A couple of months ago, after careful thought and consideration, JFS officially changed the name of the Jay and Rose Phillips Senior Solutions Center to Jay and Rose Phillips Aging Care & Connections (ACC). Why the change, you may ask? Well, there’s been a shift in the world of older adult services, and the words we use matter.

Terms such as “senior” or “elderly” are considered outdated and, according to recent research, are shown to carry a negative stereotype. As the demographics of older adults shift and Baby Boomers begin aging into the programs and services JFS offers for older adults, we want to be at the forefront of the change – both in our language and in the services we offer. Our goal is to be more inclusive and understand that many older adults do not consider themselves “seniors” (just ask my mom!). We also want to be innovative in our service options—focusing more on prevention, education, and connection to the community.

Despite the name change and our desire to expand services over time, it is important to note that ACC is still providing the same great services for older adults that we always have. These services include the following:

• Care Management: Skilled gerontology experts conduct a comprehensive assessment to establish an individualized care plan designed to meet the needs of the older adult served. The goal is to make connections to appropriate services, providers, and volunteers.

• Information and Assistance (I&A): Offered to older adults, adult children of aging parents, and others who may have questions about long-term services and need further assistance making the connection to those services.

• Homemaker: In-home homemaker assistance includes light housekeeping, laundry assistance, linen changing, grocery shopping, and light meal preparation for two hours every other week or weekly, if available and appropriate.

• Kosher Meals: JFS delivers hot and/or frozen kosher meals to homebound older adults five days a week and coordinates a congregate kosher lunch four days a week at the Jewish Community Center.

• Counseling: Licensed therapists provide specialized mental health counseling to older adults who find themselves in need of support coping with losses, adjusting to physical disability, and/or conducting an overall life review that can provide a positive perspective on all that has been achieved and/or overcome. ACC can serve clients wherever it is most comfortable and convenient to them (private residence, retirement community, assisted living or skilled nursing facility, or in the JFS office).

By Chandra Matthews, Jay and Rose Phillips Aging Care & Connections Director

For more information about the overall effort to reframe aging, please visit geron.org/programs-services/reframing-aging-initiative as well as changingthenarrativeco.org/.

For more information about the services offered by the Aging Care & Connections program, please contact Chandra Matthews at 720.248.4601.