April 15, 2021

GOLDEN GULLS SENIOR COMMITTEE MEETING APRIL 15TH, 2021

 

  1. Attendance – Welcome new members
  2. Theresa made a motion to nominate new secretary, Adrienne Mcculough. Patty 2nd, Greg third, motion was carried unanimously by committee.  Andrienne accepted.
  3. Survey update. Thank you to volunteers.
  4. Guest Speaker Introduction- Ms. Maria LaFace-Director of Ocean County Senior Services

 

  • Maria’s background is that she spent 3 years as the Director of Legal Services (attorney) before this position. This division was funded to provide free legal services to Seniors
  • The Ocean County Senior Services Dept. offers many programs and services and Maria will get us the list of available services and providers
  • This is the first time in history that we have more people in Ocean Count 60 years and older vs. under 18 years old
  • Are we prepared to help these people? Needs change for a 60 year old vs. a 90 year old
  • Currently needs are Dementia, caregivers etc.
  • Goal of this Ocean County division is to keep older adults in homes thereby giving them dignity and respect
  • The above is achieved by offering services and getting it to the people that need it
  • The issues they are seeing are more complex and challenging…. Seniors are now trying to live off of a Social Security check- this is impossible so they need a little extra help
  • The federal Government Distributes money based on the General Consensus Data/Statistics. Ocean County gets a large % of this money due to our large number of seniors. Middlesex County and Bergen County are creeping up on us.
  • Normally an Annual Public Hearing is held and seniors are invited to attend in June. This enables the group to take a needs assessment to identify priorities. Then a Request for proposals is sent out and Not For Profit groups apply and certain groups get funded. These groups that get the funds are monitored as they provide programs in order to make sure the $ is being used appropriately.
  • The main goal in the beginning was to increase access to services.
  • Right now there are 25 agencies, 45 programs and Maria will be sending this list out to us. Examples are Meals on Wheels, which takes over 50% of the budget. 1200 meals a day are delivered to homebound seniors!!
  • Other services that they fund are Senior Centers and the Bee Hive in Point Pleasant, Respite Care, Caregivers, and free legal services.
  • On a busy day they get 60-80 calls from seniors. Last week they got 450 calls, many about vaccine access.
  • Thankfully Seniors are turning to them and are engaging!
  • They have worked on getting seniors to not think of these services as welfare but instead a benefit that they paid into all these years!
  • The office is on Hooper Ave and there is a staff of 18.
  • Medicare open enrollment is a very confusing topic for seniors so they hold events to help and they compete with Insurance companies that advertise and try to sell the seniors a plan that quite often is expensive and not needed. Instead, they identify the best plan for the senior so they are not over paying.
  • An example was an event at Leisure Village.1 woman saved $6000 a year once they found her the right plan to meet her needs. Another person ended up saving $100 a mth!! The wrong plan leads to putting out money that the Senior does not need to.
  • Currently Seniors call in about Anything!
  • COVID was very self-isolating for Seniors so they started a food program to provide groceries. They found a provider to do this.
  • Currently there is a Vaccine Pilot Program; Seniors do not use a computer. 1000 vaccines were set-aside for them. And Appointments were made.
  • In summary the staff is fantastic and very hands on in assessing needs and then providing services.
  • Huge project now is to get seniors out of having to go into public buildings to seek services. Maria got approval for a Mobile Office that can travel around to sites and go to the Seniors to help them out and offer services!!!!!! There will be a set schedule when it is up and running. This is an example of Community Support Services and this is the way to go! It is way more cost effective vs. people paying for nursing homes!

***This was a very informative presentation by Maria and will help us know how to get our Seniors the services they need.

 

Other Things:

 

  1. Vaccine update-CHMED offered to come to the fire house, we had rides set up etc. but this is all on hold since the vaccine were the Johnson and Johnson version. CHMED offered Moderna but we are at a standstill right now. More to follow including the ability for CHMED to go to homebound seniors to give vaccinations.
  2. Centre State Hospital will pick Seniors up to get vaccines. Grace is the person to speak to at Central NJ Caregivers. They have openings next Thursday. We will follow-up on this.
  3. Greg-budget we have right now is $3250 with a little being spent soon and more coming in in the future. Theresa spent a lot of time applying for a $10,000 AARP Community Challenge grant. Kristen helped and was able to look over before submitted. We hope to at least get half of that money. We will know in June.
  4. We hope to have a Senior Meet and Greet type event in September and Beverly is looking into working with Jersey Mikes to do a summer fundraiser for us. More to follow. She will donate stamps for a mailing.
  5. We are going to see if we can get any funding via Marias group.
  6. Robo call discussed. How to most effectively get the word out to seniors regarding a town wide vaccination site.  Kristen will speak to Patty at town hall.
  7. Greg said that there is a Home Grown Affair on Saturday May 22nd from 12-6pm in Borden’s parking lot. Draws 2000-3000 people. We will have a very fun table at it with lots of giveaways to attract our Seniors. WE NEED PEOPLE TO VOLUTEER… 2 PEOPLS AT THE TABLE IN 2 HR SHIFTS. MAYBE AN EMAIL CAN BE SENT OUT SO PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP? THE TABLECLOTH WAS APPROVED A SOUNDS VERY NICE!
  8. Theresa will send out a copy of the survey from last weekend as well as the solicitation letter she sent out to a few businesses in town. Patti Ascoleses and Karen Testa will follow up with phone calls and/or in person visits.
  9. Theresa made a motion to end meeting. Motion carried unanimously.  Next meeting 5/20.