Enhanced Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support for Holocaust Survivors

Vision

The project envisions a future in which every Holocaust survivor living with Alzheimer’s or dementia receives timely, dignified, and continuous care within their own home and community. By integrating medical expertise, proactive monitoring, and compassionate human connection, it seeks to reduce isolation, slow cognitive decline, and ensure that even the most vulnerable survivors live their final years with security, respect, and a sustained sense of belonging.

Activity

The program delivers a comprehensive, integrated model of medical and social support for Holocaust survivors living with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or cognitive decline. At its core is a nationwide medical dispatch center that receives referrals, conducts intake assessments, and coordinates personalized care plans, ensuring timely and continuous support for each survivor.

Survivors receive medical care through a network of over 1,500 senior volunteer physicians who provide home visits, clinic consultations, telemedicine, and specialized treatments, all free of charge. For survivors with limited mobility or living in underserved areas, mobile medical units bring essential services directly to their homes and communities.

A central component of the program is ongoing monitoring and emotional support delivered by trained medical students. They conduct regular phone calls and home visits, helping to identify early signs of cognitive deterioration and reduce loneliness. Their observations are reported to the dispatch center, enabling rapid medical follow-up when needed.

All interactions are documented within a centralized CRM system, ensuring continuity of care, real-time tracking of health status, and coordinated intervention. Together, these components create a proactive, home-based support system that addresses survivors’ medical and emotional needs.

lemaanam.org.il/en/

Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.

- Seneca

Yael Ludji

Ms. Yael Ludji serves as Head of the Coordination Department at Lema’anam, where she leads the organization’s medical coordination efforts. She oversees a team of coordinators and volunteers, manages complex medical cases from intake through resolution, and maintains ongoing collaboration with hospitals, clinics, and welfare services.

With extensive experience in operations, client management, and team leadership, Ms. Ludji has developed and implemented internal processes that enhance service delivery and efficiency. She is responsible for training and mentoring staff, ensuring high standards of care, and providing regular reporting to senior management.