OFFICE OF AGING AND DISABLED SERVICES
Freeholder
Chairperson: Kenneth Armwood
Director: Laila Caune
Department E-mail: answersonaging@co.middlesex.nj.us
County of Middlesex
75 Bayard Street – 5th floor
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone ( 732 ) 745 - 3295
Fax ( 732 ) 246 - 5641
PUBLIC NOTICE
Request for Funding Proposals are now being accepted for 2013 grant funds provided for under the Middlesex County Office of Aging & Disabled Services Area Plan Contract.
Organizations applying must be public with proven professional capability of providing the services proposed to the senior population and the designated target groups defined.
Services to be funded include: Care Management; Information & Assistance; Certified Home Health Aide; Outreach; Transportation; Homemaker; Friendly Visiting; Physical Fitness; Caregiver Support; Residential Maintenance; and Assisted Transportation. See the 2012 Service Taxonomies for services not listed.
Service Population: Senior Citizens over the age of sixty residing in Middlesex County.
Target Groups: Older individuals with the greatest economic and social need (primarily low income minorities); frail/disabled (individuals who are unable to perform at least two activities of daily living with out substantial human assistance); older individuals with limited English speaking ability; and older individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders with neurological and organic brain dysfunction.
Applicants must comply with all federal, state, county and municipal laws, rules and regulations. Interested parties should write or call the Office listed below to request a funding application and regulation packet. Completed proposals must be returned to the Office of Aging & Disabled Services no later than 2:00 pm on August 23, 2012 for consideration. Proposals received after the due date will not be considered for funding.
RFP Packet (MS Word)
Service Taxonomies 2012 (MS Word)
Breakdown Based on 2010 Census Figures (MS Excel)
2013 Blank Grantee Budget Form (MS Excel)
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Office
Services:
The Office of
Aging and Disabled Services 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 Office of
Aging and Disabled Services
also directly provides information and assistance, medicare insurance
counseling, care management for specific programs, congregate and home
delivered meals.
Specific programs operated within the office include:
Carrier Link
- The
County Office of Aging and Disabled Services 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.
Farmer’s Market – The senior farm market provides eligible individuals with vouchers to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at approved local farm markets between June and November.
File of Life - A county wide initiative
coordinated by the Middlesex County Office of Aging and Disabled Services. 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 office.
Global Options (GO) Program - The GO long term care system is designed to offer a variety of services for individuals who meet nursing home level of care needs. A person must meet the Medicaid financial eligibility and clinical health criteria to be eligible. Age requirements are over age 65 - or disabled age 21-64 years old.
This program promotes self-direction and participation in decisions that emphasize dignity, individuality and choice for services in a home environment. Individuals can be residing in a home in the community, in an assisted living residence, or comprehensive personal care home.
The N.J. Department of Aging Services works with approved provider agencies for care management services. Clients have a designated care manager to help develop individual care plans and authorize allowable services.
Depending on the needs identified, GO clients may be eligible to obtain such services as home health aide, adult day care, meals, transportation, medical supplies, personal response system, respite care, or environmental modifications.
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.
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 and persons with disabilities 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, the disabled, caregivers, local providers and
the general public. A Resource Directory of services and programs for
seniors and the disabled is published as well as county specific booklets on housing
options and long term care settings. Upon request,
speakers are available to address various groups. Caregivers looking
for assistance should call the office and ask our information and assistance staff
about available programs.
Information and Assistance for the Disabled – Via direct contact with the county ADA Coordinator consumers or their caregivers are provided information and referral services to link them to available services, benefits or entitlement programs. Consumer advocacy is also provided to disabled individuals residing in Middlesex County. Upon request, disability training is available to community agencies and service providers.
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.
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.
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.
PASP – Personal Assistance Services Program gives adults with physical disabilities opportunities to work, attend school or vocational training and live independently in the community. Services are available to individuals who are employed, preparing for employment, attending an educational or training program and/or to support active participation in community-based activities, such as volunteer service or parenting.
Project Lifesaver Program uses radio technology to help locate missing persons. It is available FREE to eligible county residents who have a history of wandering due to illness or disability, (for example Autism, Alzheimer's disease). Participants wear a bracelet, equipped with a transmitter, which can aid specially trained Sheriff's Officers in locating them. A caregiver must live with participant and be able to check the bracelet battery signal daily.
Senior Meals
Program - provides a 1/3 DRI meal and social interaction five
days per week to seniors at seven 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.
SHIP 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.
Also available free online is MEDICARE INTERACTIVE (www.medicareinteractive.org) a Medicare reference guide from the Medicare Rights Center that features thousands of Medicare answers written in straightforward user-friendly language, including New Jersey specific information.
Statewide 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.
