In February 2024, Vermont launched its Multisector Plan for Aging (MPA), known as Age Strong VT. This 10-year roadmap responds to the existing and upcoming demographic shift: already in 2026, one in three Vermonters are ages 60 or older. Age Strong VT sets a vision for Vermont as a state where all residents can thrive as they age.
While Age Strong VT provides statewide direction, it is reinforced by a wide range of local initiatives that translate the plan’s goals into action on the ground. This post reviews several initiatives in Southeastern Vermont that offer an example of how communities are building support for older adults through collaboration, innovation and grassroots engagement.
Southeastern Vermont’s experience demonstrates how rural communities can successfully respond to the challenges of an older population. Together, these examples, Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), regional coalitions like Windham Aging, senior centers, transportation and housing initiatives, and community care networks, demonstrate how Age Strong VT is being brought to life through community, collaboration, creativity and trust.
The Most Rural and Second Oldest State
Vermont has one of the oldest populations per capita in the United States, with 194,000 adults, or 30% of Vermont residents ages 60 or older, making Vermont’s population the second oldest per capita in the country.
Additionally, Vermont is the country’s most rural state, with about 65% of people living in rural areas; no town in Vermont has more than 50,000 people. This presents unique challenges as Vermont’s older population continues to grow. Older adults in rural areas all over the country often encounter barriers to accessing healthcare services, groceries or public transit. This is equally true in Vermont, but despite these challenges, local efforts to support the older population in Vermont are helping Vermonters overcome barriers.
Area Agencies on Aging: Vermont’s Aging Services Network
Vermont is served by five nonprofit area agencies on aging (AAAs), each covering a different region. These agencies play an important role in the state’s infrastructure for aging, offering case management, caregiver support including dementia respite, transportation coordination, and benefits counseling.
“Senior centers are much more than a meal or a ride; they become family for a lot of the community.” –—Deanna Jones, Executive Director of The Thompson
In Southeastern Vermont (one of the most rural parts of the state), Senior Solutions, the local AAA, covers 46 towns. Delivering services across such distances poses unique challenges: icy roads in winter, limited broadband access, and older adults often living alone in isolated areas. Despite these barriers, Senior Solutions continues to serve as a trusted entry point for information, referrals and ongoing support.
However, the scope of rural needs means that regional AAAs cannot work alone. This is where Vermont’s culture of grassroots mutual aid has stepped up. Vermont is one of the states that has the most nonprofits per capita, with many organizations poised to fill in gaps for older adults. Vermont’s aging network requires a collaborative partnership among nonprofits, grassroots groups, healthcare providers, and other organizations working together under the framework of Age Strong VT.
Building Regional Infrastructure: Windham Aging
Windham Aging, based in Brattleboro, Vt., exemplifies collaboration across the region. Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) serves as the fiscal agent for the program and employs the program coordinator who serves both BMH and Windham Aging. Windham Aging is a grassroots partnership of more than 18 organizations working to improve conditions for older adults across Windham County.
The effort builds on more than a decade of regional planning and data analysis led by the 18 organizations. Drawing on this foundation, Windham Aging is developing a 15-year strategic plan organized around five key focus areas—healthcare, wellness, housing, transportation, and workforce—all aligned with the goals of Age Strong VT. The collaborative works to identify existing resources, assess future needs, educate community leaders, and track progress toward measurable outcomes.
Community Hubs: The Role of Senior Centers
Senior Centers across Southeastern Vermont are another cornerstone of Vermont’s aging network. The Thompson Center in Woodstock, Vt., is an incredible example of the critical infrastructure senior centers provide. As a multipurpose senior center, The Thompson serves as a social, nutritional and wellness hub for the community with broad offerings from Meals on Wheels and daily lunches, to physical exercise classes, art programs, and volunteer opportunities. The center’s Aging at Home program, launched in 2016, has become a model for rural aging support. This program is inspired by the Village Model, and connects older adults to support services and social connections to successfully age in their communities.
The Thompson also aims to be a trusted institution for people of all ages in the community. One community member said you “Can’t Stump The Thompson”—because any question or request she has, The Thompson has already thought of and can connect her to appropriate services.
Transportation Solutions
In Southeastern Vermont, transportation resources are limited. While there are some public transportation options for some parts of Southeastern Vermont, many Vermonters are dependent upon a personal vehicle. The rural landscape of Vermont presents challenges for Vermonters who are no longer able to drive due to health conditions or affordability challenges.
‘Some towns divide neighborhoods into small “care zones” so during a storm or other emergency, someone is responsible for checking in on vulnerable residents.’
The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans), the Vermont Public Transportation Association, and the Windham Regional Commission work together to engage local leaders and find solutions, in policy and practice. One example is The Moover, which provides fare-free public transportation options for areas of Windham and Southern Windsor Counties, while Tri-Valley Transit provides service to residents in Northern Windsor Counties. Due to these two counties in Southeastern Vermont being located on the New Hampshire border, they also see ridership from New Hampshire residents.
Housing Solutions
Like many communities across the country, Vermont is facing a challenge in affordable, available housing. According to the 2025 Housing Insecurity Among Older Adults data brief, published by Age Strong VT in collaboration with the Vermont Department of Health, “adults 45 and older experiencing housing insecurity have a higher percentage of poor physical and mental health than those who are housing secure.”
In Southeastern Vermont, as throughout the state, housing continues to be a challenge for Vermonters, including those ages 45 and older. Some shelters have reported a jump in the number of adults ages 55 and older regularly using their services. Local solutions include support from a broad range of organizations that collectively serve the state, such as Designated Regional Housing Organizations (DRHOs), which implement SASH (Supports and Services at Home), the Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA), HomeShare Vermont, the Windham & Windsor Housing Trust, and many other locally based organizations.
Vermont’s Community Care Networks: Aging in Hartland
There are several grassroots volunteer organizations in Southeastern Vermont, known as Cares Groups or Aging in Place groups, which organize social gatherings, community meals, and networks to help residents with needs like fuel and firewood delivery. Some towns even divide neighborhoods into smaller “care zones” so during a storm or other emergency, someone is responsible for checking in on vulnerable residents.
One example is the organization Aging in Hartland. The volunteer-driven program coordinates rides to medical appointments, and provides companionship visits, minor home repair, meal support, and more. Beyond practical help, Aging in Hartland builds community connections, ensuring older residents remain socially engaged and visible, through monthly community activities and one-on-one volunteers who can come to the homes of older residents.
Aging in Hartland also operates a Community Nurse Program, where a nurse or social worker visits older residents in their homes, checks on health needs, and helps coordinate referrals to doctors, social services, or community programs. While this community nurse is typically not providing traditional clinical care, they play a crucial role in connecting patients to appropriate services and preventing gaps in care, particularly for vulnerable community members who might otherwise fall through the cracks.
Conclusion
The story of Southeastern Vermont illustrates how rural communities can come together to provide collaborative support to older residents, helping them address barriers and successfully age in place. With Area Agencies on Aging providing structure, and senior centers such as The Thompson providing community, grassroots groups like Aging in Hartland delivering neighbor-to-neighbor support, and innovative models like community nurses bridging health and social care, many older adults in Vermont are surrounded by a strong, interconnected safety net. MPAs are an important step to improving the lives of older adults, and Vermont is a good example of how local efforts can work alongside a formal MPA such as Age Strong VT to alleviate many of these challenges.
The lesson is clear: community, collaboration, creativity, and trust are essential for supporting older adults in rural areas. As more communities across the country grapple with the realities of rural aging, Vermont offers a powerful example of what is possible when neighbors, nonprofits, and policymakers work hand in hand.
Niamh Brennan, MPH, is a research associate and Amy Herr, MHS, PMP, is senior director of Health Policy for the nonprofit, nonpartisan West Health Policy Center. Herr is also a member of the ASA Board of Directors.
Thank you to Mark Boutwell, Phil Hobbie, Deanna Jones, Sarah Keating, and Erin Wessel for their contributions to this blog.
