SOMA Two Towns to hold senior forum

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Maplewood and South Orange residents ages 60 and older are invited to participate in a senior forum on Sunday, Oct. 27, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the South Orange Performing Arts Center, 1 SOPAC Way.

It has been four years since South Orange and Maplewood began to explore the needs of older residents and build an age-friendly initiative. Through a senior forum in the fall of 2015, a community survey and focus groups, SOMA Two Towns for All Ages was initiated in early 2017. This age-friendly initiative strives to be responsive to the needs of older residents; find and combine resources that promote and support healthy, engaged and vibrant aging; recognize the role older adults play in this diverse community; and encourage older adults to engage in the conversation and be responsive to their concerns.

Now, it is time to examine what the initiative has done, has not done and needs to do next. The Oct. 27 forum will feature idea sharing, discussion and prioritizing for what comes next. Each person will choose three topics to discuss. Topics include: community participation; transportation; housing issues; health and wellness; culture, education and recreation; accessibility and pedestrian safety and walkability. If there is something not listed that you think would be an important topic to include, speak up!

There will be door prizes, raffles and refreshments. All those who register by Oct. 18 will be entered in a raffle to win a SOPAC membership! Register by calling 973-558-0863 or emailing SOMA2towns@gmail.com. 

In addition, a survey will be conducted from Oct. 27 to Nov. 8 to collect more information and for those who cannot make the event on Oct. 27. It will be available at www.SOMATwotownsforallages.org starting Oct. 28. Hard copies will be available at the Maplewood Senior Center, South Orange Library, Maplewood Town Hall and South Orange Village offices.

  Senior Citizens, SOMA Two Towns for All Ages, SOPAC