Grant Will Help Care For Seniors, Holocaust Survivors In North Jersey

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of Jewish Family Service of MetroWest NJ. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

Jewish Family Service of MetroWest NJ (JFSMW ) is proud to announce that it has received a grant from Jewish Federations of North America’s Center on Holocaust Survivor Care and Institute on Aging and Trauma. When combined with matching funds, this award will enable $179,200 in new programming for homebound seniors, Holocaust survivors, and caregivers of those with dementia who will be supported by volunteers in the community. Our volunteers and program staff will also 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. JFSMW is proud to launch two new programs, Caregiver Respite and Shop & Drop, to support caregivers and help ease their burden.” states Stephanie Grove, Senior Director of Volunteer Services at JFS. Mei Lepowsky Moyer, JFS Volunteer Coordinator adds, “I'm very excited to join JFS MetroWest and coordinate these meaningful programs. I look forward to supporting clients and caregivers in the community.”

The Caregiver Respite Program offers respite to caregivers in the community. The caregiver will be matched with a volunteer who can regularly visit their loved one so they can get a break while knowing their loved one will be supervised and safe. The caregiver does not have to be home while the volunteer visits and the visits are available for a few hours a week or every other week. Our volunteers are screened, background checked, and trained to work with people experiencing memory loss. This program is free of charge.

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 County, Morris County, and the surrounding areas. Clients must have the ability to reimburse the volunteer for the groceries. This program is free of charge.

For more information on these programs, please call Mei Lepowsky Moyer at 973-637-1762 or email MMoyer@jfsmetrowest.org.

Jewish Family Service of MetroWest is a comprehensive social service agency providing mental health counseling and support services on a non-discriminatory basis. With a presence in the community since 1861, JFS today delivers an expanding number of programs to increasing numbers of people. For children and families, JFS provides individual, couple, child and family counseling, play therapy, support groups, school and synagogue based social work services, family life education and other assistance needed to support healthy families. Rachel Coalition, a division of JFS, provides domestic violence services for all members of the family affected by domestic violence. JFS also offers a wide range of services for older adults and their families including case management services, counseling, caregiver education, volunteer friendly visitors and specialized programs for Holocaust survivors. For more information, please call (973) 765-9050 or visit www.jfsmetrowest.org.

The federal government has empowered Federations to be the national resource center on aging and trauma, and has highlighted its person-centered, trauma-informed (PCTI) approach as a model for serving all older adults and family caregivers.

PCTI care promotes trust, dignity, strength, and empowerment of all individuals by incorporating knowledge about trauma into agency programs, policies, and procedures. Some estimates suggest that up to 90% of older adults in the United States have experienced a traumatic event during their lifetimes, which can affect them as they age.

Jewish Federations launched this initiative in 2015. Since then, the program has supported approximately 47,010 Holocaust survivors; 15,051 older adults with a history of trauma; 21,993 professional caregivers, and 8,390 family caregivers.

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