Deb Goldfeder, RN has been a faithful servant to seniors in the St. Louis area for over 20 years, most recently through SAJE Senior Ministry, an organization she formed in the summer of 2010.
Deb has a diverse range of responsibilities at SAJE including but not limited to consulting for seniors, advocating for seniors at doctor’s appointments, doing blood pressure checks, facilitating health education, going on hospital visits, talking with relatives of patients, working with the staffs of nursing homes, helping seniors make health plans, setting up doctor’s appointments, and praying with seniors. Any way she can be of support to the seniors served by her ministry, she is willing to jump in.
The ecumenical nature of the service means that though Deb was ordained as a deacon in the Episcopal Church, she must navigate different faith traditions and respect and understand whatever seniors’ religious backgrounds are. She sees being nonjudgmental as a big part of her role at SAJE and finds joy in praying with seniors however they need to be prayed for. She sees the openness she’s developed as playing a role in her ability to achieve SAJE’s goal of holistic care.
She also attends all of SAJE’s sponsored events and programs, which run five days a week. Common activities include pickleball, chair yoga, movie screenings, guest speakers, homemade meals, and mobile library visits. SAJE’s motto is “Connecting Seniors in Community,” and hosting these frequent events helps them connect with one another, feel less isolated, and achieve good health outcomes. The ultimate goal is that seniors feel cared for, and by promoting the physical, social, and spiritual well-being of seniors, SAJE is able to accomplish just that.