Short-term in-patient rehabilitation is often a critical factor in recovery after an illness, injury, medical procedure, or hospital stay. Conditions requiring this type of specialized care may include joint replacement rehab, orthopedic post-hospitalization care, stroke and neurological rehab, post-medical and post-surgical recovery, and adaptive equipment instruction and conditioning. For Fernando Carrillo, it was a stroke that eventually brought him to the Transitional Care Unit (TCU) at the Los Angeles Jewish Home. At 66, Fernando is an active man, working fulltime as a buyer in a downtown LA store, exercising at the gym regularly, and enjoying two mile walks and trips to Las Vegas with Lucia, his wife of 14 years. After spending 10 days in the hospital, he was brought to the Home for rehab. With the left side of his body completely effected by the stroke, Fernando spent the first two weeks in rehab in bed, unable to move. “I was also a little confused and had difficulty speaking, eating, and swallowing,” he recalls. His brain returned to full function quickly, and within 10 days he was able to eat and swallow. As he began physical therapy, Fernando’s first question was: How long is it going to take you to fix me? The answer from his inter-disciplinary team: That’s all up to you! “I move fast. I don’t like to sit around and do nothing,” says Fernando. “I was committed to working hard and doing everything I could to improve. And the daily encouragement and support I received from everyone was fantastic!” By the end of the first month, Fernando was able to lift his left leg. Two weeks later, he could lift his left arm. Now he can reach out with it. “The first day I could stand up and take a step, we all cried,” he shares emotionally. After 100 days in short-term rehab at the Jewish Home, Fernando was ready to return to his home and Lucia. “When I came here I couldn’t even move. Considering what I can do now, it’s hard to believe,” Fernando says as he stands and takes several steps. “I consider myself to be at 50% now, and my goal is to be at 90% in five months.” Before leaving TCU, Fernando was referred by his physician to receive in-home physical therapy, and he chose Jewish Home Care Services as his provider… “of course!” After that he will receive outpatient physical therapy as he continues working toward his goal. The rehab team receives the highest marks from Fernando. “This wonderful team has all my respect. I have never seen a group of people so devoted to what they do. If someone is in need of rehab care, they should come here!” Marina Balabanov, DPT and facility rehab director for the Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical Center (JEKMC) at the Home, offers some insight into what makes their team so successful. “Each rehab program is individually designed by a supervising physical therapist, taking into consideration the patient’s medical history, current medical problem, and prior and current functional status,” she explains. “These programs are reviewed weekly with consideration of new ideas and recommendations from team members. We have state-of-the-art rehab equipment that helps us implement our programs, provide very high quality care and services, and achieve patient-oriented goals.” The members of Fernando’s rehab team worked diligently to help him return to his home and his life. It was truly a group effort, and the bonds formed are strong, with each person feeling invested in his improvement. “It’s a testament to Mr. Carrillo’s 100% commitment and the dedication of our rehab staff to see such incredible improvement,” says Ilana Grossman, executive director of JEKMC. At the Jewish Home, the approach to recovery and wellness combines onsite medical care, prescribed therapies, personal coaching and counseling, and excellent nutrition. We direct all efforts toward promoting healing, building confidence, and restoring independence. For more information, please call Connections to Care, our toll-free hotline, at (855) 227-3745 or visit our website at www.lajh.org.

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.

Last week, Jewish Home seniors gathered at the Schulman Activities Center for a special Yom Ha'Shoah— or in English, Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day— program. Skirball Director of Spiritual Life, Grancell Village Rabbi Karen Bender led the seniors in prayer and song. During the program, six seniors came to the front of the room to light six candles, each candle representing one million of the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust. Several survivors were in attendance. Some shared poetry, sang songs, and spoke about their experiences. Rabbi Bender emphasized the importance of Yom Ha'Shoah is remembering. "Each year on this special day, we must remember the victims and the heroes of this catastrophe and we must make sure that a tragedy like this will never happen again."

Personal, professional care in a beautiful, serene setting. That’s what you and your loved ones can expect from the Los Angeles Jewish Home’s in-residence care. Residents at the Jewish Home enjoy shared or single rooms in one- and two-story buildings on our secure, park-like campuses in Reseda. Seniors receiving residential care are capable of semi-independent living and mobility, and are mentally alert. Our grounds feature sculptures, fountains, and intimate garden areas where residents meditate, read, or gather with friends and family. Our dining rooms serve wonderful Kosher meals. We provide complete laundry and housekeeping services, so residents can enjoy musical programs, exercise classes (including T’ai Chi and yoga), art classes, and many more activities. Lectures and movie screenings, clubs and social opportunities, easy access to the Levy-Kime Geriatric Community Clinic, plus regular transportation to off-campus shopping, entertainment, and outings enhance the enriching lifestyle at the Home. For more about residential care, please contact Admissions Director Sato Artinian at 818.774.3303 or by email at Satenik.Artinian@jha.org. The Jewish Home is now accepting applications for seniors seeking residential care. To learn about the admissions process or to submit an application, click here.

Skirball Hospice, a program of the Los Angeles Jewish Home, provides compassionate end-of-life care, enabling individuals and families to overcome fear and discomfort, to cope with loss, and embrace the experience and value of each and every day of life. Hospice care recognizes the needs of patients who choose to remain where they live, outside of the hospital, so they can be surrounded by loved ones when hospitalization is no longer expected to cure their illness. Skirball Hospice provides the support that allows someone to spend the last stages of life in a loving environment, comforted by friends and family, and free from discomfort. While the use of hospice services has increased over the years, many people are still uncertain about the type of services available through a hospice program and when end-of-life care can be accessed. Some people are still unaware that hospice care exists. Lack of knowledge and understanding about hospice programs may lead individuals and family members to make less than optimal decisions at a very important time. Let’s take this opportunity to dispel some of the most prevalent myths about hospice, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization: MYTH: Hospice is where you go when there is nothing more a doctor can do.FACT: Hospice is care designed for patients with a life-limiting illness. Hospice is not where you go to die; hospice professionals are trained to assist patients in living their lives fully, completely, and without pain until the end of their lives. MYTH: To be eligible for hospice, I have to be in the final stages of dying.FACT: Hospice patients and families receive care for an unlimited amount of time, depending upon the course of the illness. There is no fixed limit on the amount of time a patient may continue to receive hospice services. MYTH: Quality care at the end of life is very expensive.FACT: Medicare beneficiaries pay little or nothing for hospice. For those not eligible for Medicare, most insurance plans, HMOs, and managed care plans cover hospice care. MYTH: If I choose hospice care, I have to leave my home.FACT: Hospice care is provided wherever the patient may be: in their own home or the home of a family member, a nursing home, or an assisted living facility. Hospice is also provided in in-patient units, VA hospitals, and some correctional facilities. MYTH: Families are not able to care for people with life limiting illnesses.FACT: Family members are encouraged, supported, and trained by hospice professionals to care for their loved ones. Hospice staff is on call to patients and their families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to help family and friends care for their loved ones. MYTH: Hospice care is only for cancer or AIDS patients.FACT: Fifty percent of hospice patients are diagnosed with conditions other than cancer or AIDS. MYTH: Hospice is just for the elderly.FACT: Hospice is for anyone facing a life-limiting illness, regardless of age. MYTH: There’s no hospice in my area.FACT: Less than one percent of Medicare beneficiaries live in an area where hospice is not available. MYTH: After the patient’s death, hospice care ends.FACT: Bereavement services and grief support are available to family members for up to one year after the death of a patient. At Skirball Hospice, this support is available for thirteen months. The Jewish Home’s Skirball Hospice is the only Jewish sponsored hospice in the Greater Los Angeles area. Skirball Hospice supports and assists families and caregivers with compassion and expertise with an integrated team, including physicians, nurses, rabbis, medical social workers, registered dietitians, and certified home health aides. Individuals and families have the option to specifically request Skirball Hospice for end-of-life care. For more information, please contact Skirball Hospice at (877) 774-3040 or www.skirballhospice.org.

We all want a better life for those living with memory loss. “Person-centered care” is an approach that guides caregivers and families in knowing and honoring the person first – before the disease. This approach aims to see the person with dementia as an individual, rather than focusing on their illness or on abilities they may have lost. It is based on the principle that all individuals, regardless of their disability, deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and can lead fulfilling and meaningful lives. Person-centered care is the guiding principle of the Jewish Home’s Goldenberg•Ziman Special Care Center. This approach considers the whole person, taking into account each individual's unique qualities, abilities, interests, preferences and needs, instead of treating the person as a collection of symptoms and behaviors to be controlled. All GZ staff members are involved in the residents’ care and are responsible for the “life happiness” of those in the Center. Families are an integral part of this process, helping the GZ staff learn life stories, personal likes and dislikes, working history, and special cues used to communicate. This information is incorporated into the care plan and helps the staff develop meaningful relationships with the individual. At GZ, a variety of person-centered activities and techniques are evident in daily life. For example, reminiscence is facilitated with appropriate props and considers the importance of each individual’s reality. The GZ staff tries to ensure no task or aspect of care is placed higher than the experience of the individual. Routines and activities are designed so they are flexible for the person with dementia, or easily adapted according to individual’s wishes. There are numerous benefits to a person-centered care approach. It has been shown that when people with dementia are involved in social activities and encouraged to become engaged in activities they find enjoyable, there is an improved quality of life, particularly in reducing challenging behaviors. Studies have also shown decreased agitation can be obtained in person-centered care programs if there is freedom of choice regarding daily activities scheduling. This can lead to decreased verbal agitation levels. Person-centered care can also help in sustaining a good relationship between the caregiver and the person affected by dementia. This in turn can maintain the individual’s high level of psychological well-being and productive behaviors and reduce depression. Research indicates when people with dementia are being provided with the opportunity of expressing themselves and their needs, they will maintain a positive sense of self. This can significantly reduce their feelings of grief, anxiety, anger and feeling like a burden to others. Respecting past interests and current capabilities can improve sleep during the night and daytime napping, as shown in person-centered care research programs. Person-centered care can also be a benefit for the staff. It has been shown that this approach reduces caregivers' frustrations and saves money by reducing hospitalizations and the use of medications, but more importantly, it provides a better quality of life for persons with dementia and their loved ones.

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.

This Sunday, May 8th, more than 1,000 friends and family members will attend the 22nd Annual World’s Largest Mother’s Day Celebration. This heartwarming celebration of motherhood will honor the Home’s senior mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and even great-great-grandmothers who have given us so much. “Mother’s Day serves as a reminder of all the amazing ways the special women in our lives have nurtured, cared and loved us,” The Home’s CEO-President, Molly Forrest remarked. “On Sunday, we will recognize with gratitude the women who have always been there for us.” “Mother’s Day is traditionally one of the Home’s most joyous, and well-attended, events of the year.” Board of Directors Chair, David L. Swartz observes. “This celebration is a direct result of the commitment and hard work of our Mother’s Day chair, Judy Friedman Rudzki, the generosity of our corporate and private sponsors, and the dedication of caring friends and supporters, whose effort makes this an exceptional day for our residents and Jewish Home family.” Jewish Home seniors and their guests will enjoy a delicious brunch and a dynamic performance by the Skye Michaels Orchestra. Colorful clowns will juggle, mime, and bring balloon animals to life. After a day of fun, guests will be given a commemorative program and a framed photograph keepsake to cherish for years to come. Tickets for adults (age 12 and older) are $25.00 each and children’s tickets (ages 5-11) are $12.00 each. There is no charge for Jewish Home residents and children under age 5. For more information about the 22nd Annual World’s Largest Mother’s Day Celebration, please contact Denise Horowitz at Denise.Horowitz@jha.org or (818) 774-3324.

On the morning of Friday, April 8th, Assemblymember Matt Debabneh made his way to the Eisenberg Village’s Zuckerman Boardroom to speak to the Jewish Home’s seniors and staff about Assembly Bill 1319, also known as the Medically Needy Program Extension. Eisenberg Village administrator Doug Tucker welcomed the crowd and gave a brief explanation of the bill. “Currently, the Medically Needy Only (MNO) program provides senior recipients with just $20 per month as a personal spending allowance. This $20 must cover over the counter drugs, clothing, shampoo and a variety of personal items such as hearing aid batteries and denture repairs. For the 12,000 individuals across the state that qualify for this welfare, $20 is simply not enough.” Doug continued, “Last year, the Assemblymember Matt Debabneh partnered with the Home to help preserve the dignity of our MNO population and increase the amount of money these needy seniors receive. Matt did an incredible job pushing AB 1319 through the House of Representatives and on to the Senate. Unfortunately, the Bill was suspended once it reached the Senate’s budget committee last year. However, our champion, Matt Debabneh is here to discuss his plans to re-introduce the bill this year.” Assemblymember Matt Debabneh then took the stage and pledged his commitment to the seniors of California. “Seniors are the backbone of our community. They are the reason we are able to live in such an incredible community. The jobs you’ve worked, the taxes you’ve payed, the families you’ve raised.. And now it’s time for us to do the same for you. The $20 MNO recipients are given each month is not enough. All of our seniors should be able to live in dignity. I’m going to keep fighting for you.” After all was said and done, seniors and staff members enjoyed delicious refreshments and had the opportunity to speak with the Assemblymember. Stay tuned to the Los Angeles Jewish Home blog to follow AB 1319’s journey through the House and Senate.