NGO sees 48% surge in this year’s demand for at-home medical and rehab equipment loans as Israelis prepare for holiday against the backdrop of war
Jerusalem, April 10, 2024—Yad Sarah, the leading nongovernmental healthcare and social services organization in Israel, announced that it is extending its services to support thousands of wounded, displaced and elderly Israelis with at-home medical equipment and services so they can celebrate Passover in comfort with their families.
For many, the Passover Seder will bring together extended Israeli families for the first time since the Oct 7th war began. Already one of the busiest times of year for Yad Sarah, and with an increase in hospitalizations from war-related injuries, spending the holiday at home with family instead of the hospital holds even more importance.
To support these efforts, Yad Sarah is distributing vital rehabilitation equipment rentals such as crutches, Continuous Passive Motion (CPM) devices, and wheelchairs. Additionally, the organization is providing accessible transportation for wheelchair users and installing home hospitalization units for short- and long-term loans across the country. The organization has seen a 48% increase in at-home hospital equipment loans this year ahead of Passover, compared to the previous year.. In preparation for an escalation with Hezbollah, Yad Sarah has also airlifted battery-powered oxygen concentrators and power generators that can supply up to 48 hours of critical energy, offering essential support for individuals with respiratory complications as a precaution against potential power outages due to grid strikes.
Finally, the organization calls upon the community to donate sealed and unused medication found during Passover cleaning to its branches, for distribution at no cost through Yad Sarah’s affiliate community pharmacy.
Moshe Cohen, CEO of Yad Sarah: “Yad Sarah ensures that individuals can celebrate holidays from the comfort of their homes, even during challenging times like these. As Israel grapples with an unprecedented number of hospitalizations, we are committed to providing the wounded, evacuees, mobility-challenged and the sick with the opportunity to celebrate Seder night with their loved ones. The current surge in equipment loan requests, particularly for respiratory and home hospitalization supplies, demonstrates the crucial need for our services this year, more than ever. With approximately 15,000 wounded since the start of the war, this year’s challenges are significant, but we are prepared to support Israelis throughout their recovery and beyond.”
Yad Sarah’s 120+ branches are available to coordinate holiday support and will operate right up to the Seder and during Chol Hamoed. The organization’s services are available to Israeli citizens and tourists alike. For more information, contact the Yad Sarah Hotline at 6444. Medicine donations can be dropped off at any Yad Sarah branch.
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About Yad Sarah
Yad Sarah, the leading volunteer-staffed organization in Israel, provides a vital array of compassionate health and home care services for people of all ages.
Founded in 1976, Yad Sarah has 126 branches throughout Israel staffed by more than 7,000 volunteers. Although the organization is best known for its extensive lending service for medical equipment, its volunteers also drive its wheelchair-accessible vans, reach out to the homebound, advocate for the elderly at risk for abuse, provide in-home geriatric dental care, staff its play center, and more. Nearly every family in Israel has been impacted or helped by Yad Sarah. Yad Sarah saves Israel’s healthcare system over NIS 5.5 billion ($1.5 billion USD) each year through its home hospitalization equipment lending services.
For more information and to donate, visit yadsarah.org
