AHA Moments – July 7, 2026

Have you taken our latest survey yet? The New Hampshire Alliance for Healthy Aging (NHAHA) is entering the final phase of its strategic planning process and is seeking feedback to help further assess and prioritize potential strategies for the years ahead. Over the past several months, with input from you, our Steering Committee, and partners across the state, NHAHA has identified strategies with the greatest potential to advance our vision of making New Hampshire a great place to live for older adults. Whether or not you participated in previous feedback opportunities, you’re invited to complete a brief ranking survey to help inform the next step in the strategic planning process.

Interested in the future of New Hampshire’s direct care workforce? You can now watch a recording of The Road Ahead: Policy, Trends, and State Strategies to Strengthen the Direct Care Workforce, a webinar hosted on June 17 by NHAHA. The discussion explored how federal and state policy changes are impacting New Hampshire’s direct care workforce, highlighted opportunities to strengthen and support this essential sector, and shared ways individuals and organizations can get involved.

Volunteer NH is accepting nominations for the 2026 Spirit of NH Awards, recognizing individuals and organizations that have made a positive impact through volunteer service in New Hampshire communities. Awards include a Senior category for volunteers age 65 and older, as well as Youth/Young Adult, Business, Nonprofit/Volunteer Program, and more. Nominations are due by Monday, August 10.

Discover the benefits of movement with a one-hour, chair-based Dance Movement Therapy workshop for older adults on Wednesday, July 15 in Lebanon, NH. Participants will enjoy a safe, accessible environment to explore creativity, build connections, and engage in meaningful social interaction. The session is a collaboration with Dartmouth Health and The Junction Dance Festival and no dance experience is needed.

More Americans are working beyond age 65 as declining birth rates shrink the pool of younger workers and retirement becomes a more flexible transition rather than a fixed endpoint. Age-inclusive workplace practices like providing flexible schedules, caregiving support, skill development, and job accommodations can help older adults remain employed, maintain financial security, and continue to contribute their experience and expertise.

The AARP Public Policy Institute recently published a brief detailing the scope of food insecurity among older adults in 2024. About one in ten Americans age 50 and older experienced food insecurity in 2024, the most recent year for which data are available. Food insecurity prevalence remains higher than before the pandemic, likely due to high food prices and the end of pandemic-related food benefits. Persistently high food insecurity levels underscore the importance of strong nutrition programs, continued data collection and reporting, and broader efforts to address underlying drivers of food insecurity.

Read the brief and learn more about food and nutrition resources in NH.

The National Center to Reframe Aging will hold a webinar on Wednesday, July 22, focused on reframing aging across the age-friendly ecosystem. Age-friendly ecosystems foster essential connections between health systems, public health, cities and communities, home and community-based services, universities, and workplaces to deliver collective impact for older adults. The webinar will explore how reframing aging strengthens multi-sector collaboration, with a focused lens on how the principles are reflected in healthcare settings.  An account is required, but registration is free.