Los Angeles Jewish Home

Residents of the Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical Center (JEKMC), located on the Jewish Home’s Grancell Village campus, recently played host to some very special visitors: a guinea pig, a rabbit, an African hedgehog, a tortoise, and a snake. These mammals and reptiles were at the Home as part of the Los Angeles Zoo’s Outreach Program.

The Outreach Program was created to reach out to individuals who cannot easily visit the zoo. Trained docents, such as Norma Porter, Rose Marie Walker, and Marjorie Hawkins, bring small, live animals and other touchable items to nursing homes, schools for children with disabilities, hospitals, and daycare centers. Norma, who has been a docent with the zoo for sixteen years, explains, “It’s very hands-on. We encourage our audience to touch the items (including pelts and skulls from animals that died of natural causes) and to touch the animals as well. For seniors, it’s also a chance to reminisce, perhaps about an animal from their childhood.”

Francine Finkelstein, director of therapeutic activities at JEKMC, says, “This was a great opportunity for our residents to see the animals, touch them, and relate to them.” And relate to them they did! From the first presentation – actually a stuffed life-sized toy kangaroo complete with a “joey” in her pouch – the residents were engaged. Did you know that, when a kangaroo is born, it’s about the size of a walnut? This was the first of many interesting facts the docents shared.

During the first part of the program, residents had the opportunity to see and touch pelts from a coyote and an ocelot, as well as two pelts from reindeer (one lighter to blend in with snow and thicker to provide protection from the cold of winter). The residents learned how diet is related to jaw and tooth structure for various animals.

Then the fun really began as the live animals came out to meet the residents. First up: a black and white guinea pig, a popular pet in many homes. Handled by a docent, Gabby, as she is nicknamed for the noises she makes, was touched gently with two fingers by willing residents. Just stroking her fur brought smiles and laughter to the room. The rabbit was next, with everyone oohing and aahing over her incredibly soft fur. The hedgehog required thick gloves to be worn by the docent and provided a look at her adorable little face, but no touching! Lastly, the tortoise and the snake took their turn around the room, with some opting not to learn what the snake’s skin feels like.

The docents brought energy and obvious passion for their volunteer work to the event, and the residents responded to them and their charges with openness and wonder. “It was very interesting and so informative,” said resident Muriel Peregoff. For Paul Stark, his favorite part of the program was the rabbit. “I had rabbits, and my daughter has them now,” said Paul. “My rabbit would sometimes get out of his cage, but when I called him, he would come.”

The Zoo Outreach Program provided the Home’s residents with a visual and tactile experience, an opportunity to learn new information and ask questions, and a chance to connect with a few of the animals that share this world with us.

Labels: Animals, Education, For the Spirit, Grancell Village, Guinea Pig, Hedgehogs, Jewish Home Residents, LA Zoo, Learning, Rabbits, Seniors, Special Event, Zoo

Change your life: that is the driving philosophy behind the Annenberg School of Nursing (ASN) as it seeks students for the vocational nursing Class of 2013.

ASN is currently accepting applications for the class, beginning June 2012. The 12-month full-time program will host open house events on April 3, April 17, and May 1.

The Annenberg School of Nursing, affiliated with the Los Angeles Jewish Home, is designed to prepare students for the NCLEX-PN® licensure exam. Including comprehensive classroom and skills lab instruction as well as clinical training at local hospitals and other sites, ASN students acknowledge they're better prepared in the field than their counterparts from other schools.


Interested? Come by and visit ASN during one of its open houses. Open to prospective students, high school counselors, and healthcare professionals, the next open house dates are April 3, April 17, and May 1. They all start at 5:00pm. Visitors will get an overview and tour of the facility from the school's director, Marie Fagan, as well as a talk about financial aid options from financial aid director Barbara Noblet.

The Annenberg School of Nursing is located on the Grancell Village campus of the Los Angeles Jewish Home, 7150 Tampa Avenue, in Reseda. Space is limited and reservations are required. To RSVP, or for more information, please visit the ASN website, or contact Cindy Thomas at (818) 757-4431 or ASN@jha.org.

Labels: Annenberg, Annenberg School of Nursing, Class of 2013, Education, Healthcare, Learning, Licensed Vocational Nurse, LVN, Marie Fagan, NCLEX-PN, Nursing School, Nursing Students, Open House, Staff, Vocational Nursing

We just came across an interesting blog.


Coincidentally, the Jewish Home is reaching out and offering our expertise in senior care to the broader community. Perhaps you read our eNews update introducing our four-event Community Education Series.

Just like Heritage Pointe in New Jersey, we recognized that many in Los Angeles want information regarding the best options available for aging loved ones. To better serve that need, the Jewish Home is hosting seminars on the various aspects and options surrounding aging and eldercare.

They are all free of charge.

The second event in our series is coming up the Tuesday after Memorial Day. It will cover common physical and cognitive issues associated with aging, how to recognize when help is needed, and the community resources available to you. The event features two experts in geriatric medicine, Dr. Edward Schneider and Dr. Esiquio Casillas. If you or a loved one are interested in issues regarding aging and care options, this is an hour you won't want to miss.

For more information on the Jewish Home's Community Education Series, click here or on the picture of the event postcard.

Labels: Aging, Assisted Living, Baby Boomers, Blog, Community, Cross Post, Education, Long Term Living, Sandwich Generation, Seniors, Series, Staff

Living life to the fullest — that is what we all strive to do every day. Our golden years present a better opportunity to live life, learn new talents, revisit old hobbies, or seek out new adventures than at any other time in our lives.

Often, seniors must look to the care of others so they can continue to add life to their years. Whether dealing with the normal signs of aging or abrupt emergencies, it pays to be prepared. With a little education and some planning ahead, the transition into the different levels of care can be seamless and nearly stress free.

Starting this month, the Los Angeles Jewish Home's expert staff is organizing four short seminars to help with that education and planning process. From choosing the best in-home caregiver, to in-residence options, advanced directives, and hospice care, we want to help the greater Los Angeles community care better for their aging loved ones.

Our first seminar will be held on Tuesday, May 17th at 6:30pm. Entitled How to Find, Hire, and Manage the Right Caregiver, the Jewish Home's vice president of human resources, Shelly Ryan, and the CEO/administrator of our skilled nursing hospital, Ilana Grossman, will explain what to look for if you or someone you love needs a little extra daily assistance.

Oh, one more thing — all four events are free! But space is limited and reservations are required.

For more information, click on the picture to see the official event postcard. Or, you can visit here to see the web version.

Labels: Aging, Caregiver, Caregiving, Community, Education, Free Seminar, Healthy Aging, Jewish Home Event, Planning, Senior Care, Staff