BY JOHN SNYDER
OF PASCACK PRESS
WESTWOOD, N.J.—How about that! The borough recently joined eight other communities in New Jersey and 331 communities nationwide in membership into the World Health Organization/AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities.
The announcement dovetails with County Executive James J. “Jim” Tedesco III’s State of the County address, in which he touted county efforts to support populations in need—including seniors.
The program says it brings entree to “a global network of communities that are committed to giving their older residents the opportunity to live rewarding, productive and safe lives.”
On Feb. 28, delighted Westwood for All Ages Program Manager Lisa Bontemps told Pascack Press “it is a big deal” that the borough earned its way into the network, which helps people live easily and comfortably in their homes and communities as they age.
“It really places Westwood on the map as a community making an intentional commitment to address the needs of an aging population and creating a place where all of us can age successfully in place,” she said.
A presentation ceremony with AARP’s New Jersey president; Westwood for All Ages’ volunteers, grant liaison, and key partners; and Mayor John Birkner Jr. and other officials is set at the public library on Friday, March 15 at 3 p.m. All are welcome.
Benefits of inclusion in the network—there is no cost—include:
- Access to a global network of participating communities, as well as aging and civil society experts;
- Access to the latest news and information about best practices, events, results, challenges and new initiatives;
- Opportunities for partnerships with other cities, both domestic and international;
- Mentoring and peer-review evaluation by member cities; public recognition of the community’s commitment to become more age-friendly; and
- Speaking engagements at conferences and events hosted by AARP.
A feather in Westwood’s cap
Westwood for All Ages is an initiative to make Westwood an age-friendly community—a place where all people can live well and thrive even as they age.
The program was created through a grant provided by The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation and is a partnership of Meals on Wheels North Jersey, the Mayor and Council of Westwood, municipal departments, local businesses, and health and social service providers.
The organization is committed to raising the community’s awareness of its senior residents, ensuring that their voices are heard and their ongoing contributions are recognized.
The project is guided by an All Ages Steering Committee. It offers resources on transportation, health and wellness, finance and legal matters, recreation, and volunteering.
The organization also arranged holiday shopping discounts at Westwood businesses for those 65 and older.
Recently, it led its second annual outing for dozens of older residents in conjunction with the staff of the Rutgers NJ Transportation Independence Program to educate them in how to make the most of the NJ Transit train system.
The trip was a follow-up to a transportation workshop conducted by the NJ TIP at the Westwood Public Library and sponsored by Westwood for All Ages.
Participants were shown the many public transportation options available to them from Westwood. The trip provided a firsthand opportunity to experience using public transportation. Several participants reported having never ridden on a NJ Transit train prior to the trip.
The group met at the Westwood train station and traveled to the Secaucus Junction commuter train line hub. The trip featured instruction in reading train schedules, paying fares, safety precautions, and learning to make connections to the various train lines.
Very importantly, the participants learned about the accessibility accommodations that make it possible for them to travel despite any disabilities.
Murphy credits program partners
Jodi Murphy, Westwood for All Ages’ assistant program manager and the borough’s newly elected Democratic councilwoman, posted that she is very proud to be a part of the team that landed the WHO/AARP designation.
She gave a shout-out to Meals on Wheels North Jersey Executive Director Jeanne Martin, Bontemps, and the Westwood for All Ages Steering Committee and its ambassadors, the Westwood Senior Advisory Committee, and Westwood community leaders.
Work is ongoing
Asked for comment, Birkner told Pascack Press that the borough took on work toward an age-friendly community in earnest in 2015 in a series of forums and a survey with local senior citizens.
“What I found out was that they did not have an outlet to have their voices heard, and felt that they were not being represented at any level of government,” Birkner said.
He said it was then that the borough established its Senior Citizens Advisory Committee and that created opportunities, including with the Taub foundation and now with the inclusion into the Global Network for Age-Friendly Cities and Communities.
“I am proud of the progress we have made in a relatively short time and credit the amazing team of volunteers and staff that have made our programming a success,” he said.
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that says it empowers people to choose how they live as they age. The organization, founded in 1958, evolved from the National Retired Teachers Association.