Issuu

WINTER 2020

inspire A publication for Hebrew SeniorLife supporters

Alzheimerâ€™s Disease Research Grant to Test Interventions

WELCOME

inspire

Welcome to Inspire, formerly known as Results. Just as we continue to reinvent the experience of aging, we thought it was time to refresh our donor newsletter, to inspire you with stories about all that we are doing because of donors like you.

Inspire is published by Hebrew SeniorLife. Katelyn Quynn

You will read about many of the groundbreaking programs and research that Hebrew SeniorLife has underway as well as advances in senior care that are only made possible because of philanthropy.

Chief Development Officer and Vice President, Board Relations KatelynQuynn@hsl.harvard.edu 617.363.8295 Stacey Weinbaum Executive Director, Board Relations Weinbaum@hsl.harvard.edu 617.971.5790 Teresa V. Lisek Director of Development TeresaVLisek@hsl.harvard.edu 617.971.5788 Laura Katz Leacu Director, Institutional Giving LauraKatzLeacu@hsl.harvard.edu 617.971.5785 Marsha Katz Slotnick Senior Major Gifts Officer MSlotnick@hsl.harvard.edu 617.971.5784 Helaine Silverman Major Gifts Officer HelaineSilverman@hsl.harvard.edu 617.971.5776

“I hope you will join us in our Age of Opportunity campaign, ensuring a bright future for all of us as we age.”

Deb Mayerson

That’s why we are so excited about our Age of Opportunity campaign, an ambitious effort that focuses on improving the lives of seniors—now and in the future. With our Harvard Medical School affiliation as well as our dedicated researchers in the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, we are uniquely positioned to pursue innovations that will help all of us age well. Many of you have a long history of support, and for that we are truly grateful. We hope, as you continue to learn more about HSL’s goals for the future, that you will be compelled to join us in our Age of Opportunity campaign, ensuring a bright future for all of us as we age.

Katelyn Quynn Chief Development Officer and Vice President, Board Relations

Major Gifts Officer DeborahMayerson@hsl.harvard.edu 617.971.5777 Amanda Leberman Assistant Director, Annual Giving AmandaLeberman@hsl.harvard.edu 617.971.5792 Teresa Febo Robinson Director, Brand Advancement and Content Strategy TeresaRobinson@hsl.harvard.edu 617.971.5795

Education at HSL

1,000+

20,000

future health care professionals trained each year

hours of teaching provided by clinical staff annually

Editor: Jeanne Seltzer Writers: Jennifer Davis, Jeanne Seltzer Photography: Joel Benjamin, Steve Nelson

clinical educators across the Hebrew SeniorLife system

affiliated training partners across New England

New and Improved Website If you’ve been to Hebrew SeniorLife’s website recently, you’ll notice it looks very different! We launched a new version of our site to make it easier for you to explore our services and senior living communities. Visit hebrewseniorlife.org. 2

REINVENTING HOW WE AGE

Board Treasurer Committed to Helping HSL Grow Marsha Cohen believes training future care providers sets HSL apart. “In my opinion, Hebrew SeniorLife is at the forefront of everything related to aging,” says Marsha Cohen, who has been a dedicated volunteer and donor as well as HSL’s board treasurer for six years. When Marsha retired from being a partner at Price WaterhouseCoopers, she knew she wanted to dedicate her time to helping nonprofit organizations. On the recommendation of Jennifer Silver, who was HSL’s board chair at the time, Marsha volunteered to be on HSL’s finance committee. From there, she became the finance committee chair and our board treasurer, where she remains committed to helping HSL grow. “The care and compassion shown for seniors and their families are extraordinary at HSL,” she explains. “Right away, I knew this was an organization I wanted to be involved with … I think it’s important because there are so many needs that can’t be fulfilled without philanthropy. And I think it’s incumbent upon all of us who have the ability to contribute to do that, whether through volunteering or philanthropy or both.” “It’s just an amazing institution,” she adds. “Research at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute and training the next generation of geriatric caregivers are also things that set HSL apart.”

Marsha’s most recent gift was to support the Center for Memory Health because she feels that the major medical challenge for our society right now is Alzheimer’s disease. “We know the incidence is growing, so I think the role of the Center for Memory Health is going to be critical. They’re treating patients, but just as important—they’re treating patients’ families. Alzheimer’s is a disease that will ultimately affect all of us in some way.”

“The care and compassion shown for seniors and their families are extraordinary at HSL.” “Giving seniors the best quality of life possible, which is what HSL does in a variety of ways, is so important … as well as training the next generation of doctors and care providers to care for seniors. It’s the quality of care that is so incredible. People in the organization care about the employees, the patients and residents, and families. I think this is what matters most.”

CAN WE SOLVE THE MYSTERIES OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE?

Alzheimer’s Disease Research Grant to Test Interventions News broke in early September that the National Institute on Aging awarded a five-year grant expected to total $53.4 million to Hebrew SeniorLife and Brown University.

Collaborative Research for Results “It’s time for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias to receive the same level of research focus and investment as cancer,” says HSL President and CEO Louis Woolf. “We’re proud to collaborate with Brown University to address this national epidemic that affects not only patients, but their families and caregivers as well.”

With this grant, Susan Mitchell, M.D., MPH, senior scientist at HSL’s Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, along with Vincent Mor, Ph.D., from Brown’s School of Public Health, will co-lead a nationwide effort to improve health care and quality of life for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, as well as their caregivers.

According to Dr. Mitchell, “The NIA IMPACT Collaboratory will transform the delivery, quality, and outcomes of care provided to Americans with dementia and their caregivers by accelerating the testing and adoption of evidence-based interventions within health care systems.”

Together, HSL and Brown will create a massive collaborative research incubator called the NIA Imbedded Pragmatic Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Collaboratory composed of experts from more than 30 top research institutions. They will take on two primary objectives: first, to fund and provide expert assistance for up to 40 pilot trials testing non-drug, care-based interventions for people living with dementia; and second, to develop best practices for implementing and evaluating interventions for Alzheimer’s care that will be shared with the research community at large.

Dr. Mitchell credits the Marcus Institute for having the characteristics needed to support good research, stating, “Excellent research depends on collaborations with researchers, locally, around the country, and around the world. It takes a dedicated team of investigators, administrative experts, project managers, and research assistants out in the field. The Marcus Institute has these characteristics and more. The best part of being on the faculty of the Marcus Institute is working with great people to further our shared mission to redefine the aging experience.”

An Urgent Need There has never been a greater need to improve the care for people living with Alzheimer’s—a terminal neurodegenerative disease. Currently 5.8 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and someone develops the disease every 65 seconds. In addition to the physical and emotional suffering it causes, Alzheimer’s disease is the most expensive disease in the U.S., costing $177 billion in 2018, and projected to increase by as much as $1.1 trillion by 2050.

In turn, the Marcus Institute has thrived in large part from the generous support of HSL’s donor community and the vision of its volunteer leadership, which inspires us every day to stay true to our commitment to provide the best care to seniors and their families in our community and beyond.

Alzheimer’s disease is often referred to as a family disease because of the huge toll it takes on caregivers, who are often family members or close friends. For these caregivers, watching a loved one decline as the disease progresses can be very stressful, impacting their own health. Unfortunately, our health care system has been woefully inadequate at providing coordinated services that support patients and their loved ones. Alzheimer’s disease is the only one of the top-ten leading causes of death with no known treatment to cure or even slow the disease. And while researchers work to fully understand the cause and develop effective treatments, the time to improve care is now.

Dr. Mitchell is co-leading a massive research effort to improve the lives of those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

NURSING STAFF RETENTION EQUALS OUTSTANDING PATIENT CARE

Lunder Family Generosity Helps Build Nursing Careers at HSL A well-educated, highly skilled nursing staff is the linchpin to good quality patient care. Hebrew SeniorLife is fortunate that our donor community appreciates this. Through their generosity, our nursing staff is able to advance their careers, stay abreast of best practices, and develop innovative initiatives that lead the way in the care of older adults. A prime example of supportive donors is the Lunder family. Paula and Peter Lunder created an endowment fund in 2007 in honor of Peter’s mother, Anne Lunder Leland, to address the growing nursing shortage — particularly in geriatric care. “The Lunder Foundation is very aware of the impending shortage of nurses, and the role that nursing education and development can play in attracting and retaining nurses to provide the best possible care for patients at Hebrew SeniorLife. We have been pleased to be able to support those educational programs.” — Lunder Foundation President Kevin Gillis

Our nurses actively participate in looking at new and better ways to provide care.

Fostering a Culture of Innovation The exceptional quality of our frontline nursing staff has helped Hebrew SeniorLife earn the reputation as the “gold standard” in senior care. That quality is fueled by our one-of-akind professional development programs, which encourage nursing staff to look at the environment and care that they give in fresh ways. With support, they develop the confidence to ask what matters to patients and their families. Building teams that embrace our culture of patient-centered care takes time. We value our nurses and the skill they bring to our mission, and strive to keep them engaged and growing professionally. As a result, we enjoy an unusually high staff retention rate, which ultimately translates into high quality of care.

Paula and Peter Lunder

“When teams are active participants, making changes that benefit our patients is much easier. When nurses embrace innovation, they are more likely to develop processes that staff can sustain,” says Tammy Retalic, chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care services. “Professional development is the most important resource we can apply to make sure we’re giving the best care possible,” adds Retalic.

Our professional development team is committed to making sure staff, from personal care assistants to RNs, have the time and resources to grow their careers. It could mean sending staff to professional conferences where they learn and share best practices or offering new career ladder opportunities for personal care assistants to build leadership skills and pride in their frontline roles. “Our Nurse Excellence Program offers education, clinical, and leadership skills, and importantly, time to collaborate to identify and solve problems,” says Retalic. “Funding allows us to discover where improvement is needed and then support staff to develop solutions,” relates Retalic. “With donor help, we will produce amazing innovations that improve both quality of care and quality of life for our seniors.”

GIVING TO WHAT MATTERS MOST TO YOU

Creating a Fund for the Written Word Joan Kaplowitz, a resident at Hebrew SeniorLife’s Orchard Cove community, believes in the importance of giving back. Wanting to share her love of words, Joan established a fund at Orchard Cove, the Joan Kaplowitz Fund for the Written Word, to bring in speakers and writing programs for her fellow residents.

Joan Kaplowitz

“I want to share my passion for words with others.”

“When I moved to Orchard Cove four years ago, I signed up for a writing workshop. At first I was afraid that I wasn’t up to par. Other participants’ writing was much better in my estimation.” But with her teacher’s support, Joan began to feel much more confident about her writing, and in 2017, self-published a book of her prose and poetry, “Cherish the Moments.” “Living at Orchard Cove has given me so much, including the satisfaction and accomplishment of writing,” she says. So Joan decided to make a donation to Orchard Cove to share her passion for words with others.

In the Community Because of you, our events keep growing every year, raising money to help seniors live their best lives with innovative, person-centered communities and services. EngAGE 2019 raised $1.2 million at its November event at Boston’s Fenway Park. Joined by more than 375 supporters, we were inspired by Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer Jim Lonborg, tennis legend Chris Evert, boxing icon Sugar Ray Leonard, and ESPN and Boston Red Sox broadcaster Sean McDonough. Pictured left to right are McDonough, HSL President and CEO Lou Woolf, Evert, Lonborg, Leonard, and Sarah Woolf. Held at the Belmont Country Club in June, our annual golf tournament honored Hebrew SeniorLife President and CEO Lou Woolf, raising $280,000. Pictured left to right are Jonathan Kay, Linda Sloane Kay, HSL Trustee Greg Stoller, and Lou Woolf. We are thankful to Beth Israel Senior Citizens Housing, Inc., along with an anonymous donor, who funded a new bus to transport our seniors. Pictured left to right are HSL’s Jack Satter House Director Stephen Post and Senior Major Gifts Officer Marsha Katz Slotnick with Beth Israel Senior Citizens Housing, Inc.’s board members Larry Weiner and Harvey Goldman.

Establishing the Joan Kaplowitz Fund for the Written Word has given Joan a true sense of accomplishment. She says many residents thank her for sharing her love of words, and she likes looking for new speakers and programs that she feels will resonate with her fellow residents. Joan also enjoys Orchard Cove’s book discussion groups, the short story class, the spirituality group, the drumming workshop, attending concerts and lectures, the movie committee, and being with friends. Smiling broadly, she concludes, “Life is to enjoy!”

YOUR SUPPORT HELPS US MOVE FOR WARD

Advancing Patient Care with Innovative Design Hebrew SeniorLife’s flagship campus in Boston is where patients and families receive industry-leading care. It’s where our caregivers, staff, and researchers do innovative work that helps seniors enjoy life every day. The campus is also central to our commitment for the underserved, as 90% of the seniors served there are low-income.

Music Therapy Plays Important Role in Hospice Care Hospice relies on a holistic approach to patient care. Complementary therapies are among the most powerful tools available to ease pain—physical, emotional, and spiritual. Among them, music therapy, in particular, supports communication between patients with memory loss and their family members.

With the help of donor support from Deanna and Sidney Wolk; Gilda Slifka; Mary and Thomas DeSimone; Helaine and Alvin B. Allen and family; Manuel, Bessie, and Lisa Slate; the Theodore W. and Evelyn G. Berenson Foundation; and the Sephardic Home for the Aged Foundation, the revitalization project of our Boston campus is continuing. Our goal is to make it a modern space more conducive to person-centered care, where patients have more choices and can feel at home. Construction on 6 East, in the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Pavilion, is now wrapping up and we expect patients to begin moving in early this spring. This will complete the renovation for the entire sixth floor of the Berenson Allen building.

Sarah Gagnon, music therapist with Hebrew SeniorLife’s Hospice Care explains, “Music transcends time and space.” She describes one patient who sang songs learned from her immigrant mother and grandmother. Because of her specialized training, Sarah was able to identify the harmonic structure of the songs and play along— encouraging memories and the comfort they brought. Despite its powerful therapeutic value, music therapy is not covered by the Medicare hospice benefit. It's covered entirely by donor support, and is another prime example of how HSL’s donor community is directly responsible for the exceptional quality of care that we are able to deliver to the seniors we serve.

The new household is all about choice. For example, patients can choose what and when to eat in a light-filled dining room.

What do you want your legacy to be? Leave a charitable bequest to Hebrew SeniorLife in your will … and you create a personal legacy that will help older adults live with independence, dignity, and joy, and ultimately, ensure a bright future for all of us as we age. For more information on bequests or other giving opportunities, contact Teresa V. Lisek at 617.971.5788 or TeresaVLisek@hsl.harvard.edu.

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