Who We Are
Massachusetts Councils on Aging (MCOA) is a nonprofit, membership association of the 350 municipal councils on aging and senior centers. COAs are the first stop on the continuum of care. We support the 1.7 million older adults, 60 and over in Massachusetts, in leading healthy, purposeful lives.
Recent News
Attention New Directors – Training Opportunity!
Have you joined our network within the past couple of years? Are you looking for training to reach your full potential? Join us on December 12 at 10:00 AM as Jacquie Collins of Partnering for Performance reveals a new training series, starting in January, that will...
Featured Events
Attention New Directors!
MCOA Membership Meeting
January | Transportation & Mobility Coordinators Meeting
What is a COA?
COAs serve as conduits for accessing a range of municipal services that may seem out-of-reach to older residents. They are the focal point where older adults and their families can access the local and state network of elder services, while providing an integrated array of social, health, recreation, and education programs for older men and women. COAs offer programs, services, and activities that benefit older people, and their families and caregivers.
COAs conduct more than 100 programs from information and referral to benefits, outreach, transportation, and meals and other food programs to health screenings, health insurance counseling, fitness, recreation, computer access, education, and life-long learning, among others.
Each COA determines its own priorities based on unique local circumstances, resources and interests. Regardless of design, a local senior center is often a home away from home for socializing, learning, wellness, “giving back,” or just a reason to get out of the house. For the rapidly growing older population, COAs and senior centers provide a safe place for Massachusetts older adults to remain independent, productive, and in the community for as long as possible.