We Hear You and We Are Here For You
“N
o one ever asked me how I’m doing,” shared Howard, 89, speaking about his life as a caregiver for his 83 year-old wife Judy.* “I felt all alone and now I feel heard, and am so grateful for the help. I really don’t know what I would do without this program.” Howard is referring to the newly created Jewish Community Dementia Care Path Program, which supports individuals with Alzheimer’s and dementia and their caregivers with professional case management and care coordination services. With offices at Jewish Family Service Association (JFSA), the program is a collaboration between the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, JFSA, and community partners. Case management by the specialized Dementia Care Navigation team provides intensive intervention to help families manage complex situations and make referrals to resources as needed, to alleviate caregiver stress and empower families to live well with dementia. Howard has been the main caregiver for Judy, who has been diagnosed with dementia, and has been hesitant to trust anyone else with her care. Though they visit often, most of Judy and Howard’s family lives out-ofstate. During her most recent visit, Howard and Judy’s daughter felt helpless and contacted Access Jewish Cleveland (at the Federation) to get information on * Names have been changed to protect anonymity.
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local dementia resources. Ellen Miller, director of Access Jewish Cleveland, referred Judy and Howard’s daughter to JFSA’s Older Adult services and the Dementia Care Navigation team. Hannah Thompson, a care navigator, met Howard and Judy in their home and listened as they explained their situation. She gathered information to holistically evaluate their needs and work with them to create a plan. At first, Judy was resistant to receive help from a new person. Hannah built trust with the couple through weekly meetings and assisting with needed tasks like driving Judy to her bi-weekly hair appointments. The patience and care Hannah offered encouraged Judy to open up about her symptoms. Hannah began making necessary referrals that immediately gave peace of mind to Howard and Judy’s out-of-state family. Hannah’s reliable support is a relief for Howard, who spends most of the day caring for his wife, a role for which he felt unprepared. After processing the challenges with Hannah, Howard also hired a home health aide to assist with Judy’s personal care in the evenings. As Howard and Judy’s needs continue to change, they know their care navigator and the Jewish community will be there for them. With more than 4,000 Jewish Clevelander’s impacted by Alzheimer’s and dementia, the Jewish Community
