In Memoriam - NJAAW Trustee

Vikranta Sharma, MD

It is with great sadness we say goodbye to our beloved colleague, Vikranta Sharma.

Born in India to Raj Kumari and Ramakant, Vikranta spent her formative years in Sangrur and attended Maulana Azad Medical College before moving to the United States. She was a tour-de-force as a general and palliative care physician, and a strong advocate for her patients and colleagues throughout New Jersey.

Vicki was a loving wife, mother, sister, daughter, aunt, and friend who was selfless beyond measure. She touched countless lives and will be deeply missed by everyone.

The Black Aging Summit

by Samantha Williams, MSW Intern 

The Black Aging Summit, presented in New Jersey by Aging While Black, was a transformative experience centered on the lived experiences of Black elders in our communities. Far too often, the intersection of aging and equity is overlooked, with the assumption that aging is a universal experience, ignoring the social, economic, and systemic forces that shape how individuals age differently. The summit celebrated the strengths, wisdom, and resilience of Black elders, emphasizing their valuable contributions to their communities while also addressing the unique challenges they encounter as they age.

Through engaging discussions, storytelling, and community dialogue, attendees explored critical topics including health equity, caregiving, social connectedness, and the importance of culturally responsive aging services. The summit created space for learning, reflection, and collaboration, reinforcing the need to elevate Black voices in conversations about aging and community well-being.

Thank you to Raymond Jetson and Kali Graves from Aging While Black for bringing this important event to life through your leadership and expertise, and  to our partners is bringing the summit to NJ - The Arfrican American Cultural Collaborative of Mercer County and the NJ DoH Office of Minority & Multicultural Health.

Thank you as well to the New Jersey community for showing up, engaging, and demonstrating a commitment to understanding and uplifting the experiences of Black elders across the state.

As NJAAW continues to explore the intersection of aging and equity, stay tuned and stay connected. There is more to come.

Kansas Moves Ahead With an MPA

Congratulations, Kansas! 

On September 29, 2026, Governor Laura Kelly signed Executive Order 26-06 committing to a Multisector Plan for Aging (MPA). The order directs the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services to lead development of a 10-year, cross-sector plan to prepare the state for its growing older adult population.

Working with other state agencies, community partners, and stakeholders, they will convene workgroups, and gather public input throughout the process.

The plan will span a wide range of areas that shape how Kansans age, including:

• Health, behavioral health, and long-term services and supports
• Housing, transportation, and age-friendly communities
• Economic security, workforce, and caregiver support
• Social connection and emergency preparedness

Each of these areas would be extremely important to New Jerseyans. With a bill proposed in the NJ Assembly (A5140), we are just a few steps away from launching our own MPA!

NJASC Meeting moved to Virtual Format

Thursday, October 8, 10-11AM

Join us to hear from Senior Planet and the Count Basie Organization about programs you can bring to your senior or community centers.

All welcome!

Register here: NJASC

AACAP Bergen County Offers Program on Caregiver Balance and Setting Limits

Free educational session addresses managing emotions and guilt while caring for aging parents

October 12, 2026, 6 -7 PM

Hybrid format:- Zoom or in-person at Town Square Innovated Adult Day, 18-01 Pollitt Drive, Fair Lawn, NJ

ACAP Bergen County will host Knowing Your Limits and Creating Balance as a Caregiver. The program addresses the emotional challenges family caregivers face while managing their responsibilities. Attendees will learn practical strategies for handling caregiver guilt, setting healthy boundaries, and balancing family duties with personal needs and gain tools and confidence to meet both caregiving and personal needs.

This program is free and open to everyone. Reserve a spot today at acapcommunity.org or contact ACAP Bergen County at bergencountynj@acapcommunity.org.

To learn more about ACAP, view our Aging Insights interview at: Meet ACAP

Healing-Centered Housing:

Supporting Older Adults Through a Trauma-Informed Lens

Tuesday, October 13, 2026

 2:00-3:30 PM

Marilyn Mock, MSW and CSH will explore how trauma-informed and healing-centered approaches can improve housing and service outcomes for older adults. Participants will gain practical strategies to foster trust, safety, resilience, and well-being among residents who have experienced housing instability, adversity, discrimination, or other life challenges. Ideal for property management staff, affordable and supportive housing providers, and service coordinators.

Register here: CSH

Long-Term Care Affordability: Kickstarting Policy Action 

Virtual Briefing

Tuesday., October 13

12:30 – 1:30 PM

Long-term care isn't often included in basic affordability conversations, but it should be. Those expenses simply don't work for most people. Join The SCAN Foundation and leading experts for a briefing on what comprehensive long-term care reform requires, why policymakers don't need to start from scratch to make meaningful progress, and how getting this right is fundamentally about economic security.

Speakers:

• Tim Engelhardt, MHS, Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab

• Jessica Forden, MA, The New School and the Roosevelt Institute

• Mike Konczal, MS, Economic Security Project

• Kevin Prindiville, JD, Justice in Aging

• Narda Ipakchi, MBA, The SCAN Foundation (Moderator)

For more information and to register, click here: SCAN LTC

Wheels, Walkers & Wanderlust

Travel Without Limits

Thursday, November 5

2-3PM via Zoom

Just in time for the holidays – join NJAAW and Diane Vitilio, MS, OTR, Aging in Place Specialist and Accessible Travel Consultant to learn practical tips and helpful suggestions that will give you the confidence to travel again.

Learn about resources available that make your journey easier, even with mobility challenges. With the right planning, resources, and support, you'll be ready to start turning your travel dreams into unforgettable experiences.

For more details, download the flyer: HERE

Register here: Wheels & Wanderlust

Meet the Menopause Whisperer

Half the world will experience menopause, so its about time we start talking about it.

Menopause impacts not just women's reproductive health, but their overall well-being. It often overlays some of the busiest times of women's lives, impacting sleep, work, and relationships. And it also signals a new phase in life filled with opportunity.

Join us for an engaging, information-filled and often humorous conversation with Deborah Roebuck, aka the Menopause Whisperer. Learn how menopause effects women in multiple ways an over several years, and how taking care of yourself can mean a better quality of life.

Menopause and Aging

Understanding the transition, protecting long-term health, and changing the way we support women

By Dr. Deborah D. Roebuck, DNP, RN, Menopause Whisperer®

Half the world’s population will experience menopause, yet this ordinary life transition has long been treated as private, embarrassing, or unimportant. Menopause is finally entering public conversation—and that recognition matters. Menopause is not simply the end of menstruation; it is a significant health transition that can influence how a woman feels, functions, works, and ages.

This October, that conversation has an especially important focus. The 2026 World Menopause Day theme is “Chronic Pain at Midlife: From recognition to evidence-based care.” It highlights an issue many women know from experience: joint discomfort, headaches, migraines, musculoskeletal pain, and other persistent symptoms may become part of the midlife health picture and deserve thoughtful assessment rather than dismissal. Chronic pain should not automatically be blamed on menopause, but neither should it be ignored simply because a woman is aging.

Continuing reading NJAAW Blog

Senator Andy Kim Introduces Bill to Include

Long-Term Care as Part of Medicare

Senator Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) introduced legislation to add long-term care services benefits to the Medicare program. The "Medicare At Home Act" would help older adults and people with disabilities remain safely in their homes and communities by expanding home care coverage under Medicare Part B, which usually covers doctor visits and everyday medical care. Medicare does not currently cover home care. This bill would also cover in-home support so people don’t have to leave their homes. 

Read the full press release here: Medicare at Home Act

Mad Mabel

We are never too old to make friends.

In Sally Hepworth's novel, an 81-year-old woman trying to live quietly is thrust into the spotlight when her neighbor dies. With a twist on ageism, it questions whether a woman of her age can not only climb a fence, but murder someone? A bigger question is, can she befriend a 7 year -old girl?

The story shares how events early on can shape our entire lives, and how we can finally break free.