DEPARTMENT ON AGING
Freeholder Liaison:
Blanquita
Valenti
Executive Director: Margaret
Chester
Department E-mail: answersonaging@co.middlesex.nj.us
County of Middlesex
Middlesex County Administration Building
John F. Kennedy Square - 5th Floor
New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08901
Phone ( 732 ) 745 - 3295
Fax ( 732 ) 246 - 5641
Department
Services:
The Department on
Aging has the responsibility to administer federal funds and contracts
approved by the State under an Area Plan. Funds are then granted to
local providers for support services in: legal assistance, adult day
care, telephone reassurance, outreach, transportation & assisted
transportation, congregate nutrition, home delivered meals, nutrition
education & counseling, language translation, friendly visiting,
visiting nurse, homemaker home health, care management, residential
maintenance, senior center support, information & assistance, caregiver
education, caregiver support, adult protective services, physical health
and mental health.
The office conducts
an Annual Service Needs Survey of Older Adults. Approximately 1,200
seniors respond to the survey in which they are asked the type of services
they use and what they might need in the future.
The Department on Aging
also directly provides information and assistance, medicare insurance
counseling, care management for specific programs, congregate and home
delivered meals.
Specific programs operated within the Department include:
Information
and Assistance - the direct provision of specific information
or assistance which links or enables individuals to obtain available
services, benefits or entitlements and assistance with completion of
applications for programs. Older persons who appear to have multiple
problems and require extended assistance are referred to a care manager
for more indepth assessment. The Office maintains an inventory of resource
materials for distribution to seniors, caregivers, local providers and
the general public. A Resource Directory of services and programs for
seniors is published as well as county specific booklets on housing
options and long term care settings for older adults. Upon request,
speakers are available to address various groups. Caregivers looking
for assistance should call the office and ask our senior service counselors
about available programs.
Senior Meals
Program - provides a 1/3 RDA meal and social interaction five
days per week to seniors at nine locations around the County. For frail/disabled
homebound seniors there is a home delivered meal program available for
weekday and weekend meals. A special "Ensure Seniors Are Nourished"
program provides Ensure Plus to eligible seniors who are not able to
partake in regular food diets due to certain health conditions. Locations
and hours.
Medicare Counseling
- the State Health Insurance
Assistance Program (SHIP) provides FREE assistance to
anyone enrolled on Medicare Health insurance who has questions or problems.
Under the Office SHIP Coordinator, there are over 50 trained volunteer
counselors located at local sites around the County to provide easy
access for enrollees. Medicare enrollees needing assistance should ask
to speak with a SHIP Counselor.
Respite Care
Program - provides respite care services to the elderly, disabled
and functionally impaired persons to allow their unpaid caregivers relief
from the stress associated with the responsibility of providing daily
care. Based upon an assessment of need, the care coordinator for the
program can arrange for the following services: companion, homemaker/home
health, medical or social adult day care, temporary care in licensed
medical facilities and private duty nursing. Eligibility requirements
are based on the client income and assets, not the caregivers. Cost
share fees are determined on a state established sliding scale basis.
CCPED Expansion
Program- the Community Care Program for the Elderly and Disabled
expansion program is operated under a medicaid waiver for seniors over
age 65. The purpose of the program is to help individuals who have been
assessed as in need of nursing facility level of care to remain in the
community. The Department provides direct care management for these
Medicaid qualified individuals and arranges for support services such
as: homemaker/home health, medical or social adult day care, respite
care, and non-emergency medical transportation.
Assisted Living
Program - individuals over the age of 65 who have been determined
appropriate for nursing facility level of care are provided services
within an assisted living setting. The purpose of this program is to
help Medicaid qualified individuals "age-in-place" rather than be cared
for in a nursing facility. The program care manager is responsible for
coordinating, locating and monitoring a group of services designed to
meet the individual needs of clients residing in an assisted living
setting.
JACC
- Jersey Assistance for Community
Caregiving provides a broad array of in-home
services and supports that enable an individual at risk of placement
in a
facility to remain in his/her community home. This program serves
individuals over the age of 60 who are not eligible for Medicaid or Medicaid
waiver services. The program care manager helps to strengthen the
capacity of caregivers by supplementing their efforts with a uniquely designed
package of home supports including: respite care, homemaker services,
home delivered meals, social adult day care, adult day health, transportation,
personal emergency response systems, special medical equipment, chore
services, environmental accessibility modifications and caregiver training.
A state established sliding scale cost share is required.
CAP
- Caregiver Assistance Program
provides in-home services to individuals who
meet certain Medicaid financial eligibility criteria and are determined
to require nursing
facility level of care. The program care manager will assess the
individual and
develop an individual service package based upon the care recipient
and care giver
need. These services may include, homemaker, social adult day care,
respite care,
adult day health, chore services, attendant care, special medical equipment
and supplies, personal
emergency response systems, environmental accessibility adaptations,
transportation and caregiver training. A state determined sliding scale
cost share is required
for those eligible individuals over age 65 or disabled persons who
are 21-64 years of age.
MCMAP
- Middlesex County Multi-Assistive
Program casts a broader safety net to assist those individuals
with slightly higher income levels than Medicaid and other state funded
programs within the Office. Services available include: prescription
assistance, home health care, medical and social day care, meals, medical
supplies and durable medical equipment. While the majority of clients
are senior citizens, many younger disabled persons also utilize the
program.
Elder Abuse
Programs - training programs are conducted in coordination with
the Adult Protective Services Unit of the Board of Social Services and
are designed to sensitize the general public, sheriff officers, law
enforcement, bankers, teachers, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other
community groups how to identify neglect, abuse and financial exploitation
of the elderly.
"Kids
and Seniors - Perfect Together"- program was designed to
provide interaction
between 1st-4th grade students and older adults within the
classroom. The
N.J. Association of Area Agencies on Aging (all County Offices on Aging)
developed a teacher
curriculum that in a very easy manner introduces the image of
aging, myths about
aging, how older people should be respected and gently touches
on recognizing when
seniors are being taken advantage of or abused.
Health Promotion
- the Office conducts health awareness campaigns for seniors to
provide information and encourage older adults to participate in important
health related programs
such as flu and pneumonia shots, mammograms, pap smears,
medication management, mental health and nutrition education.
Carrier Link
- The
County Department on Aging and local senior centers will aid vulnerable
older adults in the community by enlisting the help of postal workers
who will be trained to identify certain danger signals that could indicate
assistance is needed.
A uniform county
wide identification will be issued to older residents registered on
the program to allow postal workers to identify participant homes. A
phone call from the postal office to the locally designated senior agency
will help a person obtain immediate help to avert a crisis situation
or to link them into support services in the community. A phone call to the
County Department on Aging or the municipal senior center will provide more
specifics on the program.
File of Life - A county wide initiative
coordinated by the Middlesex County Department on Aging. This new safety net
for senior citizens is being circulated throughout Middlesex County to its most
vulnerable population. Specifically targeted to the homebound senior, it is
available to all seniors residing in the county. The File of Life is a red
magnetic refrigerator pouch which holds a reference card that captures vital
health and emergency information including doctors, medications, medical
conditions and emergency contacts. This tool will assist the police and
emergency response teams who are called to the aid of a senior resident of the
county. The File of Life will be distributed by local senior centers,
meals programs and agencies that contract with the Department.
Middlesex
Rx - A prescription discount plan for all county residents with
no other prescription coverage. The program provides a discount on the
wholesale price of the drug and savings vary depending on the drugs.
The savings have average about 28% off regular prices. For more information
click on the link for Middlesex Rx.
Medication
Management - this program is available for use by county residents
with a caregiver. A FREE handheld medication reminder dispenser
is used to assist with the task of overseeing a medication schedule.
The device has programmable time settings and several reminder settings.
Caregivers must ensure the device is refilled weekly with the right
medications, in the right dose, and set to the appropriate time.
