With more than 1.4 million elderly residents, New Jersey is keeping pace with the national trend that shows the nation's seniors are living longer. As New Jersey's older population grows, the state's senior services are becoming more diverse to reflect the needs of today's seniors. NJN Public Television and radio examines the challenges of aging in New Jersey and details some of the programs and services available in our state in Faces of Aging: Life Options.

Hosted by NJN News Senior Anchor, Kent Manahan, Faces of Aging discusses the programs and services that the Garden State provides for our state's senior population. The program provides a first-hand look into the lives of seniors who are at different stages in life, whether they are looking for recreational and volunteer activities, living at home with the help of family caregivers and community-based services, or choosing from a variety of long-term care options.

Faces of Aging: Life Options is a one hour lively studio discussion with field pieces looking at ways to help seniors keep active and healthy. The seniors are featured in a series of three pre-produced segments that will be followed by a panel discussion of experts and policy makers. The segments focus on the programs and activities available for active, healthy seniors; the in-house services available for seniors who are able to live at home through a combination of family care-giving and community based support services; and some of the long term care options available within our state's borders.

The panel includes Commissioner Christine Grant of the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services; Anita Chopra, MD of UMDNJ's Center for Aging - School of Osteopathic Medicine ; John Wanat, President, New Jersey Association of Area Agencies on Aging and Executive Director, Monmouth County Office on Aging ; Lee Abramson, volunteer Ombudsman, Middlesex County; Jane Harkey, RN, MSW, president of the Adult Day Services Association of New Jersey Horizon Adult Medical Day Care, Inc ; Ken Wessel, Executive Director, Home Care Options, Inc; Dale Ofei-Ayisi, LCSW, ACSW, Geriatric Evaluation and Management Service (GEMS) at Kimball Medical Center Alfred C. Gayman, MD a physician from South Orange, who is a board member of several nursing homes and whose mother resides in a nursing home; Gary Puma, president of Presbyterian Homes and Services, Inc.; and William Isele, State Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly.

Faces of Aging: Life Options was funded by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services and produced by Kate Megargee and Lee Little.