FEBRUARY 2017—SHEVAT-ADAR 5777—VOL 17 NO 5

The Respite Edition

February Birthdays...... 2 February Activities, cont...... 7 Resident of the Month...... 3 Guest Article, Respite...... 8 President’s Message...... 4 Marketing...... 9 Rabbi Mei’ra on Shabbat...... 5 Dining...... 10 February Activities...... 6 Health Notes...... 11 Rhoda Jack Leibman Art Opening goldman Thursday, February 25th plaza 4:00 Mixed media, collage 2180 Post Street , CA 94115

415.345.5060 415.345.5061 (fax) www.RGPlaza.org RCFE #385600125

Staff

Adrienne Fair, Assistant Executive Director Gifts from the Sea (detail) Collage 415-345-5077 Ira Kurtz, Executive Director 415-345-5080 Van Ly, Business Office Manager 415-345-5073 Ron Martinez, Director of Facilities 415-345-5088 Candiece Milford, Managing Director of Marketing 415-345-5072 Peggy O'Brien, Director of Resident Services 415-345-5082 Nicki Pun, Controller 415-345-5083 Emily Steen, Director of Programming 415-345-5084 Corey Weiner, Director of Food and Beverage Tu B’Shvat Seder 415-345-5069 February 10 3:00 Board of Directors Rabbi Me’irah Karen Aidem Carla Buchanan David Dossetter Nancy Goldberg Dr. Carl Grunfeld February Birthdays Dr. Lawrence Hill Joan Levison Mildred Druss 2 David Melnick Barbara Goldman 7 Raquel Newman Paul Siegel Clarisse Irwin 16 Vera Stein Myra Wise 17 Ronna Stone Ilse Lewy 26 Dr. Anita Friedman Karen Staller page 2 The Olive Press Resident of the Month—Warren Hirsch Warren Hirsch remembers Hitler’s rise to power, although it was many years ago. “After Germany lost World War I, the country was in bad shape. Hitler told people what they wanted to hear—he told them that he was going to make Germany great again. He used the Jews as scapegoats to blame for Germany’s post-war condition. He worked on his plans from 1923 to 1933 when he came to power.” By the time Warren was in high school, the Nazis were already passing laws to exclude Jews from schools, organizations, and professions. Warren could no longer attend high school. “I had many friends at this school, but after the law took effect, these “friends” became my enemies; they waited for me after school to beat me up. My father, a veteran of the First World War, did not believe that anything would happen to him or his family because he was a World War I veteran and a recipient of the Iron Cross.” Warren continued, “But I wanted to leave Germany, since, as a Jew, I would never be able to attend a university. I saw what was happening Francisco and were married in July all around me and knew the future was not bright for Jews. 1948. It was love at first sight, Warren I convinced my parents to let me sign up for the Children said. Transport even though they did not want me to leave. The “During my pharmacy career, I US accepted only a thousand children and I was lucky to acquired three drug stores and by be accepted. To apply, I had to get documents and letters working , was successful. After of recommendation from teachers, rabbis, or cantors. I twenty-five years in business, I sold my had one teacher who was so enthralled with the Nazis that interest in the stores and then worked he frequently wore a Nazi uniform to school. However, he for twenty years at Mt. Zion Hospital’s liked me because I was one of his best students. Although pharmacy. My wife had a PhD in I was unsure of how he would react, I asked him for a Psychology and worked as a school recommendation. He told me, when we were alone in an psychologist in the San Francisco empty classroom, that although he fully supported the Nazis, schools.” he did not agree with their ideology regarding the Jews. He Warren and Bianca have two children wrote me a wonderful letter that, I believe, helped me more and four grandchildren all living than any other recommendation. in the Bay Area. Warren said that I arrived in , with fourteen other children, who “We are happy to be here at RGP; it were sent all over the US. I was sent to San Francisco and couldn’t be better.” was placed in an orphanage, Homeward Terrace, in the “I am almost ninety-five years old and Ingelside District. It was a wonderful place with workshops, never thought I would survive this a gym, music classes, and supportive staff. During the next many years. I am optimistic about three years, until I entered college, I lived there and in the future because I believe we lived foster homes. All the time I worked to earn money doing through the worst of times. But, who odd jobs—delivering newspapers, working in drugstores, would have thought that Islamic and restaurants. In school, I was good in chemistry and terrorism would spread so quickly, mathematics, and was interested in business. I attended San virulently and destructively in the Francisco State College of Pharmacy and graduated in 1944. modern world?” Warren reconnected with his childhood friend, Bianca, in San

The Olive Press page 3 Employee of the Month RGP Resident Council President Peggy Cuatro Hal Auerbach's Message The Front Desk is The annual Residents’ hardly considered a Art Exhibit is ending, respite job, a place and the pictures soon where one can go to will be coming down. be rejuvenated and This year’s Exhibit refreshed. But Peggy reflected an amazing Cuadro, our Saturday diversity of subjects and Front Desk Attendant techniques by talented says “I love this job. resident artists. I look forward to Congratulations to all coming to work every the artists and to the staff week.” From someone for putting it all together. who already works a full-time job plus commute, this statement indicates this job is perhaps an The staff had scheduled several meetings to avocation. Peggy said, “I am fortunate to have obtain feedback from residents regarding offered my parents (both elderly and living on their and suggested activities. Those meetings were own) so close by, and the residents here at RGP not well attended, probably because they were feel like family to me”. called “Activities Committee” meetings and residents may have thought that they were only A San Francisco native, Peggy attended local for Activities Committee members. In fact, there schools and studied to become a dental assistant was no such committee, but there is one now. and worked at Delta Dental for many years. Len Sperry is chairman of the new Activities After her second son was born, she decided Committee, and its meetings will be open to all to stay home and raise her family. Once her residents. Please attend and let us know what children were in school, she returned to work you like or dislike about past or current activities at a realtor’s office on for fifteen and let us have your suggestions for possible new years. While she was looking for a second job, ones. she found an open position at RGP. Since it was near her current job, she decided to apply. New name tags are now available for residents That was in 2008. Since then, the Fillmore office that want one. It might be a good idea for closed and Peggy accepted full time employment members of the hospitality committee to wear at Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stem name tags in their first contacts with new Cell Institute. She works at RGP every Saturday members and for residents to wear them when and every other Sunday. volunteering on the Terrace. “We have a good team at the Front Desk; we February is the month of Ground Hog and work independently, which I like, but we also Valentine’s Day; an extra month of winter is not work together, to make sure we are all informed so bad if love is in the air! and on the same page,” Peggy said. “I work because the community, the culture, and the ambience is unique. I know people on a first name basis. It’s true what our ad says “Here, you’re like family.”

page 4 The Olive Press Shabbat Rabbi Me’ira

Spiritual leadership characterize Rabbi Me’irah’s role at RGP. “My talents are relating to people one- to-one, and when people yearn to talk about issues of meaning, I especially welcome that opportunity to discuss what the tradition has to offer.” Rabbi Me’irah is also an artist, illuminating verses from sacred texts. Rabbi Me’irah started her professional career as a clinical social worker and family therapist in Portland, Oregon specializing in family therapy and addiction recovery. She was ordained in 2007 as a Reconstructionist Rabbi. In her first year in San Francisco, in 2010, she served as a resident with CPMC’s clinical pastoral education program. There she discovered that chaplaincy suited her “ , is a Hebrew word used to express Vayinafash more than congregational work. what G-d did on Shabbat. The word is a form of the word nefesh, meaning ‘soul,’ so on Shabbat, Locally, she teaches Torah at the JCCSF and G-d literally ‘re-souled Himself,” explained Rabbi worked two years as a hospice chaplain. She Me’irah Iliinsky, RGP’s Kabbalat Shabbat rabbi. occasionally fills in for the Bay Area Jewish “Shabbat is a day to refresh the soul. It is a weekly Healing Center, Or Shalom Jewish Community, respite from the workaday world, an incredible and the Jewish Home. She is among the first permission to take a break from the puritanical graduates of the Gamliel Institute, a center for mode of relentlessly pursuing the American dream. study, training, and advocacy concerning Jewish On Shabbat, we take care of spirit. And after a end of life practices, and she continues to teach respite, when one returns to work, that work is at the Kavod v’Nichum annual Chevra Kadisha refreshed with an enhanced meaning and energy, conference. because you have seen a bigger picture and ‘re- On February 10th, the New Year of Trees, Rabbi souled’ yourself.” Me’irah will celebrate Tu B’Shvat at RGP using Every Friday afternoon, Rabbi Me’irah ushers a new seder booklet she authored and illustrated. in Shabbat with RGP residents with one service Check the Activities calendar for time and on the Terrace and another in assisted living. location. “Shabbat,” Rabbi Me’irah said, “is like a party that For respite and celebration, learning and ritual, you are invited to every week for the rest of your Shabbat and seders, we are looking forward life, with loving friends and family, good food and to Rabbi Me’irah’s participation in the RGP inspiring words; these are the essence of respite— community. the care of the soul. One can release worries, experience the present, count one’s blessings and be grateful. Creative pursuits such as music, art, and poetry are bits of Shabbat taken into the week that also enliven and give energy and respite to the soul.”

The Olive Press page 5 February Activities Special Events 2 Thurs 3:00 Terrace Volunteer Hour 5 Sun 3:30 Super Bowl Sunday 7 Tues 10:15 Tigges Jewelry Repair 8 Wed 10:45 Stretch the Imagination Preschool Visit 14 Tues 10:30 Cookie Decorating 22 Wed 2:00 Resident Council Meeting 24 Thurs 4:30 February Birthday Social Hour 24 Fri 10:00 Bread Baking 25 Sat 4:00 Resident Jack Leibman Art Opening 26 Sun 5:30 Academy Award Viewing Outings 2 Thurs 1:00 Kabuki Theater 7 Tues 1:30 Stonestown Mall 14 Tues. 1:30 Outing to Flower Mart 21 Tues 1:20 Outing to Sloat Garden Center 23 Thurs 3:30 Outing: Jewish Community Library Art Shalom Flash 28 Tues 11:30 Lunch Outing to Benihana 28 Tues 3:15 Residents Read to Local Preschoolers Committees/Discussions/Clubs 1 Wed 2:00 Activities Committee 4 Sat 2:00 Mystery in History with Mallory 4, 11 Sat 3:30 Technology with Paul 12,19, 26 Sun 4:15 Current Events with Jim 16 Thurs 10:00 Dining Room Committee 17 Fri 10:30 Documentary Discussion with Mallory 22 Wed 10:30 Gardening Club 28 Tues 10:30 Joke Telling with Jeevun Literature and Writing 6 Mon 2:00 Mystery Read Along 6 Mon 3:30 Amnesty International Letter Writing 7 Tues 4:00 Creative Writing 9 Thurs 10:30 Limericks with Emily 14 Tues 10:30 Love Poems with Elizabeth 16 Thurs 3:30 The Visiting Poet, Greg Pond 20 Mon 3:30 Short Story Group 21 Tues 4:00 Creative Writing Group 23 Thurs 10:30 Script Reading with Emma Lectures/Discussion 1 Wed 10:30 Sam Lauter Lecture 1 Wed 3:00 Jewish Film Institute Movie: The Front 7 Tues 10:30 Remembering Yiddish Radio 8 Wed 3:30 Ken Blady and Amrik Singh Pannu. Sikhs and Jews.. 13 Mon 1:00 Meet the Author, Dr. Larry Hill 12 Sun 1:30 “From Cottage to Estate in One Generation 15 Wed 10:30 Asian Art Museum Docent Lecture - Han Tomb Treasures 15 Wed 3:00 Jewish Film Institute Movie: Joe Papp in Five Acts 16 Thurs 10:30 John Rothmann Lecture

page 6 The Olive Press Art Classes Activities February 3 Fri 1:15 Stone Carving Demo with Melanie Mondays 10:15 Ceramics with Jeannie Tuesdays 3:30 Painting with Kimberley 9 Thurs 1:00 Zen Garden with Melanie 11 Sat 1:15 Open Art Studio 16 Thurs 1:00 Garden Art with Emily Music 3 Fri 10:30 Interactive Music with Kathy 5 Sun 2:30 Ian Scarf Piano Recital 9 Thurs 3:00 Social Hour with Frank Cefalu 12 Sun 3:00 Moon Glow Duo 14 Tues 3:00 Scot Hill Guitar Performance 18 Sat 2:00 Laura Rosenberg Yiddish Concert 19 Sun 3:00 Glenda Bates Oboe Performance 22 Wed 3:30 Jubilee Klezmer Ensemble 26 Sun 3:00 Yakov Stanislovsky 27 Mon 7:00 Zurich Beethoven Trio Games 3 Fri 10:30 Bingo with Mallory 5 Sun 3:30 Super Bowl Viewing 8 Wed 10:00 Board Games 9 Thurs 10:30 Scattergories 10 Fri 10:30 Bingo with Mallory 13 Mon 4:15 Crossword 17 Fri 3:00 Trivia with Peggy 20 Mon 2:15 Presidential Trivia 20 Mon 4:15 Crossword 21 Tues 10:30 Black Jack with Emily 22 Wed 3:30 Jubilee Klezmer Ensemble 24 Fri 1:30 Bingo with Mallory 27 Mon 4:15 Crossword 28 Tues 10:30 Blackjack with Jeevun Exercise Classes Sundays 10:00 Exercise with Phil 5,12,19 Sun 1:00 Tai Chi with Janet 6,13,27 Mon 9:00 Exercise with Rowena 7,21,28 Tues 9:15 Tai Chi with Janet Wednesdays 9:00 Exercise with Rowena Wednesdays 1:00 Open Gym with a Trainer 2 Thurs 9:30 Wii Fitness in the Morning 9 Thurs 9:00 Walking Club Thursdays Chair Yoga with Ilya Fridays 9:00 Exercise with Phil 4,11 Sat 10:30 Chair Exercise with Ilya 18 Sat 10:30 Walking Club 25 Sat 1:00 Tai Chi with Janet Shabbat Services Fridays 4:00 Shabbat Services with Rabbi Me’irah

The Olive Press page 7 Respite...... Taking a Break Kira Reginato

As a Care Manager, I Another reason people consider Respite is recommend a respite to give a spouse or caregiving family what when I witness harried most employed folks call “vacation time.” caregiving families, when When we are looking out for a loved one, I am contacted to assist a do we even think about time off from those person in need of care— responsibilities? I know I forgot to do so when someone after a stroke, caring for my own dad. fall, or when dementia There are many ways we can take a break and sets in. I also recommend I talk about those ways in my book. Even if trying a Respite stay when we know what they are though, it’s a matter of someone is considering planning to do and actually scheduling them, assisted living. A short stay right? allows someone to “test drive” the community before committing to it. I always advise visiting several When we have done caregiving for months or communities that offer various types of care. years, the short time for a walk in nature or for a movie is insufficient to recover. Oftentimes, When the hospital wants to discharge your loved we enter into the role of caregiver gradually one, you may feel rushed. Among the tasks of a Care and just keep adding hours to that schedule. Manager is working with professional hospital staff We don’t even notice how much we’re doing. to determine the medical equipment and amount of home care that will be needed upon discharge. The National Alliance for Caregiving/AARP A Respite stay, in a furnished apartment for a reports that “The typical caregiver is a forty-six minimum of thirty days can provide the breathing year old woman with some college experience room and planning time to help an overwhelmed AND provides more than twenty hours of care family. each week to her mother.” That’s a lot of time, isn’t it? When choosing an assisted living community, I’ll often advise family members to try a respite stay While decades ago we would have had many before making a decision to move. This gives the relatives close by to help us care for our loved person time to see if the residents are “their people,” ones, such is not the case today. The “sandwich to taste the food, see how care staff interacts with generation”—those working, with small them, go on outings, etc. A spouse can see what they children and caring for an older adult—bear think of having the house to themselves again and much of the stress. So, consider a Respite stay, the family can see what it’s like to visit mom or dad enjoy the positive effects of socialization and at Rhoda Goldman Plaza, for example, instead of at access to 24/7 care, and discover the lighter home. load that you will carry. I’ve been told that about 90% of the people who start with a respite care stay at RGP choose to stay or plan to return in the event of future medical events or surgeries.

page 8 The Olive Press Candiece Milford, Managing Director of Marketing

Rest Assured. How Respite Works At RGP.

By the time you finish reading this edition of These apartments are equipped with under the Olive Press you may understand respite in a counter refrigerators, microwaves, a television, different way. And you may wonder how respite and place settings and utensils. Basic cable is stays in assisted living work at Rhoda Goldman provided and most people use their cell phones Plaza. What kind of apartments are available? What during their stay. is included? How do I reserve an apartment? Our housekeeping staff provides linen and towels which are changed weekly. Respite visitors receive three home-cooked meals a day, can participate in all activities and events, and will be transported to pre-scheduled doctor appointments three days a week. For those who need additional levels of care, these services can be arranged before moving in. It is not uncommon for people to come from out-of- state for Respite Stays. In fact, one loving son, who lives locally, gifted his mother, who lives in New York, a Respite stay—a “snowbird” vacation—a month in San Francisco when Preparing for a respite takes a little pre-planning. New York is its coldest. To assist integrating Our license requires that anyone who resides at newcomers our Resident Services staff will Rhoda Goldman Plaza must have a current TB orient the visitor and members of the Hospitality test and a Physician’s Report. Financially, we need committee will validation of three month’s fees. In addition, dietary meet, dine, and needs and preferences, medical releases, and other connect them information is also required. with like-minded A respite stay is a minimum of thirty days and one people. pre-pays for a month at $277 per day. If you remain, So, if you’re on you can stay in the Respite apartment, or move the fence about to another. In either case, to be fair, we credit the becoming a difference between the higher cost of the Respite fee resident or need a break from care-giving, try us. and the cost of your final apartment choice. It will be truly reinvigorating. Rest. Assured.

The Olive Press page 9 Dining—Eat to your heart’s content

Corey Weiner, Director of Food and Beverage

Restaurants and Respites

Language, after food, continually amazes me. Respite has a much more positive connotation Especially words that to be seem polar opposites, and is generally used to describe a break from (as opposed to tropical opposites) are somehow life—an opportunity to improve one’s physical or related. For example: re-spite: to spite and spite mental state. Some people come to The Plaza again; re-spit: to spit and spit again; and respite: for respite—a period of recovery from physical a short period of rest or relief from something ordeals, such as surgery or over-shopping. difficult or unpleasant. Not to say they are Here you can rest while everything is taken etymologically related, but in the popular care of. You will be plied with kale and other vernacular, they sound almost the same. nutritious foods. Being mildly entertained In the many questions I am asked about dining with this activity or that, winning coupons to room manners, the question of spitting has purchase more kale salad in the café, you will come up many times. Delicate and genteel be overwrought with nutrients for your greater ladies wondered if spitting were allowed at all. well-being. I answered that, while in general, spitting is Indeed three meals a day in our “restaurant”, frowned upon, occasionally a lady might find it with food of all sorts to choose from, one can necessary, to spit (cherry pits and other distasteful gain strength while meeting new people and things). Discreetly spitting under a napkin for honing one’s skills in the arts, in politics, in example or genteelly into a spoon is acceptable. In manners, and other interesting matters. Indeed all cases, the utmost decorum and civility must be the very word, restaurant comes from the maintained. French word restaurer (restore). The very first Spite is another issue. While we have an open “restaurants” were street venders of soup, thick seating policy and it is frowned upon to turn a and cheap, to restore your health. Officially the fellow-resident away from your table, I have seen restaurant came into being when a French shop spiteful behavior over and over again (hence re- posted (I give you the English version) “Come spite) There is a silver lining for those so spited. to me, all who labour in the stomach and I will You may consider you have been saved from a restore you”. less-than-friendly and enjoyable meal. Should you So we say to you, those who need to recover and be the victim of such re-spite, count your blessing restore yourselves, come to us, we will feed and and we will direct you to some kindlier souls to care for you, until you are better and beyond. share your meal with. This might be termed a We might call our dining room the RGP Respite from re-spite. Respite Restaurant, in spite of that name being slightly redundant. page 10 The Olive Press Health Notes

Adrienne Fair, MSN, RN, Assistant Executive Director

Health Notes: A View of the Flu

• Try to avoid close contact with sick people. • While sick (coughing, runny nose), limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them. • If you are sick with a flu-like illness, the CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone. (Your fever should be gone for 24 hours without the use of a fever- reducing medicine.) • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after You are probably aware that we are expecting you use it. a nasty flu season this year. According to the • Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and water are not available, use an alcohol-based (CDC), there has been a particularly high hand sanitizer. number of cases in the northwestern US. The • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. main flu strain this season is the influenza Finally, I would encourage you to rest and drink plenty A virus, subtype H3. You can still catch the of fluids when you are sick. Order a tray instead flu if you have been vaccinated, however, the of coming to the dining room to avoid spreading vaccine will help to lessen the symptoms. The your cold. Think of staying in your apartment as a CDC has a great website called Fluview which temporary restful retreat. In keeping with our respite visually tracks the spread of the flu. theme, take time to relax and care for yourself when The flu, and any common cold, can be you feel a cold coming on. particularly hard on seniors—and can lead to hospitalization. Unfortunately, you can also acquire the flu while in the hospital—so your “With happiness as with health: to enjoy it, best bet is to do all you can to avoid catching, one should be deprived of it occasionally.” or spreading the flu. -- Jules Verne Advice from the CDC for flu and cold prevention (source: https://www.cdc.gov/flu):

The Olive Press page 11 Rhoda goldman plaza 2180 Post Street San Francisco, CA 94115

415.345.5060 415.345.5061 (fax) www.RGPlaza.org RCFE #385600125 Founded by Jewish Family and Children’s Services and Mount Zion Health Fund

Rhoda Goldman Plaza

The appeal of Rhoda Goldman Plaza is Our Terrace Memory program provides undeniable. Older adults and their families specialized memory care to residents through prefer our unsurpassed assisted living and therapeutic activities that enhance physical, memory care community enriched by culture mental, and emotional health. Both privacy and tradition. and companionship are afforded on our self- Residents enjoy superb, “made-from-scratch” contained Terrace. cuisine that is always well reviewed by Living Well With Assistance is more than a our most vocal critics; our residents! While promise, but a way of life for our like-minded our dining selections please the appetite, residents and staff who share the vision of accommodations showcase spacious, private our upscale community. apartments designed to maximize space and comfort. In fact, we’re re-defining your life Visit Rhoda Goldman Plaza today by calling as Living Well With Assistance — we believe 415.345.5072. our community is every bit as good as a five-star hotel. And, professionally trained, courteous staff promotes your health and well-being with choices of activity programs both on and off-site.

Founded by Jewish Family and Children’s Services and Mt. Zion Health Fund in 2000, Rhoda Goldman Plaza (RGP) was established as a non-profit assisted living facility to provide a better and more secure life for older adults.