Recap of Select Parsippany LIVE Services
Transportation Efforts
In the AdvantAge Community Assessment conducted in Parsippany, the inadequacy of public transportation was highlighted as an unmet need in the community. Although 93 percent of seniors surveyed indicated that they had access to a private vehicle as a passenger or driver, the 7 percent without private transport indicated that they felt isolated and limited during the weekends – when the Parsippany Transit bus does not run. These findings have resulted in two distinct outcomes:
- The creation of a town transportation directory that highlights all forms of public transportation (NJ Transit, Lakeland Buses, Morris County Transit, and town bus), paratransit (Access Link, MAPS, and town-provided medical transport), as well as available taxi companies and specialized transportation providers. Members of the Parsippany LIVE Resident Advisory Council assisted in gathering information for the directory, which the town published in June 2006.
- The addition of Saturday service to the Parsippany Transit schedule. Mayor Michael Luther kicked-off this newly expanded bus service in summer 2006. Further expansions are planned for early 2007.
Healthy Mondays and Parsippany Public Library Collaboration
Yoga classes, massage demonstrations, osteoporosis prevention screenings, and employment workshops for seniors – this is no usual Monday at the Public Library! Through an innovative partnership with Parsippany LIVE, the newly-opened Main Library and the Lake Hiawatha neighborhood library have become focal points for regular senior programming. In conjunction with JCC MetroWest and Jewish Vocational Service of MetroWest, seniors are being introduced to improved health and enriched employment prospects. Low-cost weekly exercise classes and free employment workshops (followed by one-on-one counseling) expand seniors’ horizons beyond the usual offerings of books, CDs, and DVDs.
You Can’t Move Around Too Much!
Low-cost exercise opportunities, especially for apartment-dwellers, were another high priority, based on the community survey. In response to that finding, Parsippany LIVE introduced four different wellness and exercise classes: yoga (at the library), Healthy Bones: a volunteer-led osteoporosis prevention exercise class at the Senior Center; a weekly walking club at Baldwin Oaks Senior Apartments, and Arthritis Foundation Aquatics Program classes at that JCC’s pool in Whippany. The response has been strong, with each class getting regular attendance, and a few die-hard fans taking more than one class per week. With the average cost per class being $3 or less, this affordable exercise option has been very popular. Also worth noting is the extra classes added to the Senior Center’s schedule – the number of classes has doubled since September 2005!
Resident Advisory Council
What do apartment-dwellers and homeowners, drivers and bus riders, an Asian ESL teacher, retired Earth Sciences professor, president of the Kiwanis, former NY Life Insurance employee, and former car saleswoman have in common? They are all members of the Parsippany LIVE Resident Advisory Council. This unique group of community-minded elders meets monthly to advise the Parsippany LIVE program staff on service needs, implementation, and current community concerns. Members of the advisory council have served as greeters at the annual Street Fair, advised other seniors on Medicare Part D, helped compile a community transportation directory, mobilize others to participate in workshops and community conferences, and help make seniors’ concerns more visible in Parsippany. The diversity of the advisory council represents the broad range of people served by Parsippany LIVE.
Parsippany LIVE "At Work"
Parsippany LIVE "At Work," a specialized vocational program targeting mature workers, helps Parsippany residents age 60 and over find paid employment. More than 100 individuals have been served by the program to date and more than 40 have found jobs.
Program participants have been hired by the