38 Friday, March 31, 1918 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Residents' Needs Discussed at Federation Apartments Children's concerns for the welfare of their aging parents was the main item of business discussed at Jewish Federation Apart- ments on March 19, at the first formal meeting bet- 1 MAN ORCHESTRA Freddy Sheyer 398-2462 ween the apartments executive director and board of directors and the sponsors of the facility's re- sidents. The apartments, a member agency of the Jewish Welfare Federation, which planned the original building, houses 200 senior citizens with limited in- comes. - Sponsors, in most cases residents' children, are the individuals who as- sume "primary responsibil- ity" for the residents' well- being, said executive direc- tor Helen Naimark. Mark E. Schlussel, apartments president, ad- dressed the problem of in- sufficient senior citizens' housing with the an- nouncement that construc- tion will begin in June for a new building, adjacent to the present one, which will provide space for an addi- tional 130 residents. "With a total of 330 per- sons here, we're going to have to develop a more PASSOVER 6 78 CATERING AND CARRY-OUT By The BLOOMS Formerly Located At 12 Mile & Evergreen, Coolidge & 9 Mile and Bnai David Synagogue NOW TAKING ORDERS FOR THE HOLIDAYS! Complete Dinners & Ala Carte Specializing In Elegant Catering In Your Home, Clubhouse or Our Beautiful "Fontainbloom Room" YOU ARE SURE OF ELEGANT PRESENTATION WITH THE PERSONAL TOUCH WHEN YOUR SIMCHA IS PLANNED AND PERSONALLY SUPERVISED BY structured program, and we're going to need your help," he told more than 200 persons who filled the apartments dining room. Main speakers at the meeting were Margaret Weiner, casework and group treatment supervisor at Jewish Family Service, and Dr. Hyman Mellen, consultant at Sinai Hospital and chairman of the Medi- cal Coordinating Commit- tee serving the local agen- cies of the Jewish Welfare Federation. Lack of suitable work is a major problem for the el- derly, Mrs. Weiner said. "People have a tendency to expect older people to sit back and be passive. Well, when your parent, who would otherwise be a 'nood- nik', suddenly becomes very quiet, you'd better start worrying. The meaner they are and the more they comp- lain, the better." Another major problem for older persons is their re- duced mobility in today's geographically spread-out community. Public trans- portation, if it exists at all, is inconvenient, and the aged can't usually afford taxis. By ignoring the prob- lem, she said, we help the aged to become more and more isolated. "The world starts to shrink as people age." Mrs. Weiner suggested the aged could be useful in teaching Yiddish and personally-experienced Jewish history to chil- dren. "This remarkable generation of people who immigrated from Europe Residents of Jewish Federation Apartments enjoy dinner in the building's dining room. Five kosher meals are served each week to the building's 200 resi- dents. will soon disappear, and they have so much to of- fer," she said. "We are wasting an enormous human resource by not using the aged." Dr. Mellen, a board member of Jewish Federa- tion Apartments from its beginning in 1969 until his retirement last year, dis- cussed what he admitted was a painful topic: the problem of persons who grow too old to stay on at the apartments. "We should only continue to house individuals here who retain the capacity to function independently, who can take care of their own housekeeping, per- sonal cleanliness, cooking, laundry and medication, and who are able to recog- nize the need to call for help," he said. - "A temporary loss of in- dependence because of acute illness can be hand- led. But if an illness be- comes long-term, the resi- dent must be located elsewhere," he said. for a move at the first sign of incapacity, the transfer will be much easier because it won't have to be made on an emergency basis." Mental or emotional in- capacity is more difficult for relatives to face than physi- cal disability, he said. "Some senility in the aged is normal, especially mem- ory loss," he said. "But a rapidly increasing tendency to forget, plus lack of in- terest, clarity and com- prehension, moodiness, paranoia, a slowing of gait, difficulty with speech, a de- sire to be left alone -- these are not normal and indicate brain atrophy. "An individual so in- volved cannot be ex- pected to reside inde- pendently; he becomes a hazard to himself and to others," Dr. Mellen said. He urged sponsors not to make their own diagnoses, however. "These symptoms may mean a medical or DAILY CARRY-OUT: • COMPLETE DINNERS • PARTY TRAYS • • • • • • • • • • • mental condition which can • HORS D'OEUVRES • CONDOLENCE DINNERS be treated. If you notice Dr. Mellen said resi- OUR FOOD IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT ALL SHOPPING CENTER MARKETS these symptoms in your pa- dents' personal physi- rents, let a professional cians are asked to render make the decision about prognoses of their medi- whether treatment is possi- cal conditon at periodic ble," he said. intervals. AT 12 1/2 MILE — IN THE FARRELL PLAZA Bess Krolik, Jewish Fed- • 12711 W. 1 MILf RD. • eration Apartments vice "If there is evidence that a president who chaired the chronic inability is develop- meeting, noted that "social, ing, plans should be in- FREE ESTIMATES • • itiated for change," he said. intellectual and physical • AT YOUR Mit • "These decisions are never activity can slow down the Not Affiliated With Any Other Business onset of senility." easy, but if the children or • FOR ALL PARTIES • • • • • • • • • • • • • other relatives begin to plan She called for volunteers to help with the building's library, with discussion groups, Sabbath services, parties, clerical duties and other activities. "The resi- dents can run most of these programs themselves," she said. "They just need a little help from you." Mrs. Naimark noted that residents of the apartments have been actively working on pro- jects to benefit the Allied And Enjoy Your Jewelry For All The Reasons You Originally Purchased Them Jewish Campaign-Israel Emergency Fund. "Proceeds from games nights go to the Campaign, and we were just given a check for $250 from a group that runs a 'coffee klatch' on Sunday mornings, selling coffee and bagels," she said. "We recently discovered a lot of things in our storage rooms that are no longer Free Gift Wrapping No Due Bills, Cash refunds being claimed by our ten- In Racquetime Mall N.E. Corner 12 Mile & Northwestern VISA' ants. We want to sell these goods at a big bazaar and M., Th., Fri., di 9, Tues., Wed., Sat. til 6 357 - 5578 Betty Bloom STRICTLY LOCATED 29267 SOUTHFIELD RD. 559-6776 • • GRAEME • : FLOWERS BILL CAPLAN • • 341-3366 • • WHEN YOU SELL YOUR JEWELRY YOU CAN WATCH YOUR INVESTMENT GROW, In The Hands of Someone Else. 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