Peer Support Services |Jewish Seniors Alliance, Jewish Community Centre

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Research made by the Jewish Seniors’ Alliance of Greater Vancouver (JSA) and the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver have identified an essential need for affordable and accessible Peer Support Services for Jewish seniors.
Based on these findings, JSA initiated several supportive yet distinct peer services for seniors all of which rest on the premises of self empowerment, volunteerism and Seniors Helping Seniors.

CERTIFIED SENIOR PEER SUPPORT VOLUNTEER

JSA provides several Senior Peer Support training courses per year. Upon successfully completing 55 hours of intensive training, the graduates receive a Certified Senior Peer Support Certificate.

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FRIENDLY PHONE CALLS

Loneliness and social isolation are serious problems for many individuals and are especially prevalent within the senior population.

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FRIENDLY HOME VISITORS

This program involves especially trained senior volunteers who make regularly scheduled visits to seniors that are shut-in, frail or socially isolated.

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INFORMATION REFERRAL LINE 604-267-1555

A first entry phone call for Information-Referral, manned by trained staff who have access to a comprehensive database. FIND OUT MORE...

Find out what’s new with Peer Support Services. Learn when the next training group begins and how you can get involved.

Find out what the recipients of Peer Support Services are saying about the services they are receiving. Get to know the peer support volunteers and friendly visitors.

Read about the Graduation Ceremonies and get to know more about the Peer Support or Friendly Visitor programs.

Grief is a difficult and emotional journey of pain, loneliness and isolation. Sharing these feeling with others in a caring and nurturing environment helps each person to find ways to cope.

JSA is extending referral services to sources of bereavement counselling.

TESTIMONIALS

"My volunteer is a real darling and I love her."
98 years of age, using service for 2 years.
"JSA provided emergency service to a husband and wife who were both legally blind and living in sub-standard conditions. Charles Leibovitch was able to find a volunteer to assist the couple with attending their medical appointments and getting to the food bank."
Vancouver Senior Citizen
I am very happy with both volunteers, my sessions with senior peer support are going well and I appreciate now having a friendly visitor on the week-ends as I find the week-ends particularly lonely.
Female client, 2014
I am very happy with my friendly phone caller volunteer as I don’t go out anymore and look forward to her calls each week.
Housebound female client
"A ninety five year old female expressed her appreciation and gratitude that she is receiving ongoing friendly phone calls and senior peer support by volunteers for several years. The volunteers have been a life line for me".
95 year old female

Some seniors do not have access to affordable and safe transportation. JSA will, when possible, have volunteers accompany clients by handidart, transit or taxi paid by client to a medical appointment, depending on the availability of a volunteer.

Unfortunately due to COVID, volunteers are currently unable to accompany clients to medical appointments. We look forward to the opportunity to resume services to assist seniors in need.