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GOOD NEWS!
The
New Jersey State Legislature has raised income thresholds
for seniors and disabled The threshold has been increased from $45,135 in income if single and $55,344 in combined income for married couples, to $80,000 for both couples and single residents. The new limits are as follows:
Disabled residents, or those age 65 or older who meet the income threshold must also meet the following requirements under the program:
If you believe that you, or someone you know, is eligible for the program and you or they have not received an application from the Department of Treasury for 2007, please visit the following links:
Link for information on qualifying for 2007 reimbursement
Link
for the 2007 Property Tax Reimbursement Application FREE Home Safety Assessments for Seniors in East Windsor and Hightstown Home accidents are one of the most common reasons that seniors make trips to the hospital. During a FREE home safety assessment trained volunteers will come to your home to provide an individualized home safety assessment. The assessment will evaluate your environment to suggest modifications and repairs that can reduce or prevent accidents which can be devastating, as well as offer ideas for making your home safer. Call Davida at JFCS at 609-987-8100 for more information or to schedule a home safety assessment. PARTNERS IN CARING - Reaching out to all local seniorsPartners in Caring is a new collaborative dedicated to serving individuals sixty years and above and individuals with disabilities in northern Mercer County. The goal of the collaborative is to provide a broad range of supportive services to those in our community who may be in need of assistance in their desire to age in their homes and communities and live as safely and independently as possible. Partners in Caring is comprised of agencies who have a long standing dedication to this population: the American Red Cross of Central NJ; Enable, Inc., Greater Mercer TMA –Ride Provide, Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Greater Mercer County, Princeton Senior Resource Center, and Contact of Mercer County, NJ, Inc., of which Reassurance Contact and Retired Senior and Volunteer Program (RSVP) are programs. The collaborative, which is funded in part by a special grant from the Mercer County United Way provides services for seniors and people with disabilities which include, but are not limited to: case management, information and referral, counseling, home-delivered meals, caregiver support, accessibility services, transportation, and volunteer support guaranteeing that clients involved or enrolled with one agency automatically have the availability of the services of all the collaborative partners. The key to this collaborative project is that clients will no longer ‘fall through the cracks”. Partners in Caring will ‘wrap’ services around clients, prioritize their needs, and provide care coordination and case management that will allow clients to live with dignity in their own homes whenever possible, and help avoid premature institutionalization. For further details please call Davida Nugiel 609-987-8100 or email davidan@jfcsonline.org. Kosher Meals on WheelsSeniors over 60 and persons with disabilities who are unable to shop, cook or prepare their own meals are eligible for the Kosher Meals on Wheels program. Up to five Kosher meals per week are available, at a cost of $5 per meal. Each meal includes a beverage, bread and margarine, salad and salad dressing, meat or fish, vegetable, starch and dessert. The Kosher Meals on Wheels program is sponsored by Jewish Family & Children's Service of Greater Mercer County and serves residents of Hightstown, East Windsor, Plainsboro, Princeton Borough, Princeton Township and West Windsor. For more information or to apply for meals, contact Julie Feibush (julief@jfcsonline.org) or Barbara Goodman (barbarag@jfcsonline.org), or call the center at (609) 987-8100. Greater Mercer Ride Provide (formerly ITNGreaterMercer)Same Great Service, New NameThe Greater Mercer TMA’s nonprofit transportation service for seniors in Mercer County, originally known as ITNGreaterMercer™ has changed its name to Greater Mercer Ride Provide. The service will continue to provide transportation to the seniors (65+) and visually impaired adults of any age in Mercer County. “We are committed to providing quality, caring rides for all our members, so that they remain connected to their communities,” said Executive Director Sandra Brillhart. “We feel that a locally developed and supported program best enables us to fulfill our mission.” The new Ride Provide service will continue to use volunteers to transport customers in private automobiles. All passengers must be members of the Greater Mercer Ride Provide service. Annual membership fees are $35 for individuals or $50 for families. Ride Provide fares are based on a zone system, ranging from $6.00 to $15.00 per one way ride. Members can receive discounts by sharing rides with others. “Since we began offering service in October, we have provided over 1,000 rides,” Brillhart said. “We take people to work, the gym, shopping, to their medical appointments or to their hairdresser or barber. Treating all ride requests equally is what sets us apart from traditional seniors and the visually impaired transportation services. We have been very successful to date but are now looking for more volunteer drivers to meet the growing demand for rides.” Volunteer schedules are flexible. Volunteers are able to choose the days, hours and driving area they prefer. You do not have to commit to the same schedule each week. Drivers are needed for mornings, afternoons, evenings and weekends. For more information or to sign up to drive, call Greater Mercer Ride Provide at 609-452-5140.Visit the Senior Center!Through an interlocal agreement with East Windsor Township, Hightstown seniors are eligible to participate in activities at the East Windsor Senior Center, located at 40 Lanning Boulevard. The Center offers a wide variety of activities, including bingo, crafts, card games, movies, health talks and more, as well as blood pressure screenings and regular outings. Lunch is available at the Center through the Mercer County Nutrition Project, and local bus transportation is offered as well. For more information, contact Amy Baumann, Director, at 371-7192. SENIOR GOLD Prescription Discount ProgramSenior Gold is a pharmaceutical assistance program designed to serve senior citizens and disabled residents of New Jersey who do NOT qualify for Medicaid or the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) program. The Senior Gold Prescription Plan provides prescription drugs, insulin, insulin supplies and diabetic testing material to eligible New Jersey residents for $15 per prescription plus one half of the cost of the prescription. To be eligible, a NJ resident must be at least 65 years of age or older, or receiving Social Security Title II disability benefits. An applicant must have an annual income between $19,739 - $29,739 if single and $24,203 - $34,203 of combined income if married. The Senior Gold beneficiary pays $15 plus 50% of the remaining cost of the drug. Senior Gold participants with out-of-pocket prescription costs exceeding $2,000 a year if single and $3,000 a year for married couples will have 100% of their prescription costs paid after paying the $15 co-payment per prescription. Senior Gold Prescription Discount Program
DID YOU KNOW ....?The Hightstown Pharmacy offers free prescription delivery to senior citizens. They accept Medicare, PAAD and most other insurance plans. Call 371-9000 for more information. |
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