This is a six week group in which members converse openly and support one another through the grief process. Open to any Jewish adult, regardless of affiliation, who has lost a loved one within the past 18 months. Facilitated by Beverly Rubman, Chaplain.
The group will meeting on Thursday mornings from 10:30am – 12:00pm, October 1st through November 5th, at the JFCS office at 707 Alexander Road, Suite 102, Princeton. $36 per person to attend all 6 sessions.
Pre-Registration required.
Click here to register online, or contact Beverly Rubman at (609) 987-8100 or beverlyr@jfcsonline.org.
Click here for program flyer with full details.
Beverly Mishkin, LCSW, Director of Senior Services &
Katrina Brophy, LSW, Senior Care Manager
Caregivers over 75 are a group that is often underrepresented but seriously over-stressed. The National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP Public Policy Institute report that over 3 million seniors over the age of 75 are caring for loved ones, including spouses. Caregivers over the age of 75 spend approximately 34 hours a week on caregiving and assisting with activities of daily living. These include the often strenuous tasks of bathing, dressing and feeding.
Burnout usually happens when a loved one is feeling overwhelmed by their duties. This may present as tearfulness, feelings of depression or resentment toward the loved one you are caring for. Being isolated and withdrawing from usual activities is also a sign of burnout. It is important for caregivers to take time for themselves to stay healthy and vital. Here are some tips:
- Practice self-care: Even though you may not have as much free time, get enough sleep, schedule regular outings and take care of your own health. Eat healthy meals and snacks to keep energy levels up.
- Reach out: Staying isolated can cause anxiety. Reach out to friends and family – chances are someone within your social network is also a caregiver. One of JFCS’s services, Secure@Home, provides monthly outreach phone calls to access client needs and provide an outlet for problems and questions.
- Accept Help: Don’t let pride get in the way of a neighbor or family member who wants to pitch in with errands, yard work or other needs. People genuinely want to help you, let them and enjoy whatever free time it provides!
- IT’S OK!: Remember that taking care of yourself is part of taking care of others. Your loved one wants you to be healthy and happy.
Jewish Family & Children’s Service offers the Mercer County Caregiver Support Helpline to connect families to resources and information. This is a free service and is available to all residents of Mercer County. The agency also offers its caregiver support groups as well as certified Geriatric Care Managers through the Secure@Home program. In this membership program, the Geriatric Care Managers will coordinate all health-related or other needed services during crisis or illness as well as advocate and provide support for you and your family.
To reach the Mercer County Caregiver Support Helpline please call 609-987-8100 x137.
Kosher Café South
Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.
Adath Israel Congregation (1958 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville)
Steve Guarino of Greater Trenton Behavioral Health will speak about healthy aging.
Contact Debi Henritzy for more information or to register at debih@jfcsonline.org or 609-987-8100. The program is open to all and donations are accepted. Also note that a kosher catered lunch is served here Tuesday through Friday. A Shabbat program with lively discussion is held every Friday with Rabbi Adler.
Kosher Café East
Wednesday, June 10, 2015 at 12:30 p.m.
Beth El Synagogue (50 Maple Stream Road, East Windsor)
This program for older adults will address the do’s and don’ts of taking medications as well as the myths and realities of alcohol, medications and mental health issues. It will cover what puts someone at risk and what can be done to prevent a problem. Presented by Beverly Mishkin, LCSW, Director of Senior Services at Jewish Family & Children’s Service.
A kosher lunch will be served and pre-registration is required by 6/5. Please RSVP to Beth Englezos at bethe@jfcsonline.org or 609-987-8100, ext. 126. The program is open to all and there is a suggested donation of $5.00 per person.
Kosher Café West
Thursday, June 25, 2015 at 12:30 p.m.
Congregation Beth Chaim (329 Village Rd. East, Princeton Junction)
Join us for our Summer Book Talk Series as we discuss “The Boston Girl”, by Anita Diamant. In this novel, eighty-five-year-old Addie Baum tells the story of her life to her twenty-two-year-old granddaughter, who has asked her “How did you get to be the woman you are today.” She begins in 1915, the year she found her voice and made friends who would help shape the course of her life. From the one-room tenement apartment she shared with her parents and two sisters, to the library group for girls she joins at a neighborhood settlement house, to her first, disastrous love affair, Addie recalls her adventures with compassion for the naïve girl she was and a wicked sense of humor. More information on the book can be found at http://www.amazon.com/The-Boston-Girl-A-Novel/dp/1439199353
Remember: You don’t have to read the book to enjoy the program! A kosher lunch will be served and registration is required by 6/19. RSVP to Beth Englezos at bethe@jfcsonline.org or 609-987-8100, ext. 126. The program is open to all and there is a suggested donation of $5.00 per person.
Kosher Café North – The Jews of Downton Abbey
Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 12:30 p.m.
The Jewish Center (435 Nassau Street, Princeton)
Join us for lunch and an intriguing program on “The Jews of Downton Abbey” presented by Linda Meisel, Executive Director of JFCS (and die-hard fan of the show). Even if you have never watched the highly-acclaimed PBS mini-series, you’ll enjoy hearing about Jews during the post WWI time period and their interesting relationship to the landed aristocracy.
A kosher lunch will be served and registration is required by 5/8. RSVP to Beth Englezos at bethe@jfcsonline.org or 609-987-8100, ext. 126. The program is open to all and there is a suggested donation of $5.00 per person.
Kosher Café West – Chevra Kadisha: Preparing Jews for Burial
Thursday, May 28, 2015 at 12:30 p.m.
Congregation Beth Chaim (329 Village Rd. East, Princeton Junction)
Do you know about Judaism’s best kept secret and kindest mitzvah? Gloria Golbert will talk about the Chevra Kadisha, or “Sacred Society” – the group which lovingly and respectfully washes, dresses, and says prayers for the deceased in preparation for Jewish burial. You will be fascinated by the history and ritual of this important Jewish life cycle event. Gloria Golbert has been a proud Chevra Kadisha member in several communities for over 20 years. She will share her personal experiences and involvement in this act of caring.
A kosher lunch will be served and registration is required by 5/22. RSVP to Beth Englezos at bethe@jfcsonline.org or 609-987-8100, ext. 126. The program is open to all and there is a suggested donation of $5.00 per person.
Kosher Café East – Jewish Bioethics
Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 12:30 p.m.
Beth El Synagogue (50 Maple Stream Road, East Windsor)
Each of us struggles with ethical issues in our lives. Rabbi Kornsgold of Beth El Synagogue will share what the Jewish tradition has to say regarding organ donation and euthanasia in order to help us make informed decisions.
A kosher lunch will be served and pre-registration is required by 5/8. Please RSVP to Beth Englezos at bethe@jfcsonline.org or 609-987-8100, ext. 126. The program is open to all and there is a suggested donation of $5.00 per person.
JFCS is on the steering committee for the NJ 2015 White House Conference on Aging! Regional forums will be held on 3 dates/locations in NJ. Register by May 1st to attend and have your voice heard!
Click here for a program flyer and registration form with all the details.
April 1, 2015, PRINCETON, NJ — Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Mercer County (JFCS) is pleased to announce a new In-Home Geriatric Care Management Consultation service for older adults. Designed for seniors as well as their adult children, this service will help families determine both short and long-term goals and provide them with the specific resources they need.
Led by a team of Certified Geriatric Care Managers, the in-home consultation will review overall health and wellness including medical and/or physical conditions, support networks and legal documentation. Care Managers will also assess potential depression, memory issues, isolation and any other mental health conditions and include a home safety evaluation. After needs are determined, contact information will be provided on a range of services, including in-home care providers, transportation, nutrition options, elder care attorneys, adult day programs, medication management, volunteers as well as social and community resources.
“We receive so many calls from adult children who are worried about their aging parents as well as calls from the older adults themselves. They are in need of a variety of resources as well as expert opinion on short and long-term goals,” says Beverly Mishkin, LCSW, Director of Senior Services.
Linda Meisel, Executive Director of JFCS, adds, “This service is one of many on the continuum of senior care that we provide. The consultation complements our Secure@Home program which provides comprehensive care management services to enable older adults to remain in their own homes. As our population ages, we want to help older adults obtain their optimal level of well-being — whether aging at home or transitioning to another level of care.”
