NJFA News and Resources

Oct. 5, 2020

engAGED, The National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults, has published a new report on staying socially engaged. We are excited to report that one of NJ's own age-friendly towns was featured in the publication. Congratulations to everyone at SOMA, Two Towns for all Ages.

The publication, engAGING Practices: Best Practices for Helping Older Adults Stay Socially Engaged, provides an overview of best practices highlighted by 11 programs identified to help others enhance social engagement among older adults in their communities. Programs were selected based on criteria that included innovation, replicability and sustainability.

Click the image above to download the report.

Using the Elder Index in New Jersey to Measure Economic Insecurity

Jan E. Mutchler, PhD

What is the true cost of growing older in America?

This webinar will share information about the Elder Index, a tool that measures the income older people need to meet necessary expenses for housing, health care, food, transportation, and other essentials, while staying independent in their own homes. The presenter will share an overview of the Elder Index for New Jersey and how it can be used to measure economic insecurity among older adults. She will review data describing the risk of economic insecurity in New Jersey, and differences in that risk across demographic groups and by county. The presenter will offer initial thoughts about the financial impacts of the pandemic for older adults. We will close with a discussion of how the Elder Index can be used by organizations to promote awareness and advocate for older adults who are struggling to get by.

Click below to register.

Aging Insights

There is still time to catch our episode on Medicare Open Enrollment, which begins on Oct. 15th. Be sure to visit our YouTube channel where you can watch all of our previous episodes and other content (webinar recordings, virtual classes, etc). And be sure to subscribe so you don't miss any new episodes.

And remember, up next on Aging Insights will be two episodes featuring interviews with several experts to ask the questions- "what now?" We've been covering the response to COVID-19, but what about the continued risk and long-term impact? We will be talking about just that over the course of two episodes with medical professionals, scholars, and program staff across NJ.

Senior Housing Stakeholder Group

Since 2017, NJFA has convened a group of stakeholders to discuss housing issues facing older adults. In 2018, this group produced a Recommendation Report. We will be reconvening this month to talk about updates and gather information about new issues or programs. If you would like to join the group, please email us. If you'd like to attend the meeting, please fill in this doodle poll to help us select a date.

Visit Old School- an online clearing house of anti-ageism resources, created by author of This Chair Rocks, Ashton Applewhite. (click the image above to visit the site).