WESTWOOD—Improving a home’s safety and functionality dramatically increases the ability of older people to live independently and remain in their homes in order to effectively age in place.
With that in mind, Westwood For All Ages is partnering with local social services providers to present “Your Home, Your Future,” a free conference featuring presentations by various organizations that provide home safety, maintenance, repair and modification services; experts in home adaptations for safety and providers of shopping and other services that enable people to remain living in their homes.
The event runs Thursday, Oct. 27 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Westwood Community Center, 55 Jefferson Ave.
Following a light breakfast, attendees will learn ways to remain living safely at home with presentations and a panel discussion with:
- CHORE/CHEER programs (services offered) — Michele Ogden, Bergen Volunteers;
- No-cost home repair and modifications for low-income residents — Annie Roche, Rebuilding Together North Jersey
- Practical strategies to make your home safer as you age — Illiana Dallas, The Jewish Home Family;
- Home modification and smart technology ideas to make your home more age-friendly — Linda Pollack, Setting the Stage;
- Best ways to use your home equity to pay for improvements or modifications — Mark Richards, retirement mortgage specialist.
All attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of presenters and to gather information on ways they can get assistance when caring for their homes becomes difficult or financially burdensome.
According to Westwood for All Ages Program Manager, Lisa Bontemps one of the core objectives of the age-friendly initiative has been to promote Westwood as an ideal borough for aging in place. “But,” she said, “the reality for many is that the majority of our single-family homes were not built with the needs of the aging adult in mind. The information that will be presented at this conference will help anyone who is concerned about remaining in their homes to make choices that will give them tools to safely age in place — something that most of us want regardless of our age.”
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 is funded through a grant provided by the Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation to Meals on Wheels of North Jersey. Through their work, Westwood was recognized by AARP and the World Health Organization as an Age Friendly Community and as a result was inducted into the network of Age Friendly States and Communities in early 2019.
To register for the conference, use the conference link at westwoodforallages.org or email ww4allages@gmail.com. If you are unable to register digitally, you may register at (201) 834-4192.
