New Jersey has released a blueprint in an effort to advance the state along an age-friendly path, and it has announced a $5.5 million grant program to help communities promote age-friendly practices.
Thursday, the state Department of Human Services released the New Jersey Age-Friendly Blueprint, which outlines strategies and best practices to make communities more inclusive for older adults.
In addition, the state announced the planned launch of an $5.5 million Age-Friendly Community Grant Program later this year to help communities advance the age-friendly practices prioritized in the blueprint.
“These important strategies and best practices will help us ensure that New Jersey’s communities are age-friendly, accessible and inclusive,” Gov. Phil Murphy (D) said in a statement.
The blueprint provides recommendations related to housing, healthcare, transportation, socialization, employment, communication and outreach. The goal is to implement those strategies to make communities more accessible for residents of all ages and to facilitate access to long-term services and supports to allow residents to age in place wherever they call home.
Human Services Commission Sarah Adelman said the blueprint comes on the threshold of an “enormous demographic shift” in the state, as well as in the nation.
“The growth in our older adult population is an opportunity to make our communities more inclusive and integrated — it is not a problem to solve, but a chance to rethink how we want to live, work and engage in our communities throughout the lifespan,” Adelman said. “The blueprint, coupled with the grant program, will enable communities to make strategic changes that will have a lasting impact, and make it easier for residents to remain independent, stay in their homes and participate in the community as they grow older.”
Murphy signed Executive Order 227 in 2021, creating an Age-Friendly State Advisory Council charged with working with the human services department to develop a blueprint of best practices for advancing age-friendly practices in the state.
The council also was charged with identifying opportunities to create livable communities for people of all ages in New Jersey, recommend best practices for age-friendly work and promote community inclusion across the state.
The council included representatives from state and local government, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, businesses and community groups. Members met monthly beginning in 2022 and held public listening sessions to gather input.
New Jersey is one of 10 states and one territory that have joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. The others are California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina. The US Virgin Islands also is part of the group.
The state’s population of older adults is expected to grow to 1.9 million by 2030.
