WESTWOOD—More than 20 local agencies and businesses came together on Saturday, Oct. 9 for Westwood Thrive, a day-long event in Veterans Memorial Park that showcased the resources, information and community available to older adult residents here.
The event was organized by Westwood For All Ages, administered by Meals on Wheels North Jersey and a member of the Age-Friendly New Jersey Alliance.
“A lot of great connections were made and new resources were shared between older adult residents and our local service organizations,” said program manager Lisa Bontemps.
“It was a truly age-friendly event that showed all attendees the importance of planning, keeping informed, and strengthening community ties as we grow older,” she said.
The day kicked off with a welcome from Colleen Diskin, communications coordinator for Age-Friendly North Jersey Alliance. She spoke about the age-friendly movement’s dedication to promoting independence and equity for older residents and combating ageism.
She also highlighted how Bergen County age-friendly communities “work together as a unit to address challenges that cut across community lines.”
Presentations followed from Jeanne Martin, executive director of Meals on Wheels North Jersey, who spoke on Aging in the New Era; Leslie Greenberg of Senior Source presented information on Making Your Home Safer As You Age; Matthew Kitz of Edward Jones in Westwood gave an overview of The Four Pillars of Successful Aging; Declutter and Get Organized was the topic of a talk by Swapping Scene’s Robin Brill and Ann Sirkin.
Presenters also met with attendees at their information tables offering more in-depth information and mini-consultations.
Also exhibiting at the event: Bergen County Senior Services, Bergen Volunteers, Autumn Years Magazine, The Alzheimer’s Association, Westwood Police Department, Westwood Cares, Westwood Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Westwood Senior Advisory Committee, Connex4NPO, Celebrate Westwood, Westwood Recreation and the Westwood Public Library as well as sponsors Becker Funeral Home, Edward Jones (Matthew Kitz), Hackensack University Medical Center (Pascack Valley), North Jersey Villages, The Paula Clark Group, Swapping Scenes, Valley Bank and Westwood Family Chiropractic.
Longtime Westwood resident and event attendee Bobbie Cozic told organizers via social media, “What a wonderful service to the community! I got lots of excellent information to take home and read, plus a dozen red roses!”
Roses were courtesy of Connex4NPO, a Westwood based non-profit that sources food donations for local food pantries and assists in feeding low-income and house-bound older adult residents through their outreach.
Movement played a big part of Westwood Thrive as the benefits of exercise and stretching were on display when Dr. Cathy Gurman of Westwood Family Chiropractic led chair yoga and members of the Westwood Recreation Department’s ForeverYoung program demonstrated pickleball.
Dance also was worked into the day when motivated residents grooved along to Mama D & The Vexations and their mix of popular music.
Perpetual Motion Dance Studio’s Company closed out the day with a dance presentation by 20+ young adult, teen and pre-teen dancers.
Westwood Recreation added to the fun by showcasing the ForeverYoung MahJong social club, which meets weekly in the Westwood Community Center.
Westwood Public Library hosted a book sale with the Friends of the Library and the Junior Friends.
Rounding out the day was table-top games, contests and prizes for answering local and age-friendly focused trivia.
About Westwood For All Ages
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. This program was created through a grant provided by The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation.
Westwood for All Ages is committed to raising the community’s awareness of its senior residents, ensuring that their voices are heard and their ongoing contributions are recognized.
Westwood for All Ages was recognized by AARP and the World Health Organization as an Age Friendly Community and as a result Westwood was inducted into the Network of Age Friendly States and Communities in early 2019.