Los Angeles Jewish Home

Every form of giving begins with personal involvement.

Like many people whose lives are forever touched when a vulnerable parent is lovingly cared for, the Heslovs, Lynne and Michael, came to regard the Home and its staff almost as an extension of their family.

It is a relationship they cherish to this day.

Several years ago, life took an unexpected turn for the Heslovs when Michael's father, Arthur, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. His mother, Jerrie, went through several difficult years of caring for Arthur, but as he became more dependent and withdrawn, Michael and his brothers feared her health would give under the strain.

“We feared we could lose both our parents to the demands of the disease,” Michael says. “Then we learned about the Jewish Home's Goldenberg-Ziman Special Care Center for seniors with Alzheimer's and related dementias.”

As marvelous as the Home's acclaimed Goldenberg-Ziman Center is, the choice to move an ailing parent from their home is rarely as easy one.

“It is an agonizing decision,” says Lynne. “You have guilt. But when we brought Arthur to the Home, we knew he was in such good hands. It made the decision easier.”

“The quality of care at the Jewish Home was far better than it would have been at home, under the best of circumstances,” adds Michael, who was introduced to the Home by former Board of Directors Chair Dave Swartz. “They were so much better equipped to deal with his needs.”

The Home provided all the medical and physical care Arthur required, freeing the entire Heslov family to provide love and support he needed and deserved.

“We told my father he was going to a place for a few days for some testing,” Michael recalls. “Though we told him his stay would be temporary, my father was so expertly cared for and engaged that he never expressed a desire to return home!”

In her daily visits, Michael's mother, Jerrie, noted how carefully groomed Arthur was, his clothing always freshly pressed. The Home's staff members were as loving and involved in his concerns as if they'd been members of his own family.

Lynne recalls that the staff took Arthur out to the garden, which he always loved, and to music and art presentations. “Things like this gave us all such peace of mind,” she says.

After two years at the Home, Arthur passed away. In appreciation for the care he received, Jerrie took on the responsibility of co-chairing the Home's gala Reflections dinners in 2007 and 2008.

Michael, who is a co-partner in the real estate development company of Soboroff Partners, has contributed his expertise to the successful effort to establish the Home's new Gonda Healthy Aging Westside Campus.

As chair of the Board's Budget and Finance Committee, Michael understands the Home's financial challenges and the need for creative solutions. “Some 75-80% of the Home's residents are subsidized by the generosity of the community,” he says.

After serving for two years, Michael was elected to the two-year position as Chair of the Home's Board. At 39, he is one of the youngest executives ever to hold this position.

Michael points out that the exceptional level of care and attention our seniors receive is due in large measure to the contributions of the community.

“It is an honor,” he says, “to commit my time and energies to an organization that is doing so much to improve life for our most vulnerable seniors and their families. Both Lynne and I are passionate about the Home's care for our elderly, at every stage of need.”

Robin Heffler is a Los Angeles-based journalist whose writing and editing span the fields of health, social services, education, law, the environment, religion, arts, and culture. Her work has appeared in the research publications of UCLA, USC, and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, as well as in the Los Angeles Times and The Forward.

Labels: Alzheimer's, Board of Directors, Feature Articles, Heffler, Heslov, Why We Give

Interview with Dr. Nitin Nanda: Treating Seniors' Mental Health

Dr. Nitin Nanda is Chief of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the Los Angeles Jewish Home. He also serves as medical director of the Lisa and Ernest Auerbach Geriatric Psychiatry Unit, a part of the Brandman Research Institute at the Home's Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical Center.

Q. What are the most common mental health issues seniors face today?

A. A number of concerns arise as people age, including depression, memory loss, and other cognitive issues that can interfere with day-to-day functioning. Anxiety disorders are also common, as is substance abuse, primarily alcohol.

Q. Are medical conditions a risk to mental health?

A. Yes, many times medical conditions directly affect a patient's emotional well-being. It's very important to understand that mental health issues are not a part of normal aging. Unfortunately, because depression has been associated with aging, it is often under-recognized and under-treated. Unaddressed emotional needs can lead to a significant decline in both mental and physical health and functioning.

Q. What prompted the Jewish Home to open the Auerbach Geriatric Psychiatry Unit?

A. Mental health and emotional wellness are vital components of successful aging, and as a provider of a full continuum of care, the Jewish Home believes it is important that we be able to provide these specialized services here on campus.

Q. How do you address a patient's mental health needs at the Auerbach Unit?

A. First with an expert staff that provides patients with a comprehensive geriatric evaluation, both psychiatric and medical. Both teams, psychiatry and medicine, make sure that medical issues are being treated and drug interactions are monitored.

Second, we perform a memory evaluation and work-up, and determine if there are any psychosocial or 'life' stressors, such as conflicts with, or the loss of, loved ones, challenges to independence, financial situation and so on that affect a patient's sense of well-being. With our philosophy of treating the whole person, we are well-prepared to provide whatever therapies — including physical, speech, and occupational therapies — are needed.

Q. How important are preventive measures to senior mental health, and what can seniors and their families do to look after themselves in this way?

A. We have created a list of ten warning signs of mental health problems in seniors (see the sidebar). If there is any cause for concern, we encourage seniors or their families to contact their family physician sooner rather than later. Also, the Home now offers a monthly Emotional Wellness Clinic on each of our campuses. These are open to the public and are intended to improve the quality of life for our residents and all of our senior community.

Q. Who can participate?

A. Anyone over 55 may be seen in our clinics for an evaluation of their psychiatric and medical history and symptoms, and receive helpful information and referrals about treatment options.

Q. When do you recommend inpatient mental health services for seniors?

A. When symptoms can't be managed on an outpatient basis, hospitalization is recommended to closely monitor and treat our patients. A number of issues can become unbearable for seniors, particularly depression, which can be life-threatening. Severe depression can interfere with daily functioning and cause people to isolate themselves and feel hopeless and helpless. Symptoms can come on suddenly. We look for agitation, insomnia, personality changes, apathy, and changes in dietary habits.

Q. What kind of assessment or treatment can you provide that you couldn't provide on an outpatient basis?

A. Hospitalization may seem like a drastic step, especially to seniors who are ailing and frightened, but it provides an opportunity for a full neuropsychiatric and medical assessment to see if the condition is treatable, to make sure there are no underlying medical problems causing the condition, and to help improve the situation as quickly as possible. The inpatient team — a geriatric psychiatrist, geriatric internist, program director, charge nurse, social worker, activity therapist, dietician, and pharmacist — sees the patient daily, typically for 7 to 10 days, though sometimes less. Patients are transitioned back to their regular lives and physician's care when target goals for their well-being are met.

For additional mental health resources,click here

Robin Heffler is a Los Angeles-based journalist whose writing and editing span the fields of health, social services, education, law, the environment, religion, arts, and culture. Her work has appeared in the research publications of UCLA, USC, and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, as well as in the Los Angeles Times and The Forward.

Labels: Aging, Auerbach Geriatric Psychiatry Unit, Feature Articles, Heffler, Mental Health, Nanda, Psychiatry, Warning Signs