‘State Plan on Aging’ work to continue with final listening sessions this week

The state is holding its final two listening sessions this week to gather public input before it updates its plan for supporting residents as they age. 

The Department of Health and Human Services is also taking feedback via an online survey that asks about the availability of community supports, including health care programs and screenings, affordable housing, transportation, and in-home long-term supports and services.

The department will host a virtual listening session Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. that can be joined by video or telephone. The video link and phone number are on the department’s website, dhhs.nh.gov, under events. 

An in-person session will follow on Thursday, from noon to 2 p.m. at the William B. Cashin Senior Activity Center in Manchester. 

The New Hampshire State Plan on Aging, administered by the department’s Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services, lays out a number of ambitious goals and strategies for helping older residents stay active and healthy; encouraging “age-friendly” communities that allow older residents to age at home; and connecting that population with housing, health care, and other services.

New Hampshire has one of the oldest populations in the country. In 2019, the Legislature established the state Commission on Aging to follow issues related to aging in the state and advise lawmakers and the governor on policy and planning.