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Housing News Study Session

Study Session: Secy. Edward Augustus

Secretary Edward Augustus, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities September 13, 2023 Secretary Augustus has served as Chief of Staff for Massachusetts Congressman James McGovern, City Manager for Worcester, and Chancellor for Dean College. In May 2023, he was appointed the inaugural Secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities by Governor […]

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News

2023-08-21 Spotlight: Graying of Massachusetts prisons cries out for a dose of compassion

*The Boston Globe, By The Editorial Board, August 27, 2023 (updated) That starts with increased use of medical parole for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s. D.B., as his lawyers refer to him, was 87, suffering from dementia and other age-related illnesses. Doctors had already confirmed he was both terminally ill and permanently incapacitated. But he […]

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Covid-19 Facilities News Spotlight

2023-08-21 Spotlight: How Nursing Homes Failed to Protect Residents from Covid

By Paula Span, New York Times (free access), August 19, 2023 The first terrifying wave of Covid-19 caused 60,000 deaths among residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities within five months. As the pandemic wore on, medical guidelines called for promptly administering newly approved antiviral treatments to infected patients at high risk of […]

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Facilities News

DignityMA Letter Regarding Mass General Brigham’s Skilled Nursing Facility Collaborative

To: Anne Klibanski, MD, President and CEO, Mass General Brigham Dear Dr. Klibanski, Dignity Alliance Massachusetts is a statewide, non-profit coalition of individuals and organizations advocating for older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers. By way of introduction to Dignity Alliance, we have attached a copy of our most recent annual report. We recently […]

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Advocacy News Testimony

DignityMA Testimony for Public Meeting Access

On July 26, 2023, the 33rd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disability Act, Dignity Alliance MA submitted written testimony to a public meeting of the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight in support of access to public meetings by older adults and people with disabilities. Download the submitted testimony (with […]

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Facilities News Spotlight

2023-07-24 Spotlight: It’s Time to Bring Back Asylums

Editor’s note: This is a provocative essay. It includes a reference to the Worcester (MA) Recovery Center, a facility for 320 long-term patients with private rooms and “a recovery-inspired residential design” which opened in 2012. If you have observations or comments regarding the essay which you would like to share, please send them to Digest@DignityAllianceMA.org. […]

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News Spotlight

2023-07-17 Spotlight: What’s Hot? Older Adults!

Opinion by Richard T. Moore, former Massachusetts State Senator and Chair Dignity Alliance Massachusetts Legislative Workgroup, July 17, 2023FYI:  Dignity Digest 145 contains the footnotes for this article. In the Pacific Northwest, “As records toppled, lives were lost. Early investigations suggest that nearly one thousand people died as a direct result of the Pacific Northwest […]

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News Study Session

Study Session: Older American Act Programs and New Rulemaking

The U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) is seeking input on proposed updates to the regulations for its Older Americans Act (OAA) programs. The proposed rule is the first substantial update to most OAA program regulations in 35 years.  Scroll Down to read comments or download Dignity Alliance MA submitted comments. Richard Moore, Arlene Germain, […]

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Advocacy Home and Community Based News Worker Support

Increase the rate of payment for PCA’s to at least $25 per hour

June 19, 2023 Dignity Alliance MA supports increasing the payment for PCA’s to at least $25 per hour. 45 individuals and organizations have endorsed the following letter to Governor Healey, asking her to implement this increase immediately. Letter to Governor Healey Dear Governor Healey, On behalf of the membership of the Dignity Alliance of Massachusetts, […]

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News Study Session

Study Session: State Director of Rural Affairs Anne Gobi

Study Session with State  Director of Rural Affairs Anne Gobi Thursday, June 29, 2023, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Director of Rural Affairs Anne Gobi will be the featured guest for a DignityMA Study Session scheduled for Thursday, June 29, 2023, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Former State Senator Anne Gobi was selected by Gov. Maura […]

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