Serving the Needs of Our Residents, from Shabbat to Bingo

Home / News & Events / Newsletter / Serving the Needs of Our Residents, from Shabbat to Bingo

Serving the Needs of Our Residents, from Shabbat to Bingo

Mar 31, 2020

At the Los Angeles Jewish Home, our residents are accustomed to enjoying a wide range of engaging activities on a daily basis. Shabbat services, sing-a-longs and games of Bingo, are all integral parts of the Jewish Home experience.

Now with social distancing in place to slow the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), our staff are coming up with creative ways to engage with our residents to help combat the feelings of isolation.

To "pierce that isolation" and serve the spiritual needs of our residents, Rabbi Karen Bender, the Home's Skirball Director of Spiritual Life, teamed up with Eisenberg Village's Rabbi Ron Goldberg to bring Shabbat services directly to the residents (while keeping a safe six-foot distance apart).

Rabbi Bender led what she calls a "Shabbat serenade" through the hallways at both Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical Center (JEKMC) and the Mark Taper Skilled Nursing Building on Grancell Village. With guitar in hand, Bender appeared on every floor and at the entrance of every room, singing Shabbat songs and wishing residents "Shabbat Shalom!"

"People laughed and smiled and clapped along to the music," Bender said. It took her nearly two hours, but she wanted each resident to know that despite the mandate to remain isolated, none of them is forgotten.

Rabbi Goldberg toured the hallways at Eisenberg Village, accompanied by Volunteer Services Director Stacy Orbach and Lifestyle and Enrichment Director Annette Weinberg, singing songs. "Residents opened their doors as they heard the music," Orbach said. "We sang together, we danced together and we cried together (of course exercising social distancing). I witnessed joy, happiness and gratitude from our residents like never before."

And at Fountainview at Eisenberg Village, Activities Coordinator Lauri Kamiel and Lifestyle and Enrichment Director Carolyn Clark took their "Welcoming Shabbat" show "on the road" to their residents. "From their doorways, we sang Shabbat songs, and said the blessings for the candles, wine and Challah," Kamiel said.

Earlier in the week, Kamiel and Clark toured the hallways with a cart full of board games. They knocked on residents doors and shared some jokes and songs. The duo agreed that one of the highlights came when everyone sang "Tomorrow," from the musical "Annie." "Many residents are familiar with this song and joined us in an uplifting, feel-good moment," Kamiel said.

Staying in Touch

While the Home's Brandman Centers for Senior Care (BCSC), recently closed its day center, in compliance with guidance from California and the City of Los Angeles, the BCSC Clinic and Therapy services will continue to remain open to meet essential healthcare needs.

In the meantime, even though most of the participants, who reside in the local community, are not physically in the BCSC Day Center, BCSC staff are doing everything they can to keep them healthy and well. Staff are calling to check in with participants, sending health care providers out into the community, delivering both meals and supplies to those who need them, and sending care packages to keep participants engaged.

Dial-A-Bingo

If you've spent time at the Eisenberg Village campus, then you know how passionate residents are about their Bingo games. To help fill that void, Weinberg, came up with a solution: Dial-A-Bingo.

Weinberg distributed a flyer detailing the rules with a phone number for interested residents to use if they wanted to play. Then she handed out Bingo cards and colored paper squares to cover the called numbers. Weinberg, along with Orbach and Sandy Schipper, Lifestyle and Enrichment Assistant, phoned the residents and connected them into a conference call. They called the out the numbers, told jokes and kept track of the winners.

"All the residents who have played say it's a lot of fun," according to Weinberg. "They appreciate the effort. Residents are having so much fun that the word is getting out and more and more want to play. We plan to offer this daily during the week."

For resident Audrey Barger, who in normal times, volunteers as one of the Bingo callers on the EV campus, the activity is a welcome break from the daily routine. "Everybody looks forward to Dial-A-Bingo," she says. "It's a great way for us to connect with each other."

Putting Out the Word

To brighten the hours of our residents' days, we've put out the word that they would love to receive cards, pictures or letters! And, families have already responded to the call. If you would like to join the effort, please direct your cards and letters to our Director of Volunteer Services, Stacy Orbach, at our Eisenberg Village Campus at 18855 Victory Blvd, Reseda, CA 91335.

Prev Page Next Page

Share

Recent Articles

Jul 5

With 100 Years of Excellence in Senior Care, Los Angeles Jewish Home Transitions to New Name More Reflective of the Broad Spectrum of Senior Care Offerings Available to All

With a new name and continued focus on meeting diverse senior needs, Los Angeles Jewish Health meets seniors where they are in life, providing a customized senior experience. (RESEDA, CA – July 5, 2022) As it continues to build on more than a century of providing an array of high-quality residential living options and care for Southern California seniors, the Los Angeles Jewish Home is unveiling a new name: Los Angeles Jewish Health. The updated identity reflects Los Angeles Jewish Health’s commitment to offering area seniors a full complement of exceptional programs and services and a comprehensive continuum of care, whether that care is at home, in the community, or on one of their beautiful campus settings. “Over the years, as the needs of our community members have expanded and changed, we have evolved, too, expanding the scope of healthcare services we provide. It is now the right time to transition to a name more reflective of the vast array of senior care services and living options available through Los Angeles Jewish Health, while still remaining true to our mission and Jewish values,” said Dale Surowitz, CEO-president of Los Angeles Jewish Health. Los Angeles Jewish Health is a national leader in senior health and wellness. Established in 1912 in East Los Angeles to assist Jewish men seeking shelter, today Los Angeles Jewish Health cares for a diverse group of thousands of seniors each year through independent housing, adult day care, skilled nursing facilities, short-term rehabilitation, hospice services, and more. What began as a modest residential facility at the turn of the previous century has grown into a leading senior health system, providing for a rapidly growing elder population with a broad range of geriatric and specialty healthcare needs. By 2030, one in five Americans are projected to be older individuals. Seniors 85 and older are the fastest growing segment of this population and are expected to increase fivefold over the next 30 years, from four million in 2000 to 21 million in 2050.“Shifting demographics demand that we sharpen our focus to ensure we are an available senior care resource for every member of our community,” Surowitz said. “As we have for more than 100 years, we look forward to contributing Los Angeles Jewish Health’s extensive experience and medical expertise toward better health outcomes for all seniors.” About Los Angeles Jewish Health: Founded in 1912, and formerly known as the Los Angeles Jewish Home, the non-profit Los Angeles Jewish Health is the largest single-source provider of comprehensive senior healthcare services in the Los Angeles area, serving nearly 4,000 people each year. Thousands of seniors benefit from the Los Angeles Jewish Health’s community-based and in-residence care and services. Programs include: PACE (A Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly); hospice; palliative medicine; community clinics; short-term rehabilitation; and acute psychiatric care. Four campuses (Eisenberg Village, Grancell Village, Fountainview at Eisenberg Village, and Fountainview at Gonda Westside) serve seniors with options for independent living, residential care, skilled nursing care, short-term rehabilitation, and Alzheimer’s disease and memory care. In addition, Los Angeles Jewish Health is home to the Annenberg School of Nursing.

Los Angeles Jewish Health Resident and Holocaust Survivor Celebrates Bat Mitzvah, and 92nd Birthday, during 100th Anniversary of the first American to celebrate a Bat Mitzvah

(RESEDA, CA – March 15, 2022) History will be made at the Los Angeles Jewish Home, Thursday, March 18 as beloved resident and Holocaust survivor Frieda Thompson turns 92 on the same day she will be called to Torah for her Bat Mitzvah. This date also marks the 100th anniversary of when Judith Kaplan, at age twelve, became the first American girl to celebrate a Bat Mitzvah on March 18, 1922. Frieda Thompson, whose parents were murdered by the Nazis, still recalls that one of her mother’s final actions was to ensure her brother was called to Torah for his Bar Mitzvah even as there was chaos all around. Frieda studied for her Bat Mitzvah a few years ago, but COVID-19 prevented gathering as a community at that time. Now, with family flying in for the big day, Frieda will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah during the weekly Shabbat Eve. Service, in the Weinberg Courtyard of the Jewish Home, in front of loving family, caring staff, and dozens of fellow Jewish Home residents. When asked what this day means to her, Frieda offers, “Moses was loyal to his family and to the Jewish people. I too have always felt loyal to my family and the Jewish People.” In commenting on the significance of this lifetime milestone Rabbi Karen Bender commented, “As a small child, Frieda was forced to raise her hand and call out ‘Heil Hitler’. Today her voice rings out as a cherished leader among her peers.” Note: Media interested in attending the Service/Bat Mitzvah must be fully vaccinated/boosted/masked – and must RSVP in advance.

Los Angeles Jewish Home Accepts New Resident Applications

After pandemic-related pause, premier senior living facility reopens its doors (RESEDA, CA – March 12, 2021) The Los Angeles Jewish Home announced it is accepting applications for new residents, as well as participants in its community-based programs, after an extended pause in admissions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The reopening coincides with the one-year anniversary of the nationwide shutdown resulting from the coronavirus. Dale Surowitz, CEO-president of the Jewish Home, says welcoming new seniors will enable the organization to continue its century-long tradition of providing for the region’s frail elderly. "Seniors in Los Angeles depend on us for care. During COVID, ensuring their continued health and safety meant refraining from bringing people in. But now that 99 percent of our residents (as well as the large majority of our staff) has been fully vaccinated, we’re relaunching the admissions process so we can serve even more members of the community." The Home has immediate openings for seniors who need hands-on skilled nursing assistance. "The Jewish Home typically has wait lists for available spaces in our skilled nursing facility; it’s uncommon to have availability as we currently do," Surowitz says. "This represents a rare opportunity for people to get into the Home now, before we reach capacity, which will happen quickly." With the easing of the pandemic, the Jewish Home is also welcoming seniors to its Brandman Centers for Senior Care, a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Through the program, residents and seniors who live on their own receive medical services, physical therapy, social services, and nutritional counseling, as well as exceptional adult day healthcare that engages them intellectually, physically, and socially. Applicants to the Jewish Home have access to a broad range of programs and services beyond PACE and skilled nursing. From short-term rehab to hospice, independent living, home health, and memory care, the Jewish Home provides support to residents at their varying levels of need. Through the Jewish Home, seniors are also eligible for the organization’s new Brandman Health Plan. Designed for the chronic patient with special needs, the plan offers benefits to anyone in Los Angeles County who is Medicare-eligible and has diabetes, chronic heart failure, cardiovascular disorders, or dementia. Seniors and their families can reach out to the Jewish Home for more information about current openings and availability. "We’re here for new applicants, whoever they are and whatever their needs," Surowitz says. "We look forward to learning how we can help."