs, services, activities and operational costs. Grants can be leveraged to pilot new ideas and strengthen the work you have already started. Are you new to grant writing? We will explore all the basics and offer some pro-tips!
Steps in the Process
Strategies to Help Qualify for and Identify Funding Opportunities
Composing Mission and Vision Statements
Resources for Identifying Potential Grantors
This chapter covers Maine's five Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), detailing their services, and how age-friendly communities can tap into these resources. Learn how you can collaborate with your local AAA to enhance the lives of older residents in your community. Topics include:
Maine's Area Agencies in Aging
Leveraging AAA Services in Your Community
Unlock the hidden potential of your community! Learn to identify and tap into local resources to create a more age-inclusive community. We will also explore strategies to link older residents with resources that are tailored to the individual's unique goals and preferences.
Community Treasure Hunt - Identifying and Tapping into Local Resources
Community In Action - Age-Friendly Coastal Communities, Bridging Neighbors Program
Connecting Residents to Resources
Partnering in age-friendly communities requires navigating diverse interests, aligning goals, and overcoming resource constraints while maintaining open communication and trust. In this chapter we describe how to identify and engage partners and how to keep collaborations energized. Topics include:
Identifying and Nurturing Partnerships
Energizing Partnerships - Strategic Doing
If you have any questions as you are going through the material, please email: lifelong@maine.edu.
The Lifelong Maine Skill Building Series was developed as part of the Community Connections project.
Funding for the project was provided through support of the Governor's Cabinet on Aging and Office of Aging and Disability Services.
We are deeply grateful for the funding and for the thought leadership provided by Elizabeth Gattien, Coordinator of the Governor's Cabinet on Aging.