The Mayor's Column

Senior Center Services

In Monroe Township we are proud of the excellent services we provide to our senior citizens. With seniors making up nearly 50 percent of the Township’s population, it is important that we provide them with the resources, support and recreation opportunities.

The Township Office on Aging, currently located in the lower level of the Municipal Building, is an integral component of providing these services.  It is more than just a place to socialize; it is a resource for our seniors to get assistance, either directly or by referral, with health care, phone bills or most other problems.  The Township employs two full-time outreach professionals and a social worker, all of whom are trained as Senior Health Insurance Program counselors.
 
The Senior Center staff also helps seniors apply for Pharmaceutical Assistance for the Aged and Disabled (P.A.A.D.) and the Senior Gold Program prescription drug discount program either directly or by referring residents to the proper county or state agencies.

In addition, the Office on Aging offers the Friend in Need Program, where the center provides extra help for home aid to seniors in need, such as those who recently had surgery or got out of a rehabilitation center.  The program is based on specific financial eligibility requirements that are determined by a member of the Center’s staff.

The Center has teamed up with the United Way of Central New Jersey to form the Home Food Shopping Club, through which seniors are paired with a Senior Center volunteer who will call the resident and place his or her food order and schedule a delivery date.  The food is then delivered to the resident for the cost of the food with a small delivery charge.  Once enrolled in the program, residents can use it as frequently or infrequently as they like, and there is no obligation to use it at all.

The Office on Aging also serves as a satellite office for the Middlesex County Surrogate’s Office, which provides information and services pertaining to wills and trusts among other items.  All appointments are made through the County by calling (732) 745-3055.
 
Along with Rossmoor’s Kiwanis Club, the Office on Aging helps run the Township Food Pantry, which provides food for needy residents, regardless of all age, based on eligibility.  The pantry accepts donations of unexpired foods such as cereal, pasta and tuna fish as well as paper goods including toilet paper, napkins, paper towels and tissues.

In addition, through the Office’s relationship with the AARP, the center assists seniors, in filing their income taxes (free-of-charge).
 
The Office on Aging also facilitates several support groups, including ones for people suffering from or affected by diabetes, cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease and stroke.

One of the Office on Aging’s main goals is to keep seniors fit and healthy.  Through programs such as Bodies in Motion, Body Works, Line Dancing, Folk Dancing and Project Healthy Bones, seniors are able to exercise and learn more about what they can do to better take care of themselves. Several Health Fairs/Medical Screening events are also held in the Senior Center each year. 

The Senior Center is also an outreach center for senior health. Thanks to a generous donation of a Nintendo Wii from the United Way of Central Jersey’s New Americans Program to the Senior Center, the seniors are getting exercise while challenging friends to virtual games of golf, boxing, tennis, bowling and baseball.  

The Center is also a place for seniors to socialize, whether it be in one of the many organized groups or just having a cup of coffee and talking with neighbors, friends and family. We’ve also made it easier for residents to get to and from the Senior Center by offering free transportation for our residents.

Furthermore, the Center provides several computer classes, for all skill levels, to help keep our seniors on the forefront of new technologies. 

There is something for everyone at the Senior Center, from painting and jewelry making to chess and bridge.  With such a wide range of programming, you are bound to find something to enjoy at the Office on Aging.  

I would like to thank the professional staff and the many volunteers at the Office on Aging for their dedication and hard work that benefits our senior citizens.

For more information about what the Office on Aging can do for you contact
(732) 521-6111.

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