JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE RESETTLEMENT SERVICE NEW S L E T TER • EXPANDING OUR HORIZONS TO SERVE YOUR NEEDS • JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE & UNITED WAY We hope that you will support the United Way for Southeastern Michigan and its 1994 Torch Drive. This year's goal has been set at $58.5 million. The 1993 Torch Drive yielded $57.1 million. "Touch a Life. The United Way" is this year's Torch Drive slogan. Through the campaign, ap- proximately 1.7 million individuals are serviced each day through United Way funded agencies. Jewish Family Service is one of the 140 health and human service agencies in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, which receives annual funding from the United Way Torch Drive. Funding from the Torch Drive address- es such critical problems as spousal abuse, child abuse and neglect, infant mortality, illiter- acy, homelessness, juvenile delinquency and crime, care for the elderly and families under stress. Please consider designating JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE when you make your 1994 pledge. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE 1994 TORCH DRIVE, PLEASE CONTACT UNITED WAY AT (313) 226-9200. QE3a0 0 l• or EXPANDS GROUP OFFERINGS As the JFS WINDOWS Program continues to grow, we continually re-evaluate the Program's components to more effectively meet the needs of our clients. We have learned that groups provide one of the most successful ways of working with the issue of domestic violence. Individuals dealing with situations of abuse can benefit from peer validation, feedback and modeling of new behaviors. The WINDOWS Program recently began to offer two different types of groups specifically geared to the needs of women in controlling and/or violent relationships. One group is a 12- week psycho-educational group in which clients develop life skills and gain insights regarding their personal behavior. Goals for this group include helping women to understand their behavior, identify their own feelings and increase self-esteem. The second group is designed for women to learn how their behavior contributes to their individual situations. This group is a more traditionally structured group where women learn how to reinforce self-actu- alizing behavior. The format of the group will not be time-limited and individuals will be able to enter and exit as appropriate. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE WINDOWS PROGRAM AND ITS GROUP OFFERINGS PLEASE CONTACT SANDRA HYMAN, DIRECTOR, DEPART- MENT OF CHILDREN, ADULT AND FAMILY SERVICES AT (810)559-1500. JFS OFFERS KS AND NCJW EDUCATE COMMUNITY FAMILY CONSULTATIONS One of the more significant issues affecting the Jewish community is the care of the rapidly growing segment of the population which is over 75 years of age. Many older adults are able to maintain complete independence throughout the aging process. Other individu- als, as they age, may experience a loss of inde- pendence due to increasing physical and mental deficits, as well as limited financial resources. And as the population ages, more and more individuals and their concerned relatives need help in identifying available community resources. In response to this increased need, JFS has designed a new service to specifically address the concerns of the relatives: the Family Consulatation. The Jewish Family Service Senior Services Department receives close to 65 calls on a monthly basis from adult children or other rela- tives who are concerned about their aging par- ent or relative. Family members call to receive guidance in order to provide the best possible care for their relative. Frequently, a telephone call does not allow enough time to explore all available options. A Family Consultation is a one-time meet- ing with a highly trained geriatric social work- er. The meeting is generally 1 to 1.5 hours long. The primary function of the meeting is to do active planning with the concerned relative. Options are explained and discussed. Housing options is most often the number one issue discussed. The geriatric social worker explains the full range of housing options avail- able in both the Jewish and general communi- ties. Other issues usually discussed (each Family Consultation is tailored specifically to the needs of each family) may include home- care options, Kosher Meals on Wheels and Medicaid eligibility requirements. The Family Consultation may also include a discussion of the frequent high levels of stress involved in making decisions for an aging parent or rela- tive. The fee for a Family Consultation ranges from $70 to $ 100 .FOR FURTHER INFORMA- TION, PLEASE CONTACT EITHER PHYLLIS SCHWARTZ, MSW, DIRECTOR, SENIOR SERVICES DEPARTMENT, OR JUDY KOTZEN, MSW, SUPERVISOR, SENIOR SERVICES DEPARTMENT AT (810) 559-1500. JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE The JFS WINDOWS Program has joined with the National Council of Jewish Women - Greater Detroit Section to raise community awareness con- cerning domestic violence. Following an extensive training process, a cadre of dedicated volunteers has prepared educational presentations which will be offered to the following synagogues/community organizations (to date): SAFE PLACE receives donation from Temple Israel Sisterhood Social Action Comittee. Pictured are Janie Roth, Sisterhood President; Hermi Stone and Joan LaBelle, Sisterhood Social Action Committee Co- Chairpersons; Helen Shevin and Barbara Cook, SAFE PLACE Co-Chairpersons. • Congregation Shaarey Zedek/B'nai Israel • ORT • Hadassah (Greater Detroit chapters and Ann Arbor) • B'nai B'rith Women • Temple Emanu-El • Na'amat JFS and NCJW are the co-sponsors of SAFE PLACE, a single-family emergency shelter for battered Jewish women and children. This kosher shelter can accomodate observant women and children. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SCHEDULING A PRESENTATION FOR YOUR SYNAGOGUE/ COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, PLEASE CONTACT: PHIL ELLIOTT. MSW COORDINATOR. WINDOWS PROGRAM (810)559-1500. SIGNS OF ELDER ABUSE Over the past decade, both the general and Jewish community have identified the physi- cal, sexual and emotional abuse of women and children as significant social problems which need immediate solutions. As the population ages, elder abuse is increasingly being identi- fied as another form of abuse requiring atten- tion and intervention. Elder abuse encompasses a wide range of behaviors, including physical and sexual abuse, verbal and emotional abuse, neglect and finan- cial exploitation. Elder abuse can be perpetrat- ed by either caregivers caring for an older adult at home, or in an institutional setting. Perhaps it is shocking to realize that it is often the caregiver, either the spouse or an adult child or grandchild, who perpetrates the abuse or violence. One study shows that in 58% of in-home abuse, the perpetrator was a spouse, while in 24% of the cases, the abuse was perpetrated by a child. Typically, the vic- tim is female, over age 75, caucasian, living with a relative and has a physical and/or men- HOLD THE DATE tal impairment. There are several theories as to why a care- giver resorts to elder abuse. The leading cause is caregiver stress syndrome. Often the care- giver does not want to place their relative in a nursing home but the stress of providing 24 hour care is overwhelming. Perhaps the caregiver resents the huge demands placed on him/her. Another cause may be related to hav- ing a history of poor familial relationships or family violence. Elder abuse is preventable. An evaluation of needs and resources can help the caregiver with options and help the abused older adult to become safe again. IF YOU WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT ELDER ABUSE, PLEASE CONTACT JUDY KOTZEN, MSW, SUPERVISOR, SENIOR SERVICES DEPARTMENT AT (810) 559-1500 OR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES AT (810) 583-8700. continued on page 4 The Second Annual Reva Stocker Educational Lecture Series is proud to offer at no charge to the community: an evening with CHRISTINA CRAWFORD Author of Mommie Dearest and the recently published No Safe Place: A Legacy of Family Violence WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 1995 More information to follow soon! 24123 GREENFIELD ROAD, SOUTHFIELD, MI 48075 • 6960 ORCHARD LAKE ROAD, SUITE 202, WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI 48322