Elderly

One of the basic tenets of the Jewish faith is that the elderly deserve deference and respect. Federation supports a continuum of services to the elderly, working with the Federation system to provide nearly one million U.S. Jews over age 65 with social activities, healthcare, and necessary services such as transportation, housing, food and counseling.

There are 396 Jewish Federation-affiliated senior housing, assisted-living or skilled nursing apartments in North America, according to the Association of Jewish Aging Services.

Federation communities provide housing for more than 12,000 low-income elderly people.
 

Federation is working to ensure that the Older Americans Act is renewed, so funding will continue for those programs benefiting seniors, including meals-on-wheels.
 

Jewish Federations and 145 affiliated Jewish family agencies serve 198,000 senior citizens; 96,100 in their homes.
 

205,000 needy elderly Jews in the former Soviet Union (FSU) receive assistance through 145 American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and Federation-supported Hesed welfare centers at 1,700 sites.
 

In 1999, over 26,000 pieces of medical equipment produced by Jewish volunteers at a St. Petersburg facility were loaned to needy elderly Jews in nearly 145 cities. Almost 19,000 clients consulted with volunteer Jewish physicians associated with the welfare center. Nearly 143,000 clients received medication.
 

Federation also contributes to JDC's effort to feed elderly Jews in the FSU, providing over 960,000 food packages in 1999, make more than 1.6 million visits to 18,600 homes, serving approximately five million hot meals and providing winter relief fuel, clothing, blankets to 76,000.
 

With support from Federations, JDC also assists over 9,000 elderly Holocaust survivors in Eastern Europe.
 

Amigour, the Jewish Agency for Israel's housing management company, funded in part by Jewish Federations, operates 50 homes for 5,500 independent elderly in Israel.