Spring 2010

In Spring 2010, the Grotta Advisory Council approved the following grants. We encourage our grantees and others interested in learning about these projects to contact the organizations listed below.

• FOCUS Hispanic Center for Community Development, Inc. — Wellness, Independence and Nutrition (WIN) Program:
  FOCUS will host health and exercise programs: twelve (12) healthy living workshops that will take place on a monthly basis at three (3) sites for two (2) hours per workshop. It will include chronic disease self-management skills training. Other education sessions will be led by UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School Department of Family Medicine residents. Lastly weekly (1½) one and a-half hour guided physical activities will be held. A total of 100 seniors will be helped.
• JCC of MetroWest — Volunteer Opportunities Program:
  The Center for Adult Enrichment will support for a Volunteer Coordinator to develop and run a Volunteer Opportunity Program. The Volunteer Coordinator will recruit, select, train, place, supervise and provide recognition for volunteers. Volunteers will assist in JCC and other community-based senior programs so the coordinator will seek to find meaningful and appropriate volunteer placements. The Coordinator will also continue to lead Move Today sessions with Seniors.
• JFS of MetroWest NJ — Enhancing the Elderlink Infrastructure:
  Jewish Family Service of MetroWest (JFS) is a comprehensive, non-discriminatory social service agency which hosts Elderlink, a “concierge-level” one-stop connection to eldercare resources, services and advice. This grant will enable staff at JFS to upgrade and improve the Elderlink technological infrastructure and its functionality, resulting in better-informed consumers who are then able to access local, regional and national resources..
• JFS of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties — Seniors in Communities:
  Funds will support 1) in-home assessments of low income, culturally diverse frail elderly 2) development and implementation of Individualized care plans to improve quality of physical and mental health 3) matching seniors emotionally impacted by loneliness and isolation with volunteers who provide cognitive stimulation through home visits and participation with the senior in community activities, and 4) strengthening existing collaborations and develop new collaborations to promote referrals and enhanced continuum of service.
• JVS of MetroWest — Employment Assistance for Seniors:
  Funds will support JVS to provide career counseling and job search assistance for seniors age 65+ who seek to enter or re-enter the workforce due to the ongoing economic crisis. JVS also will conduct outreach to employers to create job opportunities for its clients over 65. This program will be an extension of a successful 2009 emergency initiative for people 65+ and builds on JVS's "Maturity Works" job placement program for mature workers, 50+.
• Montclair Arts Council — Silver Scribes:
  The Montclair Arts Council (MAC), an arts service organization, advocates for the arts, supports artists and arts and cultural organizations, and utilizes the arts to further economic development in Montclair. Funds will enable MAC to expand Silver Scribes to enhance self-expression, build self-esteem, create socialization opportunities, and improve quality of life. The sessions, led by trained professional teaching artists, will be assessed by rigorous tools.
• National Council of Jewish Women, Essex County Section — Telephone Reassurance Program:
  The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a non-sectarian grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. NCJW will expand a Telephone Reassurance Program from 10 volunteer callers that reach out to 16 homebound seniors weekly to touch base and offer a friendly voice of reassurance to a client base of 50 utilizing up to 25 volunteer callers.
• Overlook Hospital — Atlantic Neuroscience Institute Comprehensive Wellness Pilot Study:
  The pilot study will identify the impact Tai Chi/Qigong may have on patients with Parkinson's Disease, specifically related to balance, quality of life, mood and disease progression. The study’s findings will support the development of a fully integrated and multidisciplinary program, the first of its kind in the U.S. for patients with neurodegenerative diseases, designed to provide evidence-based wellness activities; medical services; resource referrals; and opportunities to participate in research studies for senior patients with chronic, progressive neurological diseases.

• SAGE Eldercare — Eldercare Planning and Guidance Program – Year 2:
  Funds will support SAGE Eldercare’s Eldercare Planning and Guidance program to utilize a nurse and two social workers to provide care planning and services focusing on seniors and their family’s personal needs and choices, support for caregivers, including access to educational programs and support groups; crisis intervention; information and referrals, assistance with Advanced Directives; support with medication management and increased prescription awareness, improved management of chronic conditions.

Fall 2010

Ten grants were awarded in Fall 2010 totaling $220,621.

• Arts Unbound, Orange — NJ Visual Arts — Generations Program:
  This grant will provide a year long experience in the visual arts for seniors in facilities or attending day programs in Essex, Union and Morris Counties that will encourage arts appreciation, skill development in the visual arts as well as introspection and behavior change for seniors with emotional challenges. 12 seniors with receive art therapy in 72 classes and 75 seniors will participate in 108 two-hour classes in the Generations Program. These classes structured around three month sessions. Hosting facilities will afford 20% of the cost of the programs.
• Central New Jersey Legal Services — Legal Services & Social Work Partnership to Protect Senior Tenants:
  Legal Services & Social Work Partnership to Protect Senior Tenants This program will help 20-25 frail and disabled seniors at risk for eviction with 400 hours of case management and 150 hours of legal services. The program will help 80% these seniors to prevent eviction and remain in their homes and maximize their independence by providing legal representation and social work care (working with JFS of Central NJ) to concurrently resolve the primary legal program and its underlying cause. 20-25 frail seniors will receive 400 hours of case management services (16 hours/client) and 150 hours (six to eight hours/client) of legal assistance.
• Daughters of Israel — Metro Transport Service Expansion and Enhancement:
  This grant will support rides based on need, thereby permitting MetroWest seniors to age in place in their residences and maintain independence by improving transportation options. This grant will also improve frequency, hours and days of service, permitting additional trips, add new clients/agencies, phase in weekend service and general-purpose rides. 350 one way rides, adding two hours per weekday and weekend hours.
• Family Connections — Healthy IDEAS — Evidence-Based Depression Management:
  Staff trained in Healthy Ideas will be work with seniors to detect and reduce their depressive symptoms, thereby improving: 1) daily living skills; 2) recognition and understanding of depression; and 3) successful management of mental health. 270 seniors will be screened, 135 will be offered educational interventions and 65% or 88 will receive further services; 75% of these will complete the program and demonstrate improvements in knowledge, ADL and IADL's.
• Family Services of Morris —Morristown Senior Collaboration and Intensive Geriatric Case Management Program:
  This program will expand elder care services through formal collaboration of agencies, support training and advocacy, and improve systems. 40 seniors will receive case management and extensive linkages to community agencies, 100 individuals will be trained and the collaboration will expand and be strengthened.
• NJFDPD — New Jersey Donated Dental Services (DDS):
  Through a volunteer network of dentists and dental labs, New jersey DDS helps elderly residents of Essex, Morris, and Union Counties who cannot afford treatment for severe dental conditions. In 2011, DDS will generate $117,000 in care for 40 seniors. 40 seniors will receive $117,000 in donated dental services as a result of scheduling and coordination of services.
• NJ Theatre Alliance — 2011 Programs and Services for Seniors :
  The goals are to make theatre accessible to seniors, regardless of physical limitations and to provide programs and services to seniors that will increase their quality of life through theatre arts. 2200 seniors will benefit from additional equipment, special programs and special assistance.
• Trinitas Health Foundation — Trinitas Enhanced Geriatric Outreach and Counseling Program:
  This grant will provide year two funding to Trinitas (year 1- 23,084) to continue the Enhanced Geriatric Outreach and Counseling Program, which we successfully completed at the end of August 2010. 20 seniors will benefit by counseling .

• Zufall Health Foundation — Dover Live Your Better Life:
  This grant will support the second year of The Live Your Better Life project, a project that involves Hispanic seniors in health education and promotion, empowerment to better communicate with health professionals and medications education. In year one, 75 seniors were helped and the program has engendered positives outcomes among those enrolled. 60 seniors will be added to this education and exercise program for seniors living in Dover, primarily Hispanic.