Celebrating Judith Jones' Retirement: A Legacy of Advocacy in New Hampshire

After more than 25 years of advocating for New Hampshire's older adults and people with disabilities, Judith Jones, the Healthy Aging Policy Director at New Futures, is retiring.

Judith joined New Futures in June of 2024 bringing a wealth of experience in aging and disability policy. Her position was made possible by a grant from Point32Health Foundation, which recognized the need for policy efforts that build inclusive communities for New Hampshire residents of all ages. As New Hampshire's second-oldest-in-the-nation population continues to grow, our public policies must address the needs of people as they age. Judith helped build the organization's healthy aging issue area from the ground up, establishing a policy advisory committee to guide the work and building relationships and connections with partners across the state.

Before New Futures, Judith served as Director of the New Hampshire Legal Assistance Senior Citizens Law Project (now the Justice in Aging Project) and worked in elder law, always putting individual people alongside systemic change. Whether she was helping one older adult navigate a legal case or pushing a bill through the State House, her focus never wavered: making sure New Hampshire's older adults had someone in their corner.

"I've known Judith since 2022, and it was clear from the beginning that she was one of the leading experts in elder law in New Hampshire, with a real vision for how things needed to change," said Michele Merritt, President of New Futures. "She's truly a joy to work with, and she brings a bit of whimsy to everything she does. On our hardest days, people go to Judith because they know she'll help put things into perspective. She's extremely competent, but somehow she makes it fun for all of us."

Her experience shows in the legacy she has built over the years. In 2023, she played a key role in drafting components of the landmark NH System of Care for Healthy Aging legislation, a historic bill that established a statutory framework for coordinated aging services, backed by real investment: $1.7 million for the System of Care for Healthy Aging, $15.1 million for the Choices for Independence waiver program, and $110.2 million to boost Medicaid reimbursement rates. In 2025, Judith, along with many partners, including the New Hampshire Alliance for Healthy Aging Advocacy, secured continued funding for the System of Care in the 2026–27 State Budget and helped establish the System of Care for Healthy Aging Advisory Council, ensuring this work included stakeholder input directed by the NH Commission on Aging. That same year, Judith and her fellow advocates helped secure an additional $200,000 for New Hampshire's Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Caregiver Respite program, a lifeline that gives family caregivers the breaks they need to keep going.

In the most recent 2026 legislative session, Judith helped drive two more wins across the finish line:

• Senate Bill 608: Signed into law in May, this bill provides counseling, education, and training for family caregivers supporting individuals in Medicaid waiver programs, and improves access to affordable child care for grandparents and other relatives raising children.
• Senate Bill 545: Key components of this bill, which strengthen the connection between Medicare Savings Programs and the Medicare Extra Help program that helps older adults afford their care, were added to House Bill 1219, which also recently became law.

Numbers and statutes only tell part of the story. Judith spent countless hours meeting with lawmakers, training advocates, and traveling across the state to make sure people understood what was at stake for older Granite Staters, and she did it all with a warmth and energy that made everyone around her better at this work. Colleagues who have had the pleasure of working alongside her will tell you: she brought a smile to every meeting, every training, and every hard conversation.

Judith's tenacity and genuine care over the years have given New Hampshire's older adults a real voice at the State House.

"Judith and I have worked together for 27 years, and it's been a pleasure and honestly a dream," said Cheryl Steinberg, the former director of Justice in Aging at New Hampshire Legal Assistance, who retired herself in June 2026. "She has been so supportive of me throughout my entire career, and she's always been the go-to person on technical policy. Judith is a huge loss to the aging advocacy community, but she's more than earned this next chapter."

On behalf of everyone at New Futures and NHAHA Advocacy, thank you, Judith. We're so grateful for everything you've built, and for the community of advocates that you helped grow along the way. New Hampshire's older adults and family caregivers are better off because of your work, and the systems you helped build will continue serving them for years to come. Congratulations on your retirement. You've earned every beach walk ahead of you.