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Union County Freeholders Celebrate Older Americans Month – May 2019

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that it has declared May as “Older Americans Month,” joining communities across the nation to celebrate its older residents.

“Union County’s seniors, about 20 percent of the total population, have raised families and worked while serving as volunteers with the PTA, scouts, church and community groups, or in the military,” stated Bette Jane Kowalski, Chair of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. “For all the contributions they have made, and continue to make, our seniors deserve this special recognition.”

Union County’s Department of Human Services, Division on Aging, is one of 622 Area Agencies on Aging nationwide established under the federal Older Americans Act (OAA) in 1965.  The purpose of the OAA is to serve as a safety net, along with Medicare and Medicaid, by filling in gaps left by Social Security and Medicare to help people live independently.  These OAA services include home delivered meals, protection from elder abuse, and support for caregivers, among others.

Earlier this year, the Division on Aging’s director and assistant director met with federal legislators in Washington DC to advocate for the re-authorization of the OAA set for a vote in Congress in 2020.

Union County’s Division of Aging promotes wellness, independence, dignity and choice for senior adults and their families by providing a wide range of information and services specific to them and their families.  The staff holds between six and eight outreach sessions each month at libraries and senior centers to make it easier for residents to get help.

The division provided more than 200,000 home delivered meals in 2018 and serves nutritious group meals daily at 24 sites throughout Union County.  Assistance is also given for transportation, utilities, home and adult day care, and completing applications and forms.

For further information about services and resources for senior adults age 60 and older and their families, contact the Union County Department of Human Services, Division on Aging, toll-free at 1-888-280-8226.  On the Internet, visit https://ucnj.org/aging

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

 

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