Senior centers open many doors for those who frequent them, doors that connect older adults to social interaction, physical activities, educational programs and other essential services.
They also offer a window for New Jersey’s leaders, a window into the everyday needs, desires and challenges of the Garden State’s older population.
That’s why the goal of making New Jersey more age-friendly should also include an effort to support, strengthen and align its senior centers.
Thanks to a new grant from the Friends Foundation for the Aging, New Jersey Advocates for Aging Well (NJAAW) is seeking to do just that, through the re-establishment of the New Jersey Association of Senior Centers (NJASC).
The association will serve as a comprehensive support network for senior center professionals, offering resources, training, and connectivity. It will also offer an opportunity for those professionals to come together as advocates for the older adults they serve and to join with other key campaigns in the state, such as the expanding age-friendly movement and the current Lifelong Strong New Jersey push for the creation of a multisector plan for aging.
“As aging advocates continue to urge New Jersey to better prepare and plan for the needs of its growing older adult population, we see great value in senior center leaders being organized,” said Dr. Cathy Rowe, executive director of NJAAW. “This association will not only provide a way for these centers to enhance what they are able to offer to their clients; it will also help their directors and staff to cultivate their voices as advocates for their clients at the state level.”
NJAAW partnered with Old Bridge Township’s Business Administrator and former Senior center DirectorAnahita Feltz to seek grant funds for the launch of NJASC, which is itself a revival of a senior center association that faded away more than 10 years.
Unlike the previous iteration, which primarily was a gathering of county-run senior centers, NJASC will seek to recruit leaders of all types of centers that host programs for seniors and serve as gathering places for older residents, including municipal-run centers and ones run by non-profit organizations such as Ys, JCCs and other religious or cultural organizations.
Over time, the plan is for the new association to share resources, provide training programs to enhance the skills and knowledge of senior center staff as well as create a website that can serve as a centralized resource hub for best practices, funding opportunities, and program development. The association plans to host conferences, webinars and forums that will offer opportunities for networking and collaboration among senior center professionals.
“We want to create a platform for senior center directors and staff to share ideas and develop new programs and strategies that can help them respond to the changing times and changing needs of their communities,” Rowe said.
Despite their critical role, senior centers often face challenges related to funding, staff training, and access to resources. A unified state association can help many of those centers overcome those challenges, learn new program ideas and develop better service models.
“We need to ensure our senior centers have the resources and tools they need to continue evolving and serving as a lifeline to community residents,” Rowe said.
The new association will have its first in-person event on Oct. 9, from 10 am to 12 pm at the Middletown Public Library, 55 New Monmouth Road.
To register to attend or for more information about NJASC, click here
Questions? Email NJASC25@gmail.com