OARS
Outreach, Awareness and Resources for Seniors
OARS addresses the unique needs and perspectives of seniors through educational programs that range from health and well-being, to medications and substance abuse. Our signature program is the Wellness Initiative for Senior Education (WISE) 6-week workshop series. This evidenced-based curriculum was developed by the New Jersey Prevention Network (NJPN) and covers a wide range of topics in a highly interactive format.
– Learn about the aging process and how to make healthy lifestyle choices
– Celebrate this exciting stage of life and all the benefits that come with it
– Discuss risk factors and behaviors older adults should avoid to stay healthy
– Examine how alcohol, prescription medications and over-the-counter medications affect seniors differently and how they can avoid problems
– Learn how to use simple tools to help you feel more empowered about your health and the healthcare you receive
This FREE workshop series is offered throughout Monmouth County anywhere that older adults live or gather. Click here to make a request to schedule a workshop series or for more information.
Telefriends
Get Connected
The AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP Telefriends Program provides a link to socially isolated residents of Monmouth, Middlesex and Mercer Counties helping them to remain independent and feel more connected while living in their community. Volunteers are matched with adults in need of a friendly voice via weekly telephone calls. The goal is to reduce feelings of loneliness by developing meaningful relationships over time through sharing interests, stories, and laughter.
What Volunteers Do… As a Telefriend you can:
– Provide social contact and be someone who will listen;
– Offer your friendship, share stories, and interests;
– Check on health and well-being;
– Summon help if needed;
– Volunteer from your own home on your own schedule.
IN-HOME RECREATION
Friendly Visiting Program
Our In-Home Recreation program pairs carefully screened volunteers with homebound or isolated elders in their community in need of companionship through weekly visits. The program brings the outside world into the homes of seniors through social conversation and engagement in activities of mutual interest. Contact us today to request more information or to make a referral.
– Completely FREE to residents in Monmouth County
– Volunteers are background checked
Reading Buddies
Help us make a difference!
Are you 55+ and looking to volunteer? Become a “Reading Buddy”!
Reading Buddies is an early-childhood program that advances literacy skills and creates
enthusiastic, confident young readers. The program is comprised solely of volunteers who:
– Read to small groups of preK–1st grade students on a weekly basis in the classroom,
– Choose from many schools in Monmouth County in and near the Bayshore, Freehold/ Marlboro, Red Bank, Asbury Park/Neptune; and Belmar/Bradley Beach
– Commit to one hour of reading each week from October to May,
– Receive training, and love what they do.
Reading to children helps build language skills critical for reading success. The program serves approximately 800 children in pre-K, kindergarten and first grades at 10 public elementary schools.
From a Volunteer:
“I feel that it’s important to be a part of the community and to support our teachers. Every week the children arrive with smiles on their faces and their curiosity is unbelievable.”
Help others navigate Medicare with your localState Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
Become a SHIP Volunteer
SHIP provides unbiased support to Medicare beneficiaries and their families so they can make informed decisions about their care and benefits. Navigating Medicare can be complicated, but SHIP can help by answering questions and providing personalized guidance to those who need it.
You know your community best. That’s why we want your help to support your friends and neighbors as they enroll in Medicare for the first time, review plan options, or troubleshoot problems.
SHIP screens, trains, and certifies all volunteers as Medicare experts so you don’t need a background in health insurance to get involved. All you need is integrity, a willingness to learn, and a desire to help others.
For some, being a SHIP volunteers offers a chance to give something back to their community. For others, it provides an opportunity to develop new skills or build on existing experience and knowledge.
If you would like to become a SHIP volunteer and help people in your community better understand their Medicare-related insurance options, complete our Volunteer Application, or call 732.728.1331.