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Can Care Management Help Me or My Family?

by Marcy Morgenbesser, LICSW Alice, 67, has bipolar disorder and lives alone in a subsidized senior housing community. She has been a CJFS client since 2017, receiving Personal Care and Care Management services, Counseling and riding the Buz-A-Bus. When the pandemic hit, CJFS suspended face to face services, but Amy, Alice’s CJFS Social Worker, continued to […]

Thinking About How You Think

by Cynthia Bryant, LICSW The COVID pandemic has obviously impacted everyone’s life. Just when you think you have adapted to the current reality, new information and recommendations emerge. Every day there seems to be a new report about vaccine effectiveness, mask guidelines and daily totals for active cases and mortalities. In addition, we hear of […]

Sleep and Your Mental Health

by Amy Neiman, LMSW  With four pre-teens and teenagers under one roof, our family has some interesting discussions. Due to the pandemic, they have been hanging out at home even more for over a year. Our discussions range in topics from detailed explanations of Minecraft worlds to college essays and current events. Throw in a […]

How to be a “SuperAger”

by Pam Leonard, LBSW, CDP What can we do to help ensure that as we age, we maintain our cognitive and physical health for as long as possible? We already know the importance of a healthy diet and exercise, and we know it can be helpful to work puzzles, learn about new things and generally […]

Catching Up with Health Care Visits

by LaBrena Friend, LMSW  Have you delayed health care visits to avoid potential exposure to Covid-19? If so, you are among millions of people who have postponed care, thinking the pandemic would be “over soon.” By now, you may have missed nearly two years’ worth of screenings for cancer, diabetes and heart disease, as well […]

‘Tis the Season to be Tactful

By Cynthia Bryant, LICSW   You’re attending, or maybe hosting, a holiday party or family dinner – yay!  Or is it nay?  Holidays, and the way we anticipate them, can be complicated.  We may generally look forward to catching up with friends and family. And yet, the most delightful gathering can be dampened when someone behaves in a way we perceive as crude, unkind, overbearing or provocative.  With some people, these moments can even be predictable … and […]

Counselor’s Corner: Coping with Disappointment

by Gail Schuster, LICSW, ACSW My client, Joan, was excited about joining her sister Nan to celebrate the wedding of Nan’s son in Washington, D.C. Joan, who lives alone, was especially looking  forward to some special “sister time” after the wedding at Nan’s home nearby.      But those plans were dashed by COVID-19. The wedding, […]

CJFS Annual Meeting

2022 CJFS Annual Meeting, honoring David Reese as 2021 Volunteer of the Year

Crusin’ Collaboration: New Buz-A-Bus Partnership is a Win-Win

If you’re used to seeing our bright purple Buz-A-Bus around town, you may have noticed that it’s stopping a bit more often these days at Episcopal Place (EP), a subsidized senior housing facility on Birmingham’s southside. A new partnership between CJFS and EP is helping both organizations recover from pandemic-related financial stresses, while expanding transportation options for […]

Assessing Your Aging Parent’s Needs

by Marcy Morgenbesser, LICSW In my role as Clinical Director for CJFS, I frequently get calls from adult children concerned about their aging parents’ living situations. Often, a son or daughter believes that, in their current residence, Mom and/or Dad are unsafe or that they need more help. Although these family members sense that their parents’ situation needs to be addressed, they may not have any idea what kind of services or […]

Jewish Fertility Foundation and CJFS Partner to Serve Birmingham

Julie Cohen recalls that on the road to becoming the parents of a 4-year-old and twin toddlers, she and her husband went through “a lot of pain.” “And I like to think that we’ve gone through that so that I can help others” on that journey, said Julie, manager of the new Birmingham office of […]

Our FRIENDS are Everything to CJFS!

Donna Schiff, CJFS Friend and volunteer, reflects on her time as a CARES volunteer and the importance of CJFS services in our community. Donate to the CJFS Friends Campaign today – https://cjfsbham.org/friends-campaign/

Care for the Caregiver

Family caregivers now can receive one-on-one support and guidance at no cost from CJFS, through generous grants provided by the United Way of Central Alabama and Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham. “The pandemic only heightened the stress that many family caregivers were already experiencing,” said Pam Leonard, LBSW, a Certified Dementia Practitioner and Program Director […]

A Fiercely Independent Woman

Check in with CJFS client Janyce

CJFS Hands Up Together 2021 Event Recording

On May 13, 2021, Collat Jewish Family Services honored Nancy Collat Goedecke and raised more than $330,000 to support independence and enrich quality of life for older adults, regardless of their faith or financial ability. This 45-minute virtual event, presented by Mayer and Medical Properties Trust, features memorable performances by Birmingham vocalists Evan Shaun Pezant, […]

Hands Up Together 2021 Event

On May 13, 2021, Collat Jewish Family Services honored Nancy Collat Goedecke and raised more than $330,000 to support independence and enrich quality of life for older adults, regardless of their faith or financial ability. This 45-minute virtual event, presented by Mayer and Medical Properties Trust, features memorable performances by Birmingham vocalists Evan Shaun Pezant, […]

Pivoting During a Pandemic, Updated Feb 2021

Collat Jewish Family Services works to strengthen independence and enhance quality of life for individuals and families with a special focus on older adults. We touch the lives of more than 700 people per year. As community needs have changed, CJFS has evolved to meet them–especially in the past six months. During the COVID-19 crisis, […]

Community Partners Describe What it’s Like to Collaborate with CJFS

CJFS community partners describe their experiences working with our amazing staff and deserving, appreciative clients helping them to support them and allowing them to remain independent.

CJFS ‘Pivoting During a Pandemic’

Collat Jewish Family Services works to strengthen independence and enhance quality of life for individuals and families with a special focus on older adults. We touch the lives of more than 700 people per year. As community needs have changed, CJFS has evolved to meet them–especially in the past six months. During the COVID-19 crisis, […]

CJFS Hands Up Together 2020 Virtual Event

Collat Jewish Family Services’ Hands Up Together 2020 honoring Marjorie Perlman and presented by Tacala Companies.
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