Ezer Mizion's Golden Age Division has recently initiated a new program called Project Homecoming, which assists isolated seniors upon their discharge from the hospital.

In the course of its work with the elderly population, Ezer Mizion's Golden Age Division noticed that for many elderly people who live alone, the transition from the hospital to the home is overwhelming. These individuals have no one to take care of errands, stock the refrigerator, tidy the house, and provide them with TLC while they convalesce. In addition, experience has shown that these elderly people do not always avail themselves of community resources such as welfare services, government-subsidized caregivers, and meals-on-wheels programs.

In Project Homecoming, hospital social workers refer elderly patients to Ezer Mizion, and Ezer Mizion assigns volunteers to assist these patients during the first few weeks after their discharge from the hospital. Ideally, volunteers try to establish a connection with patients while they are still in the hospital, to lay the groundwork for their eventual return home. Often, volunteers accompany patients home from the hospital upon their discharge.

After the patients return home, Ezer Mizion volunteers are in constant contact with them. They run errands for them, do their shopping, help them in their homes, and arrange follow-up treatments and therapy. With the assistance of social workers from Ezer Mizion's Golden Age Division, the volunteers also connect patients with available community services.

In its first stage, Project Homecoming is operating at Beilinson and Beit Rivka hospitals in Petach Tikvah.