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Family and Community Health Sciences

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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.

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.