Editor’s note: This statement is the personal expression of the author. It does not necessarily reflect the position of Dignity Alliance Massachusetts or any other DignityMA participant.
DignityMA is a non-partisan organization and welcomes statements from all parties who support older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers.
About the Author: Richard T. Moore of Uxbridge served for many years as a Democratic member of both the Massachusetts House and Senate and as an elected member and past chair of both the Hopedale and Uxbridge Democratic Town Committees. He has been a delegate to most Massachusetts Democratic State Conventions since 1964. He is a co-founder of Dignity Alliance Massachusetts advocating for older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers.
A Commonwealth for All Ages: A Call to the Massachusetts Democratic Party
August 2025, By Richard T. Moore
The 2025 Draft Platform of the Massachusetts Democratic Party paints an inspiring and aspirational vision for the Commonwealth. It champions progress, justice, and opportunity. Yet, in this bold blueprint for our future, a crucial voice is missing. The platform is largely silent on the fastest-growing, most civically engaged demographic in our state: our older adults.
This is more than a missed opportunity; it is a strategic and moral blind spot. As party registrations decline and the ranks of unenrolled voters swell, we must ask ourselves: what are we offering the nearly one-quarter of our population who hold generations of experience, wisdom, and voting power? To leave them unaddressed is to risk their involvement in civic life and, more importantly, to ignore a powerhouse of talent and perspective. They are not a constituency to be managed, but a vital resource waiting to be unleashed.
The Massachusetts Democratic Party must not cede this ground. At a time when the national Republican party threatens to dismantle the very programs that offer dignity in aging, we have a duty to offer a bolder, more inclusive alternative. Let us build a platform that doesn’t just protect our seniors but empowers them—a platform that ensures Massachusetts is the best place in the nation to live, work, and thrive at every stage of life.
Here is the vision we can champion together:
Unlocking a Lifetime of Experience: Dignity, Purpose, and Economic Security
We envision a Commonwealth where age is not a barrier to contribution, but a gateway to new forms of purpose. Massachusetts Democrats must:
- Champion pathways to meaningful paid work and volunteerism that harness the immense skills of our older adults.
- Defend economic security by including the soaring cost of home insurance in the senior citizen circuit-breaker tax credit.
- Remove penalties that force retired public employees to choose between their pensions and continued service to our communities.
A Place to Call Home: Safety, Accessibility, and Connection
A home should be a source of security, not stress. We believe in building communities where people can age in place with grace and support. Massachusetts Democrats must:
- Lead the charge for housing that is not only affordable but universally accessible for older adults and people with disabilities.
- Aggressively promote the construction of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), fostering multi-generational living and independence.
- Expand innovative housing models that integrate essential services, keeping our neighbors connected and cared for within their communities.
World-Class Care at Every Age: Health, Well-being, and Respect
Massachusetts is a leader in healthcare, and that leadership must extend to every resident, regardless of age. We will fight for a system rooted in compassion and respect. Massachusetts Democrats must:
- Strengthen and expand the home- and community-based services that allow our loved ones to age with dignity in the places they call home.
- Raise the Personal Needs Allowance, restoring a measure of financial freedom to residents in nursing and rest homes.
- Eliminate the corrupting influence of private equity in all aspects of our healthcare system—from nursing homes to hospice care—putting patients over profits.
- Guarantee livable wages for our long-term care workers, honoring the heroic work they do every day.
- Confront and eliminate age and disability discrimination in the provision of all health services.
Building Communities for Life: Access, Safety, and Climate Resilience
A truly thriving commonwealth is one where every person can participate fully and safely in community life. Massachusetts Democrats must
- Protect our most vulnerable from the climate crisis by expanding cooling assistance alongside heating aid.
- Invest in our infrastructure by improving sidewalks, expanding accessible walking trails, and making our public spaces truly public for all.
- Make our streets safer by extending traffic signal walk times and increasing penalties for harming pedestrians.
- Expand free and discounted public transportation, ensuring that mobility is a right, not a privilege.
- Wage a relentless fight against elder abuse, scams, and bullying that target and rob our seniors of their peace and security.
This is not merely a list of policies. It is a declaration that a person’s value does not diminish with age—it deepens. It is a commitment to an intergenerational compact where wisdom is honored, experience is valued, and every resident is empowered to contribute.
Let us amend this platform to reflect the full strength and diversity of our Commonwealth. Let us build a party and a state that truly leaves no one behind. It is time for the Massachusetts Democratic Party to lead.