Fall is here and school is back in session – including JFS’ Personal Care Aide (PCA) training program! Personal Care Aides are the foundation of our in-home care services. Without them, elders and adults with disabilities wouldn’t be able to bathe, dress, eat well, or do the daily tasks many of us take for granted. […]
Celebrating our Social Work Interns!
March is National Social Work Month, and we’re celebrating by highlighting two of our social work interns, Rachel and J’Keyah! Both serve as Resource Coordinators for the Senior Engagement program, helping connect homebound elders to resources they need and ensuring they have a great experience with the volunteers who call or visit them. We recently […]
Spotlight on JFS Social Workers
The theme of this year’s Social Work Month is #SocialWorkersAreEssential, and JFS is spotlighting our own essential social workers from around the agency! You’ll get a peek into an average day, hear why they decided to become a social worker, and learn what it takes to do the job. Please join us in honoring and […]
Honoring the JFS Care Aides
As we arrive at the anniversary of the pandemic, JFS is humbled by the exceptional compassion, dedication, and care our In-Home Care Aides have given their clients over the last year, many of whom are elders living in poverty and have nowhere else to turn for help. The challenges the Aides face are significant: caring for their own children and aging parents; families wanting more care for […]
Why Does Balance Decline with Age?
Most adults don’t think about their balance until they fall. The fact is, balance declines begin somewhere between 40 to 50 years of age. The National Institute of Health reports that one in three people over 65 will experience a fall each year. Combined with the projection that in Richmond alone by 2030, there will […]
Life & Legacy Spotlight: Jessica Samet
As the Life & Legacy program enters its fourth and final year, JFS staff interviewed Life & Legacy and JFS Board member Jessica Samet to hear her perspective on the program and her own legacy. How did you first get involved with JFS? Jessica Samet: I first came to JFS as an intern Masters of […]
14 Graduated from JFS’ First East End PCA Class
Long before Felicia took JFS’ inaugural East End Personal Care Aide (PCA) training course, she helped care for her great-grandmother Maxine. “She lived to be 104,” Felicia said. “I always enjoy being with seniors. They have so much knowledge, and their stories are so good.” Felicia signed up for JFS’ East End PCA course […]
Three Strategies to Reduce Dementia Symptoms
The number of individuals suffering from dementia is expected to more than triple by the year 2040, according to a recent study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience. One of the most effective ways to prevent or reduce dementia symptoms is to increase brain activity. “Working out” the brain can help reduce the severity of dementia […]
JFS’ 2019 Annual Meeting
Jewish Family Services held our Annual Meeting on Monday, June 17th at Maymont Nature Center to celebrate the 170th year of transforming lives and strengthening our community. This year in particular, we understand our work is achieved through a persistent focus on the JFS mission, dedication to working with partners, and the commitment of outstanding […]
From Caregiver to Family
In 1984, Retta Leigh’s father passed away and her mother, Ruth Perl, was in need of evening companionship. For the next 16 years, Retta Leigh and her family bounced from family member to professional caregiver in search for someone to help care for her mother’s needs. In 2000, Retta Leigh contacted JFS for a professional […]