WEST DEPTFORD — Gloucester County Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger and Freeholder Jim Jefferson announced that the Division of Senior Services has started a new program that will allow residents to recycle gently-used home medical equipment and certain unopened personal care supplies to assist senior citizens who may need specific medical care supplies and cannot afford them.
This initiative, known as The Senior Services Medical Equipment Re-Use Program, will collect recycled and donated personal care and medical products in an effort to help senior citizens obtain the medical equipment and supplies that may be too expensive for them to afford and supplies that their insurance may not be able to cover. Gloucester County residents over the age of 60 or their caregivers will be eligible to pick up supplies free of charge.
Accepted items include: canes/quad canes, shower chairs, commodes, walkers/standers/crutches, wheelchairs, bed rails, bath/showers seats, blood pressure monitors, other types of mobility/medical devices, unopened/unexpired nutritional supplements, adult briefs/pads/diapers, unopened/new personal care items or supplies.
“This program will provide a positive outcome for everyone involved. Donated supplies could make a huge difference in someone’s health and quality of life. Gloucester County is the first county in the state to operate a medical equipment re-use program and we are very excited,” said Director Damminger.
Jefferson said, “This program doesn’t just collect and redistribute, we would like to be sure that the senior citizens receiving these supplies are getting quality equipment. All donated equipment will be thoroughly examined to check the overall condition so that we can be sure that what we receive is still sufficiently operational.”
Jefferson said that anything that is not operational would be handed over to other agencies with the capability of fixing any problem it may have rather than simply throwing it away.
“Anything that is operational will be thoroughly cleaned, sanitized, and added to the database,” said Jefferson, liaison to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Identification with proof of age and address must be shown prior to release of an item. When an eligible individual calls or comes into office with a request for specific medical equipment or supply, staff will be able review inventory to see if need can be fulfilled and then handed over to the individual.
Individuals wishing to donate approved used medical equipment or who have questions concerning the program may contact the Gloucester County Division of Senior Services at the Budd Boulevard office in West Deptford at (856) 384-6900.
