“People’s needs are changing,” says the Russian-born Katz, who is geriatric case manager for emigres at Jewish Family and Children’s Services of the Greater East Bay.
Previously, the East Bay JFCS served emigres through resettlement services only — providing financial and housing assistance, language and job training. With this assistance, many young and middle-age emigres have been able to find jobs and financial success within a few years.
However, even with aid from JFCS resettlement and seniors programs, many elderly emigres still had difficulty adjusting to American life. A number of elderly emigres fell through the cracks because resettlement services are time limited and because no seniors staffer spoke Russian before Katz came on board.
That should change. A grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has allowed JFCS to hire Katz and help fill in the gaps. The $200,000 Family Strengthening Project grant is divided among JFCS, Catholic Charities of the East Bay, Asian Community Mental Health and the International Institute.
Each organization will receive about $50,000 for one year and 20 percent less for the two following years.
Catholic Charities will focus its dollars toward youth programming. Asian Community Mental Health and the International Institute will build up their domestic violence prevention projects. JFCS will administer the grant.
Ted Feldman, JFCS executive director, said the grant not only allows the agency to better serve about 125 emigre seniors, but also forges new relationships between JFCS and other East Bay social service agencies.
Each organization addresses job skills, family and mental health issues. The grant enables the groups “to supplement what we do without duplicating services,” Feldman said. “We’re filling in the gaps.
“Of course, any of these projects just [begins to touch] the needs of the community.”
Katz agreed.
The elderly emigre population she works with “is isolated. They just need someone to talk to. Their children work, their grandchildren are in school,” she said. Also, they “have language barriers. Nobody can explain to them what they are and are not entitled to” as far as benefits.
The citizenship preparation course, which Katz is designing, will address these problems on several fronts. Course participants can work on their language skills and Katz will help explain government documents. Katz envisions a 2-1/2-hour program once a week: One hour will be spent on learning, the balance on social activities.
Katz is still looking for a citizenship and ESL teacher. She hopes to begin the free class in January at the Walnut Creek Senior Center.
Meanwhile, Katz is also trying to start a respite volunteer program. She’s hoping to engage seniors who drive and young Russian medical professionals.
Homebound seniors “need companionship. But they also need professional [medical] talk too,” said Katz, who worked as a pediatrician in Russia before moving to the United States nearly five years ago.
“These people who can’t leave their homes only see a few faces. And those faces are their whole life,” Katz said. “I want to bring together people who speak Russian and English to communicate with seniors and understand their needs.”
Feldman added, “We’re responsible for the care of Russian seniors even when they are no longer technically part of resettlement. They need help. And now we have the opportunity for case management and cultural activities beyond resettlement.”