The Jewish Home Family is establishing a shelter for victims of elder abuse. The shelter is called SeniorHaven for Elder Abuse Prevention, and it is set to open at the beginning of July.
SeniorHaven will offer community education as well as emergency short-term shelter for victims. Elder abuse can be physical, verbal, emotional, financial or a matter of neglect, but is a growing problem in the US. Some studies indicate that 1 in 10 seniors have suffered some form of abuse.
Referrals are expected to come from Adult Protective Services, hospital emergency rooms and other sources, and a meeting took place last week with community partners in the new initiative.
“It makes sense to provide emergency shelter in an existing facility for the elderly,” says Jewish Home Family President and CEO Carol Silver-Elliott. “All the services older adults need are available within our walls, from medical to physical therapy, social work and pastoral care to nutritional services. Equally important to us is the opportunity to educate the community about this issue.”
SeniorHaven is part of the SPRiNG Alliance, a network of regional elder-abuse shelters and other similar service models with close working relationships, shared resources and technical assistance, common standards of excellence and a vibrant community of support. Created by the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Center for Elder Abuse Prevention, the nation’s first comprehensive regional elder-abuse shelter, its mission is to provide shelter for victims of elder abuse and to enhance public awareness and knowledge about elder abuse. Victims are offered a full range of healthcare and supportive services including an emergency residential shelter and a coordinated system of care that provides a safe harbor, emotional support, psychological counseling, healthcare, legal advocacy and representation.
Before joining Jewish Home Family last November, Silver-Elliott had replicated the program at the Cedar Village Retirement Community in Ohio.
The Jewish Home Family runs the Jewish Home at Rockleigh—Russ Berrie Home for Jewish Living, the Jewish Home Assisted Living – Kaplen Family Senior Residence, the Jewish Home at Home and the Jewish Home Foundation of North Jersey. The mission of the Jewish Home Family is to provide the very best care, service and guidance for the benefit of our elderly and their families, at home and at our facilities, now and into the future, regardless of race, religion or financial ability, consistent with our Jewish traditions and values.
