Camp Oakhurst - Camps for Disabled - New York

Author: Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 4 Feb 2009 - Updated: 12 Jan 2015

Contents: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Related Publications

Synopsis: Camp Oakhurst operated by the New York Service for the Handicapped serves children and adults with physical disabilities.

Introduction

Camp Oakhurst operated by the New York Service for the Handicapped serves children and adults with physical disabilities.

Main Content

Camp Oakhurst is accredited by the American Camping Association and licensed by the New Jersey State Department of Health.

Everyone, including children and adults who have physical disabilities, needs a vacation away from home. Camp Oakhurst gives campers with disabilities a fun-filled summer vacation in a place where it's easy to participate in activities, make friends, feel accepted, and gain independence.

Located along the scenic New Jersey Atlantic coast (55 miles from New York City), serves individuals with disabilities that effect movement, coordination, and stamina. Children and adults with Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Post Polio, Osteogenesis Imperfecta and similar conditions attend our programs.

Camp Oakhurst has an eight week summer program. The first six weeks are for children and teenagers between the ages of eight and nineteen. They have the option of attending for two, four, or six weeks. The final two weeks are for adults. Campers are grouped according to age, not disability.

Year-Round Out-Of-Home Respite:

The goal is to strengthen the entire family by giving the care giver timely breaks and the disabled family member a chance to live in a supportive environment outside the home. Family care givers who are coping with the long term responsibility of looking after a disabled relative at home need relief. They can get periodic respite breaks for a day, a weekend, or week or longer, while their disabled relative is cared for at Camp Oakhurst.

An Off-Season Vacation at Camp Oakhurst gives disabled adults a chance to spend time with friends in an informal, barrier free environment. They can participate in adapted recreational activities and enjoy a country setting.

Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.