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$250,000 Planned For Senior Services
By Keith Hagarty
With the area's senior population steadily rising, it's never been more important to provide sufficient funding for Ocean County's elderly residents, according to Jane Maloney, director of the Ocean County Office of Senior Services.
This week, Maloney gave the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders an overview of spending on senior programs for the budget year 2008. Maloney thanked the board for approving $250,000 in assistance programs administered by area hospitals and help agencies.
The formal vote on the package will come at the April 2 public meeting.
Maloney described the annual contracts as an important link between caregivers and individuals as a slice of the $4.9 million the county, state and federal governments spend on senior programs in Ocean County every year.
Funding of $50,000 will go to Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey, $20,000 for Multi-Cultural Outreach and $25,000 for the Northeastern Expansion program, with a $25,000 stipend being provided for Interfaith Health and Support Services of Southern Ocean.
The groups serve seniors with programs for volunteer medical transportation, shopping assistance, visits to the house-bound and aid in maintaining a household.
"These programs provide numerous benefits to the many seniors that call Ocean County home," said Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari.
Four area hospitals will also receive funding for fitness programs, screenings and health education initiatives, including $40,000 to Southern Ocean County Hospital, and $30,000 each to Community Medical Center, Kimball Medical Center and Meridian Hospital System for health screenings and educational programs.
Ocean County is unique in the sheer size of the clientele, said Maloney, adding that the county has double the state percentage of citizens in the 75-, 80- and 85-plus age groups, and although many are selfsufficient, there is still a need for Meals on Wheels, screenings, home health care and other personal services.
Maloney said 544,468 units of services were provided to more than 35,000 residents in 2007 through all of the county's senior programs, including 30,459 units for 7,778 adults in these contractual programs alone.
"This money will fund health screenings and programs designed to help improve the health and wellness of older adults," Maloney said, noting that by keeping active seniors healthy and fit, the burden on health services would be reduced.
She told the freeholders that because there are so many seniors - 26 percent of all county residents are 60 or older - there are a variety of needs for the county's senior clients, from those who are healthy active, to the less fortunate who may be bed-ridden and frail.
"It's so important to reach out to seniors to make sure they have what they need to maintain a good, healthy quality of life," said Vicari. "We will do all we can to make sure they have a great life here in Ocean County. They earned this."
Freeholders Jack Kelly and John Bartlett reminisced about how the problems of funding Social Security two decades ago seem to pale in comparison to 2008.
Kelly said millions of the post-World War II baby boomer generation will start becoming eligible for Social Security this year.
"It's a staggering number," Kelly said with a smile. "Just think, we're the ones who thought we'd never get old."
The burden on younger generations will not be easily met considering the size and scope of the boomer generation, Bartlett replied.
All five of the freeholders will be Social Security-eligible within the next decade.
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