Streamlining communications, hiring a dedicated staff member devoted to “human services,” and establishing more formal collaborations on municipal planning goals.
These are among the recommendations derived from the age-friendly needs assessment that officials in Montgomery Township conducted in the latter half of 2025, research that included conducting 23 “key informant” interviews, hosting 3 listening sessions attended by a total of 55 residents and widely distributing a survey that garnered 198 respondents.
The survey touched on housing, transportation, health and many other facets of life in this Somerset County town, known for its highly rated parks, plentiful open spaces and network of walking trails. In all, a third of Montgomery’s 32-square miles are preserved open spaces.
As one of New Jersey’s higher per-capita-income communities, Montgomery has a bustling senior center and robust municipal services, but one of the key findings of the assessment was that many older residents lacked awareness of local offerings and older adult services available in the region.
For example, 70 percent of survey participants said they did not know whom to contact if they or someone they knew needed assistance with caregiving, meal delivery, home repairs, financial assistance programs, home safety programs, transportation to medical appointments, social or recreation activities
“Respondents highlighted the need to streamline information for older adults and have it all in one, easily accessible place,” said Public Health Planner Emily Schreiner, who helped lead Montgomery’s age-friendly community planning grant.
“Our interviews and listening sessions brought up topics and revealed resources that we did not know were available,” Schreiner said. “Additionally, there were some resources that we knew existed, but over the course of the project, we realized that many of the senior residents do not know about them.”
Schreiner presented a report to the Montgomery Township Board of Health on April 8, 2026 that summarized the findings and outlined the community’s challenges and opportunities as the Township moves ahead with its planning and preparations for the rapid aging of the population.
Among the strengths cited was Montgomery’s centrally located municipal facilities, its emphasis on preserving open spaces, and older residents’ “strong sense of community and desire to continue living in and contributing to Montgomery.”
Among the weaknesses were limited public transportation options, insufficient advertising of some community programs and resources and the lack of a dedicated human services staff member who could help steer residents to the assistance they might need.
One of the opportunities cited in the report has already gained traction, with the Township recently receiving a $50,000 grant from the state-wide Plan4HealthNJ program. This one-year grant will support the municipality’s efforts to strengthen the connection between public health and land use planning.
“The Age-Friendly Montgomery initiative has benefited from the fact that the Health Department has a close working relationship with other Township departments, administration, and elected officials,” Schreiner said. “This enabled us to get buy-in from key stakeholders and have meaningful conversations about how we can make Montgomery more age-friendly.”
In all, the report made 18 recommendations for priorities and goals that could be included in the age-friendly action plan the community intends to adopt as part of its intention to join the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities.
“We have many goals and things to work on in order to make Montgomery more age-friendly, but we also realized that we have a lot of great assets and resources to build on,” Schreiner said.