Lifelong Strong New Jersey

This great new report from NJ Future, "Weathering the Storms: Creating Aging-Friendly Communities Amid Climate Change," discusses how older people face disproportionate difficulties in adapting to climate change, and how communities that are "safer" from extreme weather should adopt age-friendly infrastructure. https://lnkd.in/ewrpvNGV I appreciate the report and the opportunity to comment on it by NJ Advance Media's Steven Rodas. https://lnkd.in/e6PFBZFa

National Caregivers Day According to the 2022 New Jersey Caregiver Task Force Report, there are more than one million family caregivers in our state. Those who take on this tremendous responsibility know how difficult, stressful?and costly this work can be. But we also know how important it is. ? As we age, our ability to live at home is often dependent on whether or not?we have a trusted and reliable caregiver to assist us. Therefore, any discussions and policies about aging must also include considerations for the dedicated people who fill these vital roles.? ? In all aspects of life in New Jersey, policies that keep the state’s aging population in mind also make things easier for its caregivers. And when we create a place that is friendly to all ages, we create a state where we can all thrive for the entirety of our lives.? ? So today, on National Caregivers Day, we take a minute to acknowledge the people who care for us, show gratitude for all they do and commit to including them in conversations about how we can make New Jersey the ideal place to live as we age.

Welcome! Lifelong Strong New Jersey represents a group of stakeholders interested in preparing for the shifting demographics and the aging of our state. Some of our organizations, like mine, focus solely on aging in New Jersey and serve as leaders in the age-friendly communities movement. Others work in different sectors and see aging as a key part of their work. All of us see the need to prepare for the reality of an older NJ.? Lifelong Strong New Jersey is working to make sure that the next governor of New Jersey considers older residents in the state in all policy decisions. Why are we prioritizing aging? Because it is one of the few things we all have in common - we are all getting older and aging is apolitical. Our focus is not on securing more services for older residents. Our goal is to foster conversations and actions that allow us to comprehensively prepare,? as a state, for our next stage of life.? From 2010 to 2021, NJ’s population of older adults increased by 31% - while the total population increased by only 5%. The next governor of New Jersey could very well be in office when we reach a tipping point in 2034 - that’s when our over-60 population will reach 20% and outnumber the students sitting in our classrooms. Soon after, residents over 60 be 25% of New Jersey’s total population.? We know the challenges facing older adults. Older residents need a place to live that is affordable and designed with an aging occupant in mind. Older residents need to know that they can afford to retire and stay in this state without sacrificing their economic security. Older residents need safe and reliable transportation options when their own driving habits and abilities change.? Older residents need to feel like valued, included members of their communities - who have the ability to stay in the communities they call home, near the families they love. Our efforts to prepare for an “older New Jersey” will affect all of us, in every community. Policies that include an aging perspective impact and benefit caregivers, families, and our health systems.? Every aspect of our lives - and all parts of our economy - will be directly impacted by how we choose to prepare for this change in our population.?? So what can we do? Many? states are adopting multi-sector plans on aging that go beyond what the Division of Aging Services does. A multi-sector plan is a comprehensive look at every sector of the economy and the government with recommendations on the best ways to address changing needs of their aging populations. This “whole-of-government” or “whole-of-economy” approach doesn’t just benefit older residents - it benefits all residents.? As we move through this exciting year, we hope you will join us in prioritizing aging in New Jersey and making the needs and desires of our older residents known, so that we may have a state that is lifelong strong for everyone.