[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of South Plainfield 10-9-2003 by Ord. No. 1634. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Administration — See Ch. 5.
Boards, Committees and Commissions — See Ch. 17.
Code of Ethics — See Ch. 41.
Officers and employees — See Ch. 71.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited and referred to as the "Office on Aging Ordinance of the Borough of South Plainfield."
The Office on Aging is dedicated to meeting the needs of our senior citizen population by providing access to services, advocacy for the rights and needs of seniors and resource management to insure effective and efficient coordination of services. The goal is to provide programs and services that promote and enhance health and wellness and create a positive image of aging and improve their overall quality of life.
It is the intent and purpose of this chapter to establish an Office on Aging that will:
A. 
Be the designated department to advocate, plan, coordinate and provide program and services to the senior citizens of the Borough, their families and caregivers.
B. 
Serve as the connecting link between the Borough and Middlesex County Office on Aging and the State Department of Health and Senior Services in the development and enactment of various senior programs initiated by federal, state and county directive.
C. 
Provide programs and services that focus on the health, education and welfare of our seniors and seeks to improve the quality of life of older adults with particular emphasis on those seniors who are frail, isolated and home bound.
A. 
The Council shall appoint not more than nine members to an Office on Aging Advisory Council. Members shall serve at the will of the Council. The Executive Director of the Office on Aging shall be a member of the Advisory Council and shall serve as the Chairperson of the Advisory Council. The Advisory Council shall review policies and procedures of the Office on Aging and make recommendations to the Director.
B. 
The Office on Aging shall be under the Supervision of the Executive Director, who shall serve as department head and shall be responsible for the planning, implementation, coordination and operation of the Office on Aging and the Senior Citizen Center. Under the supervision of the Mayor and Council, the Executive Director shall maintain liaison with the Middlesex County Department on Aging, the State Department of Health and Senior Services and all other government and service agencies related to senior citizen matters to ensure optimum program performance on behalf of the Borough's senior population.
The Office on Aging shall develop and coordinate programs and services for the senior population and shall include but not be limited to the following:
A. 
Information and assistance (Title IIIB[1]).
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 3B:1-1 et seq.
B. 
Assisted transportation.
C. 
Community outreach and advocacy.
D. 
Nutritional services, including senior meals delivery program.
E. 
Home support services.
F. 
Recreational programming.
G. 
Health promotion and wellness program.
H. 
Resource and referrals for the senior population, their families and caregivers.
The initial point of contact for all senior citizen matters shall be through the Director's office at the Senior Center. The Center shall also serve as a resource center for agency personnel and caregivers to the elderly. Many programs shall also provide practical help and a social outlet for healthy, active older persons. The Office on Aging shall seek to create an environment that promotes a positive image of aging by encouraging personal growth, social interaction, education and independent living skills among older adults, thereby enhancing the overall quality of life.