June 23, 2022
Dear Colleague,
As spring wanes and summer returns we enjoy many of life's milestone celebrations while also remembering and reflecting on the memories and traditions of the past. At Hebrew SeniorLife, we’re laser focused on helping residents and patients live their best lives. For two NewBridge on the Charles residents, Peter Shapiro and David Rosenthal, we see this through their friendship that formed at camp almost 80 years ago and remains just as strong today. Their story appeared in the Jewish Journal and The Boston Globe, and aired on New Hampshire Chronicle.
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Camp Alton
Shapiro (second from the right in top row) and Rosenthal (third from the left in top row)
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NewBridge on the Charles
Rosenthal (left) and Shapiro (right)
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Over at Orchard Cove, residents clearly feel the same zest for life. "Laughter is the best medicine" was a shared sentiment after more than 40 residents took part in an improvisational comedy workshop organized by community life staff and led by comedian Kelly MacFarland from ImprovBoston. Read more in the Jewish Journal.
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Improvisation Workshop, Orchard Cove |
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In April, Orchard Cove sales counselors David Calnan and Sandra Spring hosted a record number of tours. If you haven't been to Orchard Cove lately, we invite you to tour and learn more about our community and how we work with prospective residents and their families to offer the flexibility they need. For example, the wait at Orchard Cove program offers an option to move in even when one’s first choice of apartments isn’t immediately available. We know each person’s situation is unique so financial flexibility including varying refundable entrance fee contracts of 90%, 75%, or 50% is a priority. We also offer either a Fee-for-Service plan or a LifeCare plan should a resident require a permanent transition to either our enhanced living or skilled nursing communities.
One of our new residents summed up her experience best, "I just want to tell you how pleased I am to be a new resident of Orchard Cove. The kindness and assistance bestowed on me by the staff continue to be phenomenal. And the residents? How did you find them? They are the most welcoming group of people I could ever have wished for."
Finally, for those who want a rental option in an urban area, Center Communities of Brookline offers supportive senior living apartments with on-site services that promote independence and well-being. The studio, one-, and two- bedroom apartments offer supportive urban living starting at less than $2,000 per month. And like our other supportive housing sites, Jack Satter House in Revere, and Simon C. Fireman Community in Randolph, Center Communities of Brookline also offers subsidized housing units.
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Recognized for Nursing Excellence |
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At the heart of our patient and resident care are more than 970 nursing care providers. These heroes are celebrated each year at our Achievement in Nursing Excellence Celebration. This year, more than 35 nursing care providers were nominated by their peers, and a highlight was the inaugural awards for Nursing Assistant of the Year and Nurse of the Year. We’re proud that our professional development team continues to lead the way by providing innovative and rewarding programs leading to impressive and rewarding career paths for our nursing care providers.
As part of National Nurses Month, we had nearly three dozen nurses from across our campuses nominated for their impeccable work for the annual "Salute to Nurses" supplement published in The Boston Globe. Nominees ranged from newly minted nurses to some with decades of experience and represented our continuum of care with home health aides, day and night charge nurses, and hospice care nurses. Members of our nursing team came together in many ways including recording a greeting that aired on WCVB-Channel 5's daily Wake Up Call.
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Nursing Excellence Celebration
Carline Cenat, Nurse of the Year; Lou Woolf, President/CEO of Hebrew SeniorLife; Dadie Petit-Frere, Nursing Assistant of the Year.
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New Medical Director at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center-NewBridge |
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In honor of National Osteoporosis Month in May, Douglas Kiel, M.D., MPH from our Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research joined Canton Community Television to share his expertise on the subject. He used the analogy of paving our interstate highways to describe the active process of bone renewal and shared other fascinating insights. Do you know whether osteoporosis is more common in men or in women? |
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Canton Community Television, Dr. Douglas Kiel on Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention. |
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The Marcus Institute is involved in many nationally-funded research studies. For example, the STEP-HI Study is testing strategies that may improve recovery after a hip fracture. If you know a woman aged 65 or older who recently broke her hip and could participate in the study please ask them to email or call Beth O’Neill at 617-971-5800. Transportation is provided. The study is being conducted by Hebrew SeniorLife and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. There are currently three women from Needham participating in the study.
Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Boston offers osteoporosis screening to help detect osteoporosis before a fracture occurs, predict chances of a future fracture, and determine the rate of bone loss or monitor treatment. State-of-the-art bone densitometry (BMD testing), follow-up services, and referrals for physical therapy are also available. I was fortunate to have my first bone density screening at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center this spring.
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Loss of Appetite in Older Adults |
Alarmingly, it’s estimated that between 15-30 percent of older adults have “anorexia of aging,” which is defined as an ongoing period of low appetite caused by age-based changes to our bodies. Research has shown that anorexia of aging increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. Short-term loss of appetite is normal but when it leads to weight loss or other more serious concerns it is likely time to consult a primary care physician to rule out serious illness and consider recommending working with a dietitian who can provide one-on-one individualized education and treatment plans.
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Outpatient Care After a Hospitalization? |
Our clinicians are often asked by older adults and their families "When is it appropriate to go home after a hospitalization?" Many of you are also involved in advising families about this complicated decision. Francis Kibugi, RN, Director of Nursing at our Rehabilitative Services Unit at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Boston, provides insight and explains the initial assessment, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient rehabilitation, and in-home therapy.
You probably also get questions about Medicare and with the complexities of coverage and enrollment it is hard to keep it all straight. Next time you’re asked about Medicare we hope you’ll reference or share our recent blog.
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Navigating Family Dynamics |
Family dynamics are something we all deal with in our personal lives and for many of you also in your professional lives. Tara Fleming-Caruso, Collaborative Care Advisor, and Lori Feldman, LICSW, Resident Support Advisor, co-host a support group for families of independent and assisted living residents of NewBridge on the Charles. Tara and Lori recently recorded an episode of our "There for Them" podcast series for adult children, "Family Conversations and Aging: It's Complicated!". They share their expertise on the most common family dynamics related to caring for aging parents and share suggestions on how to move from disagreement to agreement.
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Thanks for reading and stay tuned for my next issue this fall. Please reach out to me anytime and of course, I welcome your suggestions on topics for this newsletter.
Best,
Lisa
Lisa M. Relich
External Engagement Manager
Hebrew SeniorLife
617-363-8564
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