Press Releases
MorseLife Designated As New Adult Kosher Congregate Meal Site in Palm Beach County
West Palm Beach, FL, June 19, 2009 – MorseLife, the charitable, nonprofit organization providing health care, housing and related services to seniors, has added Adult Congregate Meal Site to its array of services offered to seniors of Palm Beach County. According to Keith A. Myers, President/CEO for MorseLife, the need for this program arose with the closing of the Jewish Community Center in West Palm Beach, which had provided this kosher program for over 15 years.
“This Adult Congregate Meal Site Program – particularly as a kosher meal site – represents a perfect fit for MorseLife in our goal of enabling seniors to ‘age in place” with optimal independence and highest quality of life,” noted Myers. “When we determined the need, we were without question excited to add this service to our continuum of services, given the exploding population of seniors.”
The Adult Congregate Meal Program is an initiative of the Division of Social Services (DOSS), which is the lead agency to administer this program for the elderly by the Area Agency on Aging, Palm Beach/Treasure Coast, Inc. As a Nutrition Program, its goal is to provide well-balanced meals, foster social interaction and provide access to nutrition education and counseling to seniors age 60 and older. The program is funded under the Federal Older Americans’ Act along with funds provided by the Board of County Commissioners of Palm Beach County, and is volunteer-driven.
What makes this program special, according to Alan Sadowsky, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Home and Community-Based Services for MorseLife, is that as a program that promotes independence, “it is more than just a meal.” Dr. Sadowsky notes that participants begin arriving at 9:30 am, and start the program with a variety of fun, education and life-affirming activities to promote social interaction. At lunchtime, they have a delicious and nutritionally balanced kosher meal. Further, Dr. Sadowsky states that participants also have the advantage of joining in many of the activities offered to residents in MorseLife’s independent and assisted living and long-term care programs, and may also join its volunteer program.
“Programs like this one that encourage socialization versus isolation improve health and well-being and encourage long-term independence,” said Dr. Sadowsky. “Another advantage of having MorseLife as the site is that if participants in our program do need to access other types of services, such as assistance in the home, caregiver support, adult day services, short-term rehabilitation, skilled home health care or long term care for themselves or loved ones, it is available within our continuum.”
The program is run by Linda Sevich, Community Liaison for MorseLife, with support of a team of volunteers. Ms. Sevich has been with MorseLife for over 15 years, where today, she oversees its adult day center, and its Kosher Meals-on-Wheels and Homebound Mitzvah Programs for the High Holidays and Passover.
Ms. Sevich notes there is no fee for the meals under the grant, however, donations are requested and encouraged, and 100% of the donations received are used to offset the cost of the kosher meals. MorseLife’s program meets Monday through Friday from 9:30 am until 1:30 am at Morse Geriatric Center in West Palm Beach. For more information about this program, call Linda Sevich at (561) 687-5791.
MorseLife is a nationally-recognized provider of health care and residential services for seniors and their families in Palm Beach County. A charitable, not-for-profit organization, its programs include short-term rehabilitation, long term care, independent and assisted living, home and community-based services, case management, adult day center, and research and training. Founded in 1983, MorseLife has built a reputation and tradition of caring for seniors with excellence, dignity and compassion -- honoring senior living -- now and forever. For more information, visit www.morselife.org.