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Family and Community Health Sciences programming for Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension (RCE) is conducted by Dr. Kathleen Cullinen in Ocean County.

According to the most recent census estimates, Ocean County has over 200,000 adults 60 years of age and older. In addition, Ocean County has the second-highest percentage of adults 65 and older in New Jersey, at 22.8% of the population. As a result, our Family and Community Health Sciences programming is designed to address the changing needs of older adults in Ocean County through age-friendly initiatives to support healthy aging in place, chronic disease prevention and control, and comprehensive well-being among older adults through community-based outreach, education, and research.

Educational Programs

Wellness Wednesday Webinars are offered weekly via Zoom at 12:30 p.m. More information can be found at Wellness Wednesdays. A monthly webinar series specific to Healthy Aging topics will offered in 2026.

The Brain Health Partnership: The Brain Health Partnership is a collaboration between Family & Community Health Sciences (FCHS), Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE), and the Alzheimer’s Association. Through this partnership, evidence-based educational programs developed by the Alzheimer’s Association are delivered free of charge by FCHS faculty and staff in Ocean, Somerset, and Gloucester Counties. The Partnership is currently planning an expansion into Monmouth County to further increase access to brain health education and outreach.

In addition to community education efforts, FCHS in Ocean County is assisting with behavioral intervention trial recruitment related to the findings of the U.S. POINTER study. Recruitment efforts are conducted in collaboration with the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center, the Rutgers Brain Health Institute, the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, and the Kessler Foundation.

Brain Health Partnership educators are trained Alzheimer’s Association volunteers who provide educational programs on the following topics:

  • Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body
  • The 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s
  • Introduction to Alzheimer’s and Dementia
  • Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia
  • Effective Communication Strategies for Dementia Care

These educational programs are delivered through a Rutgers Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved curriculum that incorporates retrospective post-/pre-evaluation instruments to assess participant learning outcomes and program effectiveness. Workshops are offered by the Family & Community Health Sciences Program of Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County as stand-alone presentations or as a multi-session series upon request.

By integrating evidence-based education, community outreach, and research engagement, the Brain Health Partnership promotes brain health, increases awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and connects older adults and caregivers with resources that support healthy aging and cognitive well-being.

Research Programs

  • Age-Friendly Ocean County is an age-friendly communities project, that aims to assess, plan, and develop local age-friendly initiatives that support the health and well-being of older adults, and to advance efforts that result in tangible and sustainable transformation of policies, systems, and environmental conditions. In partnership with the Ocean County Office of Senior Services, the goal is to improve communities for older adults and enable residents to remain in their homes as they age.

Quarterly Visons Newsletters

  • Visions is a peer-reviewed Family and Community Health Sciences (FCHS) consumer newsletter featuring articles on nutrition, physical activity, health, food safety, and other wellness topics. Click this link for free electronic subscriptions or pick up a printed copy at our location, 1623 Whitesville Road, Toms River, NJ.

Educational Resources

Resource Directories

More FCHS information and fact sheets are available from the statewide Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension publications page.

If you would like to be added to our email list to receive announcements about future Healthy Aging extension education programs and/or our Ocean County Visions newsletter, please contact Dina Baudo (Administrative Assistant, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County): dbaudo@co.ocean.nj.us, 732-349-1247.

If you have any questions about Healthy Aging extension programs or research, please contact Dr. Kathleen Cullinen (County Agent III, Assistant Professor; Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County): cullinen@njaes.rutgers.edu, 732-349-1247.