Boston Council Committee Examines Gaps in Senior Services Across City Neighborhoods

BOSTON — February 26, 2026 — Boston City Council committee reviews senior programming growth alongside persistent neighborhood gaps. The Committee on Human Services, chaired by Councillor Erin J. Murphy, held a hearing Thursday on docket 0287 examining senior services citywide, with no formal votes taken. Age Strong Commissioner Emily Shea reported that Boston's population over age 60 has grown 48 percent since 2010 to more than 130,000 residents, and that a $200,000 City Council budget addition helped activate five new programming sites in FY26, while 95 grants totaling just under $1 million were awarded for social engagement. BCYF Director of Operations Ed McGuire said 7,556 older adults participated in BCYF programming in 2025, a 13 percent increase, with total visits up 23 percent to 175,896. Councillor John FitzGerald pressed for expanded access in his District 3, which has no dedicated senior center, and Shea confirmed a $75,000 state earmark is funding new programming at the Irish Pastoral Center. A separate hearing on elder financial scams is set for March 9.