Older Adult Services 
Fall 2015
 
AJFCA is thrilled to release our second quarterly newsletter on older adult services for member agency professionals and leaders! This newsletter includes information about AJFCA's new online platform, Senior Resource Connect, as well our other older adult services initiatives, questions and answers for our network, and news and events related to aging services. 

Please contact Liz Woodward, Director of Older Adult & Disabilities Services, at lwoodward@ajfca.org or 410-500-5372 for questions and suggestions for future newsletters.
AJFCA Initiatives
Requesting New Resources for Senior Resource Connect
Senior Resource Connect aims to leverage the expertise of AJFCA's older adult services providers to build a strong, united platform to enable older adults and their adult children and caregivers to access information about services throughout the United States and Canada. Check out the website at SeniorResourceConnect.org. 

Do you have resources for older adults and caregivers looking for assistance? AJFCA is searching for new checklists, blogs, tip sheets, recommendations, and stories that can be adapted for the Resources & Information section of the site. Check out theResources & Information page here and email Liz with questions or to submit a resource. 
AJFCA Member Benefit: ALCA Membership Discounts

AJFCA is proud to support the work of Aging Life Care Association (formerly NAPGCM), which works to bring together professionals working to support older adults and caregivers through a holistic, client-centered approach. Kaaren Boothroyd, ALCA CEO, and her team recently shared information about their association and this new benefit to AJFCA members on the webinar "Aging Life Care: Why you? Why now?".  Access a recording of the webinar here and the webinar slides here to learn more about ALCA.
 
Professionals from AJFCA member agencies with at least one full dues-paying ALCA member at the Advanced Professional or Professional level are eligible for a 50% discount on new membership for 2016. Applications and supported documents must be submitted to ALCA by November 13, 2015.  Download the membership application here and email lwoodward@ajfca.org with questions. 

U.S. Department of HHS Awards Grant for Support of Services to Holocaust Survivors

It is with great excitement that we are announcing the award by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of the grant for support of services to Holocaust survivors. This almost $2.5 million grant also requires almost $1.6 million in matching funds, bringing the total value of the grant to $4M. The grant is renewable for four more years, pending availability of funds. The grant has been awarded to the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) in partnership with AJFCA and other Jewish communal organizations. Ninety per cent of these funds will be available in sub-grants for local communities and agencies to provide person-center, trauma-informed services to Holocaust survivors. Learn more here.

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AJFCA Facebook Group for Older Adult Services Professionals Coming Soon!

AJFCA is creating members-only, closed Facebook groups to allow professionals in our network to post questions and resources for their colleagues in an easily-accessible setting. We will be alerting members to this opportunity via email in the coming months. 
Past Events
2015 Midwest Meeting on Older Adult Services
Thirty older adult services professionals and agency leaders from 14 agencies throughout the Midwest region and beyond gathered on August 31st at JFS of Metropolitan Detroit for the 2nd Midwest Older Adult Services Meeting. The meeting kicked off with a discussion on trends in aging services followed by presentations and discussions on geriatric care management, integrated care, subsets in aging, specialized populations, psychotherapy and counseling, and community collaborations. 

A common theme throughout the day was the growing importance of organizational collaboration to meet the needs of older adults in a transitioning healthcare and social services environment.  Gain insight into this important work by accessing the meeting presentations and notes in the older adult services section of the AJFCA Resource Library here. 
Polish Pensions Call
On October 13th representatives from the Claims Conference spoke with AJFCA member agency professionals about the Polish Pension Program. 

Listen to a recording of the call by dialing 877-919-4059 and using the passcode 45128535# and access information and resources from the call here. 
Information and Resources
Questions for the Network
Share your experience and expertise with your colleagues by answering the questions below. 
Relevant answers will be shared in the next newsletter.
 
  • What is your agency doing to address the particular challenges and needs of aging parents and their adult disabled children, who are often residing with the parent(s)? Click here to answer
  • Have any agencies developed strategies for enhancing relationships between older adults and younger adults with disabilities who are living in the same housing complex?JFCS Boston is increasingly hearing about the challenges staff face in working with a mixed population and the tensions that arise between the different populations of residents. Click here to answer
  •  What are agencies doing around mental health as it specifically relates to older adults (not dementia).  Click here to answer
  • What strategies do agencies use to promote their older adult services to other community organizations that serve older adults? Is there some sort of "magic bullet" in helping convince other senior providers that  your agency's events are good for their clients, collaborative in nature, and can even be used as a marketing tool on their part? Click here to answer
  • What common concerns or issues have you or your staff members experienced related to secondary trauma while working with Holocaust survivors and what strategies does your agency use to help staff cope with these issues? Click here to answer
Answers for the Network
Click here to see the answers the questions from the last newsletter regarding LGBT staff training and securing Holocaust survivor paper files, provided by JFCS Pittsburgh.