Los Angeles Jewish Home

Over the years, these support groups have proven to be invaluable to family caregivers. Here are a few of the many testimonials we have received:

• The Alzheimer's Support Group which meets at Fountainview is extremelyhelpful to those of us who are caregivers like myself. We share our problemsand, with the help of Carol Sue Selinger (facilitator), are offered ways to helpour husbands, wives and other relatives who suffer.
  — Ann Zimmerman
• Moving my mother to Los Angeles, adjusting to her new personality and physical abilities, dealing with day-to-day simple issues of how to handle thisand balance work and my own family… I couldn't do it and maintain a semblance of sanity without the guidance and support of the group. Sharingwith others in similar situations has been invaluable.
  — Suzanne Stern
• I've learned that acceptance is a key part of getting through these challenging times. Additionally, just seeing that others have experienced similar family issues, while upsetting, is again part of the norm. But most importantly, I've been so appreciative of the support I have experienced onthose occasions where I have discussed my personal situation. That element has most certainly exceeded any expectation I had going in.
  — Andy Lavick

If you or someone you know is caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease or dementia, a support group can provide information, guidance, and understanding. For information about the Jewish Home's Alzheimer's Support Group, please contact the Group Hotline at (818) 757-4490 or via email at alzgroup@jha.org.

The Jewish Home's Goldenberg•Ziman Special Care Center is known for providing exceptional skilled nursing care for residents with Alzheimer's disease and age-related dementia. In creating the Center, the Home turned to expert research about how environment affects the behavior, sense of well-being, and even symptoms of individuals who suffer with memory, cognitive, and motor impairments. Many pioneering techniques were also utilized by staff to enhance the overall wellness of the ninety-eight residents. These include a "person first" approach, in which all staff members are involved in the residents' care and are responsible for the "life happiness" of those in the Center, and reminiscing activities, designed to draw out memories and moments.

In the same vein, the staff of the Goldenberg•Ziman Center is generating new ideas to help stimulate or soothe residents, as appropriate. "We're taking things back to the basics, focusing on sensory and reality stimulation," explains Amanda Powell, activities team leader for the Center. The goal is engagement — in an activity, with a staff person, or with another resident. And they're finding out that sometimes it's those little things that can do so much!

A therapeutic intervention item can be as general and every day as a basket of small towels, waiting to be folded. Folding is an activity everyone has done and happens quite naturally, usually without encouragement from staff. The repetitive motion is calming and the feeling of accomplishment is uplifting. Magazines are a simple tool that can stimulate a memory of a time, place, or person, and provides a world of images to easily enjoy.

Stuffed animals, always a favorite, may have small beans and lavender inside. The beans give them a more realistic weight and feel, and the lavender is calming. Very lifelike in appearance are therapeutic puppies and kittens, curled up sleeping in their own bed. These pets have a battery operated mechanism that gives the appearance of breathing as their chests rise and fall. You can pet them, talk to them, and even brush them. They are the object of much love and attention.Of course, when it comes to love and attention, the ultimate is a sweet, soft baby doll. The Center has many in different sizes. The dolls are more lifelike than a child's doll and are happy to be held for hours on end.


"We're seeing that, by implementing these therapeutic items and busy kits, the level of agitation among our residents has been reduced," says Amanda. She was instrumental in introducing these creative items and is thinking outside of the box about how to engage, connect, calm and stimulate residents in an effort to improve well-being and decrease behaviors that can lead to agitation and falls — all without the use of psychopharmacological drugs.

This program was made possible by the generosity of Jewish Home supporters Gerri Wormser and John N. Levi, Jr. According to Amanda, "We estimate over 67% of our residents in the Goldenberg•Ziman Center have benefitted from these therapeutic items. Programs like this bring to life our values in providing excellent care to our residents."

To learn more about the programs and services of the Goldenberg•Ziman Special Care Center, please contact community manager Susan Leitch at (818) 774-3113 or Susan.Leitch@jha.org.

According to the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), it's estimated that by 2030 nearly one out of every five Americans will be 65 years of age or older. Social workers are aware of the fact that interactions between seniors and healthcare professionals can be influenced by expectations and stereotypes on both sides. Understanding communication means being sensitive to possible deficiencies related to the aging process. These changes might include the fact that an elderly individual may process information more slowly, have decreased hearing or vision, or exhibit a decline in memory. Seniors may be dealing with adjustments they are making related to losses, including retirement, health, independence, memory, and loss of loved ones. Effective communication with seniors can be challenging, but it's essential in order to understand and meet their needs.

First meetings with newcomers to the Jewish Home's services and programs have taught us the importance of not stereotyping an individual based on their physical appearance or immediate reaction to a new environment or situation. It's important to avoid relying solely on perceptual cues to guide the interaction. We must first engage in a simple welcoming dialogue in order to assess the individual's cognitive capacity, hearing ability and emotional well-being. The social worker learns to adapt their style of communication to the abilities of the individual. Doing this provides a foundation for more effective interactions in the future.

The same communication skills employed by a social worker or other geriatric healthcare professional can be easily incorporated into our personal interactions with seniors. Here are ten simple tips from the GSA and the Home's social services department to help improve your communication with the seniors in your life.

• Don't use "baby talk." Instead, call individuals by their proper name unless given permission to do otherwise. Baby talk and names like "honey" or "sweetie" aredisrespectful and can make a person feel powerless.
• Have conversations in a quiet environment to minimize background noise.
• Face the individual directly at eye level and speak clearly and distinctly. Use short, concise sentences to share information. Use words that are concrete and direct, rather than abstract or vague. Simplify information.
• Take the time to make a connection and build rapport before initiating the task at hand. Ask open-ended questions that give the individual the opportunity to share their point of view instead of yes and no answers.
• Listen. Focus on the individual and maintain eye contact. If there is any question as to what is being said, paraphrase what was shared in order to clarify the meaning. This conveys the message that you are really listening. Remember to also verify the listener's comprehension.
• Convey genuine interest in the person's response by reflecting back what you hearthey are feeling. For example, if positive information about an event was shared, say "It sounds like that made you very happy."
• Be personable but remember to use humor with discretion.
• Include the elder in conversations, even if you're addressing the caregiver or family member. Direct the conversation back to the resident.
• Provide elders with complete and impartial information about the pros and cons associated with care and offer choices whenever possible.
• Elders with dementia often respond to your tone of communication more than your words. Use a soft, calm voice. Be aware of your non-verbal communication, such as facial expressions and gestures. Don't reduce your rate of speech. Be clear and enunciate. Use closed-ended questions that require only a yes or no answer. Simplify your sentences.

Considering the unique abilities and challenges of every senior will help create positive, effective interactions and help to enhance relationships, whether at home or in a healthcare setting.



Devorah Small-Teyer, MSW, is the director of social services for the Los Angeles Jewish Home's Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical Center. Ms. Small-Teyer received her BA from Southern Connecticut State University. She went on to receive her MSW from Yeshiva University, Wurzweiler School of Social Work, and studied at the Gestalt Institute for Psychotherapy and Training, both in New York City.

On Tuesday, May 6th, 2014, residents Robert Lehman, Ernest Braunstein, George Waldman, Lois Mosenson, and Della Palmer set out on a mission to show their appreciation to a few local heroes at the West Valley Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Fire Department Station 73.

As the group entered the van, they were visibly excited to make the trek to such important places in our community. They brought with them trays of fresh cookies and rugaluch, large posters with handwritten thank you notes, and two handsomely framed awards of appreciation. Robert Lehman even wrote and recited a very touching speech for our heroes:

Yesterday our administrators, Ashley Teal and Douglas Tucker, customized this heartfelt award of appreciation from our Los Angeles Home for our local Fire and Police Stations. You, who choose to sacrifice yourselves for the wellbeing of other people, children, animals and nature by protecting and serving us day after day. We, at the Los Angeles Jewish Home, are so very grateful for your years of dedication and your professional commitment. You are into your craft every day of your lives. You unselfishly give 24 hours a day, 7 days a week of personal sacrifice. As a community, we have wanted to visit with you for a long time so that we can say thank you and may God bless you always.

For the many ways in which our LAPD and LAFD help our community, the Los Angeles Jewish Home and all of its residents, visitors, and staff are eternally grateful. Thank you for all that you do!


Anjelica Rehl is the Digital Marketing Associate at the Jewish Home.

A group of Eisenberg Village residents celebrated Yom Ha’Atzmaut with a lovely performance in the Zuckerman Boardroom today. Drama club participants Jeanette Schlesinger, Myrtle Feenberg, Lee Zuckerman, and Joyce Horowitz took center stage and read an assortment of poems written by a few creative residents of the Home. Rabbi Rita Hertzberg performed a number of traditional Jewish songs on the piano and gave attendees a history lesson on the flag of Israel. Special thanks to Drama Club Director Caryl Geiger for curating the well-attended Israel Independence Day Event.

• pain and symptom management 
• emotional and spiritual support
• community resources and financial counseling
• on-call availability nights and weekends
• bereavement services for the year following hospice