There’s a movement around the globe to make communities more welcoming and livable for the elderly.
In New Jersey, the effort is being rewarded by recently announced grants available to state communities that could help their older adults stay in their homes and remain connected to loved ones as they age.
The Department of Human Services’ (DHS) grants are for municipalities that implement recommendations from the New Jersey Age-Friendly Blueprint, a plan released in May that followed a 2021 executive order from Gov. Phil Murphy to “identify and evaluate ideas to improve New Jersey’s communities for older adults and all people as they age.”
“This project comes at a very opportune time,” said DHS Commissioner Sarah Adelman. “New Jersey, like the rest of the United States, is at the threshold of an enormous demographic shift. According to one estimate, nearly 20% of New Jersey’s population will be over the age of 65 by the end of this decade.”
The country’s total population has grown 7.3% from 2010 to 2021, but the population of older adults has increased at a much higher rate, according to the DHS. “From 2010 to 2021, the population of those aged 65 and older in the U.S. grew from 40.5 to 55.9 million, an increase of 37.9%. Seniors made up 16.8% of the total population in 2021.
The Age-Friendly Blueprint has recommendations related to housing, health care, transportation, socialization, employment, communication and outreach that can facilitate access to long-term services and offer elderly support.
Here in South Jersey, regular activities geared to senior citizens abound, including senior centers and clubs; free meals; bus trips; learning sessions; and exercise classes, among others. But does that mean our communities are doing enough to fulfill the blueprint mandate?
Apparently, we can do more.
“The growth in our older adult population is an opportunity to make our communities more inclusive and integrated,” Adelman explained. “It is not a problem to solve, but a chance to rethink how we want to live, work, and play.
“Now is the time to reframe and destigmatize aging.”
Local governments can do that with one of the following grants for which they can apply: Age-Friendly Communities grants of $70,000 to build community partnerships, execute a community needs assessment, create an action plan and enroll in the AARP Network of age-friendly states and communities; and grants of $100,000 each to municipalities that address one or more recommendations from the blueprint.
That document suggests increasing the availability of in‐home care and diversifying the types of viable transportation available to seniors, among other ideas. It also notes that “intentional efforts to improve accessibility and inclusion will boost community participation among older adults for whom isolation is a growing concern.”
The DHS’ Division of Aging Services (DoAS) will manage the grants and provide training to recipients to come up with age-friendly practices.
“Everyone benefits from making communities more livable for people of all ages,” said the state’s Deputy Commissioner for Aging and Disabilities, Kaylee McGuire. ” … We know it makes a difference and will have a lasting impact on future generations.”
