PATIENT VISITATION AND VOLUNTEER TRAINING
We have over 70 active volunteers who visit patients at hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, hospices, and private homes. Being alone in a hospital can be a lonely and isolating experience. Volunteers chat, cheer, and comfort patients by responding to their physical and emotional needs. Volunteers also perform various administrative and fundraising activities on behalf of the organization. We run training sessions throughout the year and also accompany training volunteers on-site until they are comfortable and helpful to patients. Some volunteers go on to specialized training for hospice work. A Telephone Visitation Program with professional training has been added.
FREE LOAN OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
This highly-successful program was developed after noticing requests from the community for the loan of wheelchairs and other assistive devices. We accept donations of durable medical equipment and sickroom supplies and recycle them to new users. Items are warehoused nearby and are available for short- or long-term free loan. Borrowers leave a check as security deposit which usually is given as a donation.
JEWISH HOLIDAY CAMPAIGNS
We provide festive food baskets and greeting cards containing a description of the Yom Tov to all Jewish patients at holidays. All nursing stations and shifts also receive gift baskets which contain a brief description of the holiday, which helps them to understand the feelings and needs unique to individuals from our community. Bikur Cholim also finds someone to blow the shofar and bring the arba minim to hospitalized patients.
TRANSPORTATION TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS
Volunteers provide compassionate care by driving patients to doctor visits, assisting them in and out of the offices, and “just being there” to accompany them.
We have over 70 active volunteers who visit patients at hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, hospices, and private homes. Being alone in a hospital can be a lonely and isolating experience. Volunteers chat, cheer, and comfort patients by responding to their physical and emotional needs. Volunteers also perform various administrative and fundraising activities on behalf of the organization. We run training sessions throughout the year and also accompany training volunteers on-site until they are comfortable and helpful to patients. Some volunteers go on to specialized training for hospice work. A Telephone Visitation Program with professional training has been added.
FREE LOAN OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
This highly-successful program was developed after noticing requests from the community for the loan of wheelchairs and other assistive devices. We accept donations of durable medical equipment and sickroom supplies and recycle them to new users. Items are warehoused nearby and are available for short- or long-term free loan. Borrowers leave a check as security deposit which usually is given as a donation.
JEWISH HOLIDAY CAMPAIGNS
We provide festive food baskets and greeting cards containing a description of the Yom Tov to all Jewish patients at holidays. All nursing stations and shifts also receive gift baskets which contain a brief description of the holiday, which helps them to understand the feelings and needs unique to individuals from our community. Bikur Cholim also finds someone to blow the shofar and bring the arba minim to hospitalized patients.
TRANSPORTATION TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS
Volunteers provide compassionate care by driving patients to doctor visits, assisting them in and out of the offices, and “just being there” to accompany them.
SENSITIVITY TRAINING COURSE FOR CAREGIVERS
A professionally made 15-minute video written and produced by Jonathan Charm at Bikur Cholim of Rockland County is made available to hospital administration for specialized training of nursing staff at hospitals where Bikur Cholim is active. The Partners in Health video training program helps to establish better rapport between caregivers and Jewish patients. The video address many areas of specifically Jewish concern including: prayer, modesty, kosher food, Shabbos observance, and end of life issues.
PATIENT ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT SERVICES
Because of the good relationships we maintain with hospital administration and nursing staff, Bikur Cholim is able to get special accommodation for patients and their families. We maintain a list of translators for many languages who are frequently called to the hospital so patient and family can understand and let their views be known to medical personnel.
BIKUR CHOLIM SELECTED LAWS AND PRAYERS BOOKLETS
We distribute a beautiful 36-page booklet entitled “Bikur Cholim: Selected Laws and Prayers” that was written by Rabbi Efrem Goldberg of Boca Raton Synagogue and Jonathan Charm, as well as shorter Tehilllim cards. We frequently deal with terminal patients and administer end of life counseling and deathbed confession (Vidui). We would like to be able to distribute printed materials available from other groups that deal with Jewish end of life issues, Chevra Kadisha, and burial traditions. We offer a legal document to patients so they may dictate final wishes for Jewish burial.
COMMUNITY AWARENESS
We maintain a booth at the BRS Annual Health Fair to promote Bikur Cholim activities and recruit volunteers. The organization is listed in several online Bikur Cholim directories. We field calls and answer medical and hospitality inquiries from visitors to South Florida. We send press releases to newspapers. Stan tries to attend the annual Bikur Cholim training conference in New York.
HURRICANE EMERGENCY LIFESAVING PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM
The H.E.L.P. Program assists homebound elderly, frail, and disabled individuals living in our community. People with medical needs are especially vulnerable to the impact of a hurricane and must make contingency plans before the season begins. Normal services may not be available for weeks after a hurricane. If patients receive home healthcare services, healthcare service providers should be contacted to determine what their plans are if a disaster were to strike. H.E.L.P. Program volunteers will schedule visits with candidates who may be in need of emergency assistance when a hurricane strikes. They review needs, emergency preparations, and maintain a list with family and medical contact information. Volunteers make sure each person has a disaster plan in place, adequate supplies of medications and emergency stores, and will go check during hurricanes or other emergencies to make sure they are safe. Bikur Cholim will make sure that emergency responders know about our homebound people if the situation becomes especially grave. You can download a guidebook prepared by the FEMA and the American Red Cross entitled Preparing for Disaster for People with Disabilities and other Special Needs from our Forms page.
A professionally made 15-minute video written and produced by Jonathan Charm at Bikur Cholim of Rockland County is made available to hospital administration for specialized training of nursing staff at hospitals where Bikur Cholim is active. The Partners in Health video training program helps to establish better rapport between caregivers and Jewish patients. The video address many areas of specifically Jewish concern including: prayer, modesty, kosher food, Shabbos observance, and end of life issues.
PATIENT ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT SERVICES
Because of the good relationships we maintain with hospital administration and nursing staff, Bikur Cholim is able to get special accommodation for patients and their families. We maintain a list of translators for many languages who are frequently called to the hospital so patient and family can understand and let their views be known to medical personnel.
BIKUR CHOLIM SELECTED LAWS AND PRAYERS BOOKLETS
We distribute a beautiful 36-page booklet entitled “Bikur Cholim: Selected Laws and Prayers” that was written by Rabbi Efrem Goldberg of Boca Raton Synagogue and Jonathan Charm, as well as shorter Tehilllim cards. We frequently deal with terminal patients and administer end of life counseling and deathbed confession (Vidui). We would like to be able to distribute printed materials available from other groups that deal with Jewish end of life issues, Chevra Kadisha, and burial traditions. We offer a legal document to patients so they may dictate final wishes for Jewish burial.
COMMUNITY AWARENESS
We maintain a booth at the BRS Annual Health Fair to promote Bikur Cholim activities and recruit volunteers. The organization is listed in several online Bikur Cholim directories. We field calls and answer medical and hospitality inquiries from visitors to South Florida. We send press releases to newspapers. Stan tries to attend the annual Bikur Cholim training conference in New York.
HURRICANE EMERGENCY LIFESAVING PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM
The H.E.L.P. Program assists homebound elderly, frail, and disabled individuals living in our community. People with medical needs are especially vulnerable to the impact of a hurricane and must make contingency plans before the season begins. Normal services may not be available for weeks after a hurricane. If patients receive home healthcare services, healthcare service providers should be contacted to determine what their plans are if a disaster were to strike. H.E.L.P. Program volunteers will schedule visits with candidates who may be in need of emergency assistance when a hurricane strikes. They review needs, emergency preparations, and maintain a list with family and medical contact information. Volunteers make sure each person has a disaster plan in place, adequate supplies of medications and emergency stores, and will go check during hurricanes or other emergencies to make sure they are safe. Bikur Cholim will make sure that emergency responders know about our homebound people if the situation becomes especially grave. You can download a guidebook prepared by the FEMA and the American Red Cross entitled Preparing for Disaster for People with Disabilities and other Special Needs from our Forms page.
JEWISH HOSPITALITY SUITE & SHABBOS ROOM
We maintain the Jewish Hospitality Suite and Shabbos Room at Boca Raton Regional Hospital.
We maintain the Jewish Hospitality Suite and Shabbos Room at Boca Raton Regional Hospital.