SEPTEMBER 2012 — WASHINGTON BEACON 41

A Special Supplement to The Beacon newspaper “Game On” Bringing our plans to life

Page 4-5

September 2012/No. 26

Meet a man for all and Ring House by Emily Tipermas resident David Beckwith Seated in the lobby of Ring House, resident David Beckwith leans back comfortably to share tales    from his most remarkable  stage career.         for performances at the Aspen Music Festival. A professional baritone who appeared talented Aunt Ruth, Sights now set on further- in 53 classical operatic roles with world- requiring a weekly ing a career in vocal perform- class opera companies, Dr. Beckwith remi- subway ride from New ance, Dr. Beckwith set off for nisces about singing the national anthem Jersey to her Brooklyn Europe, where he signed on at the White House during four adminis- apartment. After graduating in 1956 from to perform with the Flensburg Company trations, appearing as guest soloist with Rutgers University with a degree in applied in Germany. From there he secured con- symphony orchestras, including the National music, Dr. Beckwith joined the American tracts with the Lübeck and later with the Symphony Orchestra, traveling throughout baritone Mack Harrell, considered one of Wuppertal Opera Companies. Eventually the U.S. to perform in Broadway musicals, the foremost concert singers of his time, returning to America, he performed in and much more. Asked to name his favorite in helping to establish the performing arts operas, Broadway shows and as soloist in parts, he responds: the valet Figaro in The school at Southern Methodist University; major symphony halls. In addition, he Marriage of Figaro, the cheeky beggar Hajj simultaneously he earned his M.A. at SMU earned a doctorate in Musical Arts from in Kismet, and Emil in South Pacific. It’s also in music. Catholic University. interesting to learn that he has served as Degree in hand, Dr. Beckwith enlisted Today Dr. Beckwith, 78, acknowledges cantorial soloist at Adas Israel, Temple Sinai in the U.S. Army where he enjoyed a three- the limitations imposed upon him by and Washington Hebrew Congregation. year stint singing with the Army Chorus Parkinson’s disease, but he says, as actor All quite amazing for someone who grew and Band. After completing his service, he Michael J. Fox would concur, life does go up on a farm in New Jersey! studied under Todd Duncan, the original on, and so he participates in activities Born into a musically gifted family in Porgy in , Darius Milhaud, offered at Ring House as much as possi- 1934, Dr. Beckwith was attracted to the renowned French composer, and James ble. And, not surprisingly, he’s the first piano at age four. By age seven, he was Levine, later head of the Metropolitan one to sign up for outings to Strathmore ready for advanced instruction with his Opera Company; Mr. Levine coached him and the Kennedy Center. ■

HEBREW HOME OF GREATER WASHINGTON • SMITH-KOGOD & WASSERMAN RESIDENCES COHEN-ROSEN HOUSE • HIRSH HEALTH CENTER • LANDOW HOUSE • REVITZ HOUSE • RING HOUSE

Three free A gift from White House seminars the heart executive pastry chef

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Meet our residents on Facebook Visit us on Facebook – www.facebook.com/ceslc – to catch daily posts about the amazing people who live, work, and volunteer here, health highlights, fun stuff, and more! Be sure to Like us…and Share. This photo of Rosalie Sobel at the Hebrew Home Prom was well “liked” on Facebook.

Generation to Generation

Can Reusable Grocery Bags Make You Sick? Initiatives Food Service Director David Parker Here’s the take-away lesson: Yes, those reusable oversees kitchen protocol at the Hebrew bags can make you sick, quite easily in fact, Home of Greater Washington. Based on because they’re often contaminated with micro- his training and experience, and supported scopic bacteria from food items or even non-food by FDA and USDA guidelines, he strictly items—like gym clothes or diapers—that you enforces the following practices to prevent food-borne illness: might happen to jam into the bag. So, it pays • In shopping, storing and preparing to be a bit fanatic about clean bags. food, remember to separate, don’t contaminate. Eco-Friendly Trend With today’s steady switch from plastic or • Never store raw meats on top of paper to reusable bags, there’s a feel-good cooked food. sense that we’re doing something productive • Clean and sanitize all food preparation to save our planet, and perhaps save on bag areas. David Parker, Food Service Director tax as well. The downside, however, is that • If a cutting board appears excessively illness-causing agents (think E. coli or worn or develops hard-to-clean 2. Bags made of composite man-made Listeria) from uncooked meats or unwashed grooves, consider replacing it. produce can travel to a reusable bag’s surface fibers should be hand washed or laun- • Store all dried food six inches above and live there for weeks. As health writer dered on the gentle cycle. Turn inside Hanna Brooks Olsen observes, “Often left in out and remove debris nestled in the the floor. cool, dark spaces (like the drawer that you seams. Allow to air dry. • Refrigerate food at 40° or below. keep them in between shopping trips) after 3. If your bags aren’t machine washable, • Keep eggs in their original carton and exposure to bacteria, canvas and other cloth hand wash them frequently with hot store in the main compartment of the fibers are easy breeding grounds for germs soapy water. You can also create your refrigerator—not the door. own strong solution of vinegar and a that could potentially make you sick.” • Always thaw foods in the refrigerator. little water in a spray bottle. Spray Cleaning – a must! bags thoroughly, let them dry, and Mr. Parker has worked at the Hebrew Notes Los Angeles Times editor Tami Dennis, then wipe with a clean cloth. Home for 16 years. “Reusable” doesn’t mean “self-cleaning.” She 4. Never leave unwashed bags in your adds that one study shows that only three car. The heat will cause bacteria to percent of people surveyed say they Perspectives multiply. regularly wash their bags. Big mistake! Academic researchers recently tested 84 Here are tips, many suggested by Olsen, 5. Use grocery bags for food only—not reusable grocery bags from shoppers in to avoid a gastric crisis: for gym clothes, diapers, cleaning or California and Arizona: More than half the gardening supplies. 1. Regard your bags like dish towels: throw bags contained some sort of coliform them in with your regular laundry or 6. If, as you begin shopping, you realize bacteria, a category that includes wash separately with bleach. Dry on high you forgot to wash a bag, use a Lysol Escherichia coli. heat if fabric permits. or other disinfecting wipe set out for — Whitney Blair Wyckoff, NPR cart cleaning. ■

Page 2 | September 2012 www.smithlifecommunities.org LifeTimes SEPTEMBER 2012 — WASHINGTON BEACON 43

Show your affection for a Hebrew If a shiny new car is in your future, how Home resident with a gift of about donating your used one to the colorful flowers. Hebrew Home? Proceeds benefit our Flowers also lend a cheerful touch to Shabbat elderly residents. and the High Holidays. For information and to For details call order an arrangement, contact the Hebrew Home’s Volunteer Department at 301.770.8333. 301.770.8329

Card players Lucille Kligerman (left) and Muriel Shpritz (above) enjoy a lively new bridge group at the Hebrew Home.

Retired prized racer and now a pet, Mesa, a sleek greyhound owned by Recreation Therapist Remember This Michelle Carruthers, pays twice-monthly visits to A series of three seminars on dementia and memory Hebrew Home residents. care is being presented in conjunction with the opening It’s a win-win therapeutic of the new Cohen-Rosen House in late 2012. The exercise: residents love “Remember This” series provides professional and family stroking his sleek fur, and Mesa laps up the attention! caregivers, social workers, eldercare attorneys, admissions staff and case managers with answers to especially challenging aspects of memory care. All sessions offer continuing education credits and take place in the Landow When the Folger Theatre House Theater, 1799 East Jefferson Street in Rockville. came for a visit, Revitz Jennifer Lubaczewski FitzPatrick kicks off the series House residents Miriam on Thursday, September 6, at 5 pm. Founder of Ratner, Morris Cohen, Ann Carroad and, at right, Jenerations Health Education, Inc., adjunct instructor at Patrice Thomas, daughter- and educational consultant for in-law of residents Helen the Alzheimer’s Association, she will address “Behaviors as and Harold Rheingold, expe- Communication?” guiding attendees on understanding and rienced what 16th-century managing the difficult behaviors that often accompany actors endured in multi-lay- memory loss. A complimentary supper will be served. ered, buttoned, full-collared On October 18 at 5 pm, Dr. Allan Anderson, a widely- Elizabethan costumes. published expert and frequent lecturer, will speak about “Pain Management and Dementia,” identifying signs and symptoms of pain and discussing treatment approaches. This issue marks the 40th anniversary of Supper will be served. our quarterly newsletter to the community. On Sunday, November 4, at 2 pm, Patricia Hagen will Originally named the Home Front, the lead a lively interactive session on “Active with Dementia,” paper was renamed LifeTimes in July demonstrating how caregivers can help a person with 2006 when our residences and senior dementia feel calmer and more successful through pro- services came together under the name grams that successfully fill the day. Charles E. Smith Life Communities. This expert series is sponsored by the Hurwitz Marilyn Feldman, director of public relations, holds Issue #1 from September Lecture Fund at Charles E. Smith Life Communities. 1972, edited by Helen Abel. Contact Jill Berkman at 301.816.5052. Reservations can also be made online at www.cohen-rosen.org. ■

LifeTimes www.smithlifecommunities.org September 2012 | Page 3 44 SEPTEMBER 2012 — WASHINGTON BEACON

It takes a community: Outstanding Rehab & Recovery...... Hebrew Home ...... 301.770.8476 Independent Living with a New Look...... Ring House ...... 301.816.5012 Affordable Independence ...... Revitz House ...... 301.770.8450 Personalized Assisted Living ...... Landow House...... 301.816.5050 Respectful Long-Term Care ...... Hebrew Home ...... 301.770.8476 New Memory Care Residence ...... Cohen-Rosen House ...... 301.816.5052 FirstPerson

Bringing our plans to life

About a year ago, our residents COHEN-ROSEN HOUSE NEARS COMPLETION donned hard hats and posed with con- Imagine a whole program of memory care built around struction tools and architectural ren- Mom or Dad: a home where a craving for a toasted bagel is derings to illustrate our “Blueprint for satisfied at any hour, a design for living that helps your loved our Second Century.” Today, we are one connect to others and live safely, knowing there are peo- surrounded by the signs and sounds ple who care, even when you are not there. In 102 years of of those plans coming to life. Join me providing care, we’ve learned a lot from our residents and on these pages for a tour of two new their families. We’ve paired this depth of experi- programs on our campus, the spectac- ence with outstanding new models for assisted ular new Elsie and Marvin Dekelboum living memory care. Discover how much pri- Therapy Center in our Wasserman vate accommodations, creative programming Residence, and the new Cohen-Rosen Warren R. Slavin, and loving staff can accomplish. President/CEO House for memory care assisted The 18-unit residence is rapidly taking living, rapidly taking form behind shape behind Ring House. To learn more Ring House on East Jefferson Street. about this newest residence on our This is an exciting time to be at the helm of this vibrant campus, call 301.816.5052. ■ organization. Not only are the visible signs of progress every- where around us as we transform our environment, but there “GAME ON: Bringing our are other major initiatives underway as well, perhaps not so Plans to Life” is the title of our visible at first glance. latest annual report. This lively Our Drive for Excellence initiative is steadily improving the report, featuring engaging photos quality of our care and caring, including infusing our services of residents in sports gear, is avail- with the Jewish values that are at our core; stressing recruit- able online as an interactive flip ment, leadership education, performance and quality enhance- book at www.hebrew-home.org, ment, and making use of enhanced technology. The Centennial Newsroom page. Check out our Campaign, the largest in our history, is funding much of the good sports and our outstanding construction progress taking place, and is also helping to build progress. ■ our endowment and to support resident care. As I mark my 18th anniversary with the Hebrew Home and Construction of the Cohen-Rosen House Charles E. Smith Life Communities, I invite you to stay tuned for more progress reports in the coming months. With my very best wishes to you and your family for a happy, healthy and peaceful new year in 5773.

Warren R. Slavin, President/CEO Charles E. Smith Life Communities

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Thanks to intensive rehab therapy at the Hebrew Home, Dr. George Chacko, 83, defied a grim prognosis about his ability to walk again. Today he walks two miles a day – unassisted. He wrote an inspiring book about his experience: Miraculous Power Overcoming Hopeless Adversity (Balboa Press). Read about Dr. Chacko’s remarkable path to recovery in the March 2012 LifeTimes, posted at www.hebrew-home.org, Newsroom page – LifeTimes archives. Help someone you know to recover – call 301.770.8476.

Rutstein Café (left) DEKELBOUM THERAPY and three views of the CENTER OPENS new therapy center. “It’s beautifully done; In an amazing transformation and the therapists are expansion, the heart of the Hebrew Home’s more ebullient,” notes renowned rehabilitation institute has a spec- patient Sandra tacular new space in which patients can Schwartz. “I really think it’s great. experience personalized therapy sessions It gets you going; I’d and the most advanced rehabilitation recommend it,” says equipment, all in an environment that Rosemarie Djabadary. outdoes many spas and gyms. The Elsie and Marvin Dekelboum Patients and guests can enjoy coffee Therapy Center offers spa-like private and Wi-Fi in the new Rutstein Café. treatment areas, a daily lifestyle apartment, The Biodex Gait Trainer helps resi- and a life skills center – all designed to dents regain their ability to walk. Other return patients to their homes as quickly specialized equipment includes a car as possible. simulator and a VitalStim® device to help The lifestyle apartment (below) patients regain the ability to swallow. provides a realistic setting for therapy. Area health care professionals gave The main area of the gym (top right) the new Dekelboum Therapy Center offers modalities to help residents recover rave reviews at an open house in July. from joint replacement surgery, strokes, About 1,000 patients come through our heart attacks, accidents and other medical rehabilitation program each year. Call issues. 301.770.8476. ■

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Pastoral Interns Karen Scrivo, Reverend Elizabeth Ewing, George Wong and Deb Calhoun are clinical pastoral interns at the Hebrew Home under the guidance of Rabbi James Michaels. Internship sessions, offered twice each year, are open to ordained clergy and to lay people interested in chaplaincy. For more information, contact [email protected].

Harold Schneiberg received an award for five years of valued volunteer service at the LifeLines Hebrew Home. He and Arnold Hammer lead the popular Men's Schmooze Group, held every Wednesday in both Home resi- Satisfaction. Inspiration. dences. Coincidentally, his wife's grand- The Hebrew Home has it all. mother, Bessie Dinowitz Diener, earned a similar volunteer award from the Home 50 Volunteer interns in bright blue T-shirts – 140 years ago, which Harold brought to the of them -- brought energy, vitality and helping hands recognition luncheon. Talk about a family

to the Hebrew Home this summer. One ninth grade tradition of caring for others! < photographer with a good eye for composition snapped shots (including the one below) that were featured on our Facebook page, another student < wrote resident Ivan Silverman received the Home’s portraits for our top honor, the Hymen Goldman website, and Award, at the 102nd Annual summer intern Meeting. Ivan, who served as Chair Jen Chen wrote: from 2003 to 2005, is pictured with As time his wife Arlene at a reception prior passed, I settled to the meeting. down and I looked forward to my volunteer visits at the In Our Mailbox Home. I was the Dear Mr. Slavin, one who asked my mom, “Can I go volunteer today?” I wish to commend Diane Stern and the staff of the Revitz House for their sup- I didn’t think about the fruitful student service learn- port to the residents (including my parents, ages 94 and 92) during the recent storm ing hours I would be getting. Instead, thoughts and multi-day power outage. Needless to say, the record-breaking heat only magnified crossed my mind about the satisfaction I receive in the challenges they dealt with. Although the majority of the outage occurred over a helping. As Rebecca Israel, age 17, a long-term volun- weekend, it was all hands on deck as they provided three meals a day (instead of just teer at the Home said to me, “I feel gratified because the usual dinner), encouragement and good cheer, ongoing communication, and as no matter how small my contribution is, I know I’ve much entertainment or other diversions as possible. When it was over, every apart- made a difference in someone’s world.” I can’t agree ment kitchen was inspected to ensure that there would be no food safety issues. more with that sentence. I escorted a resident down a hallway to play Bingo, and when I got her there, I live in Northern Virginia, where we experienced an even longer power outage, she said very gaily, “Thank you, darling, you’ve made so I was not able to provide much more relief than taking my parents someplace cool my day!” But really, in reality, she made my day. for a few hours. It was a great comfort to me and my family that their well-being was To volunteer call 301.770.8332. ■ being maintained to the maximum extent possible at Revitz House. Sincerely,

LifeTimes is published quarterly by the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington, Inc. Mrs. Alison Rosenberg The Hebrew Home is registered in Maryland as a charitable organization. Documents and information filed under the Maryland Charitable Solicitation Act may be obtained from the Maryland Secretary of State, 410.974.5534. We are an equal opportunity Editor’s note: employer and we provide access to community programs without regard to race, age, The campus continued to support our residents as power returned, not national origin, familial status, religion, sex or disability. Our services and programs are open to all in the community. only helping to clean residents’ personal refrigerators, but also presenting Andrew S. Friedlander, Chair each Revitz House resident with a $25 Giant gift card to replenish their Warren R. Slavin, President/CEO food supplies. This gift truly reflected the Jewish values that guide our Marilyn Feldman, Editor care. Revitz House is federally-subsidized and offers apartments at below- Nicholas Simmonds, Vice President, Development and Public Affairs market rates to eligible individuals. Read local media coverage at © 2012 by The Hebrew Home of Greater Washington www.smithlifecommunities.org, on the Newsroom page. ■ 6121 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD 20852-4856, 301.881.0300

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When Gathering Estate Planning Information… Please send me “Planning Your Legacy” Our FREE booklet helps you record important details regard- Name ing your assets and the location of your will. We offer more assistance, too, including an opportunity to discuss, without Address

obligation, ways to include the Hebrew Home in your estate City/State/Zip plans. Please call 301.770.8342 or mail this form to: Elana F. Lippa, Director of Gift Planning Phone/E-mail Charles E. Smith Life Communities For a personalized illustration showing how you can receive income 6121 Montrose Road, Rockville MD 20852 for life, please list your birth date: LT 9/12 Participate in a tradition of caring EventMakers For over 50 years, donations to the Hebrew Home’s annual Guardian Campaign have made it possible for us to reassure Meet Elana families of the elderly and infirm in our community that there is a place where their loved one will be cared for in a warm, We're proud to introduce Elana Lippa, Jewish environment. our new director of Gift Planning. With With the help of a community that values caring for our over 10 years of success working for elderly, the Hebrew Home is here for hundreds of residents, Montgomery College, the National the majority of whom can no longer pay for their care. Over Foundation for Cancer Research, and the 70 percent of our residents depend on Medicaid to cover the Smithsonian Institution, Elana brings cost of their care. Yet Medicaid reimbursement falls short by expertise, fresh insights and a forward $51 per day per resident. (That’s a shortfall of more than approach to the vital role she'll now be

Photo by John Deamond $18,000 per resident per year.) playing for our organization. Learn more about gift planning at Guardian Campaign Chairs Jeffrey Distenfeld and Jeffrey www.hebrew-home.org. ■ Pargament and their committee of dedicated volunteers are seeking to raise at least $950,000 this year to help the Hebrew Need an excuse to buy Home give residents the thoughtful, personalized attention they need and some new running gear? so richly deserve. With your support, Registration is now open for the annual the Home: Home Run 10k/5k and fun run, Sunday • Offers 24-hour skilled nursing care morning, September 30 at Federal Plaza on and full-time on-staff physicians. East Jefferson Street in Rockville, MD. • Enriches the mind and body with Through the generous donation of Angela book clubs, gardening programs and Joel Glazer, we are giving the first 400 and trips to the cherry blossoms. registrants an authentic Manchester United FC • Sustains spiritual needs with a full- jersey. This special gift to race participants is time rabbi and religious services. available at packet pickup and on race day! • Provides peace-of-mind to the What are we most proud of about our race? In addition to families of our residents. Roland Mesnier these great shirts, we have a moon bounce and DJ for kids, lots Two special events express our gratitude to donors: of free parking, delicious food and more at our post-race party. On Sunday, November 11, we thank current Benefactor Need help training? New this year – we are teaming up and President’s Circle Guardian Campaign donors and Major with Fleet Feet Sports, Gaithersburg. Check out their website at Gift donors with a special treat: an evening with White House www.fleetfeetgaithersburg.com for their 10K training program Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier at the elegant Anderson designed to get you in shape by race day. Packet pick up will take House on Massachusetts Avenue, home of the Society of the place at their store on Kentlands Boulevard where you will find free Cincinnati. Chef Mesnier served five presidents in his 26-year parking and a great selection of running gear! tenure at the White House, and he will delight guests with The event is chaired by Marc Schlesinger. Register online now delectable tidbits on First Families from Carter to Bush and with and find prize information at www.hebrew-home.org/homerun. ■ a delicious White House dessert. This evening is generously hosted by Bruce and Paula Robinson and by Ober|Kaler, Attorneys at Law. Featured Starlight entertainer On Thursday, December 13, we will be thanking Sara Bareilles zoomed into the spotlight in 2007 Guardian Campaign donors of $750 or more ($500 for first- with her internationally successful #1 hit, “Love Song,” selling over 1 million copies and earning time attendees) at the Starlight Lounge at the Bethesda North three Grammy nominations including Song of the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. Carolyn and David Year. Bareilles’ critically acclaimed second album Ruben will chair this special evening featuring Sara Bareilles. Kaleidoscope Heart included platinum single “King For more information about the Guardian Campaign, of Anything.” She sat on the judges’ panel on the contact Lisa Friedman at [email protected] or NBC show “The Sing-Off.” Join us December 13. 301.770.8328. Make your gift at www.hebrew-home.org. ■

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Ring House resident Mollee Save the dates Kruger, whose popular column “Unholy Writ” appeared in Jewish publications including The Jewish Week from the late 1960s to the 1980s, penned this Sunday, September 30 holiday humor back in 1970. Home Run 10k/5k/Fun Run Enjoy! Federal Plaza, Rockville Register online at Yom Kippur www.hebrew-home.org Our fathers learned To shed their tzorres: They whirled a fowl, Shluggen kappores.

Sunday, November 11 For yearly sins President’s Circle Event with They made amends, White House Chef They cast them on Roland Mesnier Best wishes Their feathered friends. The Society of the Cincinnati To lose OUR sins Anderson House, Washington DC from Charles E. Smith Call 301.770.8328 This way is tough, Life Communities An ostrich is for a healthy, happy, and productive New Year. Not big enough. Thursday, May the warmth of tradition infuse your High Oh send to us December 13 Holiday celebration! Check our Facebook page A future when Starlight 2012 (www.facebook.com/ceslc) on Fridays for Our sins won’t fill A Cornish hen. Bethesda North Marriott recipes to break the fast deliciously.

Our Other Special Events “Remember This” – Free seminars on the most-requested topics in memory care Thursday, September 6, 5 pm For Goldie H. Nadkarni Behaviors as Communication? and fellow Revitz House Thursday, October 18, 5 pm residents, when the sum- Pain Management and Dementia mer’s mega-storm knocked Sunday, November 4, 2 pm out power on our campus, Active with Dementia Charles E. Smith Life RSVP: 301.816.5052 or online at Communities eased the www.cohen-rosen.org challenge of having to replace refrigerated food First Sunday of each month Jewish War Veterans, with $25 Giant gift cards. 10:30 am, Ring House veterans and interested Read one family member’s persons welcome letter of thanks on page 6. For more information about community events, resident programs and family support groups, visit www.hebrew-home.org and www.smithlifecommunities.org

Support the Hebrew Home through your gift to United Way ■✓ check 8111 or for CFC ■✓ check 49705.

While the Hebrew Home partners with the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington on community issues, we are not a beneficiary agency and do not receive any of its funding. How to reach us...

■ Hebrew Home ■ Cohen-Rosen House ■ Hirsh Health Center ■ Landow House ■ Revitz House ■ Ring House 301.770.8476 301.816.5052 301.816.5004 301.816.5050 301.770.8450 301.816.5012 Rehab and Long Term www.cohen-rosen.org www.landowhouse.org www.revitzhouse.org www.ringhouse.org www.hebrew-home.org

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