
In early January, Governor Maura Healey signed legislation to officially rename the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Aging & Independence (AGE). The name change reflects the Commonwealth’s goal of avoiding stereotypes and better representing the values of older adults.
The new legislation also replaces outdated wording in state statues, such as:
- “Elder, elderly” becomes “Older adult”
- “Handicapped” becomes “Adult with a disability”
The new name and wording come from extensive interviews with Massachusetts residents, who reportedly associate the word “elder” with someone at the end of their life. Renaming the agency and changing the words used to describe older adults empowers older adults at any age to reach out to the agency for aging-related services, helping the administration serve more people. It also helps to reduce stigma around aging.
The preferred acronym for the Executive Office of Aging & Independence is AGE, short for “Aging.”
“We are all aging. Growing older is not one agency’s focus. Across the Administration, policies and programs impact our older population,” said Aging & Independence Secretary Robin Lipson in a press release. “We are excited to work across the Administration to make Massachusetts a better place for residents of all ages to grow up and grow older, together.”
To learn more about the Executive Office of Aging & Independence, read AGE’s press release on their website here.