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Editor’s Note: Ourania R. is a computer science major at Fairleigh Dickinson University who performed 60 hours of community service over the course of 3 weeks this spring at Bright Side Manor, supervised by Social Worker Michelle Madonna. As a tech wiz, Ourania was initially tasked with helping our residents troubleshoot problems they were having with their phones and computers, but she also enjoyed conversing with residents about her dreams and aspirations, with one resident

By Alexandra Valdivia More than 35 community members gathered June 9 at The Bright Side Family’s Age Friendly Teaneck Community Room for the first installment of our two-part legal planning series featuring elder law attorney, Jaqueline Yarmo. The workshop, Estate Planning Basics, was part of our Secure Futures Workshop Series, a free educational initiative offered through the Senior Checks Program. Now entering our fifth year, both Senior Checks and Secure Futures continue

Partnerships are the lifeblood of age-friendly work, and this past spring our Age-Friendly Teaneck team cemented some old collaborations and fostered some new ones while playing a central role in co-hosting the Township’s first-ever “Super Senior Prom.” Age-Friendly Teaneck Coordinator Janice Dorman, along with Director of Senior Programs EJ Vizzi, were part of the planning committee for the May 14th event held at the Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe, an event that was more tha

By Ellen Rand The late Rosalynn Carter once said that there are four kinds of people: those who have been caregivers, those who are caregivers now, those who will be caregivers in the future, and those who will need caregiving. That insight from a former First Lady, coupled with May being Older Americans Month, prompted The Bright Side Family and Age Friendly Teaneck to present a discussion on “Caregiving: A Labor of Love” at the Teaneck Public Library on May 26. The eveni

By Devan O’Sullivan As a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) student at Ramapo College, my internship with The Bright Side Family afforded me the opportunity to work with the Senior Checks money-management program. It was a humbling and gratifying experience that I will take with me throughout the rest of my social work career. In my months working with three older adults I saw firsthand how the challenges of living on a fixed income, managing chronic illness and navigating new t