Dorot Inc

DOROT ALLEVIATES SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS AMONG OLDER ADULTS, BY ENGAGING VOLUNTEERS OF ALL AGES, AND PROVIDES SERVICES TO HELP THEM TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY AS VALUED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

IN FY21, DOROT SERVED OVER 6,230 OLDER ADULTS AND ENGAGED OVER 6,173 VOLUNTEERS.SOCIALIZATION SERVICES CONNECT OLDER ADULTS TO PEERS AND YOUNGER GENERATIONS TO ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE, REDUCE SOCIAL ISOLATION, AND CREATE LARGER COMMUNITY BONDS. DOROT'S FRIENDLY VISITING AND CARING CALLS PROGRAMS MATCH COMPASSIONATE VOLUNTEERS WITH OLDER ADULTS FOR WEEKLY/MONTHLY MEETINGS AND CONVERSATIONS AT HOME OR VIRTUALLY. CARING CALLS IS A NEW PROGRAM CREATED IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC. SOCIAL WORKERS SUPPORTED 883 OLDER ADULT-VOLUNTEER MATCHES THROUGHOUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP, PROVIDING GUIDANCE AND REFERRALS TO OTHER SERVICES.SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATIONDOROT RUNS A WIDE RANGE OF ONLINE GROUP OFFERINGS, INCLUDING HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND EXERCISE; LEGACY PROJECTS; CURRENT EVENTS CLASSES; AND ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMMING. IN FY21, WE ENGAGED 2,857 OLDER ADULTS (AN INCREASE OF 69% COMPARED TO FY20) IN 57,100 HOURS OF ONLINE GROUP PROGRAMMING. THROUGH LONGSTANDING SYNAGOGUE PARTNERSHIPS, DOROT SOCIAL WORKERS SUPPORT OLDER CONGREGANTS, GUIDE CAREGIVERS, INSPIRE AN ETHIC OF VOLUNTEERISM, AND ADVISE PASTORAL STAFF ABOUT RESOURCES FOR THE AGING. DOROT SOCIAL WORKERS SUPPORTED 238 SENIOR CONGREGANTS.

CONCRETE SERVICES HELP OLDER ADULTS LIVE INDEPENDENTLY IN THE COMMUNITY. THROUGH DOOR TO DOOR, DOROT'S SPECIALLY TRAINED TRAVEL COMPANIONS ACCOMPANY OLDER ADULTS TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS AND OTHER ESSENTIAL TRIPS, SUCH AS THE GROCERY STORE AND PHARMACY. KOSHER MEALS AT HOME (KMH) DELIVERS WEEKLY NUTRITIOUS FROZEN KOSHER MEALS TO HOME-BASED OLDER ADULTS WHO HAVE DIFFICULTY SHOPPING OR COOKING. THE KMH COORDINATOR AND SOCIAL WORK INTERNS ENSURE PARTICIPANTS' NEEDS ARE MET BY PROVIDING CRITICAL, LIFE-ENHANCING CASE ASSISTANCE. WE DELIVER EMERGENCY MEALS UPON DISCHARGE FROM THE HOSPITAL OR THE UNEXPECTED ABSENCE OF A CAREGIVER. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATIONWE EXPANDED KMH IN RESPONSE TO INCREASED NEED DUE TO COVID-19, PROVIDING 63% MORE MEALS (48,820 MEALS TOTAL) TO 39% MORE SENIORS (288 OLDER ADULTS) IN FY21 COMPARED TO THE PRE-PANDEMIC PERIOD. THROUGH FOUR ANNUAL PACKAGE DELIVERY PROGRAMS, VOLUNTEERS BRING PACKAGES OF HOLIDAY FOOD, TREATS, AND ESSENTIALS TO HOME-BASED OLDER ADULTS AND ENJOY A FRIENDLY VISIT EITHER OVER THE PHONE OR IN THE HOME. DOROT SOCIAL WORKERS FOLLOW-UP ON ANY UNMET NEEDS. OVERALL, 1,395 VOLUNTEERS GAVE THEIR TIME BY DELIVERING PACKAGES, CALLING, AND MAKING CARDS FOR 904 OLDER ADULTS IN FY21. THE HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION PROGRAM PROVIDES SAFE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, FOOD, AND ONGOING COUNSELING TO HOMELESS OLDER ADULTS, AND RELOCATES THEM INTO AFFORDABLE PERMANENT HOMES.

COMMUNITY SERVICES ALLEVIATES SOCIAL ISOLATION AND BRINGS THE GENERATIONS TOGETHER THROUGH ENRICHING PROGRAMS. DOROT'S RESPONSE TEAM VOLUNTEER CORPS PROVIDES OLDER ADULTS WITH ONE-TIME SERVICES SUCH AS BIRTHDAY VISITS AND CALLS, HELPS WITH ERRANDS AND HOUSEHOLD TASKS SUCH AS RETURNING LIBRARY BOOKS, ORGANIZING PAPERWORK, AND TAKING NEIGHBORHOOD WALKS, THUS DECREASING SOCIAL ISOLATION AND OFFERING CONCRETE ASSISTANCE. VOLUNTEERS SHARE OLDER ADULTS' CONCERNS WITH SOCIAL WORKERS SO THAT DOROT CAN CONNECT THEM TO RESOURCES AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT AND PROMOTE AGING IN PLACE. OVERALL, 127 RESPONSE TEAM VOLUNTEERS ASSISTED 1,339 OLDER ADULTS. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATIONBRINGING THE GENERATIONS TOGETHER IS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR DOROT AND A WIDE RANGE OF INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED THAT BRING OLDER ADULTS AND VOLUNTEERS TOGETHER TO FORM LASTING RELATIONSHIPS. KEY PROGRAMS INCLUDE OUR TEEN AND COLLEGE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS, FAMILY VOLUNTEERING, ART, MUSIC AND CURRENT EVENTS WORKSHOPS, LASTING IMPRESSIONS LEGACY PROGRAMS, AND MANY OTHERS. IN FY21, OVER 6,000 COMPASSIONATE VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED OLDER ADULTS WITH A RANGE OF SERVICES AND SOCIAL INTERACTION.

EDUCATIONAL SERVICES ALLEVIATES ISOLATION BY ENABLING OLDER ADULTS, CAREGIVERS, AND PROFESSIONALS TO PARTICIPATE IN CLASSES AND SUPPORT GROUPS. UNIVERSITY WITHOUT WALLS (WHICH IS OVER THE TELEPHONE), AND ONSITE@HOME (WHICH IS OVER ZOOM), OFFER EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL COURSES, SUPPORT GROUPS, AND HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS VIA TELECONFERENCE AND ONLINE TO OLDER ADULTS FROM 37 STATES. RUSSIAN UNIVERSITY WITHOUT WALLS OFFERS RUSSIAN-SPEAKING OLDER ADULTS CONTINUING EDUCATION AND ESL CLASSES THROUGH TELECONFERENCE, EASING LONELINESS AND ISOLATION, AND HELPING THEM INTEGRATE INTO AMERICAN LIFE. DOROT SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED OUR TELECONFERENCE OFFERINGS IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF OLDER ADULTS SERVED BY 51% AND TITLES OFFERED BY 66% IN FY21 COMPARED TO THE PRE-PANDEMIC PERIOD. THROUGH INFORMATION AND REFERRAL, DOROT STAFF AND TRAINED VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO SENIORS, CAREGIVERS, AND PROFESSIONALS ABOUT AVAILABLE SERVICES AT DOROT, AND IN NEW YORK CITY AND BEYOND.THROUGH TECH COACHING, TRAINED VOLUNTEERS OFFER ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE TO LATE TECH ADOPTERS TO HELP THEM MASTER COMPUTER SKILLS. SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN, TECH COACHES HAVE SPENT NEARLY 1,000 HOURS OVER THE PHONE OR ZOOM WITH 301 OLDER ADULTS, TEACHING THEM HOW TO CONNECT WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS VIRTUALLY, PARTICIPATE IN ONLINE CLASSES, AND ACCESS ESSENTIAL SERVICES OVER THE INTERNET. FAMILIES HAVE DOWNLOADED 3,418 TECH GUIDES FROM THE DOROT WEBSITE TO HELP TEACH PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS TO USE A LAPTOP, SMARTPHONE AND OTHER DEVICES.