Programs available in your community can give you the aid you need in the environment you choose.
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Learn more about the community-based programs available to older New Jerseyans:
Congregate meals
Congregate meal programs offer nutritious meals in a group setting, often at a senior center or municipal building. To find the program nearest you, call the ADRC hotline at 1-877-222-3737, or go to the ADRC search page and follow the instructions to narrow by county.
Senior centers
Senior centers offer group meals and activities, hold community events, and promote socialization and education with a variety of programs. Senior centers also facilitate on-site social services, such as wellness and nutrition classes; a complete list of services and calendar of events can usually be found on the individual center's website. Senior centers are locally based and can be found across the State. To find the center nearest you, go to the ADRC search page and follow the instructions to refine your search by county.
Adult day services
There are a multitude of adult day service programs available in New Jersey that provide a safe environment for older adults during the day, when their caregivers are at work.
- Certain programs are available through New Jersey Medicaid's NJ FamilyCare managed care program, such as Adult Day Health Services (provides a safe environment for older adults during the day when their caregivers are at work) and Social Adult Day Services (emphasizes social and recreational activities in a group setting, with some health monitoring). To determine whether you qualify for MLTSS services, contact your local AAA for more information and to set up a screening and create a service plan.
- Facilities that provide adult day services are also available for those not enrolled in NJ FamilyCare, whether it be through a senior center or an adult day center. For information on how to best choose an adult day center, the National Adult Day Services Association has compiled a checklist to find the best option for you. For a comprehensive list of programs, click here to go to the ADRC search page and follow the instructions to narrow by county.
- Finally, the Alzheimer's Adult Day Services Program subsidizes adult day care services for persons with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia who is not currently enrolled in NJ FamilyCare. To learn more about this program, contact any participating center or call the Division of Aging Services at 609-438-4749.
Community Choice
The Community Choice program ensures that residents of nursing facilities and hospital patients are aware of various community-based alternatives by providing information about in-home services, housing alternatives, and community programs. If you think you or a loved one could benefit from the program, ask to speak with the facility’s assigned Community Choice counselor or call 1-609-588-6675.
Jersey Assistance for Community Caregiving (JACC)
Jersey Assistance for Community Caregiving (JACC) offers a broad array of in-home and community-based services to individuals age 60 and older who meet clinical eligibility for nursing home level of care and who want to remain in their homes within the community. Each participant’s services are determined by an individualized plan of care, which can include chore services, homecare services, home-delivered meal services, and others. More information can be found by calling the ADRC hotline at 1-877-222-3737 or clicking the following link.
I Choose Home NJ
I Choose Home NJ, also known as Money Follows the Person, is a federal initiative that helps residents who are eligible for Medicaid and have been living in an institutional setting for more than ninety days move out of an institution and into an independent community setting with supports and services. For more information about this program, call 1-855-466-3005.
Congregate Housing Services Program
The Congregate Housing Services Program provides as least one nutritionally balanced, family-style meal daily; housekeeping; and other personal assistance services to low-income elderly persons or adults with disabilities who reside in certain subsidized housing facilities. To participate in this program, a person must live in a building that has contracted with the State to provide a Congregate Housing Services Program. To learn more about this program, call the ADRC hotline at 1-877-222-3737 or contact your local AAA.
Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) is a program for eligible individuals age 55 and over who require nursing home level of care but are also able to live safely in their communities. The participant’s care plan can be flexible with whether services are provided in the home, community, or in a nursing home setting, but it usually includes several visits each week to the PACE center, which serves as the hub for medical care, rehabilitation, social activities, and dining. PACE is available to eligible individuals who live in the ZIP codes covered by individual PACE agencies, a list of which can be found at the bottom of this page. For more information on the program, call DoAS at 1-800-792-8820 or the PACE agency in your coverage area, whose contact information can be found at the bottom of this page.
Transportation options
The wide range of transportation options in New Jersey can help you remain in your community for as long as you need.
- Transportation Management Associations (TMA) are nonprofit public-private partnerships that promote alternative commuting and transportation models such as transit, community shuttles, and van/carpool programs. To find the TMA that serves where you live, call 1-800-245-7665.
- NJ Transit offers reduced fares for riders age 62 and older who possess a valid NJ Transit Reduced Fare ID or a Medicare card. Apply for a Reduced Fare ID on the NJ Transit website or call 1-973-491-7112 for more information.
- NJ Transit also offers ADA paratransit through its Access Link program for eligible people who are unable to use local bus services. To learn more about Access Link or apply for eligibility, visit the NJ Transit website or call 1-973-491-4224. Paratransit is also available at the county level; information about who to contact where you live can be found here.
- The New Jersey Travel Independence Program (NJTIP) teaches individuals with disabilities and older adults how to use public transportation safely and independently. Training can be done (in English or Spanish) through one-on-one instruction, individual concierge and trip-planning services, small- and large-group instructions, and in-school instruction. For more information, call 1-848-932-4499 or email njtip_info@njtip.rutgers.edu.