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I love my new 2019 calendar. You're probably picturing twelve months of kittens or various natural wonders. But I am actually not referring to the art or photographs. I enjoy the barren part, with the squares and dates on it. As 2018 comes to a close and 2019 begins many of us will be saying, "Time flies!" or asking, "Where did the year go?" We wonder if we squandered time and if we are going to be more deliberate next year. Some will make New Year's resolutions and a few will even keep their resolutions! The Rabbis advise in the Talmud, "Do not say, 'When I have leisure time I will study,' because perhaps you will not have leisure time" (Pirkei Avot 2:4). In other words, if there is something you believe will enhance your life or improve the lives of others, try to do it as soon as possible. If you tell yourself "It can wait; there is no need to do today what can be done tomorrow," you may find yourself pushing off what matters most onto a thousand tomorrows. I love the empty boxes in the calendar because they remind me how every day is an opportunity to do something—and to do it now. The sooner we actualize our dreams and enact our hopes the more we live aligned with our values. And the calmer we feel. Life becomes more meaningful and purposeful. Those who live in the now thrive. Happiest and most content are those who wake up every day grateful for another day and eager to do something that will make them feel like the day was worthwhile when they lay their heads on their pillows at night. Most fulfilled are those who do at least one thing every day they do not have to do.No wonder in a nearby section of the Talmud, the Rabbis say, "The day is short and the task is great, the labourers are sluggish, the compensation is great and the Master of the house is urgent" (Pirkei Avot 2:15). Do it for God, or do it for yourself, or do it for the ideal of love. Happy New Year 2019!

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.

This year, Assembly Bill 1319, also known as the Medically Needy Program Extension is being reintroduced as Assembly Bill 1655. AB 1655 will be supported by California State Assemblyman Bill Dodd. If you are interested in giving aid to California’s Medically Needy beneficiaries, we suggest doing one of the following: Write and mail a personal letter to your California Representative. If you don’t know who your representative is, click here to find out.Write and mail a personal letter to Bill 1655's supportersAssemblyman Bill Dodd at:District Office:725 Main Street Suite 206Woodland, CA 95695Tel: (530) 662-7867Fax: (530) 662-6370or Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez at:District Office:1350 Front StreetSuite 6022San Diego, CA 92101Tel: 619-338-8090Fax: 619-338-8099Spread the word to your friends and family members about our cause and get them involved.

On September 25th pharmacists all over the world will be celebrated in honor of World Pharmacists Day. This year’s theme is Pharmacists: Caring for You. The theme reflects the important role of pharmacists in providing care to the public and to highlight the emotional connection they have with their patients. Among the unique and innovative services offered at the Los Angeles Jewish Home is an in-house pharmacy. Located in the Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical Center (JEKMC) at Grancell Village, the Erwin Rautenberg Foundation Pharmacy plays a critical role in the lives of our seniors and the exceptional care they receive. “It’s uncommon to have a pharmacy located in a nursing home,” says Bob Shmaeff, director of pharmacy services. “Proximity to our patients is a big advantage. We can deliver medications on a moment’s notice. It’s a full-service pharmacy geared to the needs of our seniors.” The in-house pharmacy provides its staff the opportunity to review orders, confirm dosages, make sure medications are having the intended effects, and check for drug interactions and adverse drug reactions. “Because our pharmacy is located within JEKMC, our staff can visit with residents and establish one-to-one relationships. This helps create a connection and build trust. Our seniors know they can approach us at any time to share how they are feeling and ask any question they may have about their medications.” “Bob and his team have been the recipients of several awards,” says Dr. Noah Marco, chief medical officer of the Jewish Home. “They participate in quality improvements efforts and mentor pharmacists that are completing their training. More importantly, our pharmacists make a difference in the lives of our residents by making sure each and every one receives the correct medication at the correct dose. They also ensure the resident’s doctor is aware of any potential safety issues regarding the prescriptions they write. Our residents love living at the Home, and our skilled pharmacists are a big part of the reason.” Jerry Wahagheghe, director of nursing at JEKMC, shares Dr. Marco’s enthusiasm about the in-house pharmacy and its team. “It’s wonderful because there is no need to order medications from an outside pharmacy, which saves a great deal of time. Bob and his staff are amazing.” “What I love most about my job at the Erwin Rautenberg Foundation Pharmacy is the ability to help our seniors live long, purposeful lives,” says Bob. “My staff and I have one goal: to deliver high quality pharmaceutical care to our residents. The end result is an average life span of 91 years at the Jewish Home, which is truly an accomplishment and a measure of success.” We honor our amazing pharmacy staff who play a major role in providing high quality care to our seniors: Robert Shmaeff, MPA Director of Pharmacy ServicesSean Boucher, PharmD Staff PharmacistJanice Hoffman, Pharmacist, PharmD Faculty in Residence Western UniversityMariam Khachatryan, PharmD Pharmacist ResidentAni Aramyan, PharmD, BCPS, CGP, Pharmacist for the Brandman CenterApril Gonzalez, TechnicianHenry Camas, TechnicianKathy Cardona, TechnicianJae Crawford, Biller/Technician

Dear Jewish Home Family,We recently concluded our Passover celebration, a holiday when we reflect on our struggles and celebrate our victories. This year, more than any other in recent times, the Passover message was particularly relevant.Seniors at the Jewish Home and throughout our community are especially vulnerable to COVID-19. They have to take unprecedented precautions to preserve their health and well-being. These are challenging times for them and for all of us. We are facing them together—and, together, we will get through them.From the earliest days of the pandemic, the Jewish Home has aggressively implemented procedures and policies to ensure we protect our seniors’ safety and that of our staff. Our efforts have yielded results: We currently have no cases of COVID-19 at the Home. We are committed to doing everything we can to keep it that way.As we take steps to safeguard the Home, we also encourage families to stay in touch with their loved ones. Utilizing state-of-the-art technology, we have connected in ways that were not previously possible. Through phone, text messaging, email, FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom, we can send our loved ones messages of care and support. We can show them we are here for them.Many of our seniors used this technology to share Passover Seders with family and friends. As a personal touch for our residents, we distributed 1,000 individual Seder plates for everyone to participate in the Seder. Each plate had sprigs of bitter herbs, dabs of haroset, parsley, saltwater, and—of course— matzo. Our goal was to guarantee that, despite the necessity of physical distancing, no one at the Home would be without the feeling—and support of—community.At its heart, Passover is about freedom. I look forward to celebrating our own freedom from the threat of COVID-19 in the near future. All of us at the Jewish Home are grateful to you for your interest, support and collaboration as we wander through the desert, looking for the Promised Land.Always, Molly ForrestCEO-President

The transition from a private home or apartment to a senior living facility requires physical, emotional, and, perhaps more importantly, attitudinal adjustments. It also requires generous time to discuss, evaluate, and then make the move. Experts agree that the key for a successful move is understanding that the change itself can result in an overall better quality of life. It is best to keep in your thoughts and your discussions that the purpose of transitioning to senior care is to enhance their physical, psychological, and social well-being. The Challenge of Change Change is difficult at any age. Consider how good it feels to return home, even after an enjoyable vacation. Our first response is usually "it feels so good to be home." That's because our minds and bodies experience new environments as an additional stressor. New places put new demands on us, requiring us to remember where we are, to learn how to access resources, and to make new plans for how our needs will be met. Home, by contrast, is easy and familiar, a place where we accomplish our movements by rote — from getting a drink in the middle of the night to finding the TV remote! The Learning Curve A new setting can take at least three months — and often twice that — for a senior to "learn." Even with full acceptance that the move to a senior living community is a positive step, the learning curve can be steep. The right preparation can make the move a lot easier. One helpful approach is to step back and look at the big picture. Consider or discuss all options and emphasize what will be gained rather than lost. Many tremendous benefits are often hidden or overlooked in the pressure wrought by change. The fact is that most seniors gain rather than lose independence. Transitioning Rather than embarking on a move abruptly, keep an eye out for opportunities to ease gently into a new situation. Try visiting a new residence during the lunch hour. Have lunch there with your parent (or loved one). An ordinary activity, like dining, can help familiarize you or a loved one to a new environment. On your next visit, stay a little longer after a meal. Participate in a social activity that appeals to you, whether it's a game of cards or watching a favorite show or movie. In all interactions with staff, try to be comfortable accepting assistance, and remember they are experienced professionals who are committed to their work. An Emphasis on New Freedoms After making a move, seniors sometimes compare their new homes to living on a cruise ship. It's true! You move in, the room is fresh and clean, and the place is yours. Meals and snacks are provided for you around the clock. You have the opportunity to take a variety of educational, artistic, or recreational classes. Exercise classes or individual workouts can restore or improve health. Spiritual activities and support can provide a new sense of fellowship and well-being. Through social opportunities, new friendships are developed and old friendships rediscovered. Transportation worries are over, and life opens up in new ways. Seniors are now free to take in a movie or museum, or to go shopping whenever they like. For many who have been struggling to keep up their own homes, it is a tremendous relief to have someone else take care of everything. In an age when more and more senior living facilities are sensitive to the needs of the whole person, seniors are leading far more enriched lives full of meaningful activities that make each new day an opportunity to enjoy all that life has to offer. A 40-plus-year veteran of senior housing and healthcare issues, Molly Forrest is the Chief Executive Officer-President of the Los Angeles Jewish Home, one of the foremost multi-level senior living communities in the U.S. and the largest single-source provider of senior housing in Los Angeles.

If you're heading into your older years, you might be considering retirement. While leaving your work role may feel like you are embarking on a permanent vacation, some people find it a tough transition. It all depends on your mindset. Researchers have found retirees are happiest when they plan how to spend their time and make the most of it. Here are some tips for transitioning from a fulfilling work life to a fulfilling life in retirement. Stay Social Leaving the workplace doesn't have to mean leaving your social network behind. Indeed, research shows that maintaining strong social networks seems to be linked to slower cognitive decline. So, maintain those workplace friendships, while also enjoying regular lunches or game nights with your "civilian" friends. Intergenerational relationships are also essential to healthy retirement years. Take some time to get to know your grandkids, nieces and nephews, or the children of family friends. According to Harvard Psychiatrist George Vaillant, "generativity" means investing in, caring for, and developing the next generation. Bonus: Older adults who did so were three times as likely to be happy as those who did not. Are you more of a homebody? Adopt a pet. Research shows that caring for a pet brings many health benefits, including a sense of purpose, happiness and security. Expand Your Mind Studies have shown that lifelong learning can be associated with better memory and cognitive skills, improved mood and better well-being. See if your local university or community college offers learning opportunities. Now's the chance to audit an anthropology course, or delve into oceanography or bioethics. Senior Centers also offer courses in current events and even languages. Being retired can also mean time to unleash the right-brain and release your creative power. You could explore painting, ceramics or even gardening, which are all beneficial to your emotional well-being, Another way to expand your vistas is to travel. Travel leads to meeting new people, learning about different cultures and facing fresh challenges. Maintain Good Fitness Whether it's scheduling more rounds of golf, tennis matches or walks with friends, it's crucial to your healthy retirement years to find physical activities that you enjoy and to make them a regular part of your week. Here are more details about how to stay fit. In addition to exercising, eating healthy is also key. As you head into your late 60s, your body changes, as do your nutritional needs. Consult these resources from the University of Wisconsin-Madison for some ideas on developing healthy eating habits. In addition, maintaining long-term good health means visiting your doctor for regular checkups and screenings, including hearing and vision. Achieve That Helper's High. With less time focused on building and sustaining your career, now could be the time to give back. Depending on your goals—meeting new people, or beautifying your local park—there are plenty of options to choose from. If you are the type who likes to stay busy, consider helping your alma mater or your favorite nonprofit by actively serving on their board. Doing good deeds provides a "helper's high," which can help you live a longer and healthier life. And, a longer and healthier life means more time to enjoy your retirement years!

The Jewish Home’s innovative Connections to Care (C2C) program is an exciting approach to meeting the growing needs of seniors in our community and beyond. C2C is a simple, fast, and easy way for seniors and their loved ones to access all of the programs and services offered by the Los Angeles Jewish Home. A call to the C2C toll-free hotline at (855) 227-3745 will customize a care plan just for you. With C2C, the top priority is asking, “How can we help?” One toll-free phone call connects seniors directly to Jewish Home expert staff members. They begin by listening, and then open the door to the Home’s full continuum of in-your-home, community health, and residential programs. C2C also enables the Home to serve as a resource for calls from outside our service area, providing assistance through resources and referrals to help address individual situations. In recent issues of Jewish Home e-Connections, we highlighted some of the Home’s many programs - Brandman Centers for Senior Care, a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), Jewish Home Care Services, Care Transitions, the Jewish Home Center for Palliative Medicine, Skirball Hospice, and geriatric care - using sample questions we have received. In this installment, we will take a look at the Home’s short-term rehabilitative care, also known as transitional care, and short-term geriatric psychiatry care. “My husband is scheduled for hip surgery and will need therapy and care after the hospital. Is there help available?” —Yes. Call Connections to Care to access short-term rehabilitative care for seniors. Designed to help seniors successfully recover from an illness, injury, medical procedure, or acute hospital stay, the Transitional Care Unit (TCU) provides short-term skilled nursing care and a guided transition to return home. Patients in the TCU receive treatment from physicians and geriatric specialists in physical, occupational, and speech therapy. “My grandmother frequently has huge mood swings – manic one day, very depressed the next. How can I help?” —Start by calling the Connections to Care toll-free hotline. We will connect you with experts in the state-of-the-art Auerbach Geriatric Psychiatry Unit for short-term geriatric psychiatric care. The Unit admits individuals who are experiencing stressful mental or emotional challenges that require intensive, short-term acute hospital psychiatric care. Most commonly treated diagnoses are: DepressionBipolar disordersPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)SchizophreniaDeliriumAlzheimer’s diseaseOther dementias with behavioral disturbances In addition to the Jewish Home’s many community-based and in-your-home services, the Home offers long-term in-residence programs, including independent living, residential care, assisted living, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, and skilled nursing care. For more information about the programs and services offered through the Jewish Home’s Connections to Care, please contact us at (855) 227-3745 or visit our website at www.lajh.org.

The Community Seder is not only a beloved tradition at the Los Angeles Jewish Home, it is embedded in our history. The Jewish Home began when a small group of caring neighbors gave shelter to five homeless Jewish men on the first night of Passover in 1912. Those five seniors were the first residents of what would become the Los Angeles Jewish Home. This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Passover will be a different experience for our residents and their families. It will also contain some familiar elements. "The food will be same. The symbolism will be the same. We are kashering the kitchens, so that's the same," says Rabbi Karen Bender, the Home's Skirball Director of Spiritual Life. "What's different will be how we get everyone to have their own Seder experience." In order for everyone to have a Seder experience, Rabbi Bender says that the Home has purchased 1,000 individual Seder plates, perhaps she adds, setting a world record. "Everyone will get their own," she explains. And there will be a few substitutes. Instead of a roasted hard-boiled egg (Beitzah), each resident will receive a hard-boiled egg that they can eat, as well as salt water for their parsley. For those keeping score, 1,000 individual Seder plates means that there also needs to be 1,000 sprigs of bitter herbs, dabs of haroset, pieces of lettuce and containers of salt water. And, of course, 1,000 matzahs. "But overall," says Rabbi Bender, "the Seder will be the same, but more personal, more tangible for our residents." Because the Jewish Home is taking the necessary precautions to make our residents safe, we are not able to invite families onto campus this year. However, many of our members will share a Passover Seder using virtual technologies. At Fountainview at Gonda Westside, staff will distribute Seder plates. Haggadahs and either wine or grape juice to those who have requested these items. Seders will be led via Zoom, and members are being asked to participate and read portions of the Haggadah. "Many of our members have also told us that they will be celebrating with their families in their rooms via Zoom," says Lorin Krone, the executive chef at Fountainview at Gonda Westside. Staff at Fountainview at Eisenberg Village are taking a similar approach, spending time with residents to install Zoom on their computers and phones so they can see their families over Passover. They are also hosting a teleconference Seder, inviting their members to read portions of the Haggadah. "Our goal is to make the Seder interactive and festive," says Lauri Kamiel, the activities coordinator at Fountainview at Eisenberg Village. "We ordered balloons to decorate the hallways to replace the flowers and other decorations that we normally have in the community dining room during the Seder dinner." Rabbi Bender and Eisenberg Village Rabbi Ron Goldberg will also use technology. This year for the first time, Rabbi Bender will broadcast the Seder to all the residents at Grancell Village via closed circuit television. "We want to make sure that, even though we are physically distancing ourselves this year, no one will be without community," she says. At Eisenberg Village, Rabbi Ron Goldberg says that no matter how the residents participate in the Seder—whether via teleconference, Zoom or closed-circuit television—his goal is to instill hope. "Passover is the holiday everyone remembers because it's participatory," he says. "I want to show how, even though this is a trying time, we can come together for Seder. We may be isolated from each other right now, but we are not alone."

If you're on Facebook, you've likely seen your friends raising money for their favorite charities on their personal pages. Jacques Soriano recently set up a fundraiser that benefited the Jewish Home so that his Facebook friends could donate to the Home. "My maternal grandfather spent his last years there and loved living at the Home," says Soriano, who is a past president of The Executives, one of the Home's major support groups. "I've been involved with fundraising efforts for the Home. It is near and dear to my heart." He knew that a Facebook fundraiser would be easy and effective. "One of the benefits to sharing my fundraiser on Facebook was that my friends who don't know much about the Home could see how the Home helps to enrich the lives of the residents," he says. Within two weeks, he had exceeded his goal, raising nearly $1100. Would he do it again? "Absolutely!" Soriano says. Soriano's not the only one to use Facebook as a fundraiser. Since 2015, more than $5 billion has been raised on the social media platform—$1 billion in birthday fundraisers alone! Now the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the strain on the Home's resources. To provide for the most vulnerable seniors in our care, we need to meet heightened costs for staffing, special supplies and equipment, materials, as well as digital technology so our residents can stay in touch with friends and family. Which means our fundraising efforts are more critical than ever. Here is how to create your own fundraiser for the Jewish Home: Tips: Invite your friends to participate.Make the post public and tag the Jewish Home.Donate to your own fundraiser. Other people are more likely to donate when they see someone they know has already contributed. Plus, it demonstrates your commitment to the Jewish Home.Increase your goal if you achieve it before your fundraiser deadline has passed.Thank your friends when they donate. Benefits to starting a Facebook fundraiser: It's free. No fees are charged, which means every dollar goes directly to support the residents at the Home.It's easy. Your friends don't even have to leave Facebook in order to donate.It's shareable. By clicking "Share" your Facebook friends can also spread the news about your fundraiser.It's safe. Donations are encrypted and Facebook has strict security measures in place. Create your own Facebook fundraiser.