Jewish Home Lifecare :: Caring as individual as you

Insight for Trustees March 2010: Volunteer Initiatives

Enhancing our work force with volunteers, as well as community groups including synagogues, churches, schools, NY Cares, and Goldman Sachs continues to break down the walls between the nursing home and the community and makes a difference to all.

Insight for Trustees March 2010: Volunteer Initiatives

Geriatric Career Development Program

The Geriatric Career Development (GCD) Program sponsors Elder Mentor events in Manhattan and the Bronx once a month on Saturday.  Students, elders, and family members dance and sing along to the beat of the karaoke classics during these events. GCD students plan the café-like table layout; and all the GCD students transport residents, serve them refreshments, and bring them art supplies, games or the karaoke microphone.

The Elder Mentor Program for GCD students has been a favorite component of the program, as witnessed by the following statements from the students:

“The most meaningful experience I’ve had in the GCD Program is any that I have with my elder mentor.  I’ve made a new friend through my elder mentor.  I knew the very first day I met him that he was a nice guy.  I have someone I can sit down with and talk about my most favorite thing in the world:  sports.  We talk about our favorite sports and our favorite teams.  He tells me about different sporting events he’s gone to, such as baseball games, basketball games and even boxing matches.  He tells me about all the times he’s gone to the Polo Grounds to watch the N.Y. Giants play.”

“My elder mentor has changed my life because she made me view the residents differently.  My mentor changed my perspective from thinking that the residents are grumpy old people, to feeling sorry for them.  My mentor showed me that most of the patients here are just lonely and looking for someone to talk with…Overall, having an elder mentor is what has had the biggest impact on me during my time in GCD.”

“Working with my elder mentor greatly impacted me academically.  The stories my elder mentor, as well as the residents on the floors, shared gave me insight on what life was like during the Great Depression, the Roaring 20’s, World War II and the Korean War.  The residents on the floors brought my history class to life.  The stories gave me a different understanding of history.  I developed a passion for history along with higher test grades in English and History.”

This year we have 180 GCD students at our Bronx/Manhattan campuses.

Disney Give-A-Day Get-A-Day Program

At Sarah Neuman we have been participating in the Disney Give-A-Day Get-A-Day Program. The goal of the Disney program is to engage the public in community service and reach one million people.  After participating in a day of service, those who had signed up would receive a voucher for a free day at any of Disney’s theme parks in Florida or California.  Nationally, the program has been a huge success.  Initially the program was slated to continue through December, 2010, however due to the popularity of the program, Disney estimates that the program will come to a close this month as they’ve reached the one million mark. Since January we have received 528 inquiries.  We have placed volunteers in almost every area of the facility helping with everything from Shabbat service transportation on Fridays, Adult Day Crafters, Nintendo Wii, friendly visitors, and tea time volunteers.  Those volunteers that have come to us from the local communities have vowed to stay on, so the program has been very successful for us.  We have had 100 volunteers for this program to date.

AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps is a national service initiative within the Federal Corporation for National and Community Service that encourages individuals of all ages and backgrounds to address the nation’s education, public safety, human and environmental needs through service.  There are thousands of different AmeriCorps programs across the country.  They have recently added a goal to harness the skills of baby boomers and other older adults in service programs.

The Foundation for Long Term Care (FLTC) is a research and education entity affiliated with the New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (NYAHSA).  FLTC obtained a grant from AmeriCorps to engage mostly baby boomers in service through AmeriCorps in Eldercare Settings (ACES).  In addition, there are opportunities for graduate students.

JHL has been accepted into the ACES program, and we will recruit eight “members” to provide services across our divisions.  The members have a potential to be involved in a variety of areas such as enhancing existing volunteer programs, conducting training, helping elders “age-in-place” and implementing Resident Technology programs.  We will keep you up to date on the success of this program.

Ruth Kornblum, 92, Receives Congressional Medal of HonorKornblum

On another front, one of our long-time volunteers at Sarah Neuman, Ruth Kornblum, 92, received the Congressional Medal of Honor on Wednesday, March 10th in Washington. Between 1942 and 1944, at the height of World War II, more than a thousand women left homes and jobs for the opportunity of a lifetime – to become the first in history to fly for the U.S. military. They volunteered as civilian pilots in an experimental Army Air Corp program to see if women could serve as pilots and relieve men for overseas duty. These women became the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II, better known as the WASPS. Under the determined leadership of Jacqueline Cochran, Nancy Harkness Love, and General Henry “Hap” Arnold the WASP exceeded beyond all expectation.  This much deserved and much delayed honor will finally recognize the work of the women who served in the WASPS.  Ruth was interviewed by Gannett Newspapers on Monday, March 8th and the news article appeared on Gannett’s front page Thursday morning after the event.  The article included photos of Ruth in the Volunteer Department holding a photo of herself in uniform, and the airplane that she flew.

Amy Lionheart, Director of Volunteers at Sarah Neuman

Amy Lionheart, Director of Volunteers at Sarah Neuman has been invited to serve on the Board of Directors of the Associates of Jewish Homes and Services for the Aging (AJHSA). The mission of AJHSA is to maintain a nationwide network and outreach program of Volunteer Directors, Auxiliary Leaders, Development Directors, and other staff and lay leadership in order to promote understanding between agencies to provide new ideas that support our agencies financially, programmatically, and educationally; to solve common problems; to advocate services for the elderly and long term care programs; and to strengthen the role and stature of Volunteers and Auxilians.  The position is a two-year term and will begin in May, 2010.

Enhancing our work force with volunteers, as well as community groups including synagogues, churches, schools, NY Cares, and Goldman Sachs continues to break down the walls between the nursing home and the community and makes a difference to all.