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Special-needs
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seniors in food-
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Senior-citizen dining rooms
provide the setting for a
special kind of comaraderie.
43 6a
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goals of creating job skills for those with spe-
cial needs and providing a smoother dinner
hour for JAS seniors. The program under the
direction of Sherry Schumante, JVS food ser-
hen first informed that special-
vice supervisor, appears to be succeeding.
needs adults would be working in
JVS trained 11 workers who assist JAS resi-
their dining rooms, some resi-
dents as needed. With many residents
dents of the Lillian and
Esther N enner using mobility devices, some found it
Samuel Hechtman Jewish Apartments
in West Bloomfield were apprehensive. helps clear tables difficult to maneuver through the
after din ner.
crowd and balance food trays while
But nine months later, a senior who
going through cafeteria-style lines.
remembers once saying, "It will be a
This is where workers like Leonard Cohen
depressing, heart-breaking hour," now sees din-
come in. "I pass around salads, and clear and
ner as a pleasant time of day for both the
help carry trays," he says.
seniors and the workers they have come to rely
JVS job coach Airrick Stroud leads a crew of
on.
five, who serve coffee and water and some food
Damon Bradley, Jewish Apartments and
items, set and clear tables and help with trays.
Services marketing and development director,
The staff is instructed in restaurant protocol,
says the seniors and the helpers "have really
including hand sanitation and professional
come to accept each other's strengths as well as
appearance. Stroud says the training they get
weaknesses in a program that has proved to be
should allow them to interact and be prepared
a mutually beneficial relationship for the two
to "work in the real world — for going on to a
populations."
restaurant." Such is the hope of Cohen, who
With the Assisted Meal Service program,
previously did factory-type work at JVS.
Jewish Vocational Service in Southfield had the
SHELLI. DORFMAN
• Staff Writer
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kargaitt.k‘
1/7
2000
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