Page 6-THE NEWS-April. 1987
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Jewish Family Services
...HEAR YE...
NEW PHONE NUMBER FOR
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES
Jewish Family Services (formerly
Jewish Social Services) now has its own
direct phone line. The new number is
364-6594. If, on occasion, we cannot
answer the phone, there is an answer
ing machine so that you can leave a
message and we will call you back as soon as possible. If
for any reason we can not answer the phone and you need
to speak to someone immediately, you can call our old
number, 366-5007, and leave a message with the
receptionist.
Special Announcements
JFS Donation Cards
A donation to Jewish Family Services can do many
things for you. With a donation, we will mail out a card
saying Thanks, Happy Birthday, Congratulations, in
Honor of, or I Love You; or your message can express sor
row or share a dear memory.
At the same time, your donation to Jewish Family Ser
vices helps us to continue our services to seniors and their
families, parents and children, adolescents, the lonely and
ill, those who are unemployed, and anyone Jewish who is
experiencing stress and confusion in their lives. All gifts,
regardless of size, are deeply appreciated and well used.
To make a donation, call us at 364-6594 or mail to Jewish
Family Services, P.O. Box 13369, Charlotte, NC 28211.
Can You Help Us?
We now have a food chest located in the front lobby of
the JCC. We would appreciate your bringing non-
perishable items for those in need.
We frequently get requests for roommates, sitters, tem
porary housing, jobs, nannies, etc. If you can fill any of
these needs at any time, please call our office. It’s helpful
to keep these on file.
Student Loans Are Available
Jewish Family Services is again proud to announce that we
will do the screening for interest-free educational loans for col
lege students. These loans are provided by Jewish Children’s
Service of Atlanta as part of a regional program. During the
school year 1986/87, six Charlotte students were awarded stu
dent loans and one was awarded a scholarship.
The following are guidelines that determine eligibility:
1. The applicant and family must have been residents of the
Charlotte community for at least a year.
2. The money is to be used toward tuition and expenses for
college or post-secondary training.
3. Preference is given to students attending state schools,
although others have been approved.
4. The applicant must be accepted by a recognized school.
5. Loans are granted on an annual basis for full-time students
and paid bi-annually.
6. Financial need must be established. Other funding sources
must be applied for.
7. The applicant must agree to provide a progress report of
the student status of the grades and adjustment to school
annu£illy.
Jewish Family Services will be accepting these applications
until May 15. The completed applications must be in Atlanta
by May 29. For further information or to acquire an applica
tion packet, please call Goldie Weinreb, JFS Secretary, at
364-6594.
Thoughts From Adrienne
By Adrienne Rosenberg
JFS Director
This is a story that most
people do not want to read or
face until they must. The
players in the story are the
elderly and their grown child
ren. The scenario is one of
insecure times, of facing the
realities that there are not
enough affordable resources to
serve those faced with the
situation — a living story for
many persons in our Charlotte
Jewish community.
Jewish Family Services is
seeing more and more seniors
and families living this story
on a daily basis. Its aspects
are usually chronic brought on
by the growing awareness that
a once independent elderly per
son is now less able to care for
themselves in the same way
they did. In fact, many of the
seniors in their late 70s that I
have had contact with these
past two and a half years are
facing £md living this scenario.
They and their families are
going through the pain of
making decisions about their
care in the future — decisions
that frequently are hampered
by the hard facts of limited
financial resources and insur
ance, governmental changes,
and the realities of an aging
population that is far ex
ceeding the capacities of avail
able resources.
Old age is not the problem;
the problem exists because a
community or society re
sponds inadequately to meet
needs. Many of the Jewish
seniors in our area are strug
gling with inadequate avail
able resources at affordable
prices. When families turn to
us for help with this problem
they are seeking alternative
resources. But limitations
often prevent care provision.
What are some of the limita
tions that make up this story?
Why can’t an optimum plan be
available for every Jewish
elderly person residing in the
Charlotte area? Perhaps some
of the following facts will help
answer these questions:
(1) People are living longer,
many with chronic health pro
blems. In fact, the fastest
Rowing population in the U.S.
is the over 85 age group. The
children of these older adults
frequently do not live in the
same community as the par
ents, nor is moving an older
person a simple matter. The
grown children are often
limited in their care-giving by
their own set of circum
stances, including the fact
that more women are in the
work force than ever before.
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(2) Overwhelmingly, most
elderly want to remain inde
pendent in their own resi
dences. The pain for a grown
child is that the parent may
accept struggling physically
to remain at home rather than
allow residential care.
(3) As the proportion of the
aged increases, more and more
face difficulties in caring
totally for themselves, needing
some assistance with daily
tasks of living (dressing,
bathing, cooking, cleaning,
etc.). According to a recent
governmental report released
in January, 3.2 million elderly
need regular home nursing or
other care at home, but only
1.9 million are getting all the
help they need. The push is for
the private sector, relatives
and home health, not govern
mental assistance, for care.
Medicare currently only pays
for limited home health ser
vices with rates as high as $7
an hour for an aide. Home
health agencies in Mecklen
burg County are plentiful; but
not always affordable.
(4) Nursing homes serve
people who require some form
of nursing care. The average
cost per day is $62 in N.C. for
private pay. Medicare only
covers medicEil problems re
quiring skilled nursing care or
intensive, restorative therapy.
It does not cover custodial
care. Doctor bills are only
covered if extra Medicare
insurance had been purchased.
Prepaid long term care in
surance is too new to help to
day’s seniors.
Medicaid, a state program,
is only available for those per
sons who have less than $1500
in assets. Not all nursing
homes accept Medicaid pay
ments, and those that do limit
the number of beds available
because they are not reim
bursed for the full amount.
The problem this presents is
that even if a senior wants to
or is eligible for a nursing
home under Medicaid, there
may be no bed available. There
is a shortage of Medic£iid beds
available in Mecklenburg
County, especially for in
termediate care.
(5) It has been assumed that
the Blumenthal Jewish Home
can be available whenever
there is a need for residential
care. The reality is that there
are waiting lists for both in
termediate and skilled care.
The last time I checked, in
fact, if someone were waiting
for a Medicaid bed in the in
termediate section, the wait
may be almost a year.
Jewish Family Services has
£ilways been committed to
serving seniors and their
families. We always use com
munity resources. But with
the growing awareness that
community resources are not
there for all, we are finishing
drafting a grant which, if
funded, will expand our senior
services. We are hoping to
acquire $65,000 to hire a geri
atric social worker and two
homemakers available on a
sliding fee scale within an
ethnic component.
The reality is that we have
approximately 150 - 200
Jewish seniors over the age of
65 in the Charlotte area. This
will only increase. The agency
would like to know we are bet
ter able to serve those seniors
in need of affordable home
care. The reality is we are not
presently able to do so.
I welcome any comments or
concerns or help in adding this
service. Call me at 364-6594.
This is a story that we will all
live one day. Let’s pull
together to make it better for
those living it today.
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