Vision
Our vision is to offer the elderly both physical support and emotional connection in order to empower them with a sense of importance and friendship. This unique program is not meant to benefit solely the elderly. Young students benefit a great deal from participating as well. It provides students with inter-generational skills, sensitivity and social awareness. Empowering students and providing them with a sense of responsibility for others is an important Jewish and universal value, and teaches them complexities they have not necessarily dealt with before.
Activity
In respond to the physical and social/emotional needs of the elderly in time of Covid-19 and beyond, volunteers will provide company, support and relief of stress induced by their limited mobility, isolation and loneliness. Student-volunteers will visit the seniors and assist in responding to their basic needs, while strictly abiding by the instructions of the Ministry of Health. 20 Hillel students will dedicate time weekly for meaningful one-on-one interactions with 20 elderly individuals. The students and older adult participants will be divided into pairs at the beginning of the program, and will remain in the same pairs until the end to work towards a building of a long-term relationship between the two. The pairing process will take under consideration interests and hobbies mutually shared, common language, and anything that has an impact on the success of the relationship.
Students will be paired with elderly citizens and will “visit” (either by phone, zoom or face-to-face in their home per health restrictions) for the purpose of developing a relationship to alleviate loneliness, but also to ensure the elderly’s basic needs are being met (food, medicine etc.). Students will also offer assistance in handling bureaucracies (bituach leumi, health care etc.) and other support as needed.