Age-Friendly North Jersey Meeting on Age-Friendly Advocacy in Local Government
2022-11-30 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Panel conversation with peer leaders in municipal age-friendly advocacy:

Cristina Cutrone, Deputy Mayor, Borough of Fair Lawn
Karen Hartshorn Hilton, Trustee, Village of South Orange
Barry Lewis, Township Manager, Township of Livingston
Moderated by Althea Pestine-Stevens, Rutgers University School of Social Work

Age-Friendly North Jersey 2022 Review
2022-12-31 08:00 - 17:00 | Zoom
Enjoy this year-end review highlighting the work and activities of AFNJ members

Municipal Communities on Aging
2023-05-11 08:00 - 17:00 | Zoom
Speakers:

Mayor Jaclyn Veasy, Evesham Township Senior Citizen Advisory Committee
Laura Van Dyke, Township of West Orange Older Adult Advisory Board
Professor Emily Greenfield, Annabess Ehrhardt, Dr. Althea Pestine-Stevens, Hub for Aging Collaboration at Rutgers School of Social Work

AFNJ Meeting on Age-Friendly Intergenerational Programming
2023-11-21 08:00 - 17:00 | Zoom
Speakers from Age-Friendly North Jersey and Generations United share their experience with intergenerational programming.

From Aging Well West Orange: Laura Van Dyke, Senior Services Coordinator for the Township of West Orange, and Dorothy Sanders, Local Health Outreach Coordinator, Department of Health, Township of West Orange
From Fair Lawn for All Ages: Lisa MacClements, Age-Friendly Coordinator
From Generations United: Donna Butts, Executive Director, Danica Derriennic, Special Projects Coordinator, Generations United

AFNJ Police Partnerships
2024-09-19 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
Many towns are expanding their community police efforts, and implementing or working with age-friendly initiatives is a perfect fit! Police partnerships can be part of broader efforts to create age-friendly communities, ensuring that older residents can live independently and safely. Join us to hear how Generations for Garfield has built a successful partnership between residents, the Garfield Police Dept. and the community. Also hear from West Orange about their outreach and efforts with older residents.

See recording here: https://youtu.be/re18vu3L6JI

Bergen Roundtable
2024-09-25 09:30 - 11:00 | Hackensack Meridian Fitness & Wellness, 87 Routh 17 North, Maywood
Advocating for Equity: Expanding Access to Medicaid for Older Adults and People with Disabilities
Join us for an interactive conversation about a new coalition of aging and disability advocates working to reform inequitable Medicaid eligibility standards. These standards unfairly subject older adults and people with disabilities to stricter criteria, limiting their access to critical services that support aging in home and community-based settings.
Promising policy and legislative changes could be on the horizon! Your input and participation in this growing campaign are needed!
Hannah Diamond, Policy Advocate at Justice in Aging, will discuss current inequities in Medicaid pathways impacting older adults and people with disabilities, outline proposed legislative and policy fixes, and suggest ways Bergen County’s provider community and age-friendly advocates can support this effort.
Q&A, discussion and networking to follow

Bergen Roundtable
2024-12-06 10:00 - 23:30 | Hackensack Meridian Fitness & Wellness, 87 Routh 17 North, Maywood
Learn the details and implementation timeline for the new Affordable Housing Calculations and important information about Fair Housing & Housing Discrimination
Breakfast available at 9:45 AM, Networking until Noon
Come and learn from experts about how current considerations in housing are impacting older adults. The N.J. Dept. of Community Affairs recently released Affordable Housing Calculations recommended for nearly every municipality in the state. These calculations will guide development for years to come and may significantly impact affordable senior housing. Regulations regarding Fair Housing and Housing Discrimination are already in place but not always adhered to.
These topics are of critical concern to every municipality in New Jersey and, of course, to providers of services to older adults. Find out what they mean and how they impact you and those you serve.
Please consider passing this information along to — and/or bringing with you — municipal officials who will benefit from this information.

Reframing Aging
2024-12-16 11:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
Across the country, organizations and advocates at the local, state, and national level are using the tools of the National Center to Reframe Aging to change the way they communicate about aging. Learn how to embrace these tools and strategies to spread awareness of implicit bias toward older people, and influence policies and programs that benefit all of us as we age with gerontologist Katie Squires, PhD, Associate State Director, Advocacy for AARPNJ and a National Reframing Aging Facilitator.
View the recording: https://youtu.be/KIUvNz1Y1ss

Age-Friendly Community Outcomes within the Waters of Systems Change
2025-01-16 10:00 - 11:30 | Zoom
Demonstrating the outcomes of age-friendly community (AFC) initiatives is important for sustaining resources to keep them going. Yet proving the value of AFC efforts can be difficult. Learn from researchers at the Rutgers Hub for Aging Collaboration on how the “Waters of Systems Change” framework can help overcome key evaluation hurdles. Of note, this work is based on years of practice-based research through AFNJ, including interviews with many AFC leaders in our network.
View the recording here: https://youtu.be/QYeiiWkmpPo

Building a Resource Guide for Age-friendly Communities
2025-02-26 10:00 - 11:15 | Zoom
As we have learned from NJAAW surveys, most NJ residents are not aware of the numerous resources available to help them age in place. There are various programs, services and organization with a local focus but all too often the information is not consolidated in one place.

Join AFNJ’s Virtual Meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 26 @10 AM, as West Orange and South Orange/Maplewood lead a presentation on Building Resource Guides for Age-Friendly Communities. Learn from their collective experience, interact with haptics of an on-line flip book demonstration, and master how to create a resource guide for your community.

A comprehensive resource guide tailored to your community can help support residents to age in place. Join us to share, inspire and inform what other communities are doing to communicate key information to older adults.

Bergen Roundtable: Bergen County Services, Looking Back and Looking Ahead
2025-02-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Hackensack Meridian Fitness & Wellness, 87 Routh 17 North, Maywood
Officials from Bergen County Administration, Human Services and Senior Services will provide updates on key programs and policies impacting older adults and the provider organizations that serve them.
Breakfast available at 9:45 AM, Networking until Noon
Register in advance here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/7gaueny?source_id=dea59572-69b7-4ccc-b813-1b32894c3e86&source_type=em&c=z7L126jfLwWZ_q7S9KJh-Nk_qWiGayXlAXm6sO5XuDw4U6kWe5hbKQ==

Spring 2025 Transportation Symposium
2025-04-03 09:30 - 12:00 | NJ
This free symposium by AFNJ and NJTIP@Rutgers included several transportation presenters, county and municipal transport service providers, funders, and tabling opportunities for providers of transportation services for older adults.
Exhibitors from NJTIP, EZ Ride, Access Link, Mature Drivers Project, AAA Car Fit, NJ Transit, NJTPA, and county and municipal transport services were also present

Agenda: AFNJ Transportation FINAL Symposium Agenda_ April 2025 -AL
Click to see presenters’ slides:
NJ Transit
EZ Ride Presentation.
Mature-DriverRC-pres sean
AAA NORTHEAST_Keeping Seniors Safe on the Road
NJTIP
And see NJAAW’s Aging Insights episode, “Driving Safer, Better and Longer” https://youtu.be/BZoCNjLYi7g

Celebrating the Age-Friendly Communities Movement in New Jersey
2025-05-01 10:00 - 11:30 | Zoom
The Rutgers Hub for Aging Collaboration and New Jersey Advocates for Aging Well held an exciting event highlighting the age-friendly communities movement in New Jersey. This event included insights from leading age-friendly champions in the state reflecting on the foundations and exciting new developments for progress in the Garden State.
View the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wpuGQBDbEo
See slides below:
Age-Friendly Leonia. 5.1.25
Aging Well West Orange Presentation NJAAW
OAM May 1
Resources from the Presenters:
Upcoming Events on Aging in New Jersey: We encourage everyone to check out and attend the many great events on aging that are taking place across New Jersey this month and next! Access this list of the exciting convenings on aging here (including dates and links to registration information).

Lifelong Strong New Jersey Campaign: Visit the campaign’s website to get connected!
Local Age-Friendly Initiatives Featured at the Event:

Age-Friendly Teaneck
Aging Well West Orange
Age-Friendly Leonia

NJ Department of Human Services Age-Friendly Grants Program:

Recent press release about the program (including grantees)
NJDHS Division of Aging Services “Age-Friendly Resources” page

Research on Age-Friendly Community Practice:

Age-Friendly Communities Research at the Rutgers Hub for Aging Collaboration
A recent article about how age-friendly work in New Jersey illustrates systems change on aging

Multisector Plan for Aging in New Jersey:

Learn about State Multisector Plans for Aging
Learn about New Jersey’s work in developing a Multisector Plan for Aging (as a current participant in the Multi-Sector Plan for Aging Learning Collaborative )

Other Resources Shared During the Event:

Aging in Supportive Housing Guide: A Resource for Municipalities and Advocates in New Jersey (Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey)
Toolkit for launching local “Exploring Careers in Aging Internship Program” from Age-Friendly Teaneck
Recording from a prior Age-Friendly North Jersey virtual meeting about community-police partnerships on aging
Municipal Toolkit for Building Age-Friendly Communities (from Age-Friendly Ridgewood)
Findings from a Recent Survey of Older Adults in New Jersey (from NJAAW)
Factsheet on Medicaid and Its Role for Older Adults in New Jersey (from AARP)
Begen Roundtable (organized by age-friendly leaders in Bergen County)
Map of afforable senior housing communities in New Jersey (from Rutgers)
Follow Allison Barkoff on LinkedIn (professor and former ACL Director)

We look forward to staying connected in our shared interest and passion for improving social contexts for aging and health equity in New Jersey and beyond. We invite you to stay connected with the Hub through our e-newsletter and LinkedIn, as well as with NJAAW through its e-newsletter and LinkedIn.

Bergen Roundtable Older Americans Month Networking Event and Celebration
2025-05-30 10:00 - 11:30 | The Garfield VFW 340 Outwater Lane Garfield, NJ 07026, 340 Outwater Lane Garfield, Garfield, NJ, United States
This year’s Older Americans Month theme is Flip the Script on Aging. This Roundtable will highlight the ways in which Bergen County’s age-friendly movement is working to counter ageist stereotypes and promote good policies and practices that benefit people of all ages. New Jersey has seen significant age-friendly progress this year! Come to learn, network and celebrate!

We will welcome leaders from Cliffside Park, Leonia, Mahwah and Paramus, communities that were recently named recipients of the first Age-Friendly grants from the State of New Jersey!
We will hear from Age-Friendly Ridgewood leaders about their new and extremely informative Age-Friendly Municipal Toolkit
We will hear updates from the County’s Age-Friendly Coordinator
We will discuss how actions of the State and Federal governments may impact older adults and YOU – the providers of services to them.

Free but please register below

AFNJ Transportation Webinar - NJTIP @ Rutgers
2025-06-16 11:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
Due to the overwhelmingly positive response to our in-person Transportation Symposium on April 3, we are inviting some of the speakers back to share their presentations with a wider audience. We know how important transportation is to older adults and age-friendly communities, so please join us to learn about NJTIP @ Rutgers with Melody Bundy, Research Coordinator, NJTIP @ Rutgers/Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center.
View the recording here: https://youtu.be/GLnqiIYsJjo

AFNJ Transportation Webinar - NJ Mature Drivers Resource Center
2025-06-17 11:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
Due to the overwhelmingly positive response to our in-person Transportation Symposium on April 3, we are inviting some of the speakers back to share their presentations with a wider audience. We know how important transportation is to older adults and age-friendly communities, so please join us to learn about the NJ Mature Drivers Resource Center with Sean Meehan.
See the recording here: https://youtu.be/5kAYSgvQfJY

Libraries as an Invaluable Resource for Older Adults
2025-09-10 10:30 - 12:00 | Leonia Library
Libraries are trusted, familiar spaces that offer invaluable resources—serving as gateways to lifelong learning, civic engagement, and social connection. The 2024 NJAAW Survey of Older Adults reinforced this, finding that older adults are more likely to visit, trust, and engage with their local library than with senior centers or other organizations. Leonia Public Library, under the leadership of Director Michelle Malone, already exemplifies this through robust programs for older adults, and we are thrilled they will be hosting the September meeting.
Join us to learn how we can expand partnerships and collaborations with public libraries across New Jersey to amplify their role in the age-friendly movement.
Please register here:
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/b03174ca-ab50-4e27-9401-f91183c305b4

AFNJ Virtual Meeting - Dementia and Age-Friendly
2025-10-23 10:00 - 11:30 | Zoom
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH, Program Director at the Alzheimer’s Association Greater New Jersey Chapter, will discuss some of the programs and resources the chapter has to offer, including the Association’s wide range of educational programs for the general public on the signs of Alzheimer’s and the nature of the disease, caregiver training, including how to respond to and manage dementia-related behaviors, how to communicate effectively, how to support independence for those who struggle with activities of daily living, how to plan for the future (financially and otherwise), and other related topics. Learn about the ways the Association can support you and your work to ensure better aging across the state.
We will also hear about Bergen County’s dementia-friendly work and how it fits into their larger age-friendly efforts.
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Xgcx6gpeR9uOGHIeBlScDA

Meet the Great Homes and Neighborhoods for All (GHNA) Initiative
2026-02-18 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
What makes a community friendly for older New Jerseyans is what makes a community friendly for everyone! Great Homes and Neighborhoods for All (GHNA) is a statewide, pro-housing initiative tackling New Jersey’s housing and neighborhood challenges by examining the zoning and land use barriers standing in the way of progress. Organized around the concept that everyone in New Jersey deserves an affordable place to live – in a safe, vibrant community, GHNA includes advocates for smart growth and housing justice, for-profit and nonprofit developers, community development leaders, academics, local pro-housing campaign representatives, and land use planners. Join to learn more about the priorities of GHNA and how you can get involved!
See the recording here: https://youtu.be/yjMEURN-vOE

Spring 2026 Age-Friendly NJ Alliance Peer-to-Peer Learning Event
2026-04-14 09:30 - 12:00 | Fair Lawn Community Center, 10-10 20th Street, Fairlawn, NJ
On April 14 we brought together community leaders, age-friendly advocates, and local changemakers for an energizing in-person session focused on the Mayors Wellness Campaign (MWC)—a statewide community health initiative empowering local leaders to make their communities a better place to live, work, play and age. MWC provides evidence-based tools and strategies for mayors and community leaders to help their residents achieve healthier lifestyles, and has 400+ participating communities throughout New Jersey.
Speakers:

Katie Bisaha, Program Officer at the New Jersey Healthcare Quality Institute
Genaya Palmer, MA, LPC, Director, Suicide Prevention Services, Mental Health Association Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris Inc,
Shannon Lyons, MS, Age-Friendly Grants Program
Alyssa DeSantis, Princeton Health Department

See the presenters’ slides:
Katie Bisaha:
Age Friendly Presentation
Alyssa DeSantis:
Healthy Aging MWC – Princeton – Alyssa DeSantis
Shannon Lyons:
Mayors wellness campaign AFNJ 4-14-26
Genaya Palmer:
Wellness In Action – The Collaborative Efforts of West Orange Senior Services & The Mental Health Association
