AgeSpan’s mission has always been to amplify the voices of older adults and ensure everyone has the opportunity to live their life to the fullest in the community of their choice.
This year, we mark our milestone anniversary, “50 Years of Inspiring Aging: Celebrating the Power, Value, and Voices of Older Adults.”
Joan Hatem-Roy
While much has changed over the years, what I do know is we are incredibly fortunate to have so many older adults living in the Merrimack Valley and on the North Shore whose lives inspire others every day.
In their honor, we created the “50 Over 60 List,” highlighting people age 60 and over who motivate us through their positive attitudes, healthy aging, intergenerational experiences, community service, activism, and caregiving.
These older adults are mentors, artists, and caregivers. Some have gone back to school and pursued new careers. Others serve on boards, organize and support fundraisers, and selflessly donate countless hours volunteering at churches, senior centers, shelters, schools, and community organizations.
We were thrilled to unveil the list and honor those individuals and all older adults at our anniversary luncheon last week.
I want to thank the “50 Over 60 List” honorees, keynote speaker Harvey Leonard, chief meteorologist emeritus at WCVB Channel 5; our generous sponsors, including Presenting Sponsor Enterprise Bank and Luncheon Sponsor Right at Home, and everyone who attended for making it such a meaningful event.
Our celebration comes during Older Americans Month, and this year’s theme, “Powered by Connection,” directly reflects the work of our staff and the contributions made by those in our inspiring aging profiles. Personal connections with people of all ages play a vital role in supporting physical and mental health, independence and reducing loneliness – all cornerstones of healthy aging.
Aging is a personal journey and what aging looks like is different for each of us. It can be easy to discount the wisdom and experiences of older people instead of seeing the diversity of experiences and value they bring to our lives.
We will continue to share the stories of older adults as a way to encourage all of us to rethink how we view and talk about aging.
At our 50-year mark, AgeSpan is proud to celebrate the contributions of older adults across our region. I am grateful for their commitment to service and passion for life, and I am honored to support their choice to age their own way.
To view the “50 Over 60 List,” our inspirational video, and the story of AgeSpan’s 50 years of service, please visit https://agespan.org/inspiring-aging/
Are you caring for an older adult or need help finding healthy aging resources? Our experienced staff is available to help. Visit us online at www.agespan.org. You can also call 800-892-0890 or email info@agespan.org.
Joan Hatem-Roy is the chief executive officer of AgeSpan, which serves the following cities and towns: Amesbury, Andover, Billerica, Boxford, Chelmsford, Danvers, Dracut, Dunstable, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Marblehead, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, Peabody, Rowley, Salisbury, Salem, Tewksbury, Tyngsboro, Westford and West Newbury.
