14 Friday, November 23, 1984 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS HEART is where the home is A Jewish Family Service program allows seniors to maintain dignity and independence in a group home setting. BY TEDD SCHNEIDER Staff Writer and HEIDI PRESS Local News Editor Minnie Aaron enjoys a game of bingo at one of the monthly parties. erman Boraks, the newest resident in the Jewish Family Service Group Apartments for- the El- derly project, is an "acci- dent" victim — and project coordinator Zena Baum couldn't be more pleased. Earlier this year, when doctors told Boraks, 82, that his heart condi- tion made it inadvisable to live alone, the fiercely independent native of De- nmark didn't know where to turn. But then a JFS volunteer inadvertently mentioned the group apartments. Boraks, calling his discovery a "happy accident," moved into a two-bedroom unit in Southfield's Carlyle Towefs during the summer, joining roommate Sol Lieberoff, one of the pioneering tenants in the program. For the first time in my life, I was face to face with the necessity of giving up my independence," Boraks said as he was showing off the seventh floor apartment that he now shares with Lieberoff. Realizing that for health and security reasons he had to be someplace where people could keep an eye on me," Boraks was nonetheless wary of trading in the self-sufficient lifestyle he had led since his wife died in 1971. The independence that Boraks treasures is important to the people of JFS as well. In fact, helping the elderly maintain their dignity and identity is one -of the primary objectives of the Group Apartments project, according to Baum. While the 15 men and women currently residing in the Car- lyle Tower Apartments on Providence Drive in Southfield were placed to- gether according to their physical con- dition and ability to live with each other, Baum encourages each tenant to do as much for himself as possible. "It wasn't because I didn't like the people here; that's not what made me so hesitant," Boraks said, recalling his feelings after an initial visit. "I just didn't have enough faith in myself. I had no idea how well I could get along in close proximity with one or two other men I would be living with. But when I saw that I could in- deed live a private life here, in addi- tion to getting any medical attention that I might need, my worries began to fade." Begun in 1979 with the help of a $250,000 endowment, Group Apart- ments for the Elderly currently main- tains five units with a sixth apartment scheduled to open Dec. 2. A seventh is planned for later this winter. At first glance, a five-year-old program with only 15 clients may seem to be progressing at a snail's pace. But one reason for the relatively low number of participants is the care- ful screening process that JFS has in- corporated into the project. Candi- dates for the Group Apartments are found by JFS staffers and through re- ferrals. A thorough social, psychologi- cal and physical assessment is made of the applicant and those who prove to be a good match for the other residents in a particular apartment where a va- cancy exists are accepted into the pro- gram. It is preparatory work like this that usually leads to a smooth rela- tionship between roommates. Ethel Feldman, who shares an apartment with two other women on the eighth floor is, though she may not realize it, paying a quiet tribute to Baum when she says, "There is great harmony among the three of us." , As comprehensive as the selection process is, it is not perfect, Baum ad- mits. "There is always the chance that things won't work out. When we dis- cover that there is friction between a set of roommates, we try to come up with some sort of compromise, or, fail- ing that, a new arrangement that is acceptable to everyone involved. We are not afraid to admit our mistakes and we take great efforts to correct them.' The JFS furnishes the "common" rooms in each apartment: living room, dining room, kitchen and bathroom. Residents are encouraged to bring their own bedroom furniture and any other pieces to which special memories are attached or that they feel will make the apartment look more like home. Feldman, who moved into the Group Apartments three years ago, took a set of delicate, hand-carved figurines and arranged them on a shelf in the living room. "There is a lot of pride involved in keeping up your own place, and these (the figurines) make me feel like I am in my own place," she said. For Boraks and Lieberoff, music helped ease the transition into a new environment. The fact that each man is an opera buff with a sizeable collec- tion of records (the work of JFS "matchmakers" was really apparent Director Zena Baum talks to Apartmentmates and housekeepers.