April Calendar
No Place like Home
Almost 95% of the elderly live in some form of independent household. Home ownership was a major goal after World War 2, and millions achieved this goal, many remaining in their homes after paying off mortgages with hard work.
Ideally, your ageing loved-one will be able to ‘age in place’ in the comfort of his own home. Having to move can be very traumatic when it tears an older person out of a familiar neighbourhood where they have well-developed social relationships. Major factors influencing where an elderly person lives are their financial situation, deterioration of the property and whether they can maintain it.
On the other hand, many elderly people who wish to ‘age in place’ face the prospect of social isolation, high home-repair costs, rising property taxes and property concerns.
The threat of crime and increased traffic can make the area less than ideal at times. Areas where there is more peace and quiet can have a lack of safe public transportation for those who no longer drive.
No matter what neighbourhood one lives in, many older person who own their home may face special challenges. They may become more frail and need assistance in maintaining and repairing their home, such as installing grab bars in bathrooms or ramps at doorways. Lifting to appointments and/ or shopping and assistance with personal care might become a problem too. Ensuring that they have sufficient nourishing food is also important and they may need hot meals and groceries delivered.
If possible, engage with your ageing loved one to see what adjustments need to be made to assist them to adapt a home to fit the changing needs for as long as possible.
Preventing Isolation
Loneliness can be a seriously debilitating condition for an elderly person. Visiting regularly, enables both the adult child and elderly parent will often relax your loved one who will often be prepared to wait patiently for the next scheduled visit, instead of ‘bugging ‘you all the time close contact is appreciated, even if the relationship has been strained in the past. Special occasions are important, especially if the partner is no longer there. Even if the older person feels fine being alone much of the time, there is a difference between being alone and being lonely. Involve as many family members as you can to assist in preventing isolation.
To Drive or Not to Drive?
Most adults hope to keep driving as long as they live. However, age-related factors such as vision problems-loss of central or peripheral vision and cognitive impairment can make driving a hazard for your loved one and for other drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Older drivers might have higher rates of traffic violations, collisions and fatalities per kilometre than younger drivers and also tend to have more serious injuries when being involved in an accident.
Senior citizens can feel threatened when told it is time to give up their driving privileges. It can also be a hardship because without a car it is much more difficult to run errands or get around. The ideal is for you to be able to drive as long as possible, but without jeopardising anyone’s life. This might be limiting driving to daylight hours.
If your ageing loved ones can no longer drive, investigate alternatives in the community, such as shuttle bus services, public buses or making arrangements with siblings or friends to take turns transporting to doctors, shops and other places.
Being Considerate
Whenever possible, to whatever degree, involve your ageing loved one in every lifestyle decision. Seek to understand your elder’s thoughts and feelings alongside the practical needs. Think about how your loved one’s feelings and needs may change and seek to make decisions with them, not for them.
Consider how you and other family members can help your elder live the life of their choosing and much of the time, the right place is home.
Diana Sochen Executive Director
West Coast Members enjoying their art class 
West Coast members being visited by Dr Anastasia Tomson 
Southern Suburbs members listening to ADV Joy Wilkin speaking on curatorship 
Sea Point members enjoying a morning at Little Streams restaurant 
Sea Point Members enjoying a twilight supper 
Adv. Anton Katz addressing Sea Point members at the twilight supper 
Anna Glass and Isaac Joffe 
Helga Sandak -Lewin entertaining members at Hotel Verde
Social and Personal
We extend a hearty mazeltov on the following special occasions:
Births
Henny Bernstein — great grandson
Rabbi & Rebbetsin Green — grandson
Hadassah Friedman — granddaughter
Joyce Reitstein — great grandson
Roni Snitcher — granddaughter
Barmitzvah
Dorothy Bagraim — grandson
Shirley Greenstein — grandson
Collette and Barry Levin— grandson
Dale Matthews — grandson
Moira and Zack Shapiro — grandson
Shirley Stoltzman — grandson
Engagements
Janice Bloch — grandson
Shirley Elvey — grandson
Anna Glass and Isaac Joffe
Marriage
Janey Casper — grandson
Anita Stoch — grandson
Ida Surovsky — granddaugher
Birthdays
Sydney Kaufman (80); Ruth Mink; Morris Rozen (80); Pearl Selibowitz; Doreen Seidle; Selmae Miller; Eunice Movsowitz; Dawn Veiner (80); Lucy Woolf (80)
We extend our sincere condolences to our members who have lost family members:
Frida Farkas — husband
Sybil Castle — husband
Lilian Sheldon — daughter
Anita Sherman — son
New Members
Joan Alpert; Gail Aronson; Trevor and Rina Band; Regina Donninger; Anita Gerber; Margo Kilborn ten Tusscher; Maureen Pizzi; Leonie Segal
Special Events in March
BOOKING ESSENTIAL FOR ALL FUNCTIONS
OUTINGS
Southern Suburbs
2 March Toeka Stoor Museum and coffee shop
9 March Red Shed
16 March Stellenbosch
23 March Horticultural tour of Vineyard Hotel
30 March Cape Town Harbour Water Taxi Tour
Sea Point
18 March Horticultural tour of Vineyard Hotel
19 February Babylonstoren
25 March Red Shed in the Waterfront
Milnerton
10 March Pajamas and Jam Restaurant
24 March Soet Emporium in Durbanville
31 March Toeka Stoor Specialist Shop
West Coast
3 March Vineyard Hotel
17 March Red Shed
MEN’S SCHMOOZE
Milnerton 6 March Rabbi Deren
Southern Suburbs 18 March Adv Stephen Powell
Sea Point 25 March Adv Stephen Powell
TWILIGHT SUPPERS
Southern Suburbs 18 March Glynnis Breytenbach
Sea Point 24 March Tzilli Reizenberger
Milnerton 26 March Lisa Chait
Subscription 2020
Your CJSA subs for 2020 were due on 1 January and we appreciate it greatly if your subscription is paid timeously. Subs can be paid at any of our branches or via EFT
R180
Our banking details are ABSA
Cheque Account Number 4062830510
Branch Code 632005
Cape Jewish Seniors Association
Director: Diana Sochen 021 434 9691 director@cjsa.org.za
Admin: Amanda 021 434 9691 admin@cjsa.org.za
Professional Staff: Sea Point 021 434 9691
Milnerton Hajiera Safidien-Maloon 021 555 1736
Southern Suburbs Monique Nieuwenhuys 021 761 7960
West Coast Stacey Melmed 074 405 5186
To read or download the full March issue PDF of the Chronicle, click here
To read the Editor’s column for March, click here
To read the most read article of the February issue, click here
Portal to the Jewish Community: to see a list of all the Jewish organisations in Cape Town with links to their websites, click here
