Jewish Community Partners

Jennifer Roberts brings years of experience working with and for seniors to her new role as Chair of Memphis Jewish Federation’s Senior Services Collaborative. We caught up with her to get her take on the path that led her here, her hopes and concerns for the seniors of Jewish Memphis, and how Judaism connects her to her work.  
 
How did you get your start working with seniors, and where has that passion taken you?

My first interaction with senior programming was in 2007 when I was asked to fill in for the Memphis Jewish Community Center Adult Services Director during her six month leave of absence. She came back to work and I returned to my role as a substitute teacher at the MJCC preschool, but four months later, she moved away and I was asked to take the position. I accepted the part-time job which I held until I retired from the MJCC in 2017.

It was through my position as MJCC Senior Adult Coordinator that I became acquainted with Creative Aging, the wonderful nonprofit with which the MJCC partnered for their monthly entertainment. I joined their board in 2016 and will finish my tenure as Board President this month! I also serve as a Creative Aging ambassador, visiting with seniors and enjoying the music and art instruction in the communities we serve.

In 2013, I joined the board of the Memphis Jewish Home & Rehab and am currently serving as a Vice President on the Board and Co-Chair of the MJHR Golf Tournament Volunteer Committee. I’m also a volunteer for the Wendy & Avron B. Fogelman Jewish Family Service and serve as a meal deliverer, and pre-pandemic as a driver! My specialty was taking seniors to the dentist, as I am a retired dental hygienist.

Since 2007, I have been on Memphis Jewish Federation’s Senior Needs Assessment Committee and I joined the Senior Services Collaborative when it launched in 2015.

What drew you to serve on the Senior Services Collaborative (SSC) and how would you describe its work?

I was asked to be on this committee because I was the MJCC Senior Adult Coordinator at the time the committee was developed. This is the coolest committee I’ve ever served on. Everyone is everyone else’s cheerleader and we are all so excited to hear the work and programming each Jewish Agency representative presents.

What led to you serving as the new SSC Chair and what are you hoping to accomplish during your term?

I was winding down my Board Chair position with Creative Aging and the timing was right. I was thrilled when I was asked!

As far as what we would like to accomplish, I think that we’ll continue to discover seniors who need our services and direct them to the appropriate agencies, and add new additions to the committee which will bring new ideas and energy. I’d also like to see us turn some of our gathered info into concrete data to show our successes and learn from them!

What would you say are some of the most daunting challenges facing Jewish seniors in Memphis?

Lack of technology expertise can make life isolating for any senior, but especially so during the pandemic. Early in the pandemic, Federation made iPads and training to use them available to seniors. In the future, I think meetings will be hybrid. Many seniors have missed meetings, movies, family gatherings, concerts, or lectures due to lack of access to or proficiency in Zoom. So, I think we should reassess needs among our seniors and consider revisiting the iPad distribution if there are other seniors who would benefit from more digital connection and are ready to learn.

What would you say are some of the best resources, opportunities, or amenities that are available to Jewish seniors in Memphis?

This committee is one of the coolest resources in town! There are representatives from all the Jewish agencies at our meetings and we all are invited to reach out to each other with concerns of congregants, patients, attendees, and tenants. Jewish Memphis is a big “family” and we’re all vested in making our seniors confident, safe, and engaged.

The Wendy & Avron B. Fogelman Jewish Family Service has its finger on the pulse of the seniors who are homebound, disabled, in-need, and a bit disconnected. Their volunteers deliver meals, make calls, provide transportation, and visit with seniors. Fogelman JFS also helped throughout the pandemic with the distribution of vaccine information, transportation to vaccine appointments, and countless other tasks, and they are ready every day to address new needs in the community.

The MJCC Senior Lunch Bunch Program is a gem as well. Open to seniors of Shelby County age 60+, a hot kosher lunch is available Mondays-Fridays for a nominal fee. There is also transportation and programming that is of interest to seniors. Contact Steve Kaplan for more information: stevekaplan@jccmemphis.org or (901)-259-9220.

Do you feel any connections between your interest in supporting our seniors to your experiences in or connections to Judaism?

“Honor thy Mother and Father.” I’m honoring mine as well as my honorary parents!
 
The Senior Services Collaborative was formed in November 2015 in the wake of Memphis Jewish Federation’s 2014-2015 Community Needs Assessment Study, which identified the challenge of delivering accessible and meaningful programming to seniors. The committee is comprised of representatives from all agencies interfacing with Jewish seniors, congregations, retired Jewish senior professionals, and community volunteers passionate about senior services. Since its inception, the SSC has made significant progress in expanding the menu of programs and services available to seniors and ensuring that seniors in the Memphis Jewish community are aware of the programming that exists.