The People and Spirit of Yad Sarah

Anat Benzaquen 

"Allowing People To Remain In Their Natural Environment".  

Position: Director, Division of Home and Community Services.  "Our workers and volunteers come from 27 different branches, to the homes of our clients needing care or rehabilitation. 1000 volunteers care for 1400 homebound people.  The aim is to leave men and women in their natural environment, their home.   

We receive requests from health funds, and welfare agencies.  Someone is alone.  Someone needs equipment or companionship.  We send a volunteer to evaluate the situation.  Then we go into action.  Yad Sarah is best known for  lending medical equipment. However, we give much more.  

For example, to connect the homebound person to a computer, so that he can delve into the internet and connect to the world at large.  We've received old computers as donations, which we upgraded.  When a person can't leave the house, an internet connection brings the world to him.  He becomes more relaxed, and so does his spouse.  

Aims:  To enlarge and strengthen the program of computer distribution along with instruction to those who need it.  To continue to utilize all the means at our disposal to bring a smile to many more faces. Volunteers bring crafts, music, and conversation to the home of the immobile person.  They ask how his week was.  They enhance his self image. They reconnect him to his grandchildren.  

Life stories program: A volunteer comes and listens to the life story of the homebound person.  The story is then transcribed and presented to the person and his entire family. All this is very fulfilling and enhancing. A strong bond develops between the storyteller and the listener.  The volunteer is careful to preserve the style of speech and images delivered by the speaker.  

My other concerns:  Besides the homebound person himself, I am also concerned about the family that forms a support system.  They also need strengthening and support. Sometimes the family is burnt out.  When a volunteer from Yad Sarah comes, he adopts the whole family, he relieves the permanent caregivers, giving them a chance to tend to their own affairs, even if it's just for four hours a week, it helps.  We've developed a self-support group for girls from supporting families. They speak about themselves and gather strength from this dialogue".