def #232 10/28/09
COUNTY SUBMITS SENIOR FUNDING REQUEST;
CONTINUES EFFORTS FOR RESPITE CARE
TOMS RIVER – While Ocean County prepares to submit its funding plan to the state for essential senior programs like home
delivered meals and caregiver supports, it also continues its efforts to restore funds for a critical respite care
program.
The Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders on Oct. 28 approved the submission of the 2010-2012 Area Plan Contract to the
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services in the amount of $4,065,857, which represents funding for 2010, the
first year of funding for the area plan.
“The Area Plan Contract 2010 is a major funding source for programs affecting our seniors. Those services include access,
community support, home support, nutrition support and caregiver services to older adults and their caregivers,” said
Freeholder Joseph H. Vicari, who serves as chairman of Senior Services. “These services are essential to the quality of
life to many of the seniors that call Ocean County home.”
He added that the 2010-2012 Aging Services Plan includes 52 programs with 23 service providers throughout the county.
“These programs are funded through federal, state and county funds totaling over $5.3 million,” according to Jane
Maloney, Director of the Office of Senior Services.
However, Vicari noted that Ocean County continues its efforts to correct funding discrepancies that have affected the
amount of money Ocean County expected to receive for a critical respite care program.
With the largest population of 75 year-olds and older in the state of New Jersey, many caregivers in Ocean County rely on
the Statewide Respite Care Program to assist with taking care of their loved ones while getting a needed break for
themselves.
But, earlier this year, an abrupt change in the way the state program is funded resulted in more than $105,000
being cut from the program administered by the Ocean County Board of Social Services.
“This is the type of program that allows an aging person to stay in the comfort of their own homes and provides
some brief relief to the full time caregiver, who has made the decision to take care of that person, whether it is a
spouse or a parent or a child,” Vicari said. “There are numerous benefits to staying in their homes rather then being
placed in nursing homes.”
Vicari recently met with state Department of Health and Senior Services Assistant Commissioner Patricia Polansky and 20
representatives from throughout the state to discuss the change in the funding formula.
“The meeting was the result of the strong advocacy efforts begun in Ocean County and supported by the rest of the
statewide aging network to ensure that a cut such as the one Ocean County received in its 2009 funding for the respite
care program would not happen again,” Vicari said. “We plan on moving ahead, working with other state and county partners
to assure an equitable funding formula in the future.”
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Earlier this year the funding formula was changed so that it no longer relied on the most current data but reverted back
to the original 1988 funding formula.
Vicari noted that Ocean County has the fastest growing senior population in the state and based on 2007 Census population
estimates, the 75 and older population totals 70,514 while the 85 and older population totals 23,118.
“These are the numbers the state needs to look at,” Vicari said. “Using old census data to determine funding is
especially troubling when Ocean County’s frail, older population continues to increase, leading the state.”
The respite care program serves individuals 18 years and over that are classified as functionally impaired who would
become at risk for long term institutional placement; the funding formula is based on the population 75 years and older
and the number of functionally impaired adults 18 and over countywide.
“Ocean County is unique with its large population of retirees who have moved here from other areas of the state,” Vicari
said. “This respite program provides essential services to our most frail residents and their caregivers and we will make
every effort to work with the state and other stakeholders to ensure a fair and equitable funding formula going forward.”
