A Community Needs Assessment of Holocaust Survivors

Background and Purpose:  Holocaust survivors are a unique subset of senior citizens.  This aging population has seen more trauma than virtually any other group in recorded history.  As time goes on, survivors have the typical challenges associated with aging; however, these are often magnified because of long-term deprivation and maltreatment experienced earlier in life.

To further exacerbate their challenges, Holocaust survivors tend to be poorer than similarly aged seniors with 25% living below the poverty line compared to 20% of their peers (Meyer & Daniele, 2016; Mitka, 2014). 

Holocaust survivors also are more likely than their peers to present with mental and physical health problems associated with aging.  These include high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, vascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and depression (Eriksson, Räikkönen, & Eriksson, 2014; Keinan-Boker, Shasha-Lavsky, Eilat-Zanani, Edri-Shur, & Shasha, 2015).  While these conditions are common in all older adults, Holocaust survivors are more likely than non-survivors to have three or more of these conditions (Keinan-Boker et al., 2015).

 With this in mind, the overall research question was posed:  What comprises the full package of services needed to provide all Holocaust survivors with a high quality of life for the duration of their lives in a large city?

Methods:  The researchers used a qualitative approach and viewed this study as a community needs assessment with the “community” being all Holocaust survivors in the area, regardless of whether survivors have formally identified themselves as such by participation in a reparations program.  In-depth interviews were conducted with fifteen individuals representing six organizations that work with Holocaust survivors in the metropolitan area. To supplement the interviews a focus group was held that consisted of fourteen front-line workers. 

Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.  Independently, two researchers highlighted key themes and phrases associated with both the interviews and focus group. Then, jointly, they coded the themes and phrases.    

Results: Findings indicate that Holocaust survivors have needs that fell in to two broad categories:  those that already exist and those that do not.  It was determined that those services that do not currently exist would not be able to be created due to societal or structural limitations.  These included in-home psychiatric services and survivor-specific congregate care.  Needs that fell into the realm of existing services were in four categories:  in-home concrete services, social services, transportation and nutrition support.

Additional findings revealed that current capacity within social service agencies was insufficient to meet the demand of this aging and increasingly needy population.

Conclusions and Implications:  The population of Holocaust survivors is aging with the youngest being in their 70s.  Research indicates that this population is expected to be reduced by 74% within 15 years (SSRS, 2016); however, the needs of the existing survivors will increase as they age.  This will likely put a strain on survivors, their families, and the communities in which they live.  Future research should focus on how to best expand and fund services for Holocaust survivors as they continue to age.