Eldercare and Caregiver Resources

At Friday’s meeting, club members welcomed Mrs. Sheila Brogan, Coordinator of Elder Care for Children’s Aid and Family Services in Bergen County. In her talk she noted that fifteen percent of Bergen County’s population is over the age of 65 and more than 22,000 are over 85. These numbers have been growing for many years and are projected to continue growing rapidly. As people age, those who had been independent for so many decades find themselves needing assistance of one kind or another.

In her presentation, Sheila reviewed a comprehensive listing of Resources for Older Adults and Care Givers that she had compiled for us. Included were synopses of services that provide prescription coverage help, property tax relief, utilities assistance, and help for homeowners, along with websites of agencies whose primary function is to assist the elderly and their caregivers.

Too often overlooked are the needs of those who care for people no longer able to care for themselves. Sheila emphasized the importance of addressing the caregivers’ needs as well, noting that a support group meets weekly in Midland Park at the Northwest Senior Center (201-447-5695) and that Caregivers Coalition of Bergen County meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 1:00pm to 3:30pm at Bergen Community College's Hackensack annex- the Ciarco Learning Center, room 102/103, 355 Main Street in Hackensack NJ (201-336-7400). She also made mention of the website www.videocaregiving.org  which gives caregivers greater insights into the problems faced by those in need of care.

Knowing that there are significant numbers of helping agencies in the county is very reassuring. Knowing how to access them as a result of Mrs. Brogan’s presentation provides an even greater benefit. To learn more about ALL of the services provided by the Bergen County Children’s Aid and Family Services, visit http://www.cafsnj.org .