(Smithtown, NY)…Since 1993, the month of May has been proclaimed Older Americans Month throughout the nation. Locally, we refer to it as Senior Citizens Month. This is the month designated to acknowledge the contributions of our seniors - past and present.
Recently, I was honored to visit Tom McHugh, who was a longtime resident of Kings Park, and now lives at Whisper Woods in Smithtown, where I presented him with a proclamation recognizing his 100th Birthday. For many years, Tom was the local mail carrier in Kings Park. Tom is a proud Marine who served his country and continued to serve his community while being a loving and caring father and husband.
I usually hold Senior Information Fairs at a local library or residential community for seniors to provide them with easy access to representatives from various town, county and state government agencies, as well as non-profit organizations. Due to COVID, I have put such events on hold. In the interim, I would like to take this opportunity to provide a list of several county, town, state and local organizations that provide assistance for seniors:
- Suffolk County Office of the Aging 631-853-8200
(Provides information and referrals to other agencies and offers a variety of programs and services for seniors)
- Suffolk County Office of Consumer Affairs 631-853-4600
(Check to see if a contractor is licensed or to file a complaint against a contractor)
- Suffolk County Department of Health 631-854-0000
- Suffolk County Parks Department 631-854-4949
- Suffolk County Police Department 2nd District 631- 854-8200
- Suffolk County Police Department 4th Precinct 631-854-8400
- Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office 631-742-2200
(Issues “In Case of Emergency” ID Cards and Project Lifesaver Program)
- Suffolk County Office of Veterans Affairs 631-853-8387
- Town of Huntington Senior Citizens Department 631-351-3253
(Programs include: Meals on Wheels, Residential Repair, Senior Citizen Center, Telephone Reassurance, Beach House, Adult Day Care, etc.)
- Town of Smithtown Senior Citizens Department 631-265-8811
(Programs include: Senior Center activities, Meals on Wheels, Residential Repair Program, Transportation for essential services, etc.)
NYS Attorney General’s Office
(Consumer Fraud/Scams) 631-231-2424
- Retired Senior Volunteer Program 631-979-9490
(Programs include: Telephone Reassurance, Computer Assistance, Medicare/Medicaid Assistance, Healthy Lifestyle Programs, etc.)
- Society for Lending Comfort to the Sick 631-265-1674
(Lends home healthcare equipment to residents for free)
- Visiting Nurse Service & Hospice of Suffolk 631-261-7200
According to Legislator Trotta, this is just a sampling of some of the many valuable organizations and government agencies throughout Long Island that have programs specifically designed for seniors. Please feel free to contact these offices or Legislator Trotta’s district office for additional information or with a specific inquiry. “For individuals 60 years of age or older, we have free, non-photo Suffolk County Senior I. D. Cards, which can be used for discounts at stores and on the Suffolk County bus. Residents can come to my office at 59 Landing Avenue, Suite 1, Smithtown, during the week, Monday – Friday, between 9am and 5pm, or one can be mailed to you by calling my office at 631-854-3900,” said Legislator Rob Trotta.