Help! I Need Somebody

By Laura Green Galante

If you or a beloved senior in your life needs caring advice, look no further than the Orlando Senior Help Desk. Just a phone call or click away, the help desk is a subsidiary of Jewish Pavilion Senior Services. Via phone or its 80-page website, the help desk offers a wealth of knowledge about local services for seniors and their families in Orange, Seminole, Lake, Marion, and Osceola counties.

When you call, the voice on the other end of the phone is likely to be Nancy Ludin, CEO of Jewish Pavilion Senior Services (JPSS). Many would agree that Nancy is the lynchpin of this nonprofit organization, which began in 2012, thanks to a collaboration with local donors and continued funding from JPSS.

Nancy has a background in social work. She is not only well-connected with Central Florida senior-focused businesses and organizations, but she’s also happy to share recommendations and information about services for seniors. And all of this is available at no charge.

A Treasure Trove of Knowledge

Nancy Ludin, CEO of Jewish Pavilion Senior Services, is the voice that callers often hear when reaching out to the Orlando Senior Help Desk.

“We are a staff of three who answer questions, so people can call us for any private information and referrals for seniors,” explains Nancy. “Many people call us for help with assisted living; they call for long-term care needs, rehabilitation, or elder care attorneys. We have all that information, and we offer it for free.”

One person even called to ask for a recommendation for a mobile nail technician and mobile hairdresser, she recalls. Another asked about gutter cleaning. While about half of those who call are from the Jewish community, the Orlando Senior Help Desk assists anyone in the Central Florida area.

Many callers are anxious about finding the right type of care, since they’re often dealing with a new or emergency situation. A family member fell, and they need a rehabilitation facility. Perhaps they need short- or long-term care. Then there are the questions about finances or a power of attorney.

“At one point, everything is fine. But then all of a sudden the senior falls and goes to the hospital, and now you’re the person in charge,” says Nancy. “You have to learn everything that’s available, and you have no idea what you’re doing.”

The Orlando Senior Help Desk is here to put your mind at ease and help create a plan.

When Nancy isn’t answering calls, she spends her days in the community, meeting with people and checking out new and established resources. For example, she knows that one of the more respected senior living facilities has a new director. And in fact, Nancy has already met with her.

“Over the years we’ve accumulated a massive amount of resources,” says Nancy, “so we have a lot more to share.”

That takes the pressure off families to do extensive research when they can rely on Nancy and her team, a veritable encyclopedia.

A Reassuring Voice

“People call from all over the world,” says Nancy. “They may live in Israel, and their loved one is in Orlando and fell, and they call us. It’s like talking to a friend.”

It gives great comfort, especially to an out-of-town family member, to know that Nancy and other staff members at Orlando Senior Help Desk have visited a facility in person or have used a specific elder care attorney. “We try to give really honest information,” adds Nancy.

While other, state-sponsored information lines can provide a list of services and phone numbers, Nancy and her staff have personal knowledge of the organizations they recommend. For example, other information lines can provide the number for an organization, but they won’t necessarily know that there is a six-month waiting list, or that the person seeking help is unlikely to qualify for certain aid.

“The main thing is that we’re here to help,” says Nancy. “I think people are really frightened when they have these crises because it comes out of nowhere and they’re not prepared. No one is.”

The help line can provide a sense of calm in the storm. Nancy’s mantra is, “Why investigate from A to Z when we have already done the work for you?”

To learn more, visit OrlandoSeniorHelpDesk.org or call 407-678-9363 for personalized assistance.

This story was originally published in print in Fall 2024.