(JTA) — A symposium on caring for Holocaust survivors will bring together specialists from around the world.
“Perspectives on Caring: Current Practice, Future Trends,” hosted by of Nazi Victim Services of Selfhelp Community Services and co-sponsored by the UJA-Federation of New York and the Claims Conference, will be held in New York City this week. Health care professionals, psychologists, authors, educators and social workers are set to attend what is being called the most comprehensive Holocaust survivor care symposium of its kind.
The average age of the world’s approximately 600,000 Holocaust survivors is over 80.
“Our work shows the physical and emotional needs of Holocaust survivors become even more complex as they age,” according to Elihu Kover, vice president of Nazi Victim Services of Selfhelp Community Services. “That makes an international exchange like this even more critical as we identify different approaches to assist these aging victims of the worst atrocity of the 20th century and improve everyday lives for the survivors themselves and their care givers.”
Selfhelp was formed in 1936 when a group of German emigres joined together to help newly arriving European Jewish refugees fleeing from Nazi persecution establish themselves in America.
Care specialists from the United States, Israel, Brazil, Canada and Germany will present workshops at the symposium.
