Social work staff in the Older Adult Services Department at Jewish Family Service of MetroWest assist seniors and their families in coping with the challenges and complexities related to aging. As life expectancies rise, medical treatments advance, and increasing numbers of people live with chronic illness and disabilities, the needs of older adults continue to expand. JFS MetroWest provides counseling, nutritional, social and case management services.
JFS offers mental health counseling and support groups that address issues associated with aging. Counseling is provided to assist those who are struggling with issues such as caregiving, depression, loss of independence, chronic health issues, loss, and bereavement. JFS also offers support for caregivers, who may face a host of new responsibilities, many of which are unfamiliar or intimidating. The process of caregiving can feel overwhelming and lonely. JFS is committed to making the caregiving process easier for both the caregiver and their loved ones. We offer practical information, connect you to local resources and services, and provide the emotional support that many caregivers need. In recognition of the importance of having a supportive community for comfort when problems arise, JFS offers a monthly caregiver support group for those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Dementia. This group is open and all caregivers are welcome.
JFS of MetroWest provides caregivers assistance navigating the aging process when it is time to evaluate options for an older adult. A Comprehensive On-Site Assessment (COSA) is conducted in the care recipient’s home to evaluate physical, cognitive, emotional, and social health, other key dimensions of well-being, and identify goals and limitations. An initial plan is developed with recommendations and is provided to the family. A consultation is completed in the Jewish Family Service of MetroWest offices. The Alzheimer’s Family Care Program helps caregivers manage care at home, understand the disease and work through challenges. The JCC Memory Center for Senior Citizens with memory impairment is a collaboration of the JCC MetroWest and JFS MetroWest. The Center is made possible due to the generous support of Jonathan Littman and the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey.
JFS’s Solutions to Senior Hunger initiative, a response to the escalating number of seniors age 50 and older struggling for food, conducts Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) outreach and education and administers SNAP application assistance. Solutions to Senior Hunger is a national initiative from MAZON, a Jewish Response to Hunger. The Music and Memory program creates personalized playlists using iPod shuffles. This enables those struggling with Alzheimer’s and dementia to reconnect with the world through music-triggered memories. Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Center of Essex and Hudson Counties is a comprehensive community service organization sponsored by JFS MetroWest designed to mobilize members of the community who are 55+ to give back to their own neighborhoods in through volunteer services. Jewish Family Service of MetroWest administers Essex County State Healthcare Insurance Program (SHIP). SHIP is a statewide program that provides free assistance to New Jersey Medicare beneficiaries who have questions related to Medicare coverage including prescription coverage. The Friend Advocate program provides for recruitment, training, matching and supervision of volunteers who provide assistance to clients age 60 and over, many of whom are frail, isolated and vulnerable residents of Essex County. Volunteers provide assistance to older adults. Kosher Meals on Wheels delivers meals to homebound seniors in Hudson County. Cafe Europa is a social support group for Holocaust survivors offering lunch and programming services that meets twice monthly. A grant from the Conference on Material Claims Against Germany provides in-home care Livingston services to financially and physically eligible Holocaust survivors.
For more information on senior services and support groups, call (973) 765-9050 or visit
www.jfsmetrowest.org/services/for-older-adults. Jewish Family Service of MetroWest is a comprehensive social service agency providing services on a non-discriminatory basis. For children and families, JFS provides individual, couple, child and family counseling, play therapy, support groups, school and synagogue based social work services, and family life education. Rachel Coalition, a division of JFS, provides domestic violence services for members of the family affected by domestic violence. For information, call (973) 765-9050 or visit www.jfsmetrowest.org.
