Age-Friendly Health & Tech Showcase

May 24, 2023

In Celebration of Older Americans Month

The Live Well Springfield Coalition (LWS) Age-Friendly Coalition, in collaboration with the Springfield Aging Unbound, Department of Elder Affairs Outreach Division, is hosting an Age-Friendly Health & Tech Showcase in honor of Older Americans Month. This event will be on May 31st from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM at the Raymond A. Jordan Center. This is also a celebratory event as we acknowledge our six years of advocating for older adults issues in Springfield. Our efforts over these past few years has led to Springfield being the first Age and Dementia Friendly community with an Age-Friendly hospital system. We have lifted the health inequities of older adults aging with a Criminal Offender Record Info-CORI in Hampden County and have helped to share the lived experiences of older adults in our community.

The Age-Friendly Health & Tech Showcase will bring together age-friendly partners focused on tech solutions for older adults, including health and wellness, and various services. We've been working to bridge the digital divide of tech, care, and access for older adults. Over the last two years the coalition has also worked with Tech Spring to develop a community engaged process to understand the tech and innovations need of the community, through a human-centered design approach. We have come to learn that caregiving and the roles of caregivers through tech is a top priority.

Live Well Springfield comprises 30-plus community partners convened by the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts. The coalition's primary initiatives are the Age and Dementia Friendly Cities, Transforming Community Initiatives, and Climate Change Health, and Equity among others. The coalition strongly believes that systemic change cannot happen without the people that are most directly impacted by the issues at the center of the conversation.

Join us on May 31st for this fun, innovative, and informative event. Register HERE. If you have questions about the event contact Samantha Hamilton at: shamilton@publichealthwm.org.

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Building Partnerships to Adapt to Flooding in the Connecticut River Watershed

By Samantha Hamilton • February 26, 2026

This month, Live Well Springfield (LWS) and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) partnered with the City of Springfield to host a listening session on inland flooding. Inland flooding happens when rain overwhelms local drainage systems, for example, when basements flood or when streets and sidewalks turn into rivers and ponds during heavy rain. Participants heard directly from Chris Cignoli, Director of the Springfield Department of Public Works (DPW), about the city's history and infrastructure related to waterways, piping, and flood prevention. Residents gained a deeper understanding of how city systems respond to flooding, what the DPW is responsible for, and the budget constraints the department faces. Chris encouraged residents to contact the city using the local 311 line to report potential flood risks or flooding-related issues, which creates a formal service request that must be investigated. The workshop centered resident voices and explored how flooding from heavy rainfall and the Connecticut River is impacting daily life across Springfield. Residents shared firsthand accounts of flooded basements, eroding yards, blocked storm drains, and chronic street flooding, revealing how widespread and interconnected these challenges are across neighborhoods. Working in small groups, participants mapped the areas in their neighborhoods most affected by flooding, connecting personal experiences with broader patterns of risk across the city. The information shared by residents will help inform Springfield's upcoming 10-year infrastructure plan, as well as regional flood risk reports being developed by PVPC and FRCOG.