Center for Treatment of the Elderly in the Community (Melabev)

The Center for Treatment of the Elderly in the Community, known by its Hebrew acronym Melabev (מְלַבֵּב), is a registered non-profit association in Israel dedicated to people living with dementia and Alzheimer's disease and to the family members who care for them. It was founded in 1981 by Prof. Arnold Rosin, for years head of the geriatric department at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, together with social worker Leah Abramovitz. The two identified the absence of community-based services for people with cognitive decline and developed a distinctive professional method of caring for them within their own familiar surroundings rather than in institutions. Melabev describes itself as the first professional association in Israel in the field of dementia and Alzheimer's, and today the largest provider of community services for this population. Its service envelope includes day-care centers, home-based therapies, support for family caregivers, nursing care, a telephone hotline against loneliness, and a dedicated program for younger people with dementia. The organization operates in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh and provides nursing services in the Jerusalem area, Beit Shemesh, parts of Mateh Yehuda and Gush Etzion. Its day centers serve people diagnosed with dementia in Hebrew, English, Russian, French and Arabic. According to the organization, roughly 150,000 people in Israel and their families cope with dementia and Alzheimer's, and about one in two people over the age of 85 lives with the condition; with rising life expectancy the number is expected to double within the next decade. Melabev positions itself around values of dignity, meaning and a sense of worth for the person; professionalism and excellence; sensitivity and compassion; culturally and linguistically adapted service awareness; and transparency and partnership. It is a non-profit (מלכ"ר) that has earned recognition and reputation in Israel and abroad. Melabev is governed by a board chaired by Zevulun Orlev, with members including Prof. Marta Weinstock-Rosin, social worker Leah Abramovitz, Prof. Yitzhak Brick, Yoel Natan, Pnina Hav, Yossi Granot, Jeff Kahn and Menachem Wagshal. Dr. Zeev Friedman serves as the association's director-general. The organization also develops professional training for community professionals and for foreign caregivers, maintains a professional knowledge database on aging and dementia, and has developed the "Savion" software, a simple cognitive-rehabilitation application for people after stroke and for improving quality of life for people with dementia.

Melabev – the Center for Treatment of the Elderly in the Community – was founded in 1981 by Prof. Arnold Rosin, who for many years directed the geriatric department at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, together with social worker Leah Abramovitz. In the early 1980s the two identified a gap: people with dementia and Alzheimer's and their families had almost no community-based services, and institutional care was often the only option. Inspired by their vision, a distinctive professional method for treating people with dementia and Alzheimer's within the community was developed. From its base in Jerusalem, the association grew into a multi-service organization. Over the years it developed and operated a range of community services: Melabev Day Centers, 'Melabev at Home', 'Melabev in Sheltered Housing', 'Melabev for the Family', Melabev Nursing Services, a telephone hotline to alleviate loneliness, and 'Peima' for younger people with dementia. It became the largest organization in Israel providing community services to people with dementia and Alzheimer's. For their contribution to the development of these services, Prof. Rosin and social worker Abramovitz were awarded the title 'Yakir Yerushalayim' (Worthy of Jerusalem). Since its founding, Melabev has specialized in improving the quality of life of service recipients and their families, and focuses on serving people with dementia and Alzheimer's at every age. Each year thousands of people coping with dementia and Alzheimer's and their family members receive help, assistance and treatment from Melabev's services, delivered in their natural and familiar environment – the community. Today Melabev operates four day centers in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh for people diagnosed with dementia, in Hebrew, English, Russian, French and Arabic. It provides nursing services in the Jerusalem area, Beit Shemesh, parts of Mateh Yehuda and Gush Etzion, recognized by the National Insurance Institute and the Ministry of Defense. It runs 'Melabev at Home' therapies for older adults at all levels of function; the 'Peima' group for younger people with cognitive decline, in cooperation with the Israel Museum; 'Melabev for the Family' online services including counseling, support, treatment and help managing the care of a person with dementia; 'Melabev Enrichment' professional training for community professionals; a telephone hotline against loneliness; the 'Savion' software, a simple cognitive-rehabilitation application for people after stroke and to improve quality of life for people with dementia; a professional knowledge database on aging and dementia; and training for foreign caregivers of the elderly. Melabev is a registered non-profit association (עמותה רשומה / מלכ"ר) that has earned recognition and reputation in Israel and abroad as a unique organization in the field of treating dementia and Alzheimer's of all kinds. Its board is chaired by Zevulun Orlev, and Dr. Zeev Friedman serves as director-general. The organization continues to advocate publicly on dementia policy, including appearances before the Knesset Health Committee on implementation of the national dementia plan.

• 2026

  CEO Dr. Zeev Friedman addresses the Knesset Health Committee on implementation of the national dementia plan.

• 2021

  Launch of the 'Savion' cognitive rehabilitation app, developed with support from Mifal HaPais.

• 1981

  Melabev (Center for Treatment of the Elderly in the Community) founded by Prof. Arnold Rosin and social worker Leah Abramovitz.

• Prof. Rosin and Leah Abramovitz awarded the 'Yakir Yerushalayim' (Worthy of Jerusalem) title for their contribution to developing services.

• Development of a distinctive professional method for treating people with dementia and Alzheimer's in the community.

• Expansion into multiple services: day centers, home care, sheltered housing, family support, nursing services, telephone hotline and 'Peima' for younger people.

Israel's pioneering and largest professional non-profit in community-based dementia and Alzheimer's care, emphasizing dignity, professionalism, cultural and linguistic adaptation, and family partnership.

• Melabev Day Centers

  Four day centers in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh for people diagnosed with dementia, operating in Hebrew, English, Russian, French and Arabic.

• Melabev at Home

  A range of therapies and treatments at home for older adults at all levels of function.

• Melabev for the Family

  Online services for family caregivers: counseling, support, treatment and help managing the care of a person with dementia.

• Melabev Nursing Services

  Nursing services in the Jerusalem area, Beit Shemesh, parts of Mateh Yehuda and Gush Etzion, recognized by the National Insurance Institute and the Ministry of Defense.

• Melabev 'Peima'

  A group for younger people with cognitive decline, in cooperation with the Israel Museum.

• Savion software

  A simple cognitive-rehabilitation application for download to a computer, for people after stroke and to improve quality of life for people with dementia.

• Telephone hotline against loneliness

  A hotline operated by Melabev to alleviate loneliness among older adults.

• Melabev Enrichment

  Professional training for community professionals in the field of aging and dementia.

1. 1עמוד ראשי - עמותת מְלַבֵּבmelabev.org.il
2. 2אודות מלבב - עמותת מְלַבֵּבmelabev.org.il
3. 3דרושים בעמותת מְלַבֵּבmelabev.org.il
4. 4מרכז לטיפול בקשיש בקהילה (עמותה) – ויקיפדיהhe.wikipedia.org
5. 5Wikidata Q110556071wikidata.org