Dear friends,
We continue to do ongoing COVID testing on both campuses of the Jewish Home Family and I am very pleased to report that our elders all continue to test negative. We are, by no means, under the illusion that this is over. We know that this virus is still out there so we are maintaining our ongoing vigilance including the appropriate use of PPE, ongoing infection control measures, health screenings for elders and staff, continued cleaning and sanitizing and more. We also remind our staff to be cautious in their personal lives as well, practicing the key things that we know make a difference—wearing face masks in public, frequent handwashing and social distancing. We hope that you are all doing the same in your own lives and staying safe and healthy.
The permission to do outdoor visiting was announced today by Governor Murphy. We are excited that this will take effect beginning Sunday, June 21 and know that our elders will be thrilled at the chance to see their loved ones again. There are some strict guidelines around visiting which we are sharing in a letter with families. All visits are by appointment only and we have already begun booking those slots for Sunday and beyond. It will be wonderful to see families reunited and it’s especially great to see that happen on Father’s Day.
I had the opportunity to participate in a hearing this week that was held in the New Jersey Joint Assembly Aging and Senior Services Committee and Assembly Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee. The committee had a number of us present testimony and the hearing went on for over three hours. There were many different viewpoints presented as well as a review of the report that the Governor commissioned to look at long term care during COVID. If you’re interested, the proceedings were recorded and we’d be happy to share a link with you and/or to provide you with a copy of my written testimony. Just let us know! Monday was World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and we did a Facebook Live program on elder abuse. You can find that archived on the Jewish Home Family’s Facebook site (account not required to view).
Despite the continuing prohibition of visitors, we are working hard to enrich quality of life for our elders every day. Virtual and window visits continue and those, we know, are vital. We are also making a concerted effort to get people outdoors. Using our patios, practicing social distancing and making sure folks are wearing masks, many of our elders have enjoyed some time in the beautiful weather this week. June 14 was Flag Day and we had trivia programs on both campuses and talked about the flag, patriotism and more—lively discussions all around. This week also marked Certified Nursing Assistants week and we celebrated our wonderful CNA’s on both campuses with barbecues, thank you gifts and fun raffles.
At the Jewish Home at Rockleigh this week we celebrated National Smile Power Day and not only talked about smiling but played smile-themed music like “When You’re Smiling” and “Smile Awhile.” We coupled that with LaughActive and joke telling! Tuesday included Karaoke Fun, Trivia, Chaplain’s Chat with Rabbi Feld and Name that Tune. June birthdays were celebrated on Wednesday with cupcakes on the patio. Thursday included discussions on Father’s Day sparked by viewing of the video “Footsteps of my Father.” Friday included a sing-a-long, word games, exercise and more. Jewish Home Assisted Living events included documentaries on Marlene Dietrich, Sam Goldwyn, Paul Cezanne and Marilyn Monroe. Featured concerts included Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Dean Martin. We had yoga and Tai Chi for exercise and a highlight of the week was Happy Hour on Wednesday. Both the back patio and room-to-room options were available for some Caribbean-themed cheer.
This week was a blog week for me for LeadingAge and here is the link: https://www.leadingage.org/members/staying-positive As always, your comments are welcome.
Be well,
Carol Silver Elliott
President/CEO
The Jewish Home Family
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10 Link Drive Rockleigh, NJ 07647 | 685 Westwood Ave. River Vale, NJ 07675