Age-friendly progress requires buy-in from the highest levels of state government.
That’s why the organizations back-boning the Age-Friendly North Jersey alliance are also among the leaders of a new public relations campaign to make population aging a priority issue in the governor’s race.
“The age-friendly movement made some significant strides during the Murphy administration, especially during the past year,” said Dr. Cathy Rowe, executive director of New Jersey Advocates for Aging Well (NJAAW). “Under the current administration, New Jersey joined the AARP Age-Friendly Network of States and Communities, convened a task force that produced a forward-looking blueprint and earmarked funds for a pioneering grantmaking program that is helping new communities launch age-friendly initiatives.”
“We want to make sure our next governor commits to building on those efforts,” said Rowe, whose organization helps administer AFNJ and a new initiative called Lifelong Strong New Jersey.
As described on its website, Lifelong Strong New Jersey is “an advocacy campaign to urge New Jersey’s next Governor to prioritize policies and initiatives that ensure all residents can thrive in the Garden State as we age.”
One facet of the campaign seeks to have individuals and organizations throughout the state “Take the Lifelong Strong NJ Pledge!”
This campaign and the pledge in particular aims to garner individual and organization support for continuing the efforts to make NJ “a great place to age”, and for the new governor to launch the work of a Multisector Plan for Aging, a comprehensive strategy many other states have already adopted. In addition to NJAAW, the other AFNJ leadership organizations helping to steer the campaign are The Henry & Marilyn Taub Foundation, the Grotta Fund for Older Adults and the Rutgers Hub for Aging Collaboration. Parker Health Group, New Jersey Future, and Fair Share Support Services also have joined in the leadership committee of Lifelong Strong NJ
“We’d like the transition plan of the next gubernatorial administration to include definitive steps for preparing for the challenges and opportunities of population aging,” said Julia Stoumbos, director of aging-in-place programs for the Taub Foundation. “Many other states have already undertaken a multisector plan for aging, and it’s led to more cooperation among government agencies, more productive public-private partnerships and a much more coordinated approach to planning for housing, transportation, health care, social systems and the many other policy areas that impact on people’s ability to age well.”
A major facet of the campaign is to educate the populace about New Jersey’s changing demographics – particularly the reality that the next governor could be in office when the number of adults over 65 in NJ will surpass the number of children under 18 for the first time in history.
This change necessitates coordinated planning and new goals. A multi-sector plan would be a different kind of governing document, one that engages all departments of state government – not just aging services division leaders – and involves the business community and other private sector leaders to set new directions and aims.
As the June 10 primary election nears, Lifelong Strong’s leaders have been ramping up their education and advocacy efforts, with the goal of with the goal of elevating age-friendly talking points so that they are central to the platforms of the eventual party nominees who will face off in the Nov. 4 general election.
A public relations firm was hired to help amplify the messaging, and support is being enlisted from a broad swath of organizations, community leaders and residents across the state. The effort was the subject of a panel discussion at the NJAAW conference on May 16 and a presentation at Bergen Age-Friendly Roundtable meeting on May 30.
Like the age-friendly movement, the Lifelong Strong campaign seeks to upend aging stereotypes and get policymakers to recognize that the housing, transportation, affordability and other challenges that older residents routinely grapple with are challenges faced by residents of all ages.
“Lifelong Strong New Jersey is a campaign that all age-friendly community leaders should participate and share widely with residents in their towns and their extended networks,” said Renie Carniol, director of the Grotta Fund. “The subject of aging has not been at the forefront of past elections in New Jersey, but by joining together to make sure our collective voices are heard, we can change that.”
To learn more about Lifelong Strong, visit the website lifelongstrongnj.org, sign up to receive its blog or read these Frequently Asked Questions.