Jewish Family Service of Central NJ, a non-sectarian health and social service agency, will be hosting a caregiver conference called “Meeting the Challenges of Caregiving,” Sunday, February 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Conference, supported by a grant from the JFNA Center for Advancing Holocaust Survivor Care and The Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest Holocaust Survivor Fund, will take place at Congregation Israel, 339 Mountain Avenue, Springfield, New Jersey, and is open to the entire community at no charge. A continental breakfast will be served and dietary laws observed. Self-care kits will be available for all those who attend.
Registration will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., followed by the keynote address presented by Dr. Irit Felsen. Breakout sessions will be presented by Dr. Ken A. Verni, Dr. Irit Felsen and Alice Greenberg-Sheedy, LSW.
Dr. Irit Felsen, an internationally known clinical psychologist with expertise in trauma and loss, will deliver the keynote address titled, “A Caregiver’s Journey.” Dr. Felsen will also deliver a workshop titled, “Caring for Aging Holocaust Survivors.”
Dr. Felsen is in private practice in Mountain Lakes and Englewood, where she sees adults and couples, and runs a group for children of Holocaust survivors. In both her research and clinical work, Dr. Felsen has a particular interest in trauma, loss and displacement. She has worked with many survivors of different types of traumatic events, including the Holocaust, the tragedy of 9/11, victims of violent crime and others. Dr. Felsen is an Adjunct Professor at Yeshiva University in New York. She is a native of Israel, speaks five languages and is interested in issues related to immigration and multi-cultural families.
Dr. Ken A. Verni, a clinical psychologist and director of the NJ Center for Mindful Awareness, will discuss “Caring for Self and Others With Mindfulness.” Dr. Verni’s professional work for the past 20 years has been directed towards helping individuals access and use their inner wisdom as a means to experience greater balance and fulfillment in their lives. He is also affiliated with Rutgers University as a training and consultation specialist providing training throughout the state of NJ on mindfulness-based stress reduction. Dr. Verni received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology.
JFSCNJ Social Worker Alice Greenberg Sheedy, LSW, will deliver an informative workshop titled, “Managing Challenging Behaviors of Alzheimer’s/Dementia.” Greenberg-Sheedy completed the Masters of Social Work program at Rutgers University School of Social Work where she also obtained a Certificate in Aging and Health. She is a licensed social worker and a certified dementia practitioner. She coordinates all programs and services related to dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease at JFSCNJ.
Approximately 48 percent of the project, or $160,000, comes from federal sources. Approximately 52 percent, or $173,333, comes from non-federal sources.
Registration is recommended but not mandatory. To register contact Maris Chavenson, LCSW, at [email protected] or call 908-352-8375.
