TRENDS IN OLDER ADULT SERVICES . . .
September is Go4Life Month
Go4Life, an exercise and physical activity campaign from the National Institute on Aging at NIH, is designed to help older adults fit exercise and physical activity into their daily lives. Check out the campaign's tip sheets to learn about simple ways to be active every day here. - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
Click here to access Senior Resource Connect and stay current on the latest trends in older adult services.
AJFCA launched our new older adult services website, Senior Resource Connect this summer. The website aims to leverage the expertise of Jewish family services agencies assisting older adults in the community, increase referrals to member agency programs, streamline referrals between agencies, and act as an information hub on all matters of senior services.
Share this great news with your community.
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AGENCY HIGHLIGHTS
JFS Utah's Music & Memory Program Appears in Current AARP Bulletin
Music therapists who work with Alzheimer's patients describe seeing people "wake up" when the sounds of loved and familiar music fills their heads. Often, after months or even years of not speaking at all, they begin to talk again, become more social and seem more engaged by their surroundings. Some begin to remember names long forgotten. Some even do what Alzheimer's patients often cannot do as their disease worsens: They remember who they are.
More than 5 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer's, a disease for which there is no cure. One in 8 boomers will get the disease, according to estimates. About 15 million family members in the U.S. are locked in what can become a heartbreaking nightmare of taking care of a loved one with whom they can't communicate. For many, music can be an important part of easing that suffering. Researchers are finding new ways to use music as part of the treatment of dementia.
Music therapy programs are a critical part of care in several states and cities. Jewish Family Services in Utah hopes personalized music can help keep Alzheimer's patients at home with their loved ones longer. "We're one of just a few agencies in the U.S. that's doing this more home-based than institution-based," executive director Ellen Silver says. Alzheimer's hits married couples particularly hard. "Some other kinds of intimacy are lost," she said. "What I've seen this music do is create an intimacy that is so meaningful to the caregiver." Read more about the healing power of music here.
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JFSA Cleveland's YouthAbility Awarded Ruderman Prize In Inclusion
The Ruderman Prize In Inclusion honors Jewish organizations, like The Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland who operate innovative programs and provide services that foster the full inclusion of people with disabilities in their local Jewish community.
The Richard Horvitz and Erica-Hartman Horvitz YouthAbility Program of JFSA of Cleveland serves at-risk and youth with disabilities, ages 16-26, by engaging them in volunteer service, vocational activities, wellness education and social enrichment. YouthAbility participants help themselves by helping others. Each time that YouthAbility participants volunteer in the community, they deliver a powerful message that people who are differently abled are very ABLE to impact and improve the community. Learn more here.
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Stay updated on AJFCA offerings, agency news & current trends . . .
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D'Var Torah
Lee I. Sherman
Frequently, I am asked to describe the work of AJFCA member agencies. One response is to list the types of services: counseling, case management, prevention education, home care, adoption, and many more. Another response recognizes the varying populations we serve: older adults, adults, children, persons with disabilities, and on and on. Although descriptive on the surface, and overwhelming in the vastness and comprehensive nature of the reach of our members, this only begins to explain the impact of the work we all do. I believe as a network we touch everyone in our communities by seeking to provide equal access to economic and social rights and opportunities, the core of a just society.
This week's parashah, Shoftim, focuses on the theme of justice. Shoftim means "judges," and the Torah reading addresses the appointment of judges and gives them some rules of operation. But, the language of Shoftim makes it clear that the pursuit of justice is not just a task for the judges. The famous words, "Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you," (16:20) appear in the opening lines of the parashah. This language is directed to everyone who will be entering the Land of Israel, which means all of the people. It is a communal and individual responsibility to safeguard our basic values and act justly to others. If we truly have a just society, it is not just for some, but for all. And the repetition of the word "justice" suggests that this pursuit of justice is meant to be active - in places where justice is absent, we must all work to secure it.
Social justice drives the work of our Jewish human service agencies each day, all day. It is core to our existence and it is reflected in the way in which we connect with the individuals and families we serve. And, it is our way to ensure that our communities and the larger society are made better by lifting up even those in greatest need.
Shabbat Shalom.
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Ruderman Inclusion Summit 
The Ruderman Inclusion Summit will bring together all stakeholders in our community to foster strategic advocacy and awareness, peer to peer learning, best practice, networking and more. The Summit will feature internationally recognized leaders in the field, speaking and engaging with attendees on the critical issues of education, housing, employment, community and religious life. Five hundred people from around the world are expected to participate in the conference. Learn more here.
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National Medicare Education Program (NMEP) Webinar 
The focus of the NMEP meeting is to enlist organizations to support outreach and education around the Medicare program. NMEP has expanded the focus of the meeting to reflect additional CMS programs such as the Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program.
National Medicare Education Program
Wednesday, September 9th, 1pm - REGISTER HERE
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Webinar Series: The Changing Landscape of Community and Residential Supports for Persons with Disabilities
Professionals, self-advocates, and family members are invited to this 4-part webinar series hosted by AJFCA and presented by the Task Force on Jewish Residential Alternatives for Adults with Disabilities outlining the changing landscape of community and residential supports for persons with disabilities. The series is offered free of charge to all AJFCA network professionals and available to clients of AJFCA members and professionals and clients at non-member organizations for a fee. Learn more here. 
Join this discussion with Steven Eidelman, H. Rodney Sharp Professor of Human Services, Policy and Leadership at the University of Delaware and former Executive Director of The Arc of the United States, to learn about best practices for residential programming and the philosophy of funding residential programs in the future.
Residential Programming
Wednesday, October 21st, 1 pm EST - REGISTER HERE
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AGENCY PROGRAMMING/OPERATIONS
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An Investment in Social Entrepreneurs Yields Real  Value, Unexpected and Welcome Returns
In the late 1990s, many of us saw a Jewish community with great potential for change. But it lagged far behind in nourishing new ideas. Specific segments of the Jewish community received very little attention or were being ignored almost entirely: LGBT Jews, Jews of color, young Jewish leaders - to name only a few. Continue reading here.
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What's Your Story? Leadership and Storytelling 
Storytelling - once the stuff of childhood nighttime rituals - has grown up and is quickly becoming a go-to tool in the very adult world of business. MBA programs, workshops, and coaches all offer strategies and support to help today's leaders craft a better story. And it makes sense. According to Pamela B Rutledge, Ph.D., in her post on Psychology Today, "The Psychological Power of Storytelling," "Stories are how we think. They are how we make meaning of life. ... Read the entire article here.
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Advocacy Day  The 2015 AJFCA Advocacy Day will take place on Tuesday, October 27th in Washington, DC. Learn about public policies affecting your work, and advocate for your priorities at meetings at the White House and on Capitol Hill (lunch included).
HOTEL
Reserve your room at the Renaissance Washington, DC Dupont Circle Hotel (via the link) by calling 888-803-1298. Please identify yourself as part of the AJFCA group when making your reservation. The group rate is $219.00 per night, plus tax. Reservations must be made by October 3rd. Please contact Zahava at 410-843-7487 with questions.
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Make Advocacy a Part of Every Board Member's Duty 
Advocacy is essential to nonprofit work - but it's not always seen as a crucial part of serving on a nonprofit board. That view is changing, however, especially now that BoardSource, the organization that many nonprofits turn to for advice on governance, has put advocacy on its list of 10 basic responsibilities of nonprofit boards. BoardSource's stance is part of a larger drive designed to embolden more nonprofit board members to participate in advocacy: the Stand for Your Mission campaign.
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Challenge: Go from Tactical to Strategic Demand Generation
Over the last four years when asked about their biggest marketing challenges, marketers have listed generating quality leads as one of their top two challenges. Year in and year out, marketers are struggling with how they can generate quality demand and in so doing, have an impact on their organization's sales pipeline and bottom line revenue. Learn more here.
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The Key to Raising More This Year 
You might have a marketing plan, a shiny new website, and a fundraising appeal that has been triple-checked, but the key to raising more this year will come down to really knowing and understanding your donors. When you truly understand your donors, you can communicate more effectively with the best timing, more relevant messages, and the right ask. And the only way to get smarter about these critical elements of donor communication is to be able to collect, manage, and efficiently analyze your fundraising data. Continue reading here.
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COA's 2016 Conference: Call for Proposals  Released!
The Council on Accreditation (COA) is seeking proposals for workshops for its 2016 Conference, The Power of Collaboration, to be held July 17th - July 19th, 2016 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. The 2016 Conference will provide participants with a forum to exchange information, discuss innovative ideas and strategies, and build lasting connections. Learn more at the conference website.
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VOLUNTEER & YOUNG ADULT ENGAGEMENT
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A Different Kind Of High Holiday Service? 
This High Holiday season Repair the World is inviting folks to do "service" a little differently. Instead of, or in addition to, attending High Holiday Services, Repair the World is empowering individuals (like you!) to DO High Holiday Service. Repair the World invites you to join them in inspiring service to bring about food justice this fall, in one or ALL of the following ways! |
Intergenerational Service Learning 
Volunteer caregiving organizations often are overlooked as resources for collaborating with health care providers in offering cost-effective services and programs, particularly for the elderly and disabled. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act calls for - and rewards - the creation of such alliances. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2014, the National Volunteer Caregiving Network, headquartered in Georgetown, Texas, is just such a potential ally. Read more here. |
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