The number of Holocaust survivors still alive today is quickly dwindling.
A recent report shows that within the next decade, about 70% of the current 200,000 still alive will be gone. Many call Broward County home, with the county having the second-largest demographic of Holocaust survivors in the United States.
As they continue to age, with many living well into their 100s, their care has become more important — and more nuanced. One nonprofit organization, which has been helping this aging population for a decade, has incorporated tactics that tackle reemergent stress after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Jewish Family Home Care (JFHC) was founded in 2015 as an offshoot of Goodman Jewish Family Services of Broward County with a mission to serve Holocaust survivors, offering an alternative to assisted living homes. As it has grown, JFHC has expanded its offerings to include health aides, housekeepers and certified nursing assistants for Broward residents of all faiths.
But the original mission still remains. Today, JFHC serves more than 300 Holocaust survivors. Leading their efforts is supervising registered nurse Tatyana Virsta, who has an acute awareness of the specific needs of this aging population.
Holocaust survivors live with a deep trauma that can be triggered by simple acts, she said. As the Jewish landscape has becomes more fraught with violence, antisemitism and unease, some may feel as if they are reliving the past.
“Many carry invisible wounds, memories that may resurface with illness or hospitalization,” said Virsta. “A simple act like helping with personal hygiene or administering medication can unexpectedly trigger trauma. So that’s why this kind of care demands more than just clinical or caregiver skills, it calls for gentleness, patience and deep emotional awareness.”
As a native of Ukraine, Virsta is no stranger to unrest. Growing up there, she heard Holocaust stories and met with survivors. She said caring for them is a privilege.
“I feel this level of deep connection,” Virsta said. “It’s not just nursing, it’s honoring history through this human connection. It reminds me daily why I chose this profession and why it’s so rewarding.”
Empathy and kindness go a long way, Virsta continued, especially with clients who have a higher level of anxiety due to the war and the current Jewish landscape. Many patients have families in Israel, and Virsta began noticing increased mental health issues. This prompted the addition of targeted services for them and their families.
“We had contacted each client and offered our help in any other way that we could,” she said. “There was mental health counseling that Goodman Jewish Family Services offered, and there were family members that we were trying to get involved to see if they needed any assistance as well.”
The duties of JFHC caregivers can range from assisting with basic needs, like hygiene and food preparation, to more specific ones, like post-surgical, dementia or chronic illness care. Those assigned to a Holocaust survivor also undergo training on Jewish customs, from the holidays their patients may celebrate to how to keep a kosher home. They are also trained on how to deal with trauma.
“We limit the amount of news our clients watch and [work to] to positively engage them in games and conversation and get them out in the community or out for a walk,” said Robin Miller, the CEO of JFHC. “We are careful about keeping their environment full of happy thoughts.
“Our caregivers work hard for consistency and to have a good relationship so they become a sense of comfort and warmth for the client.”
Virsta said she also works hard to encourage them to live a happy life, despite their past.
One of these survivors is Viktor Zharov, a former journalist and Holocaust survivor in his 90s who recently lost his wife. Zharov has committed to learning a new skill: playing the violin.
“He started playing violin a couple of years ago because he thought that learning something new would be a good exercise for his brain,” said Virsta. “It was amazing that he picked up on that. He even asked for his violin when he went to the hospital and played for the nurses there.”
And while Virsta’s job is to care for survivors, she feels as though they are healing her, too.
“[I have learned] resilience and the ability to overcome something so traumatic and come out and live life to fullest,” she said. “A lot of them had families and they gave their children the best that they could. They’re just an example of how life should be lived.”
For more information, visit jfcares.org.