Los Angeles Jewish Home

By Nancy Sokoler Steiner

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.
~Victor Hugo

One of music's most striking powers can be seen in its impact on individuals with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. A dramatic example of this effect is found on a viral YouTube video featuring an elderly Alzheimer's patient named Henry. At first, Henry is slumped over in his chair, his head bent forward, his speech condensed. Then an aide gives him an iPod. The moment Henry starts listening, he becomes instantly animated: his face lights up and he begins to move his arms and legs. After his headphones are removed, he talks about his love of jazz, and sings lyrics from a favorite song.

Later in the same video, neurologist and author Oliver Sacks comments on Henry's response. "In some sense, Henry is restored to himself," says Sacks. "He remembered who he is and has reacquired his identity for a while through the power of music."

While music doesn't always evoke reactions as extreme as Henry's, it does seem to engage even the most unresponsive of individuals. That is one reason music plays a major role in the Los Angeles Jewish Home's skilled nursing and dementia care.

Susan Leitch, community manager of the Goldenberg·Ziman Special Care Center and Max Factor Family Foundation Building, notes that music is played throughout the day, and carefully chosen to set the tone and help cue residents. For example, calm, relaxing music is played in the evening to signal winding down of the day.

Music is also used more formally in music therapy sessions for skilled nursing and dementia care residents. Music therapist Cindy McGee facilitates sessions twice a week. These sessions, she says, are not sing-alongs; they are therapeutic interventions with specific goals.

One goal, called reality orientation, aims to bring participants who may not be aware of their surroundings into the present moment. Another is to aid recall and reminiscence by evoking thoughts and memories associated with the music.

During music therapy, says McGee, "participants will mention the name of a relative or tell a story they normally can't remember. It allows them to connect to something outside themselves."

As a recent session, McGee played Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and residents sang along. She asked them who sang the song, and passed around a photo of the Wizard of Oz cast. After several of them pointed to Dorothy, McGee asked them to name the movie.

"What would you ask the Wizard for?" she later queried the group.

"Good health," answered one.

"A good looking guy," said another.

Whether in the background or in a formal setting, music evokes a response. That response may be as subtle as the tapping of a foot, as dramatic as the transformation of YouTube's Henry, or as familiar as the desire for romance.

The beauty of music, it seems, is it's universal appeal. As Susan Leitch says, "Music involves everyone. It doesn't matter what level of function you're at."

Labels: Alzheimer's, Dementia, For the Spirit, Music, Nancy Sokoler Steiner, Therapy, YouTube

Earlier this month, we released a brand new Chanukah video featuring some of our talented, adorable residents. At the time, with about two weeks left until we started in on our eight crazy nights, we crossed our fingers and hoped the short would be well received.

It was.

We'd like to thank all the folks who helped spread our Chanukah video around. Whether you posted it as a Facebook status, on your Twitter feed, emailed it to your friends and family, or simply clicked the thumbs up button on the YouTube page, we appreciate it.

We'd also like to give a quick hat tip to all the bloggers who posted the video to their sites!

From Jewish Humor Central:

From Shades of Grey:

From the Jewish Women's Archive blog Jewesses with Attitude:

From the Interfaith Family Network Blog:

And let's not forget the blogs Life in Israel, Jacob Richman's blog, and The Daily Rabbi.

A massive thank you to all who shared our video! We hope you enjoyed it, and hope all who have yet to see it laugh just as hard as we did.

Labels: Blog, Chanukah, Cross Post, Daily Rabbi, Funny, Hanukkah, Interfaith Family Network, Jacob Richman, Jewish Humor Central, Jewish Women's Archive, Life in Israel, Shades of Grey, Song, Staff, YouTube

Jewish Home resident David Glicker, 82, is hilarious! Check out the video we posted on YouTube last week of a joke he shared with us. A bit of English humour to brighten your day. :)

Labels: Around the Home, David Glicker, Englishman, Funny, Guillotine, Humor, Humour, Irishman, Jewish Home Residents, Jokes, Scotsman, Staff, YouTube

The other day, some of the nursing staff at our Eisenberg Village campus planned something really fun for our residents: they organized a luau!


The residents who participated live either at the Goldenberg•Ziman Special Care Center, which cares for seniors with Alzheimer's disease or age-related dementia, or the Max Factor Family Foundation Nursing Building, which provides skilled nursing to seniors who need extra assistance.

When the residents saw their nurses — who are normally in scrubs — enter in hula skirts, their eyes lit up! The entire room was laughing, clapping, and singing along.

In addition to being a fun, entertaining afternoon, events like these serve a profound therapeutic purpose. Happiness is known to have incredible life-lengthening health benefits; and the positive atmosphere, the music, and the dancing promotes both physical and cognitive strength.

Labels: Aging, Alzheimer's, Around the Home, Dementia, Eisenberg Village, Elderly, Factor, Goldenberg-Ziman, Healthy Aging, Hula, Luau, Nursing, Seniors, Skilled Nursing, Staff, Video, YouTube

The quote in the title line was said by Jewish Home resident Ellis Simon. Now 87, he's been living here for around 11 years! Granted, he's been saying that for quite some time now, but we finally caught it on tape.

Labels: Donate, Freedom, Gift, Jewish Home, Online Donation, Philanthropy, Residents, Simon, Social Media, Staff, Support, Video, Volunteer, Why We Give, YouTube

Passover is right around the corner! And what better food is there to eat on Passover than matzah brei? Last year, we made a video of a few Jewish Home residents showcasing their culinary talents to decide which matzah brei recipe was tastier: sweet or savory.

Labels: 2010, Around the Home, Contest, Matzah Brei, Passover, Pesach, Recipe, Residents, Seniors, Video, YouTube

Making his debut appearance on the Los Angeles Jewish Home's Comedy Corner, we present to you Ellis Simon, 87. A resident for 11 years, he was one of the first people to move into our Neighborhood Homes. And after all this time, he still loves it here.

Take a look at the first of many of Ellis's jokes to appear on the Comedy Corner! It's guaranteed to make you laugh.

Enjoy!

Labels: Around the Home, Comedy Corner, Humor, Jokes, Neighborhood Home, Simon, Social Media, Staff, Video, YouTube

Hands down, resident Jerri Kane, 85, has one of the best senses of humor at the Los Angeles Jewish Home. She's been at the Home for about two years now, and brightens every room she walks into.

Labels: Animals, Around the Home, Comedy Corner, Farm, Humor, Jokes, Kane, Staff, Video, YouTube, Zebra

Back in December, we interviewed John Fruge, one of the rising stars from the Annenberg School of Nursing (ASN). He graduated a few weeks ago, fully prepared to take his NCLEX© examination and become a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN). In the video below, John opens up about his experience at ASN — his professors, his peers, getting his education at the Los Angeles Jewish Home, etc.


If you, or someone you know, is interested in training to become an LVN at the Annenberg School of Nursing, visit www.jha.org/annenberg.

Labels: Annenberg, Fruge, Graduation, Licensed Vocational Nurse, LVN, Nursing, Nursing School, Staff, Video, YouTube

Labels: Around the Home, Humor, Love, Romance, Sexuality, Staff, Valentine's Day, Video, YouTube

If the Los Angeles Jewish Home were a high school, Jerri Kane, 85, would've been voted "Most Funny". She's always coming up with new jokes — both tame and risqué — and making people laugh. For your enjoyment, here is one of her jokes, "The Gorilla"...

Labels: Around the Home, Comedy Corner, Gorilla, Humor, Jokes, Kane, Residents, Staff, Video, YouTube

On January 23, 2011 the Home celebrated the dedication of its first ever new Torah scroll (Bible) hand written by a holy scribe. It took over a year to create the scroll, and many of our residents participated during the course of the year in the writing of the letters of the scroll. If you click here you will see a short presentation of the ceremony held that day. On the same day we also dedicated a beautiful crown for the Torah which was donated by the family of Phyliss Marell. Please enjoy and thank you to all who participated in this joyous event.

Labels: Around the Home, For the Spirit, Pennes, Torah, Video, YouTube