Staying Connected to Older Adults During the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted our Aging Care & Connections department and the more than 450 older adult clients it serves. Bernice, a 90-year-old resident at Kavod Senior Life, has received JFS services for many years. She lives alone and struggles with several health challenges. Before the pandemic, a JFS homemaker cleaned her apartment every two weeks, which she greatly misses and looks forward to receiving this service again when it’s safe. Her care manager, Mako, calls her weekly to check-in, which Bernice says is “so wonderful in these times. I feel like someone is looking out for me.”

Bernice only leaves her apartment for 30 minutes a day to take a walk and is otherwise in her apartment the rest of the day. “It gets very lonely and I appreciate Mako’s sweet, caring phone calls.” JFS also recently helped pay for medications that Bernice was unable to buy and delivered them to her. Bernice adds, “I cannot say enough good words about Jewish Family Service. I appreciate everything they did for me in the past and continue to do.”

As one of the only aging service providers accepting new referrals, care managers are experiencing an influx in calls for assistance. Staff members are continuing to support our 75+ Holocaust survivor clients with frequent reassurance calls, delivering pantry boxes, doing personal grocery shopping, and providing prescription pick-up and delivery. We’re also delivering kosher meals to homebound older adults and distributing kosher meals to older adults at the JCC.

For more information about our Aging Care & Connections services, please visit jewishfamilyservice.org/services/senior-solutions.