Blog

We always hear about how St. Louis is a great place to raise a family. Still, as I’ve settled into my role as the staff person at TI specifically devoted to senior connection and outreach, I have learned that St. Louis is amazing at any age. There are so many resources and social opportunities for our seniors.

If you have an aging parent or are 65 or better, we love to keep our community thriving and connected by offering free rides to Shabbat services or TI classes — if you or a loved one no longer drives, or no longer drives at night, give me a call and I will happily arrange a ride.

If you or a loved one is homebound and cannot attend services in person, all of our worship services are streamed and you can borrow the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur prayerbooks. Just give me a call to arrange it!

For $10, you or a loved one can stay connected in person at our Senior Lunch series — each month features a different speaker or entertainment offering.

If you would rather engage in a more academic discussion (either online or in-person), Rabbi Shook’s Saturday morning Bible Study is taking new registrants for the upcoming year.

If connection through volunteerism is more your speed, we have opportunities to help students at Monroe Elementary, to bake for teacher appreciation, to help with events with TI's Service Squad, to weed or beautify the gardens here at TI, and to help out in our office.

And if you or a loved one is ever in need of spiritual guidance, compassion, and support, please call and we can schedule a visit with our Rabbis.
 
While Temple Israel offers many opportunities for connection, many are shocked to learn about the depth of opportunities from the broader St. Louis Jewish community. NORC is a wonderful resource for families who choose to age at home. TI member Sarah Levinson manages the program, which includes porch visits for members, neighborhood social gatherings, and minor home repair and tech help.

ElderLink, another program of JFS, can make referrals for all kinds of services including housing, utility, and food assistance among many other services.

The J also offers several programs for seniors, including the Adult Day Center, caregiver support groups, and The Hamsa Wellness Community, a health and wellness program for those with a cancer diagnosis.

Last, but certainly not least, TI member Susan Kemppainen is the program manager for The Mirowitz Center. The Mirowitz Center offers hundreds of programs per year in person and online for seniors including fitness classes, educational classes on a wide array of topics, and many recurring programs that build community such as AARP technology classes, Monday open game play, and Crafty Needles knitting a crochet group.

Whether you would like more info on programs and services for yourself, or if you have an aging relative whom you're helping to support, please don't hesitate to reach out to me to chat!

Rachel Leonard
Community Engagement Coordinator
rleonard@ti-stl.org
314-432-8050