With the population of today’s seniors growing exponentially, it is not surprising that dementia and Alzheimer’s is so prevalent. The person experiencing the changes in their life brought on by this malady need and deserve specialized care. Melabev’s activities help them and their family navigate this new and frightening journey. As cognitive impairment increases, it is essential to keeps one’s mind and body active. Sitting idly all day increases anxiety-causing behavioral problems – socially and within the family setting. Left unattended, it becomes challenging for the person with dementia and their family to cope. In Melabev’s four day centers, specific therapeutic activities address these areas of need. The staff works with each person helping them to maintain their language, physical, and social skills for as long as possible.
Melabev’s day centers offer services in 4 languages: Hebrew, English, French, Russian.
Melabev’s clients have given so much in their younger life to the land of Israel, society, their communities, and their family. They were strong and full of life until one day, they began to forget, and their memory began to fail. Then came the diagnosis they and their family feared – dementia. Melabev’s goal is to make their lives at this time as meaningful as possible.
In Israel today, over 150,000 individuals are living with dementia. Of this number, approximately 40% are Holocaust survivors – individuals who deserve our support. 15% of the 400+ Melabev day center participants are Holocaust survivors. Having endured untold mental, emotional, and physical pain in their younger life, these traumatic memories are resurfacing as they experience cognitive decline. Melabev strives to understand each person and learn as much as possible about their life. The staff discovers what triggers anxiety or depression and works with them one-on-one to facilitate integration in the day center.
What makes Melabev unique is the full range of quality, specialized, and individually designed activities and programs we provide for people with cognitive impairment. Alzheimer’s destroys the mind and in the process ravages the very “self,” impairing memory, speech, mobility, and social skills. Melabev works to preserve the “self” for people with Alzheimer’s. The heart of Melabev is our day centers. Dedicated staff and volunteers work tirelessly to render the proper therapeutic activity to each person. The goal is helping each person live a life of dignity while feeling that they are still part of their family and daily life. Keeping the person engaged in meaningful activities and at their skill level will help them to be able to age in place.
Participants enjoy a full-day schedule comprised of stimulating therapies and activities – music, gardening, exercise, art, memory workshops, and more. Melabev’s objective is to provide a positive and encouraging experience suited to the individual’s abilities.
Melabev staff have extensive training and knowledge in the field of working with the elderly population, specializing in dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Melabev provides daily roundtrip transportation without which our participants could not enjoy the social and therapeutic benefits of attending a Melabev day center.
Melabev provides daily two meals for our day center participants – breakfast and a hot lunch. Besides affording a proper nutritious diet, meals served in a social setting improves appetite and encourages better nutrition. For some of our participants, these meals are their only meals of the day.
Melabev’s day centers are recognized by the Ministry of Labor, Social Welfare and Social Services and by the National Insurance Institute, within the framework of the services eligible for the Nursing Law Stipend.