Montclair’s Seniors Weigh In: Study Says Most Want To Age In Place

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Do Montclair’s senior citizens want to stay in town as they enjoy their golden years? Yes, but it may not be as easy as it sounds, a recent study says.

According to a township news release, Lifelong Montclair, the municipality’s aging in place initiative, was the subject of a program evaluation commissioned by the Partners for Health Foundation in 2015. The goal of the evaluation was to learn about various changes in which Lifelong Montclair played a role to help make Montclair a place where older residents can live comfortably, safely, and independently.

The evaluation - conducted by Montclair State University’s Center for Research and Evaluation on Education and Human Services - suggested that 89.5 percent of older adults surveyed want to spend their golden years in Montclair if possible.

However, the study also noted that 26.9 percent of the respondents didn’t feel “confident” that they will be able to continue to live in Montclair as they get older.

Read the full study online here.

Interestingly, the study found that no significant difference was noted between age, income or race.

Other findings in the study include:

• 71% of respondents reported owning their home, and 24% reported renting their residence
• 65% of respondents reported that they walk to and from their desired locations in town
• 77% of respondents rated “older adults being respected in Montclair” as average or better
• 54% of respondents reported that they actively volunteer in 92 organizations throughout Montclair and neighboring towns

Photo: Shutterstock

Send local news tips, photos and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com