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JCA Insights, May 2024

By JCA on May 30, 2024

SCSEP Partners With Goodwill

JCA SCSEP (Senior Community Service Employment Program) recently partnered with Goodwill to provide high quality educational opportunities to our jobseekers in Frederick.

Goodwill has a “state of the art” center on Monocacy Boulevard in Frederick and is welcoming JCA SCSEP jobseekers to attend its classes.

Our first graduates just completed their 6-week Digital Literacy course. Our proud graduates found the Goodwill class to be highly effective. Said one participant “I’m truly thankful for being one of JCA

jobseekers to go through Goodwill computer class. It gave me an opportunity to get more out of my computer. Another reason I enjoyed the class, the instructors were so informational it made it easy.”

Contact the JCA Senior Helpline to receive personalized guidance on housing, home care, recreation, mental health resources, and more,
for seniors in the Greater Washington, D.C. area.

Senior HelpLine: 240-290-3311 or 703-652-1515

seniorhelpline@accessjca.org

In this issue:

➢ SCSEP partners with Goodwill of Frederick

➢ New JCA video

➢ JCA Executor’s Guide

➢ Older Americans Month

➢ Volunteer opportunities

Video: This is What JCA Does Best

Meet an Interages® volunteer, a Kensington Club family, and a SCSEP graduate. Hear their stories and learn about what JCA does best in our latest video. See first hand the many ways JCA helps all seniors thrive.

JCA Offers Executor’s Guide

Preparing a will is widely recognized as an essential, responsible step in caring for our loved ones after we pass. Through a will, we can specify the distribution of remaining assets and secure our legacy. However, for those tasked with carrying out our wishes—the executor—the process is time-consuming, complicated, and expensive.

This guide serves to minimize the complexity and expense of the executor’s workload. This guide is written with the executor in mind, but anyone preparing a will or choosing an executor will benefit as well. In the guide, you will find checklists, helpful resources, and several links to online tools developed by third parties to streamline and clarify the process. View and download the guide.

Montgomery County Proclaims May as Older Americans Month

The Jewish Council for the Aging, as well as several other organizations, was honored as Montgomery County council kicked off Older Americans Month.

Board member Vicki Witkin represented JCA and received a copy of the council proclamation, which stressed the importance of living in an age-friendly county.

The proclamation states:

Whereas Montgomery County, Maryland celebrates Older Americans Month and honors the diversity in our community by ensuring that the programs and services designed for older adults are intentionally equitable and inclusive;

and whereas Powered by Connection is the theme of this year’s celebration. A theme we exhibit by hosting events that help foster, create, and maintain meaningful relationships for older residents;

and whereas seniors will constitute on quarter of Montgomery County’s population by 2030 with continued growth up to 35% by 2040;

and whereas we are committed to lifting up the needs of older residents while eliminating the stigmas associated with aging;

and whereas Montgomery County, Maryland is committed to guaranteeing our community is age friendly with programs including the senior nutrition program, senior dental program, and the call and ride program, which offers discounted transportation to eligible seniors and adults with disabilities;

now therefore be it resolved that the county council of Montgomery County, Maryland hereby proclaims May 2024 as older Americans month, and be it further resolved that the Montgomery County council and government affirms our support and respect for resident who have helped make our community the best in the country.

Interages Seeks Volunteers

Opening Minds Through Art: June 21 – August 9, 2024 (seven weeks)

The JCA Heyman Interages Center invites volunteers, teens through adults (ages 14-24), to join us this summer for an award-winning, evidence-based, intergenerational art-making program called Opening Minds Through Art (OMA). Volunteers partner with JCA’s Kensington Club members to help older adults with memory loss create abstract art projects that engage the mind and break through cognitive barriers. OMA is a failure-free program designed to provide older adults with opportunities for creative self-expression and social engagement. SSL hours are available. More information can be found on the volunteer portal.

Quilting Connections Intergenerational Program (three weeks) for middle and high school students with Arts for the Aging, JCA Heyman Interages Center, JCA Kensington Club and The Phillips Collection

Bridge the musical and visual arts in this three-week intergenerational and multidisciplinary arts workshop series led by Arts for the Aging teaching artists and featuring a field trip to The Phillips Collection. Inspired by quilts and collages on view, students will partner with older adults at the early stages of memory loss to arrange fabric of different sizes, shapes, and colors into patterns to develop melodic fragments. The patterns, like quilt squares, can be arranged and “sewn” into both musical compositions and visual works of art representing the stories that embody a community quilt. Make music, masterpieces, and friends across generations! SSL hours provided.

More information can be found on the Youth Volunteering page.

This past month the JCA blog, Information for the Sandwich Generation, featured a clip from CBS Mornings which outlined the hidden costs of unpaid caregiving. A Maryland program for accessible telecommunications was introduced. If you haven’t seen the Washington Post article exposing the shortcomings of a popular senior care referral site, you can read it on the blog. This month also included posts about skills-based resumes, hearing loss, and the role of villages for aging in place. If you are a caregiver for an older adult, or you know one, check out the KC Blog as well.

Arden Baker in memory of Dr. Ellen S. Baker

Sarah Himmelfarb & Family in memory of Don Hargett

American Association for Justice in memory of Austin Heyman

Larry and Bettymerle Berkow in memory of Austin Heyman

Carol and Alan Croll in memory of Austin Heyman

David Deakin in memory of Austin Heyman

Jacques and Margaret Gelin in memory of Austin Heyman

Sandra Kursban in memory of Austin Heyman

Eileen Lavine in memory of Austin Heyman

Adrienne & Manny Mandel in memory of Austin Heyman

Carol Margolis in memory of Austin Heyman

Mara Mayor in memory of Austin Heyman

Robert Shoenberg in memory of Austin Heyman

Joan Kalin in memory of Stanley Kalin

Barry and Suzane Williams in memory of Chris Prinz

Michael Singer in memory of Lester Singer

Lisa & Susan in honor of Elaine Abramson

Come learn about the impact JCA has in our community in a 45-minute Zoom “tour of our mission.” You might be surprised at what you hear as we introduce you to our CEO, board president, Career Gateway graduate, Interages volunteer, and Kensington Club activity leader. Reserve your spot for June 27 at 4:00 p.m. We really would love to meet you!

Steer your car donation to JCA!

GiftCar is the new face of CAR J. It’s still just as easy to donate your car through this collaborative program of JCA and Makom (formerly Jewish Foundation for Group Homes). Get started by filling in the GiftCar form. GiftCar will pick up your car at no cost!