What is the secret to living to 106? According to Jewish Home resident Faye Levitt, "It's part luck and part the way you are. You have to be happy with yourself and have a good attitude and good friends." Last week, luck, attitude and friendships brought Faye to her 106th birthday, which she celebrated with family and friends. Held at the Home's Grancell Village Campus, the party was a collaborative effort of Faye's family and the activities department of the Mark Taper Building where Faye resides. The room was festively decorated for the occasion with pastel balloons, floral centerpieces and a Happy Birthday banner featuring photos of Faye. A beautiful cake tempted everyone until Faye did the honors of making the first slice. As a member of the activities staff played Happy Birthday on a baby grand piano, everybody sang along, wishing Faye all the best and many, many more. A self-confessed "shopaholic," Faye was glowingly beautiful in a new blue top and her hair freshly coiffed. The youngest of five children, Faye was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Anne and Harry Reader, who were from Austria. Anne and Harry moved their family to Galveston, Texas to open a jewelry store. Though business was good, sometimes the town would flood, with water entering their store and rising to the bottom of the safe. A friend suggested they consider moving to Taft, California, near Bakersfield. At the time, Taft was a booming oil town, so the family packed up and relocated. As she got older, Faye loved getting dressed up and going to work in the store, something she would do for decades to come. To this day, she still takes great care to always look her best. Another family move brought everyone to Santa Monica, where a new store was opened. It was in Los Angeles that Faye met her husband-to-be, Ben, through a girlfriend. After dating for one year, they married and went on to have two children, Ken and Myrna. Now Faye's family includes four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, all living nearby. She is also the only – and favorite - aunt to the thirteen children and grandchildren on Ben's side of the family, many who were on hand to celebrate her birthday. "She has become mother to all my friends as their own mothers have passed away," exclaims Myrna. Throughout their marriage, Faye and Ben worked together in the store and enjoyed traveling with a group of friends, visiting Israel, Spain, France, England, Italy…and Vegas. When he was 85, Ben passed away, and Faye, who was 75, began living on her own in an apartment in Encino. There she made friends with a group of women and they did a lot of fun things together, including barbecuing at Faye's place. When she was 93 and had to give up driving, Faye moved to an assisted living facility where she lived for about 14 years. As always, she made a lot of friends and enjoyed socializing. Although she has never had a serious illness or surgery, she began to need more care. Ken and Myrna suggested the Jewish Home. "The Home was recommended to us by so many people," explains Myrna. "And it is a wonderful place! Since coming here, our mother is eating better, exercising, participating in activities, and attending Shabbat and holiday services." "With our mom living here at the Home, we know she is taken care of and we don't have to worry," says Ken. "I feel lucky to have my mom with us at 106! She's smart, sharp, has a great memory and sense of humor. It's amazing what she has experienced and seen in her lifetime." Though she's only been at the Home for a few months, Faye encourages others to consider making the move. "It's made a big difference in my life," she says. "As you get older, it's better to be around other people than to be living in a place by yourself. It gives you the opportunity to communicate with others. Here at the Home, the care is great, the employees are wonderful and the food is good!" Reflecting on her 106th birthday celebration, Faye "is elated! I see all my relatives and friends and it's a pleasure. I'm happy to be able to enjoy this because it's not usual that a person my age would be able to experience this. I am thankful to my family and the Jewish Home staff for making this party so wonderful!" On behalf of the Jewish Home, mazel tov to Faye on this milestone occasion. We wish her good health and happiness in the years to come. To see more photos of Faye's 106th birthday celebration, click here.

If you have a senior loved one in your life or are a senior yourself, you’re probably familiar with the word geriatrician. But in reality do you know what this term actually means? A geriatrician is a fully trained physician specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of seniors. In most cases, geriatricians are primary care physicians, board-certified in internal or family medicine. Before becoming a geriatrician, most complete a one-year, post-residency fellowship in the field of geriatrics. Geriatrics is the branch of medicine catering to older adults. Once the fellowship is completed, the geriatrician is ready to perform his or her primary role – enhancing the quality of life for seniors as they age. However, those physicians who went into the field prior to the development of formal training programs, had the ability to take a written test that demonstrated their knowledge in the field and get certified as a geriatrician. Geriatricians play a major role in a senior's health and well-being, providing diagnosis and treatment to patients with complicated medical conditions. Seniors with age-related illnesses, disabilities, and/or prolonged use of prescription medication can greatly benefit from the carefully crafted care plans geriatricians create. These specialists usually start with a complete assessment of each patient's physical, psychological, cognitive, and social function. Once the doctor is familiar with a senior’s health profile, he or she work closely with the entire care team to develop a comprehensive plan of care. Geriatricians are ready and willing to provide their patients with information and insight to make tough decisions easier to navigate. They can also help to take the load off of family caregivers who are struggling with caring for a senior loved one at home. With a quick evaluation of the senior’s living space, geriatricians propose small modifications to make home life easier and safer. Many experienced geriatricians excel in providing key suggestions to continuously improve the quality of life for seniors. At the Los Angeles Jewish Home, chief medical officer Dr. Noah Marco leads a team of noted geriatricians who provide award-winning services to seniors on site. “Many in the field consider the Jewish Home as one of the birthplaces of Geriatric Medicine,” says Dr. Marco. “When UCLA established the Multicampus Program in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology in 1979, it affiliated with the Los Angeles Jewish Home as a place for its doctors to get their experience. We are fortunate that several of our doctors graduated from that program.” If you or a senior you know are interested in healthy aging or looking to receive life-enhancing care, consider making an appointment with a geriatrician. Call the Home’s convenient, toll-free Connections to Care hotline 855.227.3745, or visit the American Geriatrics Society site and use the Find a Geriatrics Healthcare Professional tool to find a geriatrician near you.

This morning, Jewish Home CEO-President Molly Forrest and Jewish Home CMO Dr. Noah Marco met with representatives Scott Abrams from Congressman Brad Sherman's office and Ian Anderson from Assemblyman Matt Debabneh's office. The group toured the Eisenberg and Grancell Village campuses and then sat down to discuss the Home's exciting future. Molly was delighted to meet with the gentlemen, "It's wonderful to have federal and state representatives visit us and learn about the Home's commitment to seniors."

On Sunday, May 14, 2017, the Jewish Home will host the twenty-third annual World’s Largest Mother’s Day Celebration. The event will honor the Home’s mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and even great-great-grandmothers on both the Grancell Village and Eisenberg Village campuses. The Mother’s Day Celebration will begin at 10:30 a.m. Everyone can enjoy a festive brunch while listening – and dancing – to the music of the Skye Michaels Orchestra. Chaired by Marcee Weiss and Debbie Weiss, the event promises to provide a wonderful opportunity for 1,000 seniors and their families to gather together to celebrate this special day. Tickets for adults (age 12 and older) are $25.00 each and children’s tickets (ages 5-11) are $12.00 each. There is no charge for Jewish Home residents and children under age 5. Tickets must be purchased by Friday, May 5th. For more information and to purchase tickets to the World’s Largest Mother’s Day Celebration, please contact Denise Horowitz at [email protected] or (818) 774-3324.

Last month, seniors gathered in the Brandman Centers for Senior Care (BCSC) to participate in the Center’s newest activity —a healthy cooking class. The course, one in an ongoing monthly series led by BCSC activities coordinator Karla Lopez, showcased simple recipes for vegetable-centric meals and snacks. Seniors sat at their work stations, donning aprons and gloves, excitedly awaiting instruction. Equipped with knives, cutting boards, skewers, and an assortment of fresh vegetables, the participants had everything they needed to begin. Karla started the lesson with an announcement. “Today we will be making grilled vegetable skewers – a delicious, balanced meal that only takes 25 minutes to make.” The room began to buzz with excitement. Participants followed Karla’s detailed directions, carefully peeling onions, chopping bell peppers, halving mushrooms, and finally skewering the mixture of colorful vegetables. Once the fresh components were assembled, Karla placed three skewers on a pre-heated portable grill, demonstrating how to properly prepare the food. Participants took turns manning the grill, patiently waiting to flip the skewers until vegetables were tender and the edges were slightly browned. After only a few minutes, the batch of skewers were cooked to perfection. Seniors took their seats and prepared to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Karla said, “And now it’s time for the best part, the taste test.” Seniors bit into the juicy, grilled vegetables and were delighted with the results. “These are delicious!” Brandman Center participant Maria Hernandez exclaimed. “I never knew making a healthy meal could be so easy. I love coming to Karla’s classes, I’ve learned so much about nutritious cooking.” BCSC’s registered dietician nutritionist Randi Drasin explains the importance of the class. “Eating healthy is an essential part of living a long life. Seniors and people of all ages can greatly benefit from maintaining a healthy diet, high in fruits and vegetables. BCSC’s new cooking class exposes participants to delicious plant-based meal options and fresh cooking concepts, showing seniors eating healthy can be easy, inexpensive, and fun.” “At the Brandman Centers, we offer a variety of unique activities to engage, educate, and inspire seniors,” says Jillian Simon BCSC director. “Our monthly cooking classes provide our participants with an exciting, hands-on experience they can easily recreate at home. Activities like these provide seniors the tools they need to continue to lead active, independent lives in the comfort of their own homes.” For more information about adult day healthcare at the Brandman Centers for Senior Care, please click here to visit the BCSC website or call 818.774.8444.

As a philosophy, hospice care provides pain and symptom management to those needing end-of-life care. At Skirball Hospice, our team of physicians, nurses, social workers, spiritual counselors, home health aides, office staff, and volunteers provides biopsychosocial and spiritual comfort, throughout the greater Los Angeles community and at the Los Angeles Jewish Home. After the death of a loved one, the bereavement team provides support to family members for 13 months in the form of counseling, referrals, and mailings, as well as guidance with logistical concerns. An important part of our support is our Annual Skirball Hospice Memorial Service – a time to remember and celebrate the legacy of the patients that died in the previous year. This year, the Memorial Service was held on Sunday, March 5, 2017, at the Skirball Cultural Center. Led by members of the Skirball Hospice team, attendees joined together through songs, readings, and prayers. Stories of love and laughter were shared as the memories of loved ones came to life throughout the day. Family members and friends expressed their gratitude to the hospice team for their support and guidance; team members rekindled relationships with those they had regularly been in communication with in the year past; and everyone experienced a sense of fulfillment, hope, and peace in continuation of the journey through grief and through life. Skirball Hospice is a program of the Los Angeles Jewish Home. If you have any questions or comments you’d like to share with the Skirball Hospice team, please feel free to contact us at any time on our 24-hour line at 818.774.3040. We look forward to connecting with you, and thank you for giving us the honor of serving you and your loved ones during a most sacred time.

The Los Angeles Jewish Home was the proud recipient of a 2 year, $250,000 grant from the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles in October 2016. The Foundation awarded grants that demonstrate ‘cutting edge’ programs to serve the Jewish Community. The Jewish Home was given grant money to implement the Resident-Centered Medical Home Model in residential care areas on the Eisenberg campus, in addition to supporting the Connections to Care Interoperability Platform database. The Medical Home Model follows 50 Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE) residents over a 2 year period, with the goal of improving quality of life, maintaining residency in RCFE, reducing hospitalizations and ER visits, and rapidly intervening and treating any changes in conditions or functioning. Their participation does not interfere with their relationship with the primary physician, but rather adds an additional layer of services that are available to them. Doreen Delgado, Nurse Practitioner, and Ann La Clair, LVN, are coordinating efforts for this project, and to date there are 41 seniors enrolled. "The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive." Ann explains, "Participants are thrilled they've been given the opportunity to voice their opinions and make a meaningful contribution to the Jewish Home and the community as a whole." The project's initial intake ranges from 45 to 90 minutes, and obtains critical medical, psychosocial, functional and cognitive information. Participants are also given an opportunity to complete an Advance Directive, which helps direct the plan of care based on the client’s wishes. Over the two year period, residents will have easy access to a clinical provider and get their needs and concerns taken care of immediately. Care services can be delivered in the Levy-Kime clinic or in resident's rooms if needed. “As a prominent leader in geriatric services, the Los Angeles Jewish Home continues to develop groundbreaking technology and innovative care delivery models that will provide continuity of care to seniors here at the Jewish Home and to community seniors in the future," says Doreen. "Thanks to the generous grant from the Jewish Community Foundation, we are another step closer to developing a successful personalized model of care that can be translated to thousands of Los Angeles seniors that will enhance their quality of care and lives."

This year on National Caregivers Day, February 17th, we acknowledge the caring individuals who dedicate countless hours providing compassionate care to their senior loved ones. In the United States, 44 million people —about one in five American adults—act as unpaid, family caregivers. Day and especially night, caregivers make meaningful contributions to help maintain the well-being of the senior they care for. They provide assistance through a variety of services—meal preparation, hygiene, housekeeping, shopping, transportation, medication, companionship, and financial support to name a few. Informal caregivers act as the unsung heroes of a senior’s care team. Caregivers become personal advocates and care coordinators for their loved ones— communicating with medical professionals, performing difficult nursing tasks, and navigating the health care system. Despite their important role, most family caregivers do not receive the training, preparation, or ongoing support they need. The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), established in 2000, provides support and assistance to family caregivers so they can care for their loved ones at home for as long as possible. Caregivers can access counseling, training, respite care, and supplemental services through the Administration on Aging website. Through the loving care they provide, caregivers are able to form a close bond with their frail family member. Caregivers often gain a better understanding of their family member’s medical condition and experience a sense of relief from knowing their loved one is well cared for. While providing care for a family member can be a very rewarding personal experience for a caregiver, it can take a serious toll on the person’s career, family life, financial situation, quality of life, and overall health. Caregivers can become over-stressed and exhausted or experience an increased risk of depression or excessive use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. They are also more likely to have a chronic illness such as heart disease or obesity. Caregiver burnout is a common cause of hospitalization of the frail elderly and has been shown to be a factor in elder abuse cases. “In order to continually provide high quality care, caregivers must first focus on their own self-care,” says Dr. Noah Marco, chief medical officer of the Jewish Home. “By regularly practicing self-care activities such as maintaining a balanced diet, exercising regularly, engaging in social activity, getting enough sleep, and making a yearly visit to a doctor, caregivers can enhance their physical, mental, and emotional health, allowing them to better serve their loved ones for many years to come. The third law in the classic novel House of God by Samuel Shem was 'At a cardiac arrest, the first procedure was to take your own pulse.' The rule is also appropriate for people providing care to their family members." To all caregivers— thank you for your commitment to providing compassion and care to those who need it most.

While the media is known for portraying sex as something meant for only the young and beautiful, more and more seniors are finding a gratifying sex life is attainable and enjoyable at any age. Seniors who frequently engage in sexual activity enjoy the benefits of boosted immunity, lower blood pressure, pain relief, and better sleep. Through these intimate encounters seniors strengthen the physical and emotional connection with another person, combating feelings of isolation, depression, and loneliness. Sex can also enhance one’s mood, self-confidence, and overall health. Seniors who engage in sexual activity regularly tend to be happier, healthier, and more satisfied with life For many, sex gets better with age and experience. In the latter years of life, we tend to become more patient and attentive to our partner’s needs. Additionally, by this stage in life most people have learned what brings them the most pleasure, and are more inclined to share this information with their partners. Another great benefit of having intercourse after menopause is that there is no need to worry about an unwanted pregnancy; however, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) pose a risk to all who engage in sexual activity, no matter their age. The Centers for Disease Control reports only 6% of adults over the age of 61 use condoms in sexual encounters. STDs are often left undiagnosed in aging adults and can complicate pre-existing medical conditions. In order to prevent the spread of these dangerous diseases, seniors should always practice safe sex. While sex can be pleasurable and beneficial at any age, seniors may experience many physical changes and medical issues that make it more difficult. Changing hormone levels, illness, chronic pain, and disability can greatly affect a senior’s satisfaction and performance in the bedroom. Additionally, drugs, alcohol, and some prescribed medications can lead to sexual problems such as decreased libido, erectile issues, and delayed orgasms. Feelings of depression, anxiety, stress, and insecurity may also affect one’s ability to perform sexually. "Seniors should feel comfortable discussing their sex life with their healthcare providers." says Dr. Noah Marco, chief medical officer of the Jewish Home. "Senior sex is natural and healthy, and most doctors are comfortable and experienced with helping their patients maintain an active sex life. Clinicians can diagnose and treat STDs with simple exams and tests. Doctors can also suggest ways to improve one’s sexual experience, and prevent sex-related injuries and accidents. Because of physical changes caused by aging and some diseases, seniors (both men and women) will often need to be prescribed medication in order to have intercourse. Remember, your healthcare provider’s goal is to help you maintain all the things that you enjoy doing so don’t be hesitant if one of the things that you need help with is your sex life."