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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.

With the High Holy Days coming soon, Jewish Home e-Connections sat down with Rabbi Karen Bender, director of spiritual life for the Los Angeles Jewish Home, to discuss a central theme of the holidays: growth and change. One of my favorite Jewish stories is attributed to the Chafetz Chaim, an influential Eastern European rabbi, 1839-1933. When asked how he had such an impact as a great sage and leader in the 20th century Jewish world, the Chafetz Chaim answered, “I set out to change the world but I failed. So I decided to scale back my efforts and only try to influence the Jewish community of Poland, but I failed there too. So I targeted the community in my home town of Radin, but achieved no greater success. Then I gave all of my effort to changing my own family, and failed at that as well. Finally, I decided to change myself, and that’s how I had such an impact on the Jewish world.” The High Holy Days are about changing ourselves. As 21st century American Jews, we tend to focus our efforts upon repairing what is wrong around us. Some are active on issues of social justice. This year some are active in the elections. Some are active in helping the Jewish community, including the Los Angeles Jewish Home. And, of course, this is so important as it constitutes Tikkun Olam, world repair. I, myself, hope to look back on my own life as a citizen of Los Angeles, an American citizen and as a Jew someday and be able to proudly say I made a difference in important causes and institutions. We also need to heal and change our souls. The ten day period between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is the ideal time to jump start that practice. During the High Holy Days we call it “Tshuva,” or “Repentance,” but I prefer to call it, “growing.” This work is never done. It is a lifelong process and opportunity. And for our residents this is extremely important. While most of them are past the point of truly being able to be activists with their time or resources, they can always improve as human beings and they do. They are my inspiration. As Alan Morinis recounts in his book, Everyday Holiness, Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz guides his students along these lines in the following way. One beautiful Spring day, when a group of boys gathered in his house to study, the rabbi rushed into the room and had a very agitated look on his face. He cried out, “I just came from the street and I saw that all around me everything was growing. Why are you not growing!?” Change is possible. Growth is imperative. You are like a garden. Shana Tova!

The Jewish Home will be spreading good cheer throughout the Home this holiday season as it continues its #NotesofLove campaign, which encourages friends, relatives, and the public to send in homemade greetings for residents eager to stay connected to the community during the ongoing restrictions caused by COVID-19. #NotesofLove launched earlier this year with great success. At the Jewish Home, keeping residents healthy has meant instituting safeguards that have included restrictions on visits with friends and family. As the pandemic stretches into its 10th month, staff have been working to identify ways to keep up communications with the residents' loved ones and with the community at large. The Jewish Home has responded with a wide range of wonderful activities including #NotesofLove, which delivers warm wishes from the community directly to residents' doors. This outreach effort is exactly as advertised: Community members are invited to write notes, draw pictures, and make cards for Jewish Home residents to express their love and affection. When the Jewish Home first rolled out #NotesofLove five months ago, the response was overwhelming. "People from all over the city were writing, and you could see residents' faces light up when we would bring them the notes," recalls Stacy Orbach, the Jewish Home's director of volunteer services. "It's been such a hit that we're extending the campaign to create #NotesofLove, Holiday Edition." The beauty of the initiative, Stacy notes, is that anyone can participate. "Whether it's schools, synagogues, or families—we welcome all contributions," Stacy says. The "notes" bring joy to residents and can help infuse the Jewish Home with holiday spirit during this challenging year. They are also, Stacy points out, a fun way for community members to get creative. "We recently received some ‘rocks of love'—a woman whose mother lived at the Home until she passed away several years ago sent us these beautiful, hand-painted rocks, each with a different inspirational saying on it. It was such a lovely gesture to make our residents feel good," she says. The holiday outreach is already well underway. "I've been contacted by a number of schools and youth groups that plan to mail us cards and letters," Stacy says. "The seventh graders from Wilshire Blvd. Temple are going to send Chanukah gifts to our nursing care residents. But we're looking for even more people to get in the #NotesofLove spirit—there are eight nights of Chanukah, and that's a lot of love that needs to be spread!" As Stacy sees it, people's enthusiasm for the campaign has been a bright spot in an otherwise dreary year. "The pandemic has interrupted a lot of things, but it didn't change how the community feels about the Jewish Home," she says proudly. "We've asked for them to engage with us, and they've really stepped up." #NotesofLove can be sent directly to the Jewish Home's Eisenberg Village campus, c/o Stacy Orbach, at 18855 Victory Blvd., Reseda, CA 91335.

Activists come in all ages. The seniors at the Los Angeles Jewish Home showed they, too, have a voice in our social system. They are more than willing to organize around a cause that touches their hearts in order to help others. Resident Freddie Miller saw coverage of immigrant families being separated on the news and felt she had to do something. Her heart was breaking for them. "Children are my thing," she said. Her daughter, Jennifer Tidstrand, told us, "My mom is incredibly bright, politically astute, and she has a big heart for children." Freddie suggested the idea of a march for awareness to the resident council of the Jewish Home. Council president Robert Lehman embraced the idea wholeheartedly. "We are a family at the Jewish Home. It was such collective support," he said. Over 30 residents made signs, wore badges, and marched around the Eisenberg Village Campus. Skilled nursing residents joined them by waving flags and singing "God Bless America" along their marching route. Ida Franklin joined the march, she said, "Because I care. I think it’s good to keep it alive until they get everything taken care of." Marilyn Weiner was happy to march, too. "I just hope we make a difference."

When Judy Fenton heard about the shortage of protective gear for healthcare personnel, she knew she could contribute, but did not know where to start. "I was trying to figure out how to get involved," says Fenton, who lives at Fountainview at Gonda Healthy Aging Westside Campus. Then she learned that there was a need right in her own backyard when Charlette Ofrecio, executive director at Gonda, told her that Jewish Home staff lacked protective masks. Fenton eagerly jumped in to help. "The Jewish Home has been so good to me and I appreciate the staff so much," she says. Adept at sewing, Fenton borrowed a friend's sewing machine and got to work. "I always sewed for fun," she says. "I used to make my daughters' clothes for fancy occasions such as weddings and proms." Now she sews protective gear, estimating that she has produced 40-50 cloth masks. Toward the end of March, staff at the Home began to realize that there was a shortage of disposable gowns. Prices were skyrocketing. Kathleen Glass, executive director of the Home's Eisenberg Village campus, came up with a solution: Sew long sleeves onto traditional hospital gowns. Soon, staff and their friends and family were sewing gowns. And the Helping Hands campaign was born. Ofrecio told Fenton about the Home's "Helping Hands" campaign, which distributes medical gown sewing kits throughout the community, Fenton quickly and enthusiastically volunteered to help. Volunteer Services Director Stacy Orbach posted the Home's need for gowns onto various online sewing groups. Over thirty local women answered the call, and so far have created 1,000 gowns. "The community really stepped up," Orbach says, adding that completed gowns are still flowing into the Home on a weekly basis. Orbach reports that one volunteer has committed to keep sewing gowns until the Home reaches its 3,000-gown goal. Fenton has also joined the cause, firing up her sewing machine to sew the sleeves, which she then attaches to the gowns. She spends a few hours a day sewing, listening to music as she sews. "It's something to do as we shelter in place," Fenton says. "I feel like I'm contributing as I can't volunteer anywhere right now. Sewing makes me feel like I'm doing something to help the community." Public service runs in her family. Her grandson in Minneapolis used his Bar Mitzvah money to purchase a 3D printer and is making face shields for a Jewish senior facility near his home. In addition, her granddaughter in New York launched "Eats and Beats" for healthcare workers. A DJ performs over Zoom while they feast on donated meals. "I'm proud of my family," Fenton says. And it's also gratifying to see Jewish Home caregivers wearing the items she sewed. "The Jewish Home has been so good to me and I appreciate the staff so much," she says. "When I recognize them wearing something I made, it makes me feel so happy!" To join the Helping Hands campaign or to help out in other ways, please contact our Director of Volunteer Services Stacy Orbach at 818-774-3116, or [email protected]. Orbach will coordinate the gown distribution.

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.

In 1963, President Lyndon Johnson declared February to be American Heart Month. The action marked a pivotal point in the nation's approach to addressing cardiovascular disease. Since then, the number of deaths due to heart disease have declined in the U.S., thanks to advances in research, treatment and public education. Yet, while many advances have been made, heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the U.S. and worldwide. The good news is that the risk factors for heart disease can be modified with changes in lifestyle habits. Dr. Noah Marco, the Jewish Home's Chief Medical Officer, says the first step is to "add more steps" to your daily routine. He continues: At the Jewish Home, our residents are not just encouraged to walk around our beautiful campus, but to also join a variety of classes and group activities. These not only strengthen their hearts; they build their connections to our staff and other residents. Dr. Marco says the second step is to eat natural whole foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. "Here at the Jewish Home, our amazing dieticians and kitchen staff prepare meals that are not just healthy and delicious, they are also kosher!" Gender Differences Over the years, there has been an increasing awareness of how the disease affects not only men, but women. The risk factors—e.g., smoking, high cholesterol and blood pressure—remain the same between the genders. However, the differences in how men and women experience a heart attack can differ. According to the American Heart Association, women's heart attack symptoms can be more subtle, such as shortness of breath, pressure or pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen, dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting, upper back pressure or extreme fatigue. Because these symptoms can be linked to acid reflux or the flu, many women may dismiss them without realizing that they are actually experiencing a heart attack. Heart-Mind Connection Physicians are also paying more attention to takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as "broken heart syndrome," as more than 90% of reported cases are in women ages 58 to 75. According to Harvard Women's Health Watch, research suggests that up to 5% of women who thought they experienced a heart attack, actually have this disorder. The syndrome is often brought on by stressful situations and extreme emotions. Symptoms can often feel similar to those of a heart attack. These can include: chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, nausea and vomiting. But with the syndrome, there is no evidence of coronary artery obstruction. Instead, the left ventricle of the heart changes shape and increases in size. This weakens the heart muscle and means it doesn't pump blood well. "Achieving optimal emotional health is a key step to building a healthy heart," says Dr. Marco. "Here at the Home, we've been focused on the emotional health of our residents for a long time. Shortly after someone moves in, we hear how happier and less stressed they are." Learn more about living a heart-healthy lifestyle.

The Los Angeles Jewish Home has always been able to count on its friends, supporters, and caring individuals and companies throughout the community who will step forward to provide support to its residents and staff. Never has this generosity been more apparent than during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Home launched its "Helping Hands" campaign. More than 100 community leaders, members of the Home's board of directors, volunteers and community supporters have come together to provide the Home with both monetary and in-kind donations. Items donated included Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including surgical and N95 masks, gloves and surgical gowns. The Home also received iPads allowing residents to visit with their families and other loved ones during this difficult time of required social distancing. As community members reached out with their support, staff also took action volunteering to lend a helping hand. Director of Transportation Elisa Sosa stepped forward early in March, when it became apparent staff were in need of additional masks. She volunteered to spend her free time making cloth face coverings. Her initiative and hard work started a movement. Once members of the community learned that the Home was in serious need of additional face coverings, they called, offering to donate or create the cotton masks. Elisa, who has worked at the Home since 2001 consistently does whatever she can to help the Home's staff and residents. "I want to help the community. I have learned a lot from the Home, and I want everyone here to be safe," she said. In her career at the Home, she has worked as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) as well as in the medical records area and at the Home's Levy-Kime Geriatric Community Clinic, before assuming her current role as Transportation Supervisor for Brandman Centers for Senior Care (BCSC). She went on to share, "The Home is a big family, and I want to help out however I can, as I want to take care of my family here – the residents and the staff." Masks are not the only thing Elisa creates. She became aware that the Home was also in need of additional hospital gowns, as part of its "Helping Hands" campaign, an initiative to sew long sleeves on hospital gowns to help prolong the use of the gown while saving costs. She happily volunteered, sewing sleeves on hospital gowns to help aid the Home's residents. Joining with Elisa, the Home now has a group of dedicated volunteers who are continuing to sew sleeves on to gowns. More than 30 women from various sewing groups across Los Angeles have sewn sleeves onto more than 3,000 gowns. Remarkable people helping a remarkable organization. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge throughout Los Angeles, the state and the country, the Home continues to battle the virus and protect its residents. The need for PPE continues to grow. If you are interested in becoming part of the Home's "Helping Hands" campaign, please contact Stacy Orbach, Director of Volunteer Services at 818.774.3116 or [email protected] If you would like to donate new PPE to the Home or make a financial contribution, please contact Corey Slavin, Vice President of Community Engagement at 818.774.3031 or [email protected]

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!"

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.