Thanks to dramatic advances in medicine, public health, and lifestyle choices, nearly half of children born today can expect to live to 100. As more of us live longer, healthier lives, New Hampshire faces a powerful opportunity to rethink the future of our communities.
However, despite the burgeoning growth of our state’s older population, NH does not yet have a strong or cohesive advocacy infrastructure in place for older adults. So many of us continue to have so much to offer as we age, but many of our current policies, structures, and cultural assumptions fail to take advantage of the new realities of an older Granite State. Such an infrastructure is needed to successfully make New Hampshire a community that supports its’ older citizens.
The New Hampshire Alliance for Healthy Aging (NHAHA) has been working since 2014 to prepare communities to create an even better, even older New Hampshire. By pulling together service organizations, state agencies, policymakers, advocates and older people themselves, NHAHA is building an infrastructure that can adapt to the needs and incorporate the strengths of NH citizens.
We need your help to continue this momentum. Together we must roll up our sleeves and imagine new ways to think and act and new ways to shape the places in which we live.
This winter, NHAHA’s Advocacy team is working with like-minded advocates from across the state on Senate Bill 36-Systems of Care for Healthy Aging. Learn more at: https://new-futures.org/issues/healthy-aging
NHAHA Advocacy 2023 Tracked Bills
AHA Priority and Tracked Bills 2022-April
Click here to learn about AHA’s long-term advocacy priorities.
Click here to learn about AHA’s 2020 advocacy priorities.
Click here for the 2017 legislative wrap up.
How you can help:
Older adults and their families are encouraged to join in this effort. Previous advocacy experience is not required.
Attend a meeting
The AHA Advocacy group meets the first Monday of every month from 9:00 – 10:30 AM At present, all of our meetings are being held via ZOOM.
NHAHA Advocacy Work Group – next meeting
Monday, August 7. 2023
9:00 am
| Please Join by Zoom
Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 911 0493 4952 Dial by your location |
Sign up for the AHA Advocacy Email Group
Contact your representatives about important issues:
Find out who your Legislator is:
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/wml.aspx
Find out who your Senator is:
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/Senate/members/wml.aspx
To learn more about the status of a specific bill:
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/
The NH State Commission on Aging
The Commission on Aging (COA) was established in 2019 to advise the governor and the general court on policy and planning related to aging. A more age-integrated New Hampshire fostered by forward thinking public policy and initiatives will ensure we can all thrive as we age. The COA builds on the 30-year history of the State Committee on Aging (SCOA). The Commission includes older adult representation from NH’s ten counties, representation from DHHS and other State agencies, and reports directly to the Governor’s Office, thus providing a stronger voice for older people in NH.
To learn more, please visit the Commission’s web page
Effective advocacy helps inform and educate policymakers, allows individuals to have their voices heard, builds stronger communities, and allows people to live more fulfilling lives. Together we can make NH a great place to grow up and to grow old!
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