In the best of times, providing world-class senior care and leading-edge health education is a tall order. During a global pandemic, the hurdles to success are even higher. Yet, the Los Angeles Jewish Home continues to rise to the challenge, gaining significant recognition for its outstanding work. Two of its most recent honors acknowledge the Jewish Home's dedication to excellence across multiple fields of endeavor. This month, the California chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) selected the Jewish Home's Brandman Centers for Senior Care (BCSC), a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), as its 2021 Organization of the Year. This prestigious award will be conferred at the NASW-CA's annual conference, to be held virtually in October. "I could not be prouder of our social work team, who more than earned this great honor," says BCSC Executive Director Susie Fishenfeld. "It's a tremendous privilege to work with such dedicated and compassionate professionals. They do an outstanding job making a difference for our participants and their family members every single day." "Our program is community-based, so our approach to COVID had to reflect that," says Carolyn Quinn, BCSC's social work lead. "We kept our doors open throughout the pandemic to ensure participants had access to our clinics and therapies. It required incredible dedication, and a lot of smart and creative thinking, to make it happen, and I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by such amazing colleagues. They're really just the best people." That creative thinking required going above and beyond the normal role of a social worker. "At BCSC, we help make it safe for our seniors to remain in their homes," Susie notes. "During COVID, especially for the first several months, that meant working hard to meet participants' most basic needs—like, for those not able to travel into the center, bringing them food and basic items such as toilet paper so they wouldn't have to leave their homes." The social workers' responsibilities also included initiating challenging conversations. "Fifty percent of our participants have dementia. We reached out to their families and put plans in place for what would happen if their loved ones ended up in the hospital. It broke my team members' hearts to have to have those calls, but people appreciated the frankness, and I was so proud of my team's attitude, which was, "This is hard, but we're going to do whatever it takes for our participants and their families to be well," Carolyn says. The Brandman Centers for Senior Care is not the only Jewish Home organization earning accolades for high achievement. In July, the Annenberg School of Nursing made it onto the list of top three nursing schools in California, as ranked by practicalnursing.com. The ranking reflects data on first-time successful pass rates for the state licensing exam, overall student support services, and program elements more easily streamlining students toward achieving licensure. "Words cannot express my pride and gratitude for having reached this milestone, which is the result of the collective efforts and the continued leadership, drive, and commitment of our entire staff," says Amandeep Kaur, director of the Annenberg School. "I wish all of my colleagues a hearty congratulations." Over the past year, the need for qualified, expert nursing care has skyrocketed. Fortunately, Amandeep says, COVID-19 has not put a damper on the Annenberg School's meteoric rise. "Ensuring we are consistently following all public health guidelines, our LVN class remained full despite the pandemic, and we are thrilled to be in a position to be training new nurses during a time of such critical demand," she says. Among the factors driving such steady student enrollment: a focus on ongoing opportunities for real-world experience. "At this point, many nursing schools have turned to online clinical instruction, but we're still doing hands-on training to ensure our students are prepared for what's waiting out in the field," she says. The Jewish Home salutes the Brandman Centers for Senior Care and the Annenberg School on their impressive accomplishments. May they go from strength to strength!

Passover is always one of the most important holidays on the Jewish calendar, and for seniors at the Los Angeles Jewish Home, this year's celebration was something extra special. "During Pesach, we tell the story of our People's liberation from slavery in Mitzrayim [Egypt]. This year, it coincided with the anniversary of our own journey through COVID-19," says Skirball Director of Jewish Life Rabbi Karen Bender. "Just like Mitzrayim, COVID has been a dangerous and confining place. And though we're still not quite through the pandemic, things are starting to open back up, the same way the waters parted for the Jewish people at the Red Sea." This Passover was a particularly meaningful time for Jewish Home residents, who endured long months of uncertainty as the coronavirus swept across Southern California. Here, Rabbi Bender points out another parallel between the Exodus and modern day. "Ultimately, Passover is a joyful holiday, and right now at the Jewish Home, we are also feeling a sense of real joy," she says. "Our ancestors knew what it meant, after great struggle, to strive toward the Promised Land. Now, we too, can finally see it emerging in the distance. That is cause for optimism and celebration." To mark the occasion, Rabbi Bender spent the holiday doing something she had not been able to do for 12 months: gathering in person with Jewish Home residents—in small groups—to teach about Passover and to give the Home's seniors a chance to reconnect. "To be extra cautious, we kept residents in their cohorts and I visited each floor of our buildings to help people study the Haggadah," she says. "It's such a rich and interesting text— you could easily teach a four-semester course at the college level about it!" The experience, she says, was incredibly moving. "We began class by saying a Shecheheyanu prayer, expressing our thanks for being together again," she says. "Seeing people's relief and excitement was just amazing." Rabbi Bender and her colleague, Eisenberg Village Campus Rabbi Ronald Goldberg, helped residents observe the holiday in other ways, as well. Since large group gatherings have not yet been deemed safe, the rabbis broadcast a seder, the traditional Passover meal, on the Jewish Home's closed circuit TV station. "We made sure there was a seder plate in every hand, which meant distributing nearly 1,000 of them to our residents," Rabbi Bender says. "As they watched the seder, they were able to participate along with us—dipping parsley in salt water, making the Hillel sandwich and singing the Four Questions." In preparation for the holiday, Rabbi Bender also led other Passover rituals. "This year, I was able to burn the hametz [leavened products], which to me was another sign that we're starting to return to normal," she says. "In addition, we had a massive cleaning of the Jewish Home's kitchens. Our mashgiach [an authority who supervises the kashrut status of a kosher establishment] says no other organization he's ever worked with is as skilled or dedicated to koshering for Pesach. It's an amazing sight to see." After such a challenging year, Rabbi Bender was thrilled to see life at the Jewish Home start to resume a more regular pace. "We're going from holy to holy—transitioning from the holiness of protecting our residents and making the sacrifices needed to stay safe, to the holiness of taking tiny steps toward leading a more normal life," she says. "To see residents once again greet each other in person and wish one another a 'Zissen Pesach,' a sweet Passover, was an unbelievably heartwarming experience."

As the pandemic took hold and impacted especially vulnerable populations across Los Angeles, one of the city's leading senior health and wellness facilities continued to be a stable source of support for the men and women in its care: the Brandman Centers for Senior Care (BCSC), a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Located on the Los Angeles Jewish Home's Grancell Village campus in Reseda, BCSC is a vital resource for nursing home-eligible seniors who are still able to live safely in their own homes, but may require special services. They turn to BCSC for a myriad of services including medical and psychological care, medical transportation, rehabilitation, social services, adult day activities, nutritional counseling, preventive health support, and more. During COVID-19, BCSC continued providing those services, playing an essential role in helping seniors meet their most critical needs. "It's been a challenging time for our seniors, and they have depended on us for assistance," says Alicxa Manchan, BCSC's director of marketing. "The day center has remained open throughout the pandemic, but in a limited capacity, providing a safe place for participants at risk or those who's at-home caretakers were essential workers. We also saw participants in our clinic and therapy department, and kept in close contact with the seniors who were no longer coming to the day center but still relied on our care." BCSC serves roughly 250 seniors on an ongoing basis; they have a median age of 80. Over the past year, the center continued enrolling new participants, working tirelessly to ensure they were staying healthy and connected to their community. "For our seniors who were at home, we had to think out of the box about how to run our programs remotely, so we got creative, sending them all sorts of in-home activities and exercises to make sure they were staying mentally engaged," Alicxa says. Some participants who are able to navigate technology were provided with devices equipped with FaceTime or Zoom that allowed them to access activities and complete their medical appointments using telehealth. BCSC also ensured seniors were well nourished and that they remained current with their prescription medications by sending participants meals to their homes every day and arranging for in-home medicine delivery. Additionally, BCSC made certain that participants were able to receive vaccinations. "We had a drive-thru flu vaccine event in the fall, where seniors could be driven up, receive their shots, and head back home," Alicxa says. "And as soon as COVID-19 vaccines became available at the Jewish Home, we called participants to get them scheduled. We were so pleased to have over 90 percent participation." Mobility can be difficult for BCSC participants, Alicxa notes, and center staff are invaluable in helping them get around. "For those who needed it, we provided transportation to all appointments at the center in order to make things as easy and seamless as possible," she says. Focus on service is a key component of BCSC's appeal. "The major reason people enroll in our program is access to care," Alicxa says. "Our participants tell us in a normal Medicare Advantage plan they get maybe five or 10 minutes with their doctor. Our physicians here will often spend up to an hour with a patient. BCSC is also a one-stop shop—we have physical therapy on one side, our wellness clinic on the other, and in the middle is our center where we are running fun activities and serving meals. The other thing our participants love is the social aspect: engaging in activities, meeting peers, making friends. It's a wonderful way to spend their day." As the pandemic shows the first signs of waning, all are eagerly looking ahead to a time when larger numbers of participants can once again gather at BCSC. "We're already developing schedules and devising ways to bring people onsite for our regular programming while maintaining social distancing," she says. "We can't wait to have them all back!"

Jewish Home resident Michaela Mendelovici enjoys a heartwarming visit from her loving son, who came all the way from Israel. With COVID-19 in retreat in Southern California, residents across Los Angeles including those of the Los Angeles Jewish Home are joyfully reemerging from quarantine and turning the page on a long and challenging year. A sense of normalcy is returning to life at the Jewish Home—and residents are eagerly soaking it in. "There's tremendous excitement among our residents, who are so ready for a resumption of physical contact with their friends and loved ones," says Larissa Stepanians, chief operating officer of the Jewish Home. "As we come out of the dark tunnel of the pandemic, we're finally able to glimpse a light at the end, and it's definitely created an intensity of emotions." Those emotions run equally high among residents' family members. "Now that we are both vaccinated, I love that I can finally be with my mom and see she is doing well," says Suzanne Berman. Her mother, Michele Pakula, is a resident of the Home's Goldenberg•Ziman Special Care Center for seniors with Alzheimer's disease and age-related dementia. "The pandemic was very hard, but my mom is a Holocaust survivor. If you can survive that, you can make it through anything."Jewish Home resident and Holocaust Survivor Michele Pakula holds hands with daughter Suzanne Berman as they reunite for an in-person visit. Janet Bramson, whose mother, Florence Kay, also lives at the Jewish Home, was feeling a similar swell of happiness. "After not being able to see my mom for months, my whole family came to visit, and I feel like we were able to breathe new life into her," Janet says. "We visited and laughed and just had such a warm, wonderful time." In addition to increased visitation, residents are slowly and safely embracing other pre-pandemic activities, as well, from religious services, to beauty shop appointments, to light gardening. Throughout the reopening, the Jewish Home is closely adhering to California Department of Public Health (CDPH) directives. "There are numerous state and federal agencies issuing guidelines related to COVID-19, and we are required to follow the most stringent, which is CDPH's guidance," Larissa says. With its beautiful, landscaped grounds, the Jewish Home has natural advantages that make navigating CDPH mandates easier than it might be at many other facilities. "Our campuses, which consist of between seven and nine gorgeous acres between Eisenberg Village and Grancell Village alone, lend themselves to outdoor activities," Larissa says. "Our residents can soak up the sunshine, sit and read a book, or take a lovely walk often with an aide. Of course, while they're out and about, we ask them to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect themselves and others."Suzanne shows Michele photos of relatives, making up for lost time. As residents venture beyond their rooms, Jewish Home staff members are working harder than ever, adjusting protocols to suit the new, more relaxed environment. Their primary focus is ensuring residents remain safe and healthy, which means sticking to the Home's comprehensive mitigation plan. "Every building at the Jewish Home has a plan that includes extensive infection control practices, staff training, and detailed visitation policies," Larissa says. "It's one of the reasons our facilities have done so well throughout the pandemic." Given the Home's success at reopening thus far, Larissa foresees even more opportunities on the horizon. "We're now looking at bringing back communal dining in a fuller capacity, and eventually we hope to resume some off campus activities, like taking residents shopping," Larissa says. "These things take time to implement, and our residents and their families have been incredibly understanding. But I think we're getting closer—so stay tuned!" Michele and daughter Suzanne hug during an in-person visit.

Across the country, people are signing up for the COVID-19 vaccine, as they meet the criteria, and hoping it brings with it the beginning of a return to normal life. Residents of the Los Angeles Jewish Home are similarly optimistic, buoyed by having received both doses of the Moderna vaccine and eager to resume activities that bring them into closer contact once again with their families, their friends at the Home, and those who care for them each day. "Ninety-nine percent of our residents, and approximately 80 percent of our staff, have now been fully vaccinated," says Noah Marco, MD, chief medical officer of the Jewish Home. "We did it efficiently and safely, which is a hallmark of how we operate here at the Jewish Home." The speed with which Jewish Home administrators were able to secure sufficient quantities of the vaccine is a testament to the organization's skill, experience, and track record of success, Dr. Marco says. "We were very confident, based on our pre-planning and our relationships with the state and the county, that we would have enough vaccine for everyone. It took the average person at the Jewish Home less than 15 minutes from the time they showed up to receive the second dose, whereas many people across the city and around the country have to give up several hours of their day, if they can even obtain a vaccine in the first place." Of course, even with the vaccine, the Jewish Home is treading carefully and thoughtfully, following all health and safety guidelines to ensure residents' and staff well-being as the pandemic stretches into its second year. But, many residents say, inoculation has definitely helped lift their spirits. "I feel like there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel," says Elaine Cohen, a resident of Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer (JEK) Medical Center on the Jewish Home's Grancell Village campus. "I will someday be able to reunite with family." Elaine's fellow JEK residents share her positive outlook. "I have a sense of relief and feel honored to have received the vaccine," says Indrani Mahaindra. "This is the beginning of the end of this horrible pandemic." Hersz Alterman notes how thankful he is that a vaccine was developed in such a record-breaking amount of time. "I'm grateful and appreciate science for creating the vaccine," he says. "Thanks to these incredible researchers, I will someday be able to hug my only granddaughter." On the Eisenberg Village (EV) campus, residents are also starting to breathe a sigh of relief. "Our last two Town Hall call-in meetings with Jewish Home staff have been even more upbeat and positive, giving everyone a glimmer of hope," says Judith Karon, president of the EV Resident Council. "Residents are thrilled to see things beginning to reopen, like physical therapy and the campus beauty salon." Sandy Fine, who has taken on a leadership role with EV's resident-run post office, says the response to the planned reopening has been phenomenal. "People really want to be part of it," she says. Those people include residents Howard Krupnick and Norma Garber. Howard, a new post office volunteer, says he is "happy to have a job and to be helping out at the Jewish Home." As for Norma, she is delighted about finally being able to return to the Arts & Crafts room. "I was so ready for it," she says. "This is my happy place!"

Spring is upon us, bringing flowers in bloom, longer days of sunshine, and fresh optimism and hope to the Los Angeles Jewish Home. This year, the end of winter coincides with a cautious hope around the gradual tapering off of the COVID-19 pandemic—coming at a powerful time as we prepare to welcome Passover, a holiday that celebrates themes of liberation.Photo taken during last year's Passover celebration. Passover has always been a special time at the Los Angeles Jewish Home, dating back to the organization's beginning more than a century ago. In 1912, a small group of caring neighbors gave shelter to five homeless Jewish men at Passover, and the Jewish Home was born. Local grocer Simon Lewis, one of the Home's founders, was haunted by the "forlorn old people without family, friends, or shelter standing within our gates, pleading for our assistance." The Jewish Home was a refuge where these seniors could find critical support. Lewis and his fellow co-founders could scarcely have dreamed what the Jewish Home would one day become: one of the nation's preeminent providers of senior care, serving 4,000 men and women annually. From its humble origins, the Jewish Home has grown into a recognized leader in programs and services designed to ensure elderly Americans' robust physical and emotional health. This Passover, the Jewish Home is beginning to experience a slow and safe reopening of its vibrant residential life. As they contemplate the unprecedented year just passed, Jewish Home residents see key parallels with the holiday and its deeper meaning for how we live our lives. "The pandemic has been challenging, but I am very grateful," says Connie Robin, a resident at Fountainview at Gonda Westside and chair of the facility's Jewish Life Committee. "I feel blessed to live in a country where I'm free to live Jewishly. I'm also grateful to be living at Fountainview at Gonda Westside during this time. Had I been in my own home during COVID, I would have been very lonely." Eisenberg Village resident Joy Snyder acknowledges the difficulties presented by the pandemic, but says Passover is a perfect time to gain some perspective. "There is always hope in life, even if sometimes it is a little slow in coming," she says. Just as the ancient Israelites needed to bide their time to escape Egyptian slavery, so, too do we need to have a little patience as we wait for our current predicament to pass. "It can be a struggle, but we need to roll with the punches and try to keep our psyches up and a smile on our faces," Joy says. Photo taken during last year's Passover celebration. For Joy's fellow resident Harriet Rosenberg, the holiday is an opportunity to anticipate what life will be like once the coronavirus is finally behind us. "To me, Passover is a time for being with family," she says. "As much as the Jewish Home does to help everyone celebrate the holiday, I look forward to being with my family again!" Doris Gould, who lives in the Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer (JEK) Medical Center on the Jewish Home's Grancell Village campus, concurs. "Passover means getting together with friends and family, celebrating freedom and being able to sing with joy," she says. As the pandemic begins to recede from view, she is eager to add her voice to a triumphant chorus of loved ones sharing food and laughter at the same holiday table. Another JEK resident, Shirley Landau, is channeling her Passover energy into practical prayers that echo the holiday's narrative of a partnership between God and man. It takes Moses and the Israelites to put God's Exodus plan into motion—a collaboration that results in eventual success. "I used to pray for God to take away the pandemic," Shirley says. "Then I switched to asking God to give man the brains to create a shot to make us safe. That's God's way of doing it." The prayers seem to be paying off. "I got both shots!" says Shirley, who—like 99 percent of all eligible residents at the Jewish Home—benefited from the Home's rapid vaccine rollout. For Shirley and her fellow residents at the Jewish Home, this year Passover is coming at the right time, as we celebrate liberation in its many forms.

The holiday of Purim began at sundown on February 25th—but at the Los Angeles Jewish Home, the festivities had already started. "Purim comes midway through the Jewish month of Adar, and our tradition says it's a month for increasing joy," says Rabbi Karen Bender, Skirball director of spiritual life at the Jewish Home. "It's a mitzvah [good deed] to bring levity and happiness for the entire month, so I make it my goal to bring laughter to our residents throughout." Purim tells the story of Mordechai and Esther, who work together in ancient Persia to stop the evil Haman [a central advisor to the king] from murdering all of the country's Jews. Their successful campaign results in the Jews being saved—and in Haman dying on the very gallows he has constructed for their killing. "To celebrate the foiling of Haman's plan, we dress up in costume and engage in merrymaking," Rabbi Bender says. "Of course, with COVID, we've had to improvise our celebrations at the Jewish Home—like when I walked around the halls wearing an N-95 mask with a Groucho nose and glasses on top. It looked pretty silly; residents kept asking me if I needed a second mask for the second nose!" Getting Jewish Home residents ready for the holiday did more than just spread happiness, Rabbi Bender says. "We connected our seniors with the calendar by reminding them of upcoming festivities. It gives them a sense of rootedness, and it allows them to have something to look forward to." At the Jewish Home, Purim itself—which coincides with Adar's full moon—brought a flurry of activity. "On the eve of Purim, thanks to our amazing dietary staff, residents were treated to a delicious Persian meal, in honor of where the story takes place, along with a hamantaschen [a special cookie in the shape of Haman's hat] for dessert," Rabbi Bender says. "The next morning, we distributed dress-up masks and noisemakers to residents, which they used during our holiday broadcast on the Jewish Home's in-house TV station." The broadcast featured videos and songs, as well as a reading of the entire Megillah [the Book of Esther, which relates the Purim tale]. "Residents were able to participate and follow along, knowing our entire community is doing it together," Rabbi Bender says. "What's also great is that you don't have to be Jewish to join in. Who doesn't love an uplifting story told through food and song?" The fun continued throughout the day with programs like a Shushan-themed Nosh & Nibble—a biweekly event where staff dress up in costumes and liven up the hallways of the Jewish Home with snacks and music. In keeping with strict safety protocols mandated by the pandemic, residents stayed in their rooms to maintain social distance. Staff also planned a hallway serenade and a program called "Cookie, Kibbitz, and Joke-Telling," which invited residents to join a conference call to share their favorite jokes with friends. At Eisenberg Village, campus Rabbi Ronald Goldberg helped spread the cheer by walking around dressed as a baseball player. Behind all the frivolity, Rabbi Bender sees a deeper, more significant meaning. "With the arrival of the vaccine, there's a real sense of relief at the Jewish Home right now, and the Purim story also ends with relief: Haman is gone, and the Jews will be okay," she says. "Now that cases of coronavirus are dropping, and with 99 percent of our residents vaccinated, it almost feels like the ‘Haman' from this year is gone." Although holding the virus at bay still requires Jewish Home residents and staff to be extremely cautious, Rabbi Bender says Purim brings welcome winds of change. "We've all had so much sorrow," she notes. "This year, Adar came just in time."

Welcoming and caring for new residents to the Los Angeles Jewish Home is the essence of our mission. Now, after a year-long pause in admissions caused by the global pandemic, the Jewish Home is excited to be accepting new residents once again, in addition to participants in our community-based programs. The news, says Dale Surowitz, CEO and president of the Jewish Home, is a breath of fresh air. "During COVID, we took every measure possible to ensure the continued health and safety of the seniors in our care, and that meant refraining from bringing people in—even visitors," he says. "But expanding our capacity to accommodate new residents is a vital part of our mission. Now that vaccines are here, and 99 percent of our residents have received both doses (as well as the large majority of our staff), we're reopening the admissions process so we can serve even more members of the community." That focus on service, Dale points out, is a key part of what distinguishes the Jewish Home from others—and what has long made it such a desirable place to live and receive care. "One of the things that makes the Jewish Home unique is the breadth of services we offer. From short-term rehab to hospice, independent living to home health, to memory care, we have the expertise to support our residents at their varying levels of need," he says. Skilled nursing is another stand-out strength of the Jewish Home, and there are immediate openings for seniors requiring hands-on skilled nursing assistance. "The Jewish Home typically has wait lists for available spaces in our skilled nursing facilities; it's uncommon to have availability as we currently do," Dale says. "This represents a rare opportunity for people to get into the Home now, before we reach capacity, which will happen quickly." What the residents will find at the Jewish Home, he notes, are skilled, compassionate, and dedicated staff who treat them like family—and a warm, nurturing environment that helps them make the most out of every day. Dale, who began in his current position last October, after a decade-plus involvement as a leadership volunteer on multiple Jewish Home boards, says there is no place quite like the Home. "As an acute care hospital CEO for over 30 years, I've had a chance to see people as they come into the hospital from various facilities," says Dale, who previously served as CEO of Providence Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. "You can tell what kind of care they received before being admitted to the hospital, and it's obvious the Jewish Home is incredibly special, with talented and compassionate staff who are truly invested in the residents." There is another key component that sets the Jewish Home apart, Dale says: its emphasis on coordinated care. "Whether seniors want to age in place at home or in a skilled nursing facility, there is a real lack of coordinated services and information flow between various care providers," he observes. "The Jewish Home is stepping into that gap, making it seamless for seniors and giving them critical peace of mind." One example of the Jewish Home's innovation on that front is its recent launch of the Brandman Health Plan. Designed for the patient with chronic special needs, the plan offers benefits to anyone in Los Angeles County who is Medicare-eligible and has diabetes, chronic heart failure, cardiovascular disorders, or dementia. "Too often, these folks bounce between doctors' offices, and there's no communication going back and forth, so care providers can end up working at cross purposes," Dale says. "The Brandman Health Plan eliminates this problem, making sure our seniors get the right care, in the right place, at the right time." Residents of the Jewish Home, along with members of the larger community, also have access to services like the Brandman Centers for Senior Care, a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Through this program, residents and others receive medical services, physical therapy, social services, and nutritional counseling, as well as exceptional adult day healthcare that engages them intellectually, physically, and socially. Dale says all of this adds up to make the Jewish Home unlike anyplace else—a prime destination for seniors across Los Angeles. "We're here for them, whoever they are and whatever their needs," he affirms. He looks forward to welcoming even more seniors into the Jewish Home family fold, and he encourages them to reach out and learn more. "We're eager to hear from new applicants," he says, "and can't wait to find out how we can help." For more information, go to lajhealth.org, or call 855-227-3745.

As senior residential care facilities nationwide have adapted and developed emergency protocols for administering the coronavirus vaccine, the Los Angeles Jewish Home has been at the forefront. Its secret weapon: an on-site pharmacy in one of its buildings, with a clinical pharmacy residency program that enables the Jewish Home to acquire, dispense, and monitor medications effectively and efficiently for the residents of that building. During the pandemic, the existence of this program has resulted in an organized vaccine clinic, allowing more people to get immunized, at a faster rate, than at many other senior care homes across California and around the country. "It's unusual for an organization like ours to have in-house pharmacists, but I believe it's the future for all long-term care facilities," says Noah Marco, MD, chief medical officer at the Jewish Home. "Among the many things doctors at a place like the Jewish Home do in caring for patients is prescribing needed medications, and as a physician I think there's no better resource than having a pharmacist stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you to improve care." Having an established pharmacy gave the Jewish Home an important advantage when it came time to getting the COVID-19 vaccine. "We were well positioned because we have essential equipment like medication refrigeration for the vaccine, and we also meet all the compliance requirements for pharmacies, which means we're able to handle and distribute the medication in the proper way," Dr. Marco says. "Many other facilities that had not invested in that process are currently struggling." The benefits go well beyond COVID-19, notes Aida Oganesyan, PharmD, the Jewish Home's director of pharmacy services. "The pharmacists are a timely resource for our clinicians where time is often of the essence," she says. "Since caring for Jewish Home residents is our full-time job, we can rapidly and proactively communicate important information when the prescriber and patient need it." Based at the Jewish Home's Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical Center, Dr. Oganesyan serves the entire organization, across multiple campuses. She got her start at the Home eight years ago, fresh out of pharmacy school. "I was the Jewish Home's first pharmacy resident, in 2013-14," she recalls. "Geriatrics had always been of interest to me, and when I heard about the program at the Home, I was immediately excited to learn more. As it turns out, I loved it so much, I decided to never leave!" The pharmacy residency program is a joint effort of the Jewish Home and Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU) College of Pharmacy, located in Pomona. Each year, the program accepts one resident—a recent pharmacy school graduate—who spends 12 months at the Jewish Home gaining critical hands-on experience. WesternU also sends its current pharmacy students to the Jewish Home for six-week clinical rotations during the academic year. The program is run by Janice Hoffman, PharmD, who splits her time between WesternU and the Jewish Home. Dr. Hoffman says the Jewish Home has been an ideal site for this accredited residency program. "The Home is a special place. You feel part of the family here. And everybody wants to do what's best for the patient, regardless of what that requires. It's not stagnant, everyone is willing to try new ways, and there is a willingness to listen and adapt." Since the program launched in 2013, the clinical services that pharmacy residents provide at the Jewish Home have continued to grow exponentially. "In the beginning, we were just working with the Auerbach Geriatric Psychiatry Unit (AGPU). Then we created an antibiotic stewardship program for our Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer (JEK) Medical Center residents. Our first project outside of the JEK building was an anticoagulation monitoring program that was developed for all Jewish Home nursing residents. After that, we pioneered a program wherein residents who experience a fall get a comprehensive medication evaluation by our pharmacists. Our current fellow, Rachel Stone, is running our new hypertension medication management program, which we're piloting in JEK to try to reduce the number of medicines seniors take and the number of times they have their blood pressure taken daily and weekly. Most people do not need to have their blood pressure measured as often as it typically is; perhaps once daily or weekly may be enough," Dr. Hoffman says. For Dr. Stone, who graduated with a PharmD from the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy at the University of Pacific in May 2020, being at the Jewish Home is an opportunity to develop her knowledge of geriatric psychiatry, which she plans to make her career specialty. "At AGPU, I'm able to participate in interdisciplinary team rounds with psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, activities coordinators and dieticians. It's great because I get to contribute my recommendations from a pharmacy perspective as I'm learning about the whole continuum of care," she says. She is also a central part of the Jewish Home's vaccination effort, supervising the pharmacy interns from WesternU and leveraging her expertise to help immunize residents and staff. "I always feel great when someone tells me they didn't feel anything after getting the COVID shot—it means I've done my best with my technique to make sure people don't get hurt!" she says. Dr. Stone administered the second dose of the vaccine to Dr. Marco. "While she was preparing the shot, I was reflecting on how unique the Jewish Home is," Dr. Marco says. "Through our fellowship and pharmacy, we're simultaneously able to help train up-and-coming professionals and to benefit our residents with access to a fully licensed pharmacist. As far as I'm concerned, it's just another reason the Jewish Home stands heads and shoulders above the rest!"