STAY CONNECTED
by Emily Bebenek Birmingham resident Emily Bebenek, a rising junior at Wake Forest University, worked as a Hillel Connection intern this summer with our Development and Outreach team. Here, Emily reflects on a family trip that opened her eyes to the challenges of aging and caregiving. While my family lives in Birmingham, and my cousins […]
By Marcy Morgenbesser, LICSW, CJFS Clinical Director. Older adults are often referred to CJFS because of one acute problem – say, they’re grieving the death of a spouse, they have serious financial problems or their loved ones have noticed they’re growing forgetful. But while working with the client to deal with that problem, our clinical […]
by Robin McMilin, LCSW Everyone experiences an occasional restless night, but for those who toss and turn regularly, the inability to sleep can be a source of intense frustration. Difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep, a disorder known as insomnia, is more prevalent than people may realize. Insomnia for seniors is even more common, affecting […]
by Gail Schuster, LCSW We all wonder what “normal” is when it comes to different stages of life. One of the stereotypes of aging is that it is normal to feel depressed or anxious. The truth is feeling this way is NOT normal, but it also not uncommon. A recent study from the American Journal […]
By LaBrena Friend, LMSW It seems hard to believe that we have been consumed by the COVID-19 crisis for almost a year now! Most of us are still talking, reading and thinking about the coronavirus and, now, the vaccines every single day. One year in, it’s hard to escape or focus on anything else, and yet, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
