Blog

by Nina Henry, JCFS Chicago Addiction Specialist

With much of the world shut down, loneliness has become a familiar facet of everyday life, especially for older Americans living alone, in nursing homes, or retirement communities.

by: Ann Luban, Senior Director, Jewish Community Services

NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) reported that 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 6 youth struggle with mental health challenges each year. While there are no magic wands we can wave, there are some strategies we can employ to help ourselves and that we can share with our family and friends.

You love your family, but you do not always get along. As you look toward spending more time with your family, are you excited or dreading arguments and annoying siblings? 

By the time children turn two, they typically produce at least 100 words. Yet, not all children develop along this typical trajectory. Phrases such as “he’s a late talker” and "she’ll talk when she wants to” begin to be thrown around. But what does the term “late talker” really mean and how does it differ from a child with a language delay?

While we feel the stress as parents, employees, and people, we cannot compare anything we have experienced in our past to what our teens and tweens are going through now. Here are some tips to maintain your own equilibrium.

As we reshape our lives and navigate a new normal, we feel the impact of this current pandemic on our emotional well-being.

We have been inside for a month.  The honeymoon is over. Here are some ways that you can provide structure to your days and continue to be social even when you’re home alone.

Jacob connected with the JCFS Chicago Duman Opportunity Center through his school. Jacob loves cars and has been working on them throughout his life with his family and friends. He hopes to become an auto mechanic, but has struggled to achieve the necessary academic requirements to enroll in an auto mechanic program.

All relationships can be strained during times of fear and uncertainly – family, friendships, and romantic relationships.

May we, our loved ones, our colleagues, our friends, and all we know experience good health at this difficult time.