Gov. Healey Proposes Name Change to Promote Positive Aging

Gov. Maura Healey is looking to change the name of the Executive Office of Elder Affairs. The proposed new name? The Executive Office of Aging & Independence. The governor filed legislation to change the name earlier this week to coincide with Older Americans Month.

The governor’s office says the proposed name change is “part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to expand its reach and ensure older people throughout Massachusetts can access needed information, services, and support through every stage of aging.”

“The Executive Office of Elder Affairs was established more than 50 years ago and was one of the nation’s first state agencies dedicated to addressing the needs of older people,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Today, the agency has evolved to offer programs and services that support 1.7 million older residents and nearly 1 million family caregivers. Our administration is committed to meeting the changing needs of today’s older adults, and I am thrilled that this name change better reflects those that we serve.”

Research conducted by Healey’s team revealed that the term “elder” does not resonate with aging adults. Instead, terms like “aging” and “older people” are preferred.

The bill also removes language such as “elder,” “elderly person(s),” and “handicapped,” replacing them with more inclusive terms like “older adult(s)” and “adult with a disability.”

With a proposed name change, the agency also unveiled a new mission, vision, and tagline:

Mission: Together, we support aging adults to live and thrive safely and independently – how and where they want.
Vision: We envision a state in which every person has the tools, resources, and support they need to fully embrace the aging experience.
Tagline: Your partners in aging.

Earlier this year the governor made a similar move, renaming the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission to MassAbility. The bill now awaits further action in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

You can find the Executive Office of Elder Affairs/Executive Office of Aging & Independence here.