JFS MetroWest offers a variety of services to assist older adults and their families in embracing the aging process.
We provide a wide range of information and referrals, Family Caregiver Services which include Comprehensive Assessments, Geriatric Care Management and Care Consultation. JFS also offers counseling and support groups, Holocaust Survivor services, Alzheimer’s and related dementia programs, and emergency financial assistance.
Services are delivered by a highly trained staff of licensed social workers and care managers specializing in the field of geriatrics.
We are available for information and referral for individuals who live nearby as well as those living outside of the area. To learn more about our services, please call 973-765-9050 or email info@jfsmetrowest.org.
If you are experiencing a crisis or psychiatric emergency, please click here for a list of resources.
Click on the links below to learn more about our Older Adult Services
Holocaust Survivor Services
Providing support to Holocaust survivors and their families
JFS MetroWest NJ provides support to Holocaust survivors and their families, to enhance their dignity and independence as they age, through a Person-Centered Trauma-Informed Care model. Support is also available for survivors from the former Soviet Union, with a Russian speaking social worker. In addition, we offer specialized supportive services for second generation caregivers.
Services Provided
- Outreach and Advocacy
- Information, Referral, and Linkage
- Case Management
- Assistance with Reparations and Government Entitlements
- Subsidized Homecare Services*
- Emergency financial assistance, including funeral assistance*
- Socialization Programs
- Second Generation (2G) Caregiver Workshops, Individual and Group Support
*Based on eligibility and financial need
Holocaust Survivor Socialization Programs: Café Europa & Chai Cafe
Socialization programs for Holocaust survivors are held in English at Café Europa, and Russian at Chai Café. Programs include educational speakers, holiday celebrations, and group discussions. There is no charge for socialization programs and Kosher lunch is provided. Transportation may be available upon request.
*During COVID19, both Café Europa and the Chai Café are held virtually.*
For more information on Holocaust Survivor Services in Essex, Morris, and Sussex counties, please call JFS MetroWest 973-637-1715 (English) or 973-637-1716 (Russian)
Social services for Jewish Nazi victims have been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. JFS has received funds from the Alfred Landecker Foundation, administered by the Claims Conference for the benefit of needy Jewish Nazi victims.
Holocaust services are supported by a grant from The JFNA Center on Aging and Trauma, a project of the Holocaust Survivor Initiative. Holocaust services are also made possible by other generous partners, including Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ, KAVOD SHEF in partnership with Seed the Dream Foundation, the State of New Jersey, the Wilf Family Foundation, and other generous donors.
Café Europa is made possible by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. Café Europa is also supported with generous funding from the Wilf Family Foundations and the JFS Ellin Cohen Memorial Fund. It was established in 2001, by The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, and generously supported by the Jennie (Blinderman), Morris and Harry Slipock Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ, and with a bequest from the Estate of Lore Ross Morris.
Family Caregiver Services
We are committed to making the caregiving process easier for both caregivers and their loved ones. We offer practical information, connect you to local resources and services, and provide the emotional support that many caregivers need.
Care Consultation
JFS Care Consultation is a free telephone-based program designed to serve family caregivers as well as the care recipients. Care Consultation focuses on the unique needs of each family. The program provides ongoing support and solutions to meet your needs, adjust to changes and plan for the future. Care Consultation is an evidenced based program developed by the Benjamin Rose Institute for Aging in Cleveland, Ohio and is recognized as a “model caregiver support program” by the National Council on Aging and by the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving.
The Care Consultation program equips family caregivers with information and resources they can use to assist their aging loved ones. If needs become too difficult for the caregiver to manage, we may recommend the Geriatric Care Management program which provides more comprehensive assistance to caregivers.
Call us today at 973-637-1740.
Geriatric Care Assessments
A consultation and/or assessment of needs can help:
- Determine the appropriate care for the older adult’s unique circumstance
- Ease the strain of caregiving for the family
- Assist with the complex emotions that arise when generations must reverse roles and responsibilities
After determining what is needed, the social worker may suggest:
- medical assessments by a geriatrician, geriatric psychiatrist, or neurologist
- resources and referrals to professional services including in-home support or alternative residential settings
- determination of entitlements and benefits
- coaching and advocacy
A Geriatric Care Assessment may also lead to enrollment in our Geriatric Care Management Program or our Care Consultation Program.
Geriatric Care Management
JFS MetroWest’s Geriatric Care Management provides a range of services to help adults maintain their dignity, independence and self-esteem through ongoing services offered by licensed social workers and care managers. We address current needs while planning for the future. Geriatric care managers will suggest customized services to best meet the needs of the individual by:
- Coordinating care and medications
- Facilitating communication among doctors
- Coordinating with family members locally and geographically dispersed
- Identifying and referring to community resources
- Assessing home safety and arranging for the installation of safety features in the home as well as meal delivery to make the home a safer space to age in place
- Continually monitoring health needs and potential risks
- In cases of hospitalization, the JFS social worker can be present as a patient advocate
- Assisting with processing insurance claims, appealing inequitable decisions, bill payment, and daily money management.
- Arranging for and supervising home health aides, equipment, and supplies
- Researching, recommending, and assisting with applications for alternative care environments that can enhance quality of life and match needs as well as financial resources.
- Monitoring on an ongoing basis that the care plan is appropriate and intervening in crisis or emergency situations
Housecalls: In-home Social Work Services
The JFS HouseCalls program provides vital in-home social work and health care services for the frail and homebound elderly who are living in Jewish Community Housing Corporation senior housing.
Counseling and Support Groups
The goal of the older adult counseling service is to promote the highest level of functioning and to assist individuals and families in coping with challenges faced during the aging process such as caregiving, depression, loss of independence, chronic health issues, loss, and bereavement. Individual counseling is offered by social workers who have expertise in geriatric issues.
Support Groups
We offer a range of support groups to address the needs of older adults. Support groups include bereavement groups, caregiver support groups and others. Please call us at 973-765-9050 for a complete listing of active groups and to register.
Alzheimer’s & Related Dementia
Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia at home is challenging. We can assist with counseling and resources to help you through the caregiving journey. We also offer Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Groups in conjunction with Alzheimer’s New Jersey in Essex and Morris Counties.
Our Family Care Consultants who are licensed clinical social workers can help you:
- Understand Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia and how it may progress over time
- Learn to manage challenging behaviors
- Develop strategies for coping with personality changes
- Guide you through the diagnostic process and monitor medications
- Create a support system of family members and friends
- Connect with additional resources in the community
Financial Assistance
JFS MetroWest helps individuals and families who are struggling with all types of financial challenges. JFS administers Hebrew Free Loan of NJ, offers financial crisis intervention through the JFS Safety Net Program, and can assist individuals applying for government assistance. Click on the links below to learn more.
Medicare Assistance
For Medicare beneficiaries who are having difficulty understanding or paying for health care, contact our help line at 973-637-1717 or email us at medicarehelp@jfsmetrowest.org. We may be able to help you lower your Medicare monthly premiums, doctor co-pays, and/or drug cost. As the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for Essex County, we provide FREE and unbiased answers to your questions about Medicare.
Hebrew Free Loan of NJ
Hebrew Free Loan of NJ provides interest free loans to members of the Jewish Community who reside in the areas covered by the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest New Jersey and the Jewish Federation of the Heart of New Jersey. Loans are provided for many purposes, except for student loans. Examples of typical loans are:
- Medical Expenses
- Debt Consolidation
- Home Improvement or Repair
- Costs Related to Adoption
- Starting or Expanding a Business
Borrowers must have the potential to repay the loan and need to provide post-dated checks in the full amount. Certain loans require one or two cosigners (two for home improvement and business loans), and the cosigner must live in New Jersey. The cosigner becomes responsible for the loan repayment in the event the borrower cannot meet his/her obligation.
Hebrew Free Loan of New Jersey holds to the highest standard of confidentiality.
Please call 973-637-1739 to get started if you reside in the Greater MetroWest area; Monmouth County residents can call 732-774-6886; Middlesex County residents can call 732-777-1940.
Financial Crisis Intervention: Safety Net Services
JFS staff will work with you to fully understand your financial distress. Through a process of budgeting, planning and referrals to community resources, staff will help you achieve greater control and mastery over your financial challenges. During this process, financial assistance may be offered to help you through a critical time.
JFS MetroWest helps individuals and families struggling with financial worries caused by a health-related emergency or an unsustainable living situation. The JFS Healthcare Emergency Relief Fund and the JFS Safety Net Fund provide eligible JFS clients with access to emergency assistance to meet their needs. The Safety Net Fund is supported in part by JFS donors and in part through the Greater Newark Holiday Fund, an annual campaign administered by the Star Ledger.
For more information about your health insurance options through the Health Insurance Marketplace, click here.
