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Ocean County Office of Senior Services

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1-732-929-2091 or 1-800-668-4899

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Spring-Summer

A message from Ocean County Commissioner, Joseph H. Vicari

As COVID-19 restrictions are slowly lifted and we look forward to a summer surrounded by family and friends again, I wanted to thank our senior residents for their patience and perseverance over the past year as we fought this pandemic. As the Commissioner liaison to the Ocean County Office of Senior Services, a resident of Ocean County and a senior myself, I know firsthand the toll this deadly virus took on older adults in Ocean County. Throughout this pandemic, the dedicated staff of OCOSS worked tirelessly to anticipate and meet the needs of older adults as they quarantined in their homes, struggled to find COVID-19 testing sites, feared going to the food store to buy groceries or when they tried to navigate the vaccine roll-out and schedule their appointments. The department remained open throughout the pandemic, taking calls from concerned seniors, providing information on COVID-19 testing sites, advocating for the Homestead Credit & Property Tax Relief, implementing volunteer food shopping programs, partnering with nonprofits and the business community to deliver emergency baskets of food and supplies & scheduling appointments for the vaccine.

Now that the weather has turned and the pandemic related restrictions are being lifted, we look forward to coming out into the community to bring our services directly to older adults and their caregivers.. In the meantime, the dedicated and knowledgeable staff of the Ocean County Office of Senior Services remain available to assist and are just a phone call away.

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Consumer Resource Directory

The moratorium on utility shut-offs ends June 30th

Apply for New Jersey Utility Assistance Programs Today!

If you're having trouble affording your utility bills, there are many options for help. To download a summary of energy assistance programs, click here. To take a brief, anonymous online survey to determine if you are eligible for assistance and learn how to sign up, complete the "DCAid" screening tool.

COVID-19 Vaccine Transportation

Senior Hotline

If you are 65 or older, you can call a special senior hotline from

8 am to 8 pm for vaccination scheduling support.

Dedicated appointment slots are reserved for those aged 65 and older.

Call 856-249-7007

What can I expect at my COVID-19 vaccine appointment?

Taking over-the-counter medicine, like ibuprofen, aspirin, antihistamines, or acetaminophen, is NOT recommended before vaccination because it is unknown how these medications interact with the COVID-19 vaccine.
If you get any other vaccine first, including a flu or shingles vaccine, wait at least 14 days before getting your COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, you should wait at least 14 days before getting any other vaccine after you get your COVID-19 vaccine.
If you do get a COVID-19 vaccine within 14 days of another vaccine, you do not need to be revaccinated with either vaccine. You should still complete both vaccine series on schedule.

Keep Calm and Avoid Corona Virus Scams!

5 Things you can do to avoid a Corona Virus Scam:

Ignore offers for vaccinations and home test kits. Scammers are selling products to treat or prevent COVID-19 without proof that they work.
Hang up on robocalls. Scammers use illegal sales call to get your money and your personal information.
Watch out for phishing emails and text messages. Don’t click on links in emails or texts you didn’t expect.
Research before you donate. Don’t let anyone rush you into making a donation. Get tips on donating wisely at ftc.gov/charity.
Stay in the know. Go to ftc.gov/coronavirus for the latest information on scams. Sign up to get FTC’s alerts at ftc.gov/subscribe.

Read More Tips from the FTC

Ocean County Press Release

TOMS RIVER – The Ocean County Board of Commissioners is providing $25 million for a grant program to help those non-profit organizations that have been assisting residents throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

"Many have also suffered financially during the pandemic as fund raising efforts had to be curtailed," Quinn said. "This grant program will help cover the costs of expenses incurred as a result of addressing increased community needs because of COVID 19."

The Ocean County Board of Commissioners has allocated $25 million in CARES funding to the Ocean County COVID 19 Response Non-Profit Program.

This grant program has been developed to support the response efforts of non-profit organizations working locally in Ocean County to meet the additional needs of the community created by the coronavirus pandemic.

Successful grant recipients will be based on meeting all eligibility criteria as outlined on the program webpage.

Older Americans Act

The Older Americans Act (OAA) was passed in 1965 as part of President Johnson’s “Great Society” initiative with the goal of supporting older Americans to live at home and in the community with dignity and independence for as long as possible.

The Older Americans Act currently supports a wide array of programs and services, including information and referral, congregate and home-delivered meals, health and wellness programs, in-home care, transportation, elder abuse prevention, caregiver support and adult day care.

Ocean County Office Of Senior Services