HACKENSACK—Bergen County Executive James J. Tedesco III and the Board of County Commissioners have announced the establishment of Bergen County’s Age-Friendly Task Force, the first countywide task force of this nature in the Garden State.
Among the task force’s inaugural members is Lisa Bontemps of Westwood for All Ages, who on June 4 told Pascack Press, “I am honored by this appointment and the opportunity it will provide to continue my age-friendly advocacy work for all of Bergen County. The gains we have made here in Westwood since 2016 when Westwood for All Ages began and the borough’s formation of the Senior Citizens Advisory Committee have helped to elevate the conversation around what it takes to create communities where all of us can live and thrive in place, even as we age.”
She said, “This has been evidenced by an enhanced focus on pedestrian safety, age-friendly additions to some of our public parks, benches in front of the Community Center and Borough Hall, robust senior programming on topics that improve overall quality of life, enhanced senior transportation, and the more recent townwide mailer pointing out all the various resources available to our older residents.”
Bontemps said, “Westwood is a good example of what can happen when partnerships are formed between municipalities and non-government organizations like Westwood for All Ages who are all committed to providing our older residents with access to helpful resources, improved outdoor spaces and parks, walkability, transportation services and more.”
She said, “The county has recognized that The Taub Foundation [The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation] funded pilot work done by the five age-friendly communities in Bergen County have yielded results that the entire county can learn and benefit from. I hope to bring some of the insights I’ve gained working as the project manager for Westwood for All Ages to this task force so that Westwood as well as other municipalities will all benefit from our work together.”
The County of Bergen said in a press statement shared with Pascack Press that it has been making strides to create “age-friendly” communities since 1966 with the establishment of the Division of Senior Services. It noted that in 2022 the county “proudly became the second county in the state to be designated as an AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities.”
According to the county, “Senior citizens make up more than 20% of Bergen County’s population. This task force will advise county government on ways to enhance our communities and maintain that our seniors have access to the services and resources necessary to age in place with confidence, such as housing education, access to recreational and cultural activities, opportunities to participate in social and civic engagement, the promotion of employment and volunteerism, and access to comprehensive health care.”
Tedesco said, “This task force is a testament to the county’s commitment to addressing the diverse needs of our residents. Together, we are promoting a higher quality of life and creating a community where our seniors can age in place with dignity, independence, and respect.”
Commissioner Chairwoman Germaine Ortiz of Emerson added, “This task force represents a significant step forward in our commitment to creating communities that support the health, well-being, and independence of our aging population. We look forward to working together to build a more inclusive and supportive environment for all older residents of New Jersey with Bergen County leading the way.”
The county said, “Through this pioneering initiative, the County of Bergen remains steadfast in our efforts to develop ongoing action plans to further promote and strengthen programs for our older adults.”
The task force “shall consist of eight to 14 members, including a representative from the Office of the County Executive, the director of Bergen County Department of Health Services, the director of the Division of Community Transportation, and the director of the Division of Senior Services, or their designee; as well as a director of both a small-mid size Age-Friendly community and a large size AARP community within Bergen County; a representative from higher education within Bergen Count; and two representatives from either a non-profit government organization that has programming that impacts our senior population that manages or operates housing/or transportation/or health care programs, and a member of the Bergen County Board of Commissioners as designated by the Chair of the Board.”
The inaugural members of the task force include:
- Helen Archontou, CEO of YWCA of Northern New Jersey.
- Dr. Hansel Asmar, Department of Health Bergen County.
- Dominick Azzolini, Director of Community Transportation.
- Lisa Bontemps, Westwood for All Ages.
- Elizabeth Davis, Brightside Family & Age-Friendly Teaneck.
- Melissa DeBartolo, Director of Human Services.
- Michele DiIorgi, Deputy Director of the Housing Authority of Bergen County.
- Patrick Fallon, Office of Food Security.
- Dr. Eric Friedman, President of Bergen Community College.
- Lorraine Joewono, Director of Senior Services.
- Deborah Visconi, President and CEO of Bergen New Bridge Medical Center.
Following Westwood’s success
Westwood said it was privileged to be recognized by AARP and the World Health Organization as an Age Friendly Community and inducted into the Network of Age Friendly States and Communities in early 2019.
Bontemps also started a pop-up food pantry service early in the Covid crisis, delivering food to shut-in seniors. The pantry has since become a full-service pantry that distributes food and items weekly to anyone in need.
Bontemps was recognized for her food security efforts by Rep. Josh Gotteheimer, receiving a Fifth District Hometown Hero award in 2021 and the Community Leader of the Year award the same year by Bergen Volunteers.
In addition to her M.A. in communication from the University of Arizona, Bontemps is a 2019 graduate of Bergen LEADS.