Hebrew SeniorLife's Inspire Newsletter Winter 2024

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04-Jan-24 WINTER 2024

inspire A publication for Hebrew SeniorLife supporters

THANK THE AGE OF THANK YOU OPPORTUNITY THANK YOU CAMPAIGN YOU Celebrating the Success of

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04-Jan-24 WELCOME

inspire

This issue of Inspire celebrates the successful close of the Age of Opportunity campaign, a seven-year campaign that was the largest fundraising initiative in Hebrew SeniorLife’s history. Because of dedicated supporters like you, I am excited to report that we not only met our goal of $125 million, but we exceeded it – raising more than $130 million.

Inspire is published by Hebrew SeniorLife.

Katelyn Quynn Chief Development and Board Relations Officer

When we began the campaign, our goal was to make measurable improvements in memory health, research and teaching, our flagship Boston campus, and our programs that go above and beyond, which includes expressive therapies, hospice, spiritual care, and creating a new community center for Brookline seniors.

Our goals were ambitious, and we achieved so much, which you can read about more in detail inside.

KatelynQuynn@hsl.harvard.edu 617.363.8295 Anne Powers Director, Development Operations Powers@hsl.harvard.edu 617.971.5782 Stacey Weinbaum Vice President, Board Relations, Events and Leadership Engagement Weinbaum@hsl.harvard.edu 617.971.5790 Teresa V. Lisek Director of Development TeresaVLisek@hsl.harvard.edu 617.971.5788 Laura Katz Director, Institutional Giving

“We exceeded our goal of $125 million – all because of you!”

LauraKatz@hsl.harvard.edu 617.971.5785 Deb Mayerson Major Gifts Officer

I am so grateful for your support – and for the leadership of our Campaign Steering Committee, led by Campaign Chair Hinda Marcus, and included Jeff Drucker, who laid an incredible foundation of success for the campaign under his leadership as Board Chair, and Melissa Tearney, who seamlessly took the gavel for the remainder of the campaign. I'd also like to thank the entire Campaign Steering Committee, which included Tom Alperin, Marilyn Danesh, and Rick Marcus, all of whom provided invaluable advice. This campaign is allowing us to help many more seniors and their families today.

While today we celebrate, we cannot forget the need for philanthropy to support innovation in aging.

Our new President and CEO Dr. Steve Landers, who you can read more about in this issue’s Q&A, is committed to leading us forward in our pursuit of helping older adults live longer, healthier, and more active lives.

DeborahMayerson@hsl.harvard.edu 617.971.5777 Carol Snow Major and Planned Giving Officer CarolSnow@hsl.harvard.edu 617.971.5780 Amanda Leberman

Thank you again for your loyal support. We hope you will enjoy this issue of Inspire.

Assistant Director, Annual Giving AmandaLeberman@hsl.harvard.edu 617.971.5792

Katelyn Quynn Chief Development and Board Relations Officer

Editor: Jeanne Seltzer Writers: Jeanne Seltzer Cindy Freeman Photography: Braga Photography Maureen Holland Photography Tom Kates Steve Nelson/Fayfoto Boston Len Rubenstein Design: kor group, Boston ©2023

In the Community This summer's annual golf tournament at Belmont Country Club raised $500,000 tosupport Hebrew SeniorLife’s health care, communities, research, and teaching. Almost 200 golfers and guests enjoyed the event, which honored Board Member Tom DeSimone.

Pictured left to right are Golf Committee Chair/ Board Member Reese Genser, Golf Honoree Tom DeSimone, and Golf Committee Member/ Chair for Life Todd Finard.

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04-Jan-24 MOVING FO R WARD

Meet Hebrew SeniorLife’s New President and CEO: Q&A With Dr. Steve Landers In July, Steve Landers, M.D., MPH joined Hebrew SeniorLife as president and CEO following the retirement of Lou Woolf.

Dr. Landers is a recognized leader in home health, primary care, and aging services; and a practicing physician certified in family medicine, geriatrics, and primary care.

He comes to Hebrew SeniorLife after 11 years as president and CEO of Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) Health Group, headquartered in New Jersey.

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Given your deep industry experience, what do you see as the major challenges facing senior care organizations today?

A major challenge is the financial health and capacity of the Medicaid, Medicare, and public housing systems. These programs pay for much-needed care and communities, particularly for vulnerable and underserved seniors. In many of these cases, the payments to organizations like ours aren’t keeping up with the costs.

p What excites you about being president and CEO of Hebrew SeniorLife?

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I’m convinced that with this type of team, we can make a big difference helping people in our communities, serve as global leaders in addressing the opportunities and challenges of an aging society, and have a lot of fun, too.

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“We must continue to grow our role as leaders, innovators, educators, and advocates in promoting health and independence in an aging society.”

On a lighter note, I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and have been a loyal fan of the professional sports teams, so I’m pretty excited for when they go up against Boston (although they almost always lose, I love an underdog).

What do you think sets Hebrew SeniorLife apart from other organizations?

Hebrew SeniorLife is differentiated because of the track record of innovation and leadership in aging issues and services. There isn’t another community-based senior care organization that is doing so much to contribute to research and education.

The other incredible strength is our diversity of programs and approaches, especially the combination of supportive housing and health care services. It’s recognized now more than ever that both medical and social determinants need to be addressed to truly improve people’s health and well-being, including access to nutritious food, safe housing, and a social network. Hebrew SeniorLife has been bold in working to impact all these important areas for successful aging.

What do you think is the most important role for Hebrew SeniorLife moving forward?

We must continue to grow our role as leaders, innovators, educators, and advocates in promoting health and independence in an aging society. We’re in the midst of a dramatic population shift where the number of people age 80 and older will approximately triple between now and 2050. Hebrew SeniorLife is making a big difference in Greater Boston through our direct care and senior living communities, and it’s critically important we keep growing, especially to increase our impact on the most vulnerable and marginalized seniors.

At the same time, we have to provide broader leadership that touches lives across the country and the world. Very few groups are positioned to be a beacon like Hebrew SeniorLife. We can bring a voice to the needs of this growing population and their families, especially those who face disparities or barriers in accessing care and services. I see our leadership shining through by doing even more to train the next generation of caregivers and leaders, expanding our world-class research initiatives, and advancing innovative approaches to health and housing services.

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04-Jan-24

“ This campaign was truly a

team effort. Its results will help Hebrew SeniorLife provide a better quality of life for all seniors now and in the future.”

— Campaign Chair Hinda Marcus Marcus

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04-Jan-24 HELPINGSSENIORS LIV EHEALTHY HEALTHYAND ANDHAPPY HAPPYLILVES IVES HELPING ENIORS LIVE

Celebrating the theSuccess Successof ofthe the Celebrating Age of of Opportunity OpportunityCampaign Campaign Age Thanksto toyou, you,we weare areinnovating innovatingasasleaders leadersininaging. aging.

Thanks

Ourseven-year seven-yearAge Ageof ofOpportunity Opportunitycampaign, campaign,the thelargest largest Our fundraising initiative in Hebrew SeniorLife’s history, wasa a fundraising initiative in Hebrew SeniorLife’s history, was hugesuccess, success,raising raising$130 $130million, million,$5 $5million millionmore morethan thanour our huge goalof of$125 $125million, million,thanks thankstotodonors donorslike likeyou. you. goal

Teaching Teaching

Highlightsof ofadvances advancesthat thatwere weremade: made: Highlights Namingthe theHinda Hindaand andArthur ArthurMarcus MarcusInstitute Institutefor forAging AgingResearch Research •• Naming and recruiting exciting new investigators to expand our work and recruiting exciting new investigators to expand our work Creatingand andnaming namingthe theDeanna Deannaand andSidney SidneyWolk WolkCenter Centerfor for •• Creating MemoryHealth Healthtotohelp helpsupport supportand andtreat treatseniors seniorsand andfamilies families Memory affectedby bydementia dementia affected

Teachingand andeducation education are core our identity academic Teaching are core toto our identity asas anan academic medicalinstitution. institution.InIn addition providing educational medical addition toto providing educational opportunities for our own staff to enhance their ability care opportunities for our own staff to enhance their ability to to care forolder olderadults, adults,we wealso also offer expert geriatric training for offer expert geriatric training to to tomorrow’s doctors, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, and other tomorrow’s doctors, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, and other seniorcare careprofessionals. professionals.

Our goal the future includes senior Our goal forfor the future includes creatinga anew newteaching teaching institute strengthen our offerings and creating institute toto strengthen our offerings and shareour ourbest bestpractices. practices. share Workforce WorkforceDevelopment Development

•• Renovating Renovatingthe thesixth sixthfloor floorofofthe theBerenson BerensonAllen AllenBuilding Buildingononour our flagship flagshipBoston Bostoncampus campus •• Funding Fundingnew newcommunity communityspace spaceininthe thebuilding buildingunder underconstruction construction atatour ourCenter CenterCommunities CommunitiesofofBrookline Brookline •• Supporting Supportingnew newworkforce workforcedevelopment developmentinitiatives initiativestotoaddress addressa a critical criticalneed needfor forskilled skilledworkers workers •• Launching Launchingaanew newtransportation transportationprogram programtotoincrease increaseaccess access totoour services our services

InInthe shortage ofof health care workers, theface faceofofa anationwide nationwide shortage health care workers, Hebrew SeniorLife is in the unique position of both needing and Hebrew SeniorLife is in the unique position of both needing and training Providing growth opportunities forfor trainingskilled skilledemployees. employees.

Providing growth opportunities front-line nurses, helps ensure thethe best care forfor ourour front-linestaff, staff,including including nurses, helps ensure best care patients employees in in building meaningful careers. patientsand andsupports supports employees building meaningful careers.

We want to add to our current training opportunities and We want to add to our current training opportunities and scholarships our employees succeed. scholarshipstotohelp help our employees succeed.

Housing Services Housingand andSupport Support Services

The Thecommunity’s community’ssupport supporthas hasbeen beenincredibly incrediblygenerous, generous,and andthe the investment investmentisisallowing allowingusustotoaddress addressthe themost mosturgent urgentneeds needsofof older olderadults. adults.Thanks Thankstotoyou, you,thousands thousandsofofseniors seniorsand andtheir theirfamilies families are areliving livingbetter betterlives livesbecause becauseofofthe theresources resourcesthat thatare arenow nowavailable available to them.

At the heart of our mission is a deep commitment to to them. At the heart of our mission is a deep commitment to empowering empoweringseniors. seniors.Our Ourgoal goalisistotocontinue continuetotoprovide providethem themwith withthe the highest quality of care, services, and programs to keep them healthy, highest quality of care, services, and programs to keep them healthy, engaged, engaged,and andsocially sociallyactive, active,regardless regardlessofoftheir theirage ageororability. ability.

We opportunities toto integrate care where Wecontinue continuetotoseek seek opportunities integrate care where seniors live in order to improve quality of life and reduce health seniors live in order to improve quality of life and reduce health care our Right Care, Right Place, Right Time carecosts. costs.For Forexample, example, our Right Care, Right Place, Right Time initiative (also known as R3), which integrates wellness teams initiative (also known as R3), which integrates wellness teams into is is expanding rapidly beyond intosenior seniorhousing housingcommunities, communities, expanding rapidly beyond Hebrew SeniorLife communities.

Our goal is to make this a a Hebrew SeniorLife communities. Our goal is to make this national housing. nationalmodel modelforforaffordable affordable housing.

Our Ourpriorities prioritiesfor forthe thefuture futureinclude: include:

We’re Your Continued Partnership We’reCounting Countingonon Your Continued Partnership

Aging AgingResearch Research

Thanks achieved great things onon behalf of of seniors Thankstotoyou, you,we’ve we’ve achieved great things behalf seniors and the people who love and care for them.

Hebrew SeniorLife and the people who love and care for them. Hebrew SeniorLife will pursuit ofof helping seniors livelive their best lives. willnever neverstop stopininour our pursuit helping seniors their best lives.

We hope you’ll join us as we shape the next opportunity to We hope you’ll join us as we shape the next opportunity to grow growour ourimpact. impact.

The TheMarcus MarcusInstitute Instituteisisatatthe theforefront forefrontofofresearch researchthat thatisishelping helping older adults live more vital, meaningful lives.

In addition to older adults live more vital, meaningful lives. In addition to groundbreaking groundbreakingresearch researchand andsolutions solutionstotothe thechallenges challengesofofaging, aging, we are focused on supporting early-career investigators to we are focused on supporting early-career investigators to develop developthe thenext nextgreat greatgeneration generationofofinnovators. innovators.

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04-Jan-24 SUPPORTIN G FRONT-LINE STA FF

Ruderman Family Foundation Promotes Mental Health Support for front-line staff fosters quality care As the son of Jewish immigrants, Morton Ruderman dedicated his life to giving back to the Jewish community in Boston.

In the early 2000s, he decided to make a large gift to local Jewish day schools.

When he learned of the absence of children with disabilities in their classrooms, he understood this as an affront to his Jewish values and committed himself to advocating for children and adults with disabilities as a social justice imperative.

Ruderman Family Foundation Trustee and Community Liaison Sharon Shapiro

“We have to ask, how can we better help our loved ones get the support they need?”

The Ruderman Family Foundation was born. “We have done a lot of work to move the needle, including an early partnership with Hebrew SeniorLife to train people with disabilities in the job force through the Transitions to Work program,” says Morton's daughter Sharon Shapiro, foundation Trustee and Community Liaison.

When the foundation deepened its focus to ending the stigma associated with mental health and identifying gaps in mental health resources and programs, the foundation saw an opportunity to invest in the well-being of Hebrew SeniorLife’s care team by

funding enhanced benefits for nurses and front-line staff. “We wanted to support Hebrew SeniorLife’s efforts to extend kindness and fairness to the people doing the hard work,” says Sharon.

The need for emotional support in aging became even more evident for Sharon when her mother spent time at the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center Newbridge. “Seeing my mother’s needs underscored the importance of mental health care at all ages,” says Sharon. “It may not be as evident that older adults are struggling, so we must interpret. We have to ask, how can we better help our loved ones get the support they need?”

One answer for Sharon was to facilitate a grant to fund relief pay for Hebrew SeniorLife’s nurses and front-line workers and to invest in NewBridge on the Charles’s kosher meals program to foster a more robust Jewish experience for residents and patients.

“My mom had a very well-rounded care team, including a social worker and many dedicated nurses. They provided a wide range of support services that addressed the whole person. It was very comforting for us.”

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 Carol Snow at 617.971.5780 or CarolSnow@hsl.harvard.edu. hebrewseniorlife.org/bequests

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04-Jan-24 FUNDING R ESEARCH AND TEAC HING

Supporting Older Adults and Families Facing Dementia Eugene and Susan Briskman Fellowship will expand patient care

“We’re proud to be part of an organization that addresses the psychological and emotional needs of caregivers.”

Gene and Susan Briskman spend their summer months enjoying time with family and friends in Nantucket and, in Susan’s case, painting the beautiful landscapes and seascapes of the Island. Nearly 10 years ago, the couple attended a gathering of Hebrew SeniorLife supporters at the home of island resident Andie Finard, leading to a long-term and rewarding partnership with the organization.

“I was looking for some way to give back since I had recently retired,” remembers Gene. “The Hebrew SeniorLife mission is vital, and I wanted to get involved.”

Before long, Gene began serving on Hebrew SeniorLife’s Board of Trustees, and joined the Senior Living and Finance committees. As he became more involved in volunteer leadership, he and Susan generously supported all aspects of Hebrew SeniorLife’s mission, from geriatric fellowships for medical students to funding research studies on early intervention for dementia at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research.

More recently, the couple created a new position at the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health — the Eugene and Susan Briskman Fellowship — to enable Wolk Center Medical Director Alvaro Pascual-Leone, M.D., Ph.D., and his team to care for additional patients, alleviating the backlog for those waiting for treatment and providing follow-up support to many more families.

“Like many serious diseases, dementia totally consumes a caregiver’s life and that of the family,” says Dr. Pascual-Leone.

“It is very tough both on the patient and on the caregivers. The Briskmans’ philanthropy will enable us to provide early diagnosis and treatment to more patients and empathetic support to more families, and for that we’re most grateful. Most importantly, we will be able to train future generations of leaders to ensure help for a growing number of patients and families.”

“We’re proud to be part of an organization that not only provides care for seniors facing dementia, but also addresses the psychological and emotional needs of the caregivers involved,” explains Gene.

“It’s really a team effort.”

Trustee Eugene Briskman and Susan Briskman

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04-Jan-24 EXPANDING AFFORDABLE HOUS ING

New Apartments Open at Fireman Community “I am very grateful. It’s the perfect place for me.”

In July, Hebrew SeniorLife reached an important milestone in our efforts to expand the region’s supply of muchneeded affordable housing for seniors. Forty-five new apartments at Simon C. Fireman Community in Randolph are now finished, and residents have started to move in.

The expansion project adds 45 one-bedroom apartments to our existing 160-apartment community. The construction team partnered with Hebrew SeniorLife physical and occupational therapists to make sure the apartments would be age-friendly. For example, apartment kitchens include a large refrigerator/freezer and a wall oven that are wheelchair-accessible and limit bending and reaching.

Bathrooms are outfitted with a large shower stall and bench seat.

Marilyn said she felt like a “celebrity,” being the first resident to move in to the new apartments at Simon C. Fireman Community in Randolph, which opened in September.

To help foster friendships and a sense of community, there are light-filled common areas that include a fitness center with new equipment, a third-floor roof deck, a multi-purpose community room, a lounge with a fireplace, and a new library for the Fireman Community. This new library will replace the older library in the existing building where a new meditation and interfaith space will be created.

For some of the 45 residents who were selected from 309 applications, it is the first time they have ever received a key to their own apartment after living with family or on friends’ couches. Several shed tears of joy after walking in and realizing this is their space to call home.

“I have never won anything before, and I felt so very lucky when I was called and told I had won the lottery for a spot here,” says Marilyn Hancock. A long-time Randolph resident, Marilyn knew she wanted to stay in Randolph as she searched for a senior community. An avid walker, Marilyn saw the construction going on one winter day when she was walking at Powers Farm, a public park next to the Fireman Community.

Our new residents will benefit from the services and programs offered throughout the Fireman Community to support residents’ physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. This includes our award-winning wellness program that helps residents access care coordination and other resources to prevent illness and manage chronic conditions.

Marilyn is somewhat of a celebrity now at Fireman since she was the very first resident to move in to the new space. “So far I like everything about it here. The apartment is beautiful and everyone here – the staff and the residents – are so friendly. I couldn’t be happier!”

Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation and Hebrew SeniorLife have partnered to create the first senior affordable housing in Upham’s Corner. Construction is finishing up, and we expect residents will move in early 2024. Leyland Community includes 43 apartments for residents who are low-income and/or coming out of homelessness.

Next Up: Leyland Community in Dorchester

This is the first new construction of affordable housing at Hebrew SeniorLife in 40 years, with more on the way in Dorchester and Brookline. Given the high cost of housing in the Boston area, and a history of policies that suppressed home ownership among minorities and created generational wealth disparities, affordable housing is a critical need for seniors, and one that Hebrew SeniorLife is committed to addressing.

Leyland Community is being built with energy efficiency and will be partially powered by solar panels. Support services are being planned to keep residents healthy, active, and engaged, including health guidance, fitness programs, nutrition counseling, and social activities.

1200 Centre Street Boston, MA 02131

www.hebrewseniorlife.org 617.363.8000

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