Getting out the vote during this Presidential election season is among the many challenges being presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, the Jewish Home is up to the task, and seniors on its multiple campuses will be marking their ballots this November as enthusiastically, and as easily, as ever before. Anticipating the increased logistical difficulties, Jewish Home staff have been busy helping residents exercise their right to be heard on Election Day. For the past month, staff have advertised and encouraged voter registration, posting flyers with key information on how to register (safely, without leaving the Jewish Home) and how to check current registration status. They have also put voting on the agenda during the Home's weekly Town Hall conference calls, ensuring all participants are aware of the upcoming election and their ability to play a role in it. On the digital front, residents had an opportunity to log on for the League of Women Voters' recent Ballot Measures Pros and Cons online forum. In addition, the Jewish Home is posting its don't-forget-to-vote message across its social media platforms, engaging followers to support the seniors in their lives in voting safely however possible. Pundits are predicting historic levels of absentee and mail-in voting, putting increased scrutiny on whether those ballots will be filled out properly—and, if not, whether their legitimacy might be questioned. To help guarantee every ballot is counted, Jewish Home Director of Volunteer Services Stacy Orbach and Eisenberg Village Lifestyle and Enrichment Director for Residential Care Annette Weinberg are offering to consult with residents on any ballot-related questions they may have, as well as double checking ballot envelopes to make certain residents are marking them correctly before posting them. Stacy and Annette also plan to drive completed ballots to a local voting center for any residents who prefer not to send theirs by mail. Jewish Home staff are also on hand to assist residents with physical challenges, such as impaired vision, that can complicate voting. It's part of the Jewish Home's ongoing commitment to helping residents feel empowered to make a difference. Over the next few weeks, Americans of all political persuasions will be taking part in the hallowed democratic process of choosing our nation's leaders—and this includes the residents of the Jewish Home.

Every fall, the Jewish Home braces itself for flu season by urging residents and staff to get the recommended annual vaccine. This year, compliance is more vital than ever as seasonal influenza dovetails with COVID-19, creating a potential double threat of risk and susceptibility. The overlap complicates the issue in many people's minds, but the mandate for action remains abundantly clear, says Noah Marco, MD, the Jewish Home's chief medical officer. "People might think they're less likely to get influenza because they're social distancing and wearing masks, but that's really the wrong way to look at it," he says. "We're all part of a community, and we all have responsibility to that community. Even if you aren't worried about getting influenza yourself, the possibility of you contracting the virus and then giving it to someone and potentially even killing them is no different now than it was in prior flu seasons." In fact, Dr. Marco continues, now is precisely the time for an elevated level of concern. The coronavirus has disproportionately affected the elderly and those with lower socio-economic status – the same populations disproportionately affected by influenza. "The bottom line is that the likelihood of both viruses running rampant in these communities is higher, so everyone should be getting the flu vaccine in order to help an already at-risk population," he says. There are other compelling reasons to get the flu vaccine this year, as well. Many symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to what patients would experience from the flu, making it difficult to determine which illness is actually the underlying cause. "It's a serious question: How do we figure out whether someone has COVID or influenza?" Dr. Marco says. "But if the person has already had the flu vaccine, it's much less likely to be the flu. When it comes to treatment, that helps a lot in decision making." Coronavirus aside, Dr. Marco points out that there have always been myths circulating that have dampened people's enthusiasm for getting a flu shot. "I've heard it all, from ‘I've had the vaccine in the past and gotten the flu from it,' which is impossible, to ‘It's too late in the season; at this point, it doesn't matter,' which is also untrue," he says. When a vaccine for COVID-19 finally becomes available, there will be a separate set of issues to consider, Dr. Marco notes, such as which shot to get first (flu or coronavirus) and how far apart the two should be spaced out. The answers will rest, in part, on decisions made at the federal level as to how a coronavirus vaccine should be distributed. "There is a National Institutes of Health panel looking at how to set priorities in terms of who gets the COVID-19 vaccine first," he says. "The medical director of Eisenberg Village, Dr. Michael Wasserman, sits on that panel, which means the Jewish Home has a voice in making those difficult decisions." For now, people's focus should be on the flu shot, Dr. Marco says, and the good news is the Jewish Home purchases sufficient amounts of the vaccine to inoculate all residents and staff who request it. "We're coming up on an ideal time to get the flu vaccine," he says. "My general recommendation is to do it in October, so it carries you through the peak of the flu season. But, really, any time is good – the main thing is just to do it!"

I am both extremely excited and honored to join the Los Angeles Jewish Home as the new President and Chief Executive Officer. While I am just starting in this position, I am not new to the tremendous work of the Jewish Home caring for seniors and their families. My association with the Jewish Home began when I was a child and had relatives who were residents of the Jewish Home back when the campus was centered in Boyle Heights. I have also participated in various activities and events with the support groups of the Jewish Home for decades and have served on some of the Jewish Home's boards for the past 8 years. I have also been involved with the Jewish Home professionally as well. I have been the CEO for acute care hospitals in the San Fernando Valley for the past 30 years and have witnessed first-hand the outstanding quality of care provided to all who come in contact with the Los Angeles Jewish Home. Many years ago, I had the good fortune to meet and work with Molly Forrest, who has led the Jewish Home tremendously for the past 24 years and I am pleased to call her my friend. Under Molly's outstanding leadership, the Jewish Home has created innovative programs and services which have led to substantial growth and expansion, while still maintaining the core of what makes the Home so exceptional. I have been asked why I am coming to the Los Angeles Jewish Home at the current time. I had been the CEO of successful hospitals for nearly 30 years and could have remained at Providence Cedars Sinai Medical Center as the CEO and would have been extremely happy and content. However, like many of you, we did not become engaged or involved in the Jewish Home to be satisfied; we have a burning desire to make a difference in the lives of seniors and their families who need our help. There is a significant unmet need in the provision and coordination of care and services to seniors throughout the Los Angeles area. As we will see the number of seniors continue to grow to unparalleled levels, and as their need for more home based and outpatient services increase, we will need to expand our menu and diversity of programs and services to meet this challenge. What will not change is what sets the Jewish Home apart; our excellence, compassion and quality of care we provide to all those we touch. We are blessed to have outstanding staff, whose kindness and concern they bring to each person, every day is unrivaled. It has been our hallmark for 108 years, and is what truly makes the Jewish Home a unique and special place. I am thrilled to be part of the Jewish Home family and I look forward to a great year ahead. I wish you and your loved ones a very happy, healthy and sweet New Year.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has complicated romance around the world, but for Howard and Sheila Krupnick, love is everlasting—and a rose called by any other name would smell as sweet. The dedicated couple recently celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary at the Jewish Home with a visit lifted right out of Shakespeare. When they first moved into the Jewish Home, Howard and Sheila were on different campuses due to the specialized care each required. However, the staff at the Home was determined to get them closer to one another, ultimately orchestrating a move that located them both in Eisenberg Village: Howard in the Newman Building and Sheila in the Goldenberg•Ziman Special Care Center. Then COVID-19 struck, limiting the movement of residents as the Jewish Home worked tirelessly keeping staff and residents healthy and safe. Though they were now on the same campus, the threat of the coronavirus kept them confined to their respective rooms. "The Krupnicks have a special connection, and it was tough to see them apart," recalls Kathleen Glass, Eisenberg Village's executive director. "As their anniversary approached, we knew it was time to get creative to find a safe way to bring them together." Given the challenges of COVID-19, the reunion would have to be distanced— neither Howard nor Sheila could risk getting sick. But logistics were on their side: Glass realized that Sheila's location, on the second floor of Goldenberg•Ziman, would give her access to an upper-level outdoor patio—an ideal vantage point from which to gaze down at Howard, who could sit on a chair just below. Then the planning began. "Our social worker went to the store to pick up balloons and flowers," Glass says. "When it was time for the meeting, our team brought the two of them to their designated spots, outfitted in PPE. Howard had a face shield, and Sheila had a mask, but the protective equipment didn't stop them from blowing kisses to each other." What unfolded next was what Glass calls the couple's Romeo and Juliet moment. Howard asked Sheila if she would marry him again; her resounding "yes" was strong and steady as it carried down from the floor above. Extending the magic of the moment, Eisenberg Village Campus Rabbi Ron Goldberg led the couple in renewing their marriage vows. "It was really beautiful on so many levels," Glass notes. "Sheila has dementia, but when she saw Howard, she absolutely lit up. You could see it from two stories away." Glass says the event also provided a necessary boost for members of the Jewish Home staff. "Watching them together made a real impact on our team. We must face COVID-19 every day. Seeing Howard and Sheila interact was heartwarming and renewed our motivation to do what we do best: taking care of our residents and helping them fill their lives with as much love as possible during a time when so many things are being taken away from them because of the pandemic." For Glass, the celebration was a reminder of another famous literary pronouncement, this one penned by the father of English literature, Geoffrey Chaucer. "Howard and Sheila's story has an important lesson for every one of us," Glass says. As Chaucer wrote,"Love conquers all!"

As any gardener knows, seeds can take root and thrive even under the most challenging conditions. Although the coronavirus pandemic has made socializing extremely difficult for Jewish Home residents, many have nurtured robust new friendships thanks to an innovative partnership between the Home and Builders of Jewish Education (BJE), an L.A.-based nonprofit that facilitates Jewish educational experiences from early childhood through high school. Earlier this summer, BJE Experiential Educator Michal Kress reached out to the Home about a potential month-long partnership focused on connecting Jewish teens and Jewish Home residents. The idea was simple: teens and seniors, both stuck at home with few outlets for socializing, could meet over Zoom and get to know one another. The result would be strong intergenerational relationships that fostered Jewish continuity and enriched all the participants' lives. Stacy Orbach, director of volunteer services at the Jewish Home, was enthusiastic about the program from the get-go. "Our residents have been lonely during the pandemic, and this presented such a wonderful opportunity for them to bond with people in the community," she says. "It also enabled residents to share their knowledge with teens – to pass on the wisdom they've accumulated throughout the course of their lives." The program paired eight Jewish Home residents with 15 teens from high schools across the city including De Toledo, Milken, Shalhevet, Cleveland and Notre Dame. During weekly Zoom chats lasting between 30 minutes and an hour, the residents and teens learned about each other, swapped stories, and even studied together. "One of the residents who participated was a Spanish teacher, and he started teaching the kids Spanish on his Zoom!" Orbach says. In addition to the Zoom calls, the teens also attended workshops to talk about what their time with the residents had taught them. The goal, says BJE's Kress, was to focus on the Jewish value of "lizkor" (to remember). "We asked the teens to think about what the Jewish Home residents want their legacy to be for future generations." At the end of the program, the teens wrote reflections about their experiences. "Over the past few weeks, I have learned not to take any moment for granted and to be thankful for the opportunities that come my way," wrote one student. "My partner showed me that, even through this very difficult time for all of us, we must be grateful because we are fortunate to be healthy and safe." Residents who participated used iPads donated by Jewish Home supporters, who purchased the equipment precisely so seniors at the Home could stay linked to the outside world. "The past months have been hard on our residents, and things like having ‘face-to-face' conversations can make such a difference," says Corey Slavin, the Home's vice president of community engagement. "With the iPads, our donors are helping residents stay happy, healthy, and optimistic about the future." Although summer has come to a close and the new academic year has begun, a number of the students plan to stay in touch with their new Jewish Home friends even as they balance schoolwork and other activities. "We had to say our official ‘goodbyes' before the kids returned to their classes," Orbach says, "but I've heard from a number of participants in the program that these friendships were built to last!" For more information about exploring partnerships like this with the Jewish Home, contact Stacy Orbach at (818) 774-3219 or [email protected].

Each year Dean and Brooke Collins, ages 11 and 9, make a donation in honor of their great-grandfather, Izzy Slome. This year, due to COVID-19, these young philanthropists chose the Los Angeles Jewish Home to be the recipient of $500 worth of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Dean and Brooke wanted to donate to an organization in need, and determined that the Los Angeles Jewish Home's staff, true superheroes, would be the recipient of their generosity. "I wanted to donate PPE to the superheroes at the Jewish Home for the Aging, because I really respect how they are risking their lives to protect families' elderly loved ones," says Brooke. Her older brother Dean added that helping others is important, "because we are not perfect and it's important to do good deeds to make up for this, and also because Judaism teaches us to do Tikkun Olam and repair the world." Brooke and Dean came to drop off the PPE at the entrance of the Jewish Home on a very hot Tuesday in July with their mother, Dr. Brynie Collins, a Pediatric Gastroenterologist. They were also joined by their Pediatrician Dr. Daniel Bruckner, who the children fondly refer to as "Dr. Danny." Dr. Bruckner has been donating PPE to the Home, and Brooke and Dean "felt very proud to deliver the PPE, especially to help out Dr. Danny, too." Their special gift and the love with which they gave it to the Home, is significant, helping the Home's staff to continue to provide the best quality of care, as safely as possible. If you are interested in donating to the Home, please contact Corey Slavin, Vice President, Community Engagement, at 818.774.3031 or [email protected].

There is a bright spot amidst what can feel like the countless challenges of the global coronavirus pandemic: the smiling faces of Jewish Home residents able to connect with family and friends. Thanks to the Home's iPad donation program, our seniors can laugh, celebrate and catch up with loved ones—all while safely avoiding exposure to the harmful effects of COVID-19. The program was born out of necessity. The pandemic has had a profound impact on everyone, and the residents of the Jewish Home have not been immune to that disruption. Due both to the highly contagious nature of the disease and seniors' particular susceptibility to it, the Home took early and aggressive action to safeguard residents' lives. The Jewish Home's protective measures included temporarily halting visits, which meant finding alternative ways for residents to be in contact with the people they hold most dear. Generous donor contributions from all parts of the community enabled the Home to purchase iPads for use across both the Eisenberg Village and Grancell Village campuses. Residents are able to access the technology to reach out to connect with their family members. If they are unfamiliar with iPads and how they work, Jewish Home staff are available to help get them up and running on the equipment. The program, notes Corey Slavin, vice president of community engagement, has been a crucial lifeline for residents at an especially vulnerable time. "The iPads are a touchstone for residents and their families, allowing them to see one another, express their feelings, and catch up on what's been happening in each other's lives," she says. "Due to pandemic safety measures, there have been no visits from the public at the Home for months, and that includes holidays like Mother's Day. We recognize it's been hard on our residents and their families, and things like having ‘face-to-face' conversations can make such a difference." The Home is grateful to the supporters who have made the iPad donation program possible. When they first heard of the needs, Marilyn and Cal Gross immediately provided funding for the purchase of 30 iPads; Dr. Boris Ratiner bought iPads, as well, and the Oscar Litwak Foundation raised money to help buy even more. "Our donors are amazing, and they have once again stepped up at a critical juncture," Slavin says. "Their generosity, warmth, and compassion are helping our residents stay happy, healthy, and optimistic about the future."

What better way to bring joy and comfort to a senior's life than to write them a Note of Love? While recent months have required the Jewish Home to curtail visitation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, every effort is being made to keep the residents not only safe and healthy, but also engaged, active and entertained. One great way we can all take part is by sending Notes of Love to the residents. Notes of Love is a creative and simple way to say you care while making a tremendous difference in the day of a Senior. Whether or not you have a loved one or a friend at the Jewish Home, or have been looking to make a difference during this difficult time, sending a Note of Love is a way to say you care. There is no minimum age requirement to send in your "note" and you don't need to be an artist—adults and kids alike are encouraged to write a note, draw/paint a picture, or make a photo collage. Your Notes of Love will demonstrate to our Seniors that they are being thought of with love during this time. Once your "note" is received by the Jewish Home, we will distribute and post them throughout our campuses providing our residents with a virtual hug from the community. There is no need to put a specific date or name on the communication as we will share them broadly at our various sites over the coming weeks. To participate, simply send your creation to Stacy Orbach C/O Los Angeles Jewish Home, 7150 Tampa Avenue, Reseda, CA 91335 or send via email to [email protected]. And remember to share your act of kindness by tagging us @lajewishhome.

On July 23, the Los Angeles Jewish Home's Annenberg School of Nursing (ASN) hosted a very special and unique "drive-thru" commencement ceremony. The event—always joyful—held particular resonance this year, as 23 new vocational nurses, ASN's largest class ever, celebrated the determination and drive that kept them going even in the midst of the worst global pandemic in a century. Social distancing and safety protocols made a more typical ceremony impossible but that did not stop the celebration. ASN developed a drive-thru version of the "procession" enabling the graduates' family members and close friends to be present for the occasion. Also on hand were Jewish Home CEO-President Molly Forrest, ASN Board President Shelly Steier, Director of ASN Amandeep Kaur and David Cooper, an instructor in the program. As class president and valedictorian of the 2019 class, Kimberly Daley was one of the beneficiaries of ASN's cutting-edge curriculum. The remarks she prepared for the ceremony captured the sentiment shared by her fellow graduates. "I was given so many opportunities this past year thanks to being a student at ASN," she said. "The Jewish Home nurses, certified nursing assistants and other employees all taught me more than I could have learned anywhere else." In addition to earning the title of valedictorian, Daley also distinguished herself as receiving the highest score on the rigorous ATI exam, which assesses a student's preparedness in entering health science fields. Other students receiving special honors included Denise McDonald, who graduated magna cum laude, Kyra Azalbarian, who graduated cum laude and Juan Garcia, who received the Florence Nightingale Award. After handing the graduates their pins and diplomas, Kaur, Cooper, Steier and Forrest bumped elbows with the graduates as a congratulatory gesture—a coronavirus-friendly alternative to handshaking. For Forrest, participating in the students' remarkable milestone was a highlight of the summer. "The Jewish Home has long prided itself on its commitment to career advancement for its employees by promoting education through our training and educational programs," she commented. "The Annenberg School of Nursing also provides a career ladder for those from the public looking to pursue and further their nursing opportunities, whether here at the Jewish Home or elsewhere. We are so proud of the school's leadership and the students' accomplishments, especially during these very unusual circumstances." Since ASN's inception, approximately 50 percent of all graduates have gone on to work for the Jewish Home. It is a result, according to Kaur, ASN's director, of the respect students develop for the Home during their course of study. "Our students build bonds of trust with the Home that last well beyond graduation," she says. "It's wonderful that so many of them come to work here after completing their degrees; it reinforces the feeling that, at the Home, we are all part of one extended family."