Adjusting Older People Assistance Systems to Meet Older Survivors' Needs

Funded by the North-Rhine Westfalian social welfare foundation Stiftung Wohlfahrtspflege, this project was carried out by the Federal Association from 2005 to 2007. It aimed at bringing awareness to the needs of traumatised survivors of Nazi persecution living in nursing facilities throughout North-Rhine Westfalia and thus improving their situation. Experiences common to nursing facilities such sharing rooms with several people, dying roommates or “hygiene measures” may trigger long-forgotten trauma memories. Added to that is the fear of meeting former perpetrators.

The Federal Association held informative events and expert meetings in order to improve the situation of survivors of Nazi persecution and provide important background information to nursing facility staff. Moreover, older people care facilities offered training and advice. We were able to make specific agreements with the mobile nursing service "Wir für Euch" and Cologne-based assisted living provider "ViWo e.V." to improve the lives of survivors.

In 2008, the book "Man sieht nur, was man weiß. NS-Verfolgte im Alter" (You see what you know. Older survivors of Nazi persecution.) was published to share the project findings with a larger audience of competent persons and nursing professionals.