Seniors

The United States is facing a significant demographic shift as its population gets older, including members of our LGBTQ+ communities. According to the LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, Movement Advancement Project (MAP, it is estimated that, by 2030, there will be nearly 7 million LGBTQ+ people in the ...

Staying on the cutting edge of treatments for people with memory loss and their families is vital for the industry-leading team behind JFCS’ Center for Dementia Care. That’s why, recently, we embarked on a transformative journey to explore what could be the future of Alzheimer’s and de...

Every Tuesday at 1pm, you’ll find Tzippi poised at her computer, ready to help Holocaust survivors participate in Café by the Bay. The Café meets regularly in San Francisco and Marin and on the Peninsula to enjoy art, music, speakers, discussions, and celebrations. Tzippi is one of 30 volunteers...

For decades, Alice took pride in preparing gourmet meals for her husband, Joe. When Alice’s memory declined and she forgot most evenings to cook, Joe didn’t have the heart to raise the issue. Their weight and health began to suffer. Worried, Alice and Joe’s daughters looked for he...

David, age 83, is living on a very modest income in San Francisco—the city he has called home for over 60 years. He spends 70% of his income on rent, leaving little for other essentials like heating and food. “JFCS makes it possible for me to continue living in San Francisco,” David says. With...

Eight years ago, Betsy Zeger’s mother, Maxene, had just gotten out of the hospital when Betsy’s father died unexpectedly. Betsy found herself completely stretched thin, trying to care for Maxene while grieving the loss of her father. Fortunately, a dear friend noticed Betsy’s struggle and conn...

Zhenya Friedman believes that the line between giving and receiving is very thin. For over a decade, Zhenya has dedicated her time to volunteering and helping others, and in that time she has touched countless lives with her warm presence and kind spirit. Yet Zhenya believes that she definitely gets...

Two Stories of Hope and Healing Seven-year-old Maddie didn’t leave her house for an entire year during the pandemic. While her classmates returned to school, Maddie continued learning remotely and recently, everything from schoolwork to getting dressed in the morning has become a painful power str...

Hannah*, who is 82 and lives alone in San Francisco, was eager to get the COVID-19 vaccine so that she could go out and have some pieces of her pre-pandemic life back. But Hannah doesn’t have wifi or a computer, and like many local seniors who lack access or familiarity with technology, she ...

An update from JFCS’ Seniors At Home Each year, JFCS’ Seniors At Home helps over 16,000 older adults in the Bay Area live safely, healthily, and independently in their own homes. During COVID-19, our professional caregivers continue to ensure the safety of the seniors in our community ...

With Bay Area residents sheltering in place, social isolation is putting thousands at risk while trying to keep them safe. Even before a statewide Shelter-in-Place was mandated, social isolation was known as America’s quietest health risk—afflicting everyone from children to seniors, and from st...

Known as America’s quietest health risk, social isolation and loneliness affects people indiscriminately. From tweens to seniors and from stay-at-home parents to CEOs, many suffer in silence from the physical and mental health issues related to isolation and loneliness. Through the efforts of JFCS...

Aging is happy and healthy when we are part of a warm and welcoming community. That’s why JFCS is providing a growing range of social clubs that create meaningful connection and exciting programming specifically for older adults. Connections and Culture at San Francisco’s New Plaza Social Club E...

Our lives can feel upside down or even unlivable if someone seeks to harm us through bullying or deliberate behaviors to maintain a pattern of power and control—the definition of domestic violence. That’s why every day JFCS’ programs work to prevent cycles of abuse so that children, teens, adu...

Four years ago Joan became one of the every six Americans diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease each year. The 69 year-old’s symptoms progressed quickly and her husband of over three decades, Brian, retired early from his job in order to care for her while their adult daughter lives with them i...

For many older adults decreased mobility, pain, and the risk of falling make daily tasks difficult or even impossible. JFCS has launched Physical Therapy and Rehab to help them remain active and independent. The new service is also available to individuals of all ages who are recuperating from an in...

“I want to die with dignity.” Nora is a client of Jewish Family and Children’s Services whose story and strength I find inspiring. She has not only survived the Holocaust, she’s outlived her husband and son. Now, at 93, she’s been diagnosed with cancer. When Nora reached out to JFCS, she t...

For most of us a good quality of life means enough healthy food to eat, a safe place to live, a nurturing community of friends and family, and people who care about our physical and mental well-being. But many in the Bay Area do not have even their basic necessities covered. That is why JFCS [&helli...

Healthy older adults are living longer in their own homes, but a sudden fall in the shower or an unforeseen diagnosis can thwart a senior’s best-laid plans to age independently. LGBTQ+ seniors, who often don’t have children or who may be single and living alone, are among those taking advantage ...

Depression, cognitive decline, and long-term illness are just some of the dangers associated with loneliness and social isolation for adults 65 and over. JFCS’ Senior Services Program, Seniors At Home, has collaborated with two innovative technology companies, Intuition Robotics and Lyft, to harne...