Positive Aging

At Jewish Family Service we are proud to offer an array of services for older adults to continue to live active and meaningful lives. We are skilled in guiding families and individuals through their complex and changing needs, and we understand the need for family members to have peace of mind that their loved one has a plan in place to ensure their safety and well-being.

Whether you are in need of daily, weekly or 24-hour care, you will find that our specialists can tailor solutions to your specific situation.

Click here to read the Jewish Journal article written by Naomi Dreeben, LICSW and Positve Aging Program Manager, entitled 10 Tips For Living Longer at Home.

Is The Text to Small? Click Here to Enlarge.

Whether you are looking for a one-time consultation, a comprehensive assessment or ongoing assistance for yourself or the important people in your life, we can help.

A Jewish Family Service care consultant will work with you to develop a plan that provides the services that you or your family memeber need to live safely and comfortably at home. Our services include but are not limited to:

• Family consultation
• Comprehensive psychosocial assessments
• Home safety assessments
• Assistance with obtaining and monitoring relevant services and resources
• Consultation and evaluation of housing, assisted living, and long-term care alternatives

Contact Naomi Dreeben at (978) 564-0765 or ndreeben@jfsns.org

Front Porch Program (back to top)

Click here to read: The Front Porch Blog We welcome your comments!

Read about our new pilot program, Beyond the Front Porch, in the Jewish Journal by clicking here.

Read the article that appeared in The Daily Item about our new program Beyond the Front Porch by clicking here.

Beyond the Front Porch brings educational and social programs to North Shore seniors over the telephone. For more information about participating or volunteering to facilitate a program for Beyond the Front Porch, please contact Susan Berliner at sberliner@jfsns.org.

See Pictures from The Hanging of The Neighborhood Quilt!

Computer Class Links

In 2004, Jewish Family Service of the North Shore launched the first Federally funded Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC ) program in our area.

A NORC is any group of apartments, condominiums, houses,
or planned communities in which the majority of residents are
“aging in place.”

Now Known as The Front Porch (See our brochure here) the program is currently state funded.
From its launch, we provided a variety of programs for older adults designed to increase health, wellness, mental acuity and social outlets and to decrease social isolation.

Program Highlights

• Health and wellness activities
  
• Computer classes and blogging
  
• Social events
  
• Educational lectures
  
• Creativity workshops
  
• Cooking classes
  
• Meet the author events

Our findings:

• 99% of respondents said that they felt more connected to their neighbors
  
• 81% of respondents said that they felt more optimistic about their lives
  
• Over 90% of respondents said that they wanted the program to continue
  
• 94% of respondents said they were less isolated because of the NORC program

“The NORC program was a very good experience for me and
in a unique way helped me through a most challenging period
of my life.” -Participant

“I feel we have been so blessed and lucky to have been given
the opportunity to receive such a wonderful gift as this program.”
-Participant

With the award of state funding in 2007, the program expanded to include both its initial site in Swampscott as well as a neighborhood in Lynn known as The Diamond District (Area in Lynn bordered by Lynn Shore Dr, Lewis/Broad St, Ocean St, and Nahant St).

Susan Berliner at 978-564-0766 or sberliner@jfsns.org for more information.

Kosher Meals on Wheels (back to top)

The Kosher Meals on Wheels Program provides daily Monday-through-Friday delivery of low salt, low sugar Kosher meals to homebound older adults and seniors who currently observe Kashrut. All meals are prepared under rabbinical supervision in the kitchen of the Woodbridge Assisted Living Facility in Peabody, Massachusetts. Program participants are asked to voluntarily contribute $2.00 towards the cost of each meal delivered.

For more information, please contact Naomi Dreeben at (978) 564-0765 or ndreeben@jfsns.org.
.

Technology Solutions for Personal Safety (back to top)

• Do you worry about your parents’ safety at home?
  
• Do you worry about whether someone you love is taking
  his or her medications as prescribed?
  
• Are you concerned about falling?

Jewish Family Service of the North Shore has several tools available - we specialize in home safety assessments and use the latest technology to help to ease your mind and improve home safety. We offer systems developed by Lifeline as well as customized home-monitoring systems utilizing “Smart House” technology.

We have partnered with Philips to provide a variety of technological solutions to assist people with medical conditions so they can live at home while maintaining their independence and safety.

Lifeline Personal Emergency Response System
An inexpensive way to make sure that help is seconds away for any medical emergency, including sudden illness or a fall, the Personal Emergency Response system is a pendant or bracelet that allows the user to send for help anywhere in their home or anywhere within 200 feet of the transmitter. A trained responder is available 24/7 to dispatch emergency services, or to call a caregiver.

To learn more about what might work best for you please contact Naomi Dreeben at (978) 564-0765 or ndreeben@jfsns.org

Bill Paying (back to top)

Paying monthly bills and monitoring credit card expenses can be overwhelming and time-consuming for people who are too busy or unable to perform them alone. Our billing professionals can provide you or your family member with personal support.

Contact Naomi Dreeben at (978) 564-0765 or ndreeben@jfsns.org

Inspirational Stories (back to top)

Maxine
When 91 year old Maxine first met her care consultant from Jewish Family Service of the North Shore she welcomed her with open arms. Maxine had been living independently but wanted a little more help with her morning routine and grocery shopping. Her care manager immediately arranged for Kosher Meals on Wheels to be delivered to her home each day and found a homemaker to grocery shop for Friday challah and other special items. Taking a closer look at Maxine’s home with an eye on safety, her care consultant arranged for grab bars to be installed in the bathroom and for all the scatter rugs to be skid-proofed. Maxine continued to live independantly.

Sophie
Sophie, 88 years old, was an active member in the Jewish community. Shortly after her husband died, she became ill and had difficulties remaining in her home. A care consultant from Jewish Family Service of the North Shore met with Sophie and her children. After much discussion, Sophie opted to relocate to a nearby assisted living facility. Her care manager helped Sophie and her family manage this transition. Although the assisted living facility provided many opportunities, Sophie continued to have some muscular aches and pains. Her care consultant suggested a massage therapist. Sophie and her family are comforted by the knowledge that they can call on Positive Aging Services when change occurs. PAS provides the help they need to support Sophie as she ages.

Staff Profiles

Susan Berliner, LICSW

Susan is a licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with over 25 years experience. She received an MSW from Boston University and an M.Ed. in Special Education from Leslay College as well as a BA in Psychology from Brandeis. Susan manages the JFS-sponsered Naturally Occuring Retirement Community (NORC) programs in Lynn and Swampscott.

Naomi Dreeben, LICSW

Naomi specializes in assisting families who are coping with changes associated with aging. She previously worked at the Shapiro-Rudolph Adult Day Center in Swampscott. Naomi is an active advocate for elders in the North Shore community. She holds a BS Cornell University and received her MSW from the University of California at Berkeley.

Affiliations (back to top)

We work closely with a number of organizations throughout the North Shore to bring you the assistance you need, including but not limited to: Jewish Rehabilitation Center (JRC), Grosvenor Park Nursing Center, Bertram House, Woodbridge Assisted Living, Greater Lynn Senior Services, Temple Ahabat Sholom, Shirat HaYam, Temple Emmanu-el, Temple Shalom, Chabad of the North Shore, Temple Sinai, Temple Ner Tamid, Jewish Community Center of the North Shore, Jewish Federation of the North Shore, and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

Chicken Soup Recipe (Comfort for any age) (back to top)

This soup is often called “Jewish penicillin” because is not only tastes good but it boosts the immune system too! You don’t have to be Jewish to love this soup. So what are you waiting for? Gay essen! (“Go eat!”).