Inaugural CARES awards for professional excellence
Each year, with support from the Hy & Sadie Sussman Fund for Eldercare & Aging in Place, CARES (Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ’s department focused on serving the needs of older adults) holds a professional development day. The program includes learning and networking for the staff of its 11 constituent partner agencies or departments that work with older adults.
Last month, participants gathered to discuss “Ethical Dilemmas in Working with Older Adults” with Stephen Sidorsky, LCSW, a Rutgers School of Social Work continuing education instructor.
This year, for the first time, CARES used the program to honor and celebrate eight devoted people with CARES awards for professional excellence. They were nominated by their agency for displaying the following qualities:
Delivers services of the highest caliber; views each older adult as an individual with unique abilities and needs; treats older adults with respect and without condescension; acts promptly and responsively to clients’ and colleagues’ needs and requests, works collaboratively and, when needed, seeks resources from other agencies; continues to learn and improve/stays aware of current best practices; demonstrates compassion and commitment; and is someone from whom each of us would want to receive services.
Shown celebrating the awards presentation, above photo, are, from left, Rabbi Richard Kirsch, Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest’s Chaplaincy Department awardee; Siobhan Flynn-Higgins, JFS of MetroWest NJ awardee; Letticia Waymer, director, Jewish Service for the Developmentally Disabled Residential Services & Operations; Michelle Johnson, JSDD awardee; Diane Squadron, CEO, JFS MetroWest NJ; Gregory Yucht, JFS Central NJ awardee; Tom Beck, JFSCNJ executive director; Audrey Winkler, JESPY House executive director; Fred Blackmon, JESPY House awardee; Jackie Baranoff, YM-YWHA of Union County director of operations; Karen Rozenberg, CARES chair; Deborah Victoria, YM-YWHA of Union County awardee; Benjamin Mann, JFGMW chief planning officer; and Marian Marlowe, JFGMW director of local partnerships. Gina Goldman, JCC MetroWest awardee, and Rebecca Shulman, JVS of MetroWest awardee, are not pictured.
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