AHA Moments – October 21, 2025

This free, full-day retreat for direct care professionals will take place on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, NH. There will be inspiring presentations, meaningful networking, and a keynote from Gina McGuire, MA, RN, HN-BC, on Staying Grounded Through Change.

Join us for a morning of connection and conversation at our next Coffee and Caregiving Conversation on Friday, October 31, 2025, from 8:30–10:00 AM at the Foundation for Healthy Communities in Concord. This event offers a supportive space to share insights, connect with others, and build community.

A new AARP Public Policy Institute report highlights the critical role Medicaid expansion plays in covering adults ages 50–64. In New Hampshire, an estimated 12,000 older adults in this age group (29% of all NH expansion enrollees) rely on this coverage for essential care like cancer screenings, primary care, and mental health services. With ongoing federal funding debates, the report warns that potential cuts could leave thousands without affordable coverage.

Transportation is critical to the health, independence, and quality of life for all NH residents. Right now, the NH Commission on Aging is conducting a Community Transportation Needs Assessment to better understand how people are getting around in New Hampshire, and what needs to change. The survey is open to everyone, especially older adults, people with disabilities, veterans, caregivers, and those who experience transportation challenges.

This is your chance to help shape future investments, policy, and transportation services across the state. You are encouraged to share the survey with others in your network.

Aadi Kulkarni, 17, of Nashua received the 2025 Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes for founding TechPals, a nonprofit dedicated to improving digital literacy among older adults. What began as a local effort to help with everyday tech challenges like sending emails, joining Zoom calls, or spotting scams, has grown into a national network of over 500 volunteers.

A new analysis from the National Council on Aging finds that older adults earning $20,000 or less per year die, on average, nine years earlier than those earning $120,000 or more. Between 2018–2022, low-wealth older adults had nearly double the mortality rate of their wealthier counterparts, underscoring how financial insecurity is cutting American lives short.

If you’re 65+ and need support, explore NH’s Old Age Assistance (OAA) program, a State Supplemental Program that may be able to help.

Multisector Plans on Aging (MPAs) are powerful tools for building age-inclusive communities, guiding not just policy but the public conversation around aging. Join the National Center to Reframe Aging on October 30 at 12:00 PM for a webinar, Reframing Aging in Multisector Plans: Strategies for Impact, to learn how states are using reframed messaging to enhance the impact of their MPAs.