Programs for Elderly Care in New Jersey

According to the United States Census Bureau, as of 2008 approximately 13 percent of New Jersey's residents were aged 65 years or older. The state's elderly care programs provide health care, financial and communication assistance for senior residents. Programs are created, funded and operated by a variety of establishments including religious organizations, private foundations and local government agencies.

Visiting Nurse Association of Somerset Hills

• Somerset Hills' Visiting Nurse Association has been providing elderly care services to older residents of Somerset Hills since 1904. The association administers a low-cost elderly daycare center. Elderly residents who participate in the program can enjoy the gardens outside the facility and socialize with caregivers or other daycare attendees. Lunch, snacks, recreational activities and health care services are offered at the daycare. Staff members comprise of nurses and social workers. Staff to elderly resident ratio is 1 to 5. The Visiting Nurse Association also provides flu clinics to Somerset Hills' elderly residents. Tele-health (portable electronic health monitors) technology systems are used to tests elderly citizens' health points like blood pressure, blood sugar levels and blood oxygen levels in the participating senior person's private residence. Caregiver education training and social visits to the elderly are also provided through the association.

  Visiting Nurse Association of Somerset Hills
  200 Mount Airy Road
  Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
  908-766-0180
  visitingnurse.org

Community Care Program for the Elderly and Disabled (CCPED)

• New Jersey's Community Care Program for the Elderly and Disabled program provides adult day health, nonemergency-related medical transportation, daycare, respite care, prescription drug assistance and homemaker services in the state's elderly resident's private home. To participate in the program, elderly residents must have been accessed as being eligible to receive nursing home care by a licensed medical professional. They must be at least 65 years old or, if between 21 and 64 years old, declared disabled by the Social Security Administration. New Jersey residents who receive an income of more than $2,000 a month if they are single or $3,000 a month if they are married may not participate in the program.

  Division of Aging and Community Services
  New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
  50 East State St.
  Trenton, New Jersey 08625
  609-943-4060
  nj.gov/health/senior/go.shtml

Meals on Wheels

• Meals on Wheels is an elderly care program sponsored by the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey. Elderly residents living in Princeton, East Windsor and Hightstown areas are eligible to participate. A small fee is charged for Red Cross volunteers to deliver two meals--one hot supper and one cold dinner--to the elderly resident's private home Monday through Friday. On weekends the program delivers participating members a hot lunch and a cold sandwich. The weekend program is funded by the Office on Aging; residents are not charged a fee to participate in the weekend program. Elderly Central New Jersey residents can participate in either or both programs.

  Meals on Wheels
  American Red Cross of Central New Jersey
  707 Alexander Road, Suite 101
  Princeton, New Jersey 08540
  609-951-2120
  njredcross.org/programs/elderlyServices.asp