Trauma-Informed Modernization of Eldercare for Holocaust Survivors Act

Short title— This Act may be cited as the “Trauma-Informed Modernization of Eldercare for Holocaust Survivors Act” or the “TIME for Holocaust Survivors Act ”.

Table of contents— The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

During the Holocaust, which took place from 1933 through 1945, an estimated 6,000,000 Jews, as well as millions of victims from other targeted groups, were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators.

More than 200,000 Jews fleeing from Nazi-occupied territory found refuge in the United States from 1933 through 1945, and approximately 137,000 additional Jewish refugees settled in the United States from 1945 through 1952.

Hundreds of thousands of additional Jewish refugees continued to immigrate to the United States from Europe and countries of the former Soviet Union during the subsequent decades.

The number of Holocaust survivors living in the United States at the end of 2018 was approximately 80,000 individuals, down from an estimated 127,000 in 2010.

Every Holocaust survivor is now at least 74 years old, most are in at least their mid-to-late eighties, and many are in their nineties and beyond.

One-third of all Holocaust survivors in the United States live at or below the official poverty threshold (as defined by the Bureau of the Census), including more than half of the Holocaust survivors who emigrated from the countries of the former Soviet Union.

Holocaust survivors continue to live with the unique mental and physical scars of the unconscionable trauma caused by the Holocaust, and while institutionalized settings are beneficial for some, certain aspects of institutionalization may have particularly adverse effects on Holocaust survivors.

For many Holocaust survivors, institutionalized settings produce sights, sounds, smells, emotions, and routines that can induce panic, anxiety, and re-traumatization as a result of experiences from the Holocaust.

Holocaust survivors are more economically and socially vulnerable, report poorer health and more health problems, and have greater social service needs, than other older individuals.

In comparison to most other older individuals, low-income Holocaust survivors are more reliant on social service programs that provide services such as personal care, provision of home-delivered and congregate meals, transportation, counseling, and mental health support to promote health and quality of life.

Community organizations serving Holocaust survivors report that approximately one-quarter of Holocaust survivors live alone, and living alone is a risk factor for hospitalization and nursing home admission, poverty, falls, depression, poor nutrition, social isolation, and loneliness, which have been associated with poor health outcomes and an increased risk of death.

Community organizations serving Holocaust survivors report that transportation is vital to help Holocaust survivors attend medical appointments, shop and purchase necessary items, visit family and friends, and participate in cultural, recreational, or social events, such as congregate meals or religious services.

As the general population of older individuals increases in the United States and many public or philanthropic resources remain constant, providers serving Holocaust survivors need additional capacity to cover needed services.

The Administration for Community Living in the Department of Health and Human Services serves as the Federal agency responsible for increasing access to community supports for, focusing attention and resources on the unique needs of, older individuals and individuals with disabilities across their lifespans.

The mission of the Administration for Community Living is to maximize the independence, well-being, and health of older individuals, individuals with disabilities, and their families and caregivers.

The Administration for Community Living in 2017 issued guidance entitled “ACL Guidance for Outreach and Providing Services for Holocaust Survivors” in accordance with a requirement of the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2016 which states that the Assistant Secretary for Aging shall “issue guidance to States, that shall be applicable to States, area agencies on aging, and providers of services for older individuals, with respect to serving Holocaust survivors, including guidance on promising practices for conducting outreach to that population.”.

Many social service agencies that receive funding under the Older Americans Act of 1965 for home-delivered or congregate meals serve diverse seniors, including Holocaust survivors, with specialized dietary needs based on religious, cultural, or ethnic requirements, and the necessary special meals often cost more than other meals.

to include “older individuals who are Holocaust survivors” in the list of groups that receive preference, as specified in section 305(a)(2)(E) of the Older Americans Act of 1965, for services provided under that Act;

to require the designation within the Administration for Community Living of an individual to have responsibility for the provision of services to older individuals who are Holocaust survivors;

to promote technical assistance and training for agencies that serve older individuals experiencing the long-term and adverse consequences of trauma;

to ensure that the providers of nutrition services through the Older Americans Act of 1965 can meet the special health-related or other dietary needs of program participants; and

to help meet the urgent transportation needs of Holocaust survivors.