July 15th, 2010
At NJFA’s 12th Annual Conference on June 10th we were pleased to offer a workshop titled, “The Ethical and Legal Response: Identifying and Reporting Elder Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation”. This session featured, David Ricci, State Coordinator of Adult Protective Services; Pat Bohse, Manager, NJ4A; Linda Murtagh- Social Work Supervisor, Ocean County Board of Social Services; and Vincent Olawale- Human Services Division Manager FOCUS, Hispanic Center of Community Development, Inc. The presenters advised the group on how to identify elder abuse and the different forms it takes. Elders can experience abuse in many ways, physical, mental/emotional, financial and also through neglect.
Also in the discussion was NJ Laws regarding elder abuse and reporting, as well as, the states rules and regulations regarding referrals made to Adult Protective Services. The law regarding Adult Protective Services applies to any “vulnerable adult”, meaning anyone over 18 years of age or older who resides in a community setting and who, because of a physical or mental illness or disability, lacks sufficient understanding or capacity to make or carry out decisions concerning his or her well-being. When reporting elder abuse, you should provide the name and address of the adult and as much information as possible about the concern and the person responsible for any abuse. The report should be investigated within 72 hours according to NJ State Law. Depending on what is found, the adult protective services worker may refer the older adult to services and may contact other Departments, such as the Office on Aging or Division of Developmental Disabilities.
The new NJ State Law regarding the reporting of abuse that was discussed in this session. The law makes it mandatory for certain professionals to report elder abuse, such as optometrists, psychologists, podiatrists, and physical therapists. The new law establishes mandatory reporting for these healthcare professionals and first responders because they are likely to come in contact with vulnerable adults.
Another part of the presentation included Pat Bohse of NJ4A and Bohse & Associates, showing a video about elder abuse. The video shows professionals, elders and family members talking about specific examples of elder abuse as well as numerous facts and figures about the problem. The point of the video is to raise awareness about the problem of elder abuse and encourage people to report it so that more elders can get help if they are in an abusive situation.
Evaluations from the session indicate that attendees found the presentation informative and that the speakers were engaging. We’d also like to take this opportunity to again thank our wonderful presenters for taking the time to put together this session on a very important subject.
Tags: 2010, activities, aging, Annual Conference, awareness, Bob Blancato, budget cuts, chronic disease, Conference, cost of living, deductible, Donna Butts, elder abuse, elder abuse video, elder index, exploitation, food costs, food insecurity, food stamps, foundation blog, Generations United, Gov. Christie, healthcare, healthcare reform, mandatory reporting, medicaid, medicare, money, neglect, new jersey, New Jersey Foundation for Aging, NJ, NJ County Offices on Aging, NJ State Law, NJFA, older adults, PAAD, presenters, senior centers, seniors, session, SNAP, social security, speakers, study, video, welcome
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
July 7th, 2010
It’s getting hot out there!
We are experiencing extreme temperatures all over New Jersey and surrounding areas this week. Here are some tips for staying cool and safe.
- Drink plenty of water or other non-alcoholic beverages.
- Make sure children and the elderly are drinking water, and ensure that persons with mobility problems have adequate fluids in easy reach.
- If you do not have air conditioning, spend time in air-conditioned places such as libraries, malls or other public buildings during the hottest hours of the day. Check with your municipality to see if cooling centers are available.
- Wear loose and light-colored clothing. Wear a hat when outdoors.
- Avoid any outdoor activity during the hottest hours of the day. Reduce physical activity or reschedule it for cooler times of the day.
- Don’t leave children, a frail elderly or disabled person, or pets in an enclosed car as temperatures can quickly climb to dangerous levels.
- Talk to your health care provider about any medicine or drugs you are taking. Certain medications, such as tranquilizers and drugs used to treat Parkinson’s disease, can increase the risk of heat-related illness.
Heat and humidity can become a serious health hazard, especially for children, elderly or those with chronic conditions, such as respiratory issues. Please remember to not only follow the above steps to keep yourself safe, but also check on family, friends and neighbors, again paying close attention to older adults, children and those who are ill.
Conditions caused by excessive heat include dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Heat exhaustion is a mild condition that may take days of heat exposure to develop. Someone suffering from heat exhaustion may have pale, clammy skin and sweat profusely. They may also feel tired, weak or dizzy and can suffer from headaches. Heatstroke can take just a few minutes to make someone very ill. A person with heatstroke will have dry, hot skin and a body temperature of 106 degrees or more, they will also have an absence of sweat and a rapid pulse. Someone suffering from heatstroke can become delirious or unconscious and needs immediate medical attention.
With temperature reaching over 100 this week, it is important to look for signs of heat related problems for yourself and your loved ones. It is also important to take action to prevent them, such as following the tips above.
If you need more information or would like to find a cooling center in your area, please contact your municipality or your County Office on Aging.
Contact information for your County Office on Aging can be found at http://www.njfoundationforaging.org/services.html
To find a Senior Center in your area visit:
http://web.doh.state.nj.us/apps2/seniorcenter/scSearch.aspx
To get more information from NJ Division of Aging and Community Services visit http://www.nj.gov/health/senior/index.shtml or call 1-800-792-8820.
Tags: 2010, activities, aging, air conditioning, beat the heat, budget cuts, children, chronic condition, chronic disease, clothing, Conference, Congressional districts, cooling centers, cost of living, dehydration, elder abuse, elder index, elderly, fluids, food stamps, foundation blog, frail, hat, hats, healthcare, Heat, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, hot, humid, ill, increase, july, july nj heat wave, light, loose, medical attention, new jersey, New Jersey Foundation for Aging, NJ, NJ County Offices on Aging, nj heat wave, NJFA, older adults, Property Tax Reimbursement, respiratory issues, senior centers, seniors, sick, SNAP, social security, summer, tips, transportation, wear loose clothes, welcome
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
June 24th, 2010
Offering welcoming remarks at the New Jersey Foundation for Aging’s conference this year was Patricia Polansky, Assistant Commissioner from the Dept. of Health and Senior Services. We were pleased to have Pat join us and kick off the day! Her remarks began with comments about the budget and fiscal concerns for the State. However, the Assistant Commissioner transitioned to big changes coming to NJ as a result of Healthcare reform. Ms. Polansky advised that as a result of President Obama signing into law the healthcare reform bill, also known as the Affordable Care Act, “$60 million in grants are being made available for states to help individuals and their caregivers better understand and navigate their health and long-term care options”. Adding, “the purpose of this grant program authorized by the Affordable Care Act is to create streamlined, coordinated statewide systems of information, counseling and access that will help people find consumer-friendly answers they seek to meet their health and long-term care needs”.
The Assistant Commissioner went on the describe what NJ is already doing, “New Jersey has achieved excellent results in building on existing programs and implementing new approaches for supporting home and community based services”. Pat was referring to the Independence, Dignity and Choice in Long-Term Care Act, stating that, “the state’s long-term care funding structure is being adjusted to provide more options for older adults through budgetary rebalancing”. She followed up this statement by pointing out that there is a growing population of older and disabled persons who desire to stay at home with care rather than going into a nursing home, she stated that policy changes have been made to support that.
Pat added, “The State’s effort to expand home and community based services options for individuals who qualify for Medicaid Institutional Care, started with consolidating 3 Medicaid Waiver Programs into a single line item now know as Global Options for Long-Term Care. Pat added, “we have seen an increase of 1,840 or 23% more participants served; yet well within the SFY 2010 budget”. She informed the crowd that GO serves 10,000 aging and disabled clients, but that is was actually a cost savings. She pointed out to the audience, “The average Medicaid rate for a NJ nursing home is $63,541 per year, whereas the annual cost is $17,112 for the Medicaid Waiver, Global Options. Clearly this demonstrates a more cost-effective approach”.
The conference attendees were glad to have heard these valuable updates from the Assistant Commissioner. Many people came up to us during the day to say how wonderful it was to have the Assistant Commissioner share these details with the group.
We hope you have also found this synopsis of the remarks offered by the Assistant Commissioner helpful and informative, please stay tuned for more details and excerpts from the conference.
Tags: 12th Annual Conference, 2010, activities, aging, Annual Conference, Assistant Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner NJ Dept. of Health and Senior Services, Bob Blancato, budget cuts, Conference, cost of living, elder index, food insecurity, food stamps, foundation blog, Global Options, Global Options for Long Term Care, GO, healthcare, healthcare reform, medicaid, medicare, money, new jersey, New Jersey Foundation for Aging, NJ, NJ County Offices on Aging, NJ DHSS, NJ State, NJFA, older adults, Patricia Polansky, proposed budget, proposed cuts, seniors, social security, State, State of NJ
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
June 17th, 2010
On June 10, 2010 the New Jersey Foundation for Aging hosted its 12th Annual Conference. There were more than 200 people in attendance at this year’s conference. There were professionals from senior centers, County Offices on Aging, Senior Housing, Assisted Livings, and other community organizations. They all gathered at the Crowne Plaza in Monroe to listen to our morning keynote provided by Donna Butts at Generations United, which focused on shared sites and how they benefit the community through intergenerational services. The conference participants were enthusiastic about Donna’s presentation.
In the afternoon, the group received words of advice on advocating for seniors and updates regarding the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act from Bob Blancato. The crowd was encouraged by Bob’s words and asked terrific follow up questions regarding ways they can make a difference in their community.
The breakout sessions for the conference consisted of Music and Your Brain, a session by Dr. Concetta Tomaino on the effects of music therapy on those suffering from cognitive disorders such as Parkinsons, Alzheimer’s and stroke; Managing Chronic Disease featuring community programs which are finding new ways to help seniors with chronic illness through education; The Legal and Ethical Response to Elder Abuse, during which professionals from Adult Protective Services provided valuable information about how the system works, how to identify elder abuse and what legal and ethical dilemmas could be faced. Please stay tuned to the NJFA Blog for more details on all of these sessions and more.
NJFA would like to THANK all of our sponsors and vendors for the day: Novo Nordisk, Thomas and Theresa Berry Foundation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield of NJ, Harmony Information Systems, The Wallerstein Foundation for the Improvement of Geriatric Life, Society on Aging of NJ, NJ Association of Area Agencies on Aging, NJ Association of Senior Center Directors, Roche Genetech, Francis E. Parker Memorial Home, CST Your Link to Life, Wedgewood Gardens, OceanFirst Bank, AMRamp, Heath Village, Visiting Physicians, Wells Fargo, GA Foods, Springpoint Foundation, Senior Care Management, Disability Rights NJ and Seniors4Kids.
Tags: 2010, activities, advocates, aging, Annual Conference, APS, Bob Blancato, budget cuts, Camden City Garden Club, chronic disease, Conference, Congressional districts, cost of living, disease management, Donna Butts, elder abuse, elder index, food insecurity, food stamps, foundation blog, Francis E Parker, GA Foods, Generations United, Greater Mercer TMA, healthcare, legislative process, music therapy, new jersey, New Jersey Foundation for Aging, NJ County Offices on Aging, NJFA, njfa conference, oaa, older adults, PAAD, reauthorization, reauthorization of older americans act, senior advocates, Senior Care Management, senior centers, seniors, Seniors4Kids, shared sites, SNAP, social security, transportation, Visiting Physicians, welcome, Wells Fargo
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
May 26th, 2010
May 26, 2010
New Jersey’s budget is in the midst of a heated debate. Governor Chris Christie has proposed the new budget and made many cuts. There have been many groups affected by the cuts that have reacted with press releases, meetings and rallies. NJFA and its partners have done much research and speaking out about the impact on our most vulnerable populations, including seniors.
Some of the proposed cuts included PAAD, NJ’s prescription drug assistance program, seniors would have been forced to pay a $310 deductible and face a co pay increase for brand name drugs from $7 to $15. Thanks to the efforts of many groups, the message of the impact of these cuts got to the legislators and they were successful in getting Gov. Christie to remove those cuts from the budget and keep the PAAD program the way it had been.
While that victory feels pretty good there are still many issues regarding the budget and seniors. The Senior Freeze program, a property tax reimbursement program, will not be given out in 2011, that is approximately $1,000 that many low to middle income seniors rely on to help make ends meet. Another item in the proposed budget that will affect the low income senior in NJ is the addition of a $5 co pay for medical day care services with a monthly cap of $25 and the elimination of medication administration as a criteria for medical day care attendance. Many caregivers rely on medical day care as part of a senior or disabled persons care plan, this will be a hardship for those who need it most.
A decrease in the provider reimbursement rate for the PCA program, a home care program that services 29,000 disabled persons and seniors, has been a hot topic in regard to Gov. Christie’s budget. The cut, which decreases the rate by approximately $2, has been the subject of budget hearing testimony due to the fact that this will cause many providers to withdraw from this vital service, leaving many clients in need without services.
With the Elder Index NJFA highlighted an issue regarding some of our most vulnerable seniors and that is the NJ SSI State Supplement which is just $31 a month and has been since 1986, a payment that is meant to help disabled persons make ends meet on a fixed income and just doesn’t cut it at that level. Recently a budget item has come to our attention that is equally troubling, the spousal supplement for caregivers of disabled persons is due to be eliminated in the proposed budget. Again, many of the cuts in this budget are affecting seniors, the disabled and their caregivers, many of whom are already living on the edge.
NJFA and many of our partner organizations have put out press releases, op eds and fact sheets, sending them to newspapers, legislators and community groups, hoping to get the word out about the proposed budget cuts and their impact on seniors. NJFA encourages everyone to contact their representatives in the legislature to make their voice heard.
You can find contact information for your local representatives at www.njleg.org
###
Tags: budget, budget cuts, caregivers, chris christie, christie, cuts, deductible, Gov. Christie, home care, most vulnerable, PAAD, pca, programs, Property Tax Reimbursement, proposed budget, proposed cuts, providers, restored, seniors, spousal supplement, ssi
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
May 3rd, 2010
Volunteering in NJ
Data from 2007 and 2008 showed that about 26% of the American population volunteered. This, according to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics means that over 61 million people volunteered between 2007 and 2008. Volunteers were fairly evenly distributed over the age groupings of 35-44 (31%), 45-54 (29.9%) and 55 to 64 represents 28% of the volunteer pool. A 2009 study by The Hartford, used this data, they state that those 50 and over are more likely to make donations of money rather than time.
In 2008 1.5 million New Jersey residents volunteered, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service. Of those who volunteered, 21.5% were 55-64 and 18.5% were 65-74, while just 17.3% were 75 or over. The largest group of volunteers was 35-44 at almost 26%.
Both studies indicate that volunteer activities vary among age groups as well. Many young adults volunteer to work with children, such as tutoring or mentoring. Coaching sports seems to appeal to middle aged volunteers, while managerial or professional tasks are common for young retirees. Those retirees are also more likely to continue volunteering if the tasks are managerial versus labor or transportation. Older adults often state that they are more likely to volunteer without a set schedule.
Some barriers for older adults when it comes to volunteering are:
Unaware of volunteer opportunities- they just don’t know where or how to volunteer
Economic barriers- either having to choose a paid position over a volunteer one, or not being able to afford the costs associated with volunteering.
Lack of transportation- unable to get to places to volunteer.
Fears and worries- for physical safety or personal injury.
We’d love to hear from you! Do you volunteer? If so, in what way and why do you still do it? If not, why? What do you see as barriers to volunteering?
Tags: 2007, 2008, 2009, activities, age groups, barriers, coaching, Corporation for National and Community Service, data, donations, money, NJ, older adults, opportunity, professional tasks, safety, schedule, seniors, sports, stats, study, tasks, The Hartford, time, transportation, unaware, US Bureau of Labor and Satistics, volunteers
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
April 21st, 2010
The New Jersey Foundation for Aging (NJFA) will host its 12th Annual Conference on Thursday June 10, 2010 at the Crowne Plaza in Jamesburg.
This informative conference will feature two nationally recognized keynote speakers, Donna Butts of Generations United will present best practice models of program consolidation, serving diverse client populations in shared sites. This is seen as an effective cost-saving measure when municipal and local government are facing funding cuts. Bob Blancato, former Director of the White House Conference on Aging will present information regarding the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act in the afternoon. He will provide advocates with the needed skills to be effectively engaged in the legislative process. NJFA is pleased that Ms. Butts and Mr. Blancato will be able to share valuable information with the attendees of the conference.
The day will also feature morning and afternoon concurrent sessions, topics include Music and Your Brain, the Ethical and Legal Responsibility of Reporting Elder Abuse and Managing Chronic Disease. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided for all attendees. The cost of attending NJFA’s 12th Annual Conference is $70; a reduced price of $60 is available for NJ Government representatives and for groups of 3 or more from the same agency. CEU’s for Social Work, LNHA/CALA and recreation/activities professionals are available for a $20 fee.
Visit www.njfoundationforaging.org/events.html for the online brochure and registration form or call NJFA at 609-421-0206. Registration forms can be mailed to 176 West State St, Trenton, NJ 08608 or faxed to 609-421-2006. Registration fees are payable by check or credit card, Visa or MasterCard only.
For more information visit, www.njfoundationforaging.org or call 609-421-0206. The Crowne Plaza is located just off the NJ Turnpike at Exit 8A.
Tags: activities, aging, Annual Conference, best practices, Bob Blancato, brain, breakfast, CALA, CEU's, cognitive, Conference, cost, Crowne Plaza, Donna Butts, elder abuse, Emerging Trends, evidence based, exhibitors, fee, Generations United, Jamesburg, keynote, LNHA, lunch, music and your brain, new jersey, New Jersey Foundation for Aging, NJ, NJFA, Older Americans Act, professionals, registration, seniors, sessions, speakers, SW, trends, turnpike
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
April 12th, 2010
Press Release
Released on April 6, 2010
New information about changes to the Food Stamp Program (SNAP)
Trenton- New Jersey’s Food Stamp Program, also known as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) has raised its income limits. Previously the income limit was at 130% of the FPL (Federal Poverty Level) and it has now been increased to 185% of the FPL. In some cases, assets such as checking or savings accounts, will not affect eligibility. These two new changes will allow the Food Stamp Program to help more people. During difficult economic times, more people are in need of help to buy food for their families.
As of April 2010, 185% of the FPL means that to be eligible for Food Stamps an individual’s gross monthly income would be $1670 or less and that a couples gross monthly income would be $2247 or less. For larger household add approximately $577 per each additional person.
“These changes are significant for families and seniors who live on the edge of poverty” according to Grace Egan, Executive Director of the NJ Foundation for Aging. “Seniors are under enrolled in this vital community program. We are interested in getting the word out that these changes mean many seniors will now qualify for this program”.
You can find an application for SNAP (Food Stamps) online at www.njfoodstamps.com or at www.njhelps.org, where you can use an online screening tool. For more information or to find your local SNAP office call 1-800-687-9512.
To learn more about the work of the Foundation visit www.njfoundationforaging.org or call 609-421-0206.
The New Jersey Foundation for Aging was established in 1998 to create ongoing financial support for aging services in New Jersey. Its mission is to expand innovative approaches in the delivery of services that enable older adults to live in the community with independence and dignity.
###
Tags: April 2010, assets, eligibility, enrollment, executive director, Federal Poverty Level, food, food costs, food insecurity, food stamp eligiblity increase, food stamp program, food stamps, FPL, gross monthly income, income limits, increase, new jersey, New Jersey Foundation for Aging, NJ, NJFA, older adults, poverty measure, seniors, SNAP, support, Trenton, USDA
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
