HAMMONTON — The Atlantic
County senior population is expected to keep growing, but the Atlantic
County’s Area Agency on Aging is working to fulfill the needs of the its
current aging population.
That
was the message of Cindy McNellis, executive director, Area Agency on
Aging, gave to about 30 people during one of the agency’s annual public
hearings Friday morning at the Family Success Center here.
By
2030, more than 70 million Americans will be 65 and older, twice the
number in 2000 and more than four times the amount in 1963, McNellis
said.
The Atlantic County Area Agency
on Aging was awarded $2.87 million by the federal and state governments
to provide services last year under the 1965 Older Americans Act for
this year.
Some of the
many different services provided include daily calls to the homebound,
installing handrails and grab bars in people’s homes and legal
assistance for those with civil landlord-tenant disputes.
During
public hearings last year, seniors asked for help with dental and
hearing care as they are not covered by Medicare, McNellis said.
“We did hear you,” McNellis said.
The
county will be rolling out a request for proposals to see if a
nonprofit would be able to supply some hearing aids for Atlantic County
seniors, McNellis said.
In response to a
request for help with dental care last year, the county has put more
emphasis on awareness that John H. Cronin Dental Center in Northfield
and the University Dental Center in Galloway Township accept patients on
a sliding fee scale and those who are members of the My County Care
Dental Plan, McNellis said.
Sharon Pachler, 67, of Margate,
asked whether there was a pool seniors could access in the western part
of the county, so they could have the arthritic and aerobic swim
classes they have access to at the Brigantine Aquatic Center, Bacharach
Institute for Rehabilitation in Galloway Township and at the Milton
& Betty Katz Community Center, Fitness Facility and Childcare in
Margate.
McNellis was
not aware of a pool in the western part of the county that it could
access to arrange arthritic and aerobic swim classes, but said she was
open to discussing it with any organization that has one.
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