NJAAW State-Wide Survey of Older Residents
Passes 1,000 Responses
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When we set out to conduct our State-wide Survey of Older Adults, were thought we were aiming high to try to get 1,000 responses. Well, we now have over 1100 responses with more coming in everyday. This confirms how important it is to listen directly to our older residents and that they want to be heard!
Help us expand our reach by sharing the survey with your contacts. We extended our deadline to April 1, 2024 and appreciate your help in spreading the word. We will share our findings with you once collected and analyzed.
Or call (609) 421-0206 to have hard copies mailed to you
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2024 Conference - Dare to Envision
Early-bird Registration Ends March 15!
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Join us on FRIDAY, MAY 17
for a day of learning, networking and sharing.
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This year's conference features:
Morning Keynote - Deputy Commissioner of Human Services, Kaylee McGuire
Lunchtime Speaker - Ashton Applewhite
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Breakout sessions
- Promoting Equity in Serious Illness Care in NJ: Designing a Medicaid Benefit for Community-Based Palliative Care.
- Aging Policy 101
- Age Friendly Public Health
- Screening of "Below the Surface" documentary
- Family Leave Benefits
- Higher Ed in Aging
- Essential Jobs Essential Care NJ Coalition - Updates and Next Steps
Social work CE credits offered through Monmouth University
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Plus virtual presentations on Thursday, May 16, 1-3pm:
- Policy Recommendations to Increase Equitable Access to Home and Community-Based Services in New Jersey
- Envisioning Equitable Assisted Living in NJ
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Creating Great Places to Age |
What makes a community a great place to age? Intentional design of parks, walking areas, transportation and buildings can make a huge difference in the age-friendliness of where we live.
Join our guests, New Jersey Future's Tanya Rohrbach and Evan Garcia, to learn what makes a community a great place to age, and how you can get involved to bring changes to your town.
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This and all Aging Insights episodes are available for viewing, sharing and forwarding through our website njaaw.org/aging-insights/
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Age-Friendly Movement in NJ |
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Older Americans Act Re-Authorization.
What Changes Might We See?
This year could mark the first major revisions in more than 35 years to the rules governing the Older Americans Act, the federal law that backbones many of the community-level programs that provide meals, senior center programs, transportation, home-care and much more.
The nearly 60-year-old law is due for re-authorization by Oct 1, 2024, the end of the current federal fiscal year. The Administration on Community Living - the agency that directs the programs and grants funded by the OAA - has spent much of the past year seeking comments and feedback on new guidelines and updated regulations.
The changes to the OAA seek to bolster localized planning and preparedness, a goal that aligns with the age-friendly movement’s mantra of searching for the local solutions that can best address the global challenges and opportunities of our aging population.
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Making the Case for Including Age-Friendly Priorities
in Englewood's Master Plan
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As Coordinator of Age Friendly Englewood and member of the Age-Friendly NJ Advisory Council, Janet Sharma is a leader and advocate in age-friendly efforts in NJ. Janet made a presentation to Englewood's Town Council to make the case to incorporate age-friendly priorities into the towns' master plan review.
To see the recording of Janet's presentation, click Recording
She is on from 3:50 - 27:45.
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Governor Announces $10 Million Pilot Grants for ADUs |
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What started as a push for housing options for older adults to meet caregiving and/or financial needs has expanded as an option to increase affordable housing throughout NJ. Governor Murphy announced $10 million in pilot grants for ADUS in his budget speech.
Want to learn more about ADUs? See our webinar recording, including Montclair's MGaP design competition.
Read the recent article in Gothamist highlighting ADU legislation: article
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IFA's Global Cafe
Friday March 8, 7am
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The International Federation on Ageing holds Global Cafe sessions providing an opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue and share insights on a range of topics related to ageing. This week's Global Cafe is "Inclusion of patients and caregivers in policy development" featuring Dr. Jane Carmody, Senior Program Officer at The John A. Hartford Foundation. Dr. Carmody was the keynote speaker at our 2022 conference.
Tio learn more and register, click here
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Age-Friendly Public Health Champions
Wednesday, March 13, 11am
Public Health Departments and systems make important contributions to the health and productivity of older Americans,. The Trust for America's Health (TFAH) is committed to elevating healthy aging as a core public health function. TFAH’s Age-Friendly Public Health Systems (AFPHS) Initiative offers an “AFPHS Champion” designation to empower and encourage more leaders to champion healthy aging.
We invite health officials, community health workers, age-friendly initiatives and anyone interested in bring an aging lens into their current work in public health work to join us to learn about healthy aging, the Champions designation and how health departments align with age-friendly work.
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Age-Friendly Public Health Training Series |
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TFAH holds a monthly Age-Friendly Public Health Systems (AFPHS) training series which provides guidance on implementing each of the AFPHS 6Cs (based on the 6Cs Framework). Each session highlights specific examples of public health programs, policies, and other activities that align with the 6Cs and advance healthy aging as a core function.
The next AFPHS webinar training will be "States Operationalizing Equity" on March 21, 3-4pm: Register here: webinar series
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InnovAGING NJ Summit
Friday, March 22, 2024, 9:30-11:30AM
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Hosted by the Hub for Aging Collaboration at the Rutgers School of Social Work, InnovAGING NJ is a showcase of innovative programs and partnerships that are changing norms for aging and improving the lives of older adults in New Jersey. This event will feature a diversity of sectors spanning local community groups to state and national policy advocacy! Check out the list of planned presenters
InnovAGING NJ is virtual, free, and all are welcomed to attend! Register today: InnovAGING
Download flyer here: flyer
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ICYMI:
Certified Age Friendly Employers
See our meeting with Tim Driver and Monica Schaeffer from the Age Friendly Insitute as they describe the Certified Age Friendly Employer Program and first steps in applying.
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Cannabis Use Among Older Adults |
As cannabis has been legalized in New Jersey, it is important for older adults to be educated on safe usage.
See our interview with Dr David Adinaro, and read a detailed article here
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Spread the Word About Senior Freeze |
Applications for the current 2023 Senior Freeze program will be mailed to the last address from which taxpayers filed. Anyone who does not receive a booklet by March 15 should contact the New Jersey Division of Taxation's Senior Freeze Property Tax Reimbursement Information Line for assistance at 1-800-882-6597 (The U.S. Postal Service does not forward application booklets).
The eligibility level for the Senior Freeze has been raised to $150,000 for tax year 2022, which expands it to thousands more older residents. Please share information on this important tax program with your networks with this link: https://www.nj.gov/treasury/news/2024/02122024.shtml
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Free SNAP Outreach Materials |
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As part of a pilot project to help more eligible seniors enroll in SNAP, Hunger Free New Jersey has created a set of outreach materials to educate seniors about the new $95 minimum benefit and provided training and a tool kit to frontline staff in senior day programs, senior living facilities and community-based organizations to help them to assist seniors in the SNAP application process. These tools can be found at the link below, if you have any questions, please contact Mallie Romanowski at mromanowski@cfanj.org.
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Raising New Jersey’s Medicaid Asset Limits for Older Adults & People with Disabilities |
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Justice in Aging has published a fact sheet, "Raising New Jersey’s Medicaid Asset Limits for Older Adults & People with Disabilities," to provide a roadmap to increasing equitable access to Medicaid benefits. NJAAW supports the call to increase NJ FamilyCare’s asset limits to $40,000 for the Aged, Blind, Disabled (ABD) program, Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS), and Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs). This increase will create parity, reduce coverage gaps across existing state Medicaid programs, and give more residents access to critical services that support older adults and people with disabilities to remain in the community.
Read the full report: here
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Strategic Plan for Aging Act |
U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), member of the Senate Committee on Aging, and Bob Casey (D-PA), chair of the Senate Committee on Aging, recently introduced the "Strategic Plan for Aging Act." If passed, this bill would create a new, nationwide grant program under the Older Americans Act (OAA) to incentivize and support states’ efforts to create their own strategic plans for aging.
Currently at least 24 states are in the process of developing or implementing what are commonly referred to Master Plans for Aging or Multisector Plans for Aging. New Jersey is not among them.
To read about this innovative proposal, click: here
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Policy Brief: How the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
Advances Supports for Family Caregivers
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The 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule introduces new billing codes for caregiver training services, allowing eligible practitioners to bill Medicare for providing training and education to caregivers of patients with chronic illnesses or disabilities. This new provision aligns with the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers by equipping caregivers with the knowledge and skills needed to support their loved ones and manage their conditions.
Read the full policy brief by clicking here
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Meeting the Health and Social Needs of LGBTQ+ Older Adults
Through Medicaid
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The Center for Health Care Strategies and the California Health Care Foundation have published a brief on the health and social needs of LGBQT+ older adults. Highlights include insights about the health and related social needs of LGBTQ+ older adults to inform state policymakers and other partners and details opportunities for using Medicaid to improve health and social care for the LGBTQ+ community.
Read more by clicking here
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Health and Aging Policy Fellowship 2024-2025 Call for Applications |
The Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program (HAPF) is recruiting for the 2024-2025 Fellowship Year. Applications are due April 15, 2024. Information sessions for those interested in learning more will be held
- Wednesday, March 13, 12pm-1pm. Register here
- Wednesday, March 27, 1pm - 2pm. Register here
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Is our information useful to you? Then please consider a financial contribution today. As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, New Jersey Advocates for Aging Well relies on foundation grants and other donations to fund our work. We welcome your support, your suggestions and your input for advocating for NJ's oldest residents as we celebrate our 25th anniversary and strategize for the next 25 years.. |
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