JFNA gives grant to help survivors
The Jewish Federations of North America’s Center on Holocaust Survivor Care and Institute on Aging and Trauma gave Jewish Family Service of MetroWest NJ a grant for groundbreaking Holocaust survivor/older adult care.
JFSMW’s grant, when combined with matching funds, will provide $179,200 in new programming for homebound seniors, Holocaust survivors, and caregivers of people with dementia, who will be supported by community volunteers. Program staff and volunteers will receive intensive training on Person-Centered, Trauma-Informed (PCTI) care.
“Caring for a family member with dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other degenerative illnesses is an act of love, and can be absolutely draining for caregivers,” Stephanie Grove, JFS Volunteer Services senior director, said. “JFSMW is proud to launch two new free programs, Caregiver Respite and Shop & Drop, to support caregivers and help ease their burden.”
The Caregiver Respite Program gives caregivers a chance to take a break. The caregiver will be matched with a volunteer who can regularly visit their loved one so they get some breathing room while knowing their loved one will be supervised and safe. The caregiver does not have to stay home while the volunteer visits, and the visits are available for a few hours a week or every other week. Volunteers are screened, their backgrounds are checked, and they are trained to work with people who are experiencing memory loss.
The Shop & Drop Program pairs an older adult with a volunteer to food shop on a weekly or biweekly basis. The volunteer will call for the grocery list and schedule a time to drop off the groceries. Clients are from Essex and Morris counties, and the surrounding areas. Clients must have the ability to reimburse the volunteer for the groceries.
For information, call Mei Lepowsky Moyer at (973) 637-1762 or email MMoyer@jfsmetrowest.org.
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