2023 - Cedar Sinai Park

Rabbi Barry Cohen Offers Connection, Support

The Jewish community chaplain, Rabbi Barry Cohen, is going to be spending more time at Cedar Sinai Park!

“Before Covid, Rabbi Barry used to come to breakfast once a week to spend time with the residents and have conversations,” said Spiritual Life Coordinator Cathy Zheutlin. “Now that Covid is on the wane, he will be here for one-to-one visits throughout the campus every Monday. In addition to occasionally leading Shabbat and other holiday services,

The Jewish community chaplain, Rabbi Barry Cohen, is going to be spending more time at Cedar Sinai Park! “Before Covid, Rabbi Barry used to come to breakfast once a week to spend time with the residents and have conversations,” said Spiritual Life Coordinator Cathy Zheutlin. “Now that Covid is on the wane, he will be here for one-to-one visits throughout the campus every Monday. In addition to occasionally leading Shabbat and other holiday services, he’ll offer some educational opportunities.” Rabbi Barry grew up in Memphis, but was in the Midwest for school and much of his career. He and his family moved to Oregon in 2018, and Rabbi Barry joined the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland as its community chaplain. Besides Cedar Sinai Park, Rabbi Barry visits seniors at 11 other retirement communities in the Portland area. “A lot of people feel like they are on the outside looking in when they are Jewish living at a non-Jewish facility,” he said. “There are definitely times during the year when Jewish residents in non-Jewish facilities feel very lonely. “In elder communities all across the city, people are really looking for connections. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the same or different religion, most elders are looking for someone to spend time with them. “You never know what kind of interaction you’re going to have,” added Rabbi Barry. “Sometimes, it’s surface level, and other times it’s a very engaging conversation, and then once we have a personal connection, it can go deeper into the spiritual arena.” “What I’m offering is support, where I’m present and actively listening, being as compassionate as possible.” Robison Jewish Health Center/Harold Schnitzer Center for Living resident David Cohen (no relation to Rabbi Barry) said the Rabbi’s visits are wonderful. “I never really went to synagogue, but it’s nice to be able to talk to a rabbi,” he said. “This is a good place,” said Rabbi Barry. “I like how it’s filled with a diversity of residents, but at the same time, you know you’re walking into a Jewish space. “When you meet the residents and find out where they’re from, it doesn’t take long before you’ve made a connection. And then that connection leads to a conversation with someone else, and then that leads to a class you’re teaching on a Jewish topic or a worship service you’re leading, and the conversation goes from there. “It’s hard to quantify, but when you walk into Rose Schnitzer Manor, it feels different here.”

July 6, 2023

The Importance of Socialization for Seniors

by Sydney Clevenger

Even for elders blessed with a large family providing regular support, peer to peer socialization is a critical aspect of senior health that many people overlook.

“Seniors living alone often struggle with depression,” said Deborah Elliott, longtime marketing consultant in the senior living industry. “We see this often when a spouse dies, and the isolation brought about by Covid did not help our aging parents feel connected if they were living at home alone.”

Senior living communities provide an opportunity for regular social interaction,

by Sydney Clevenger Even for elders blessed with a large family providing regular support, peer to peer socialization is a critical aspect of senior health that many people overlook. “Seniors living alone often struggle with depression,” said Deborah Elliott, longtime marketing consultant in the senior living industry. “We see this often when a spouse dies, and the isolation brought about by Covid did not help our aging parents feel connected if they were living at home alone.” Senior living communities provide an opportunity for regular social interaction, as much or as little as seniors decide they want and need. Elliott remembers a prospective resident who was in post-acute care at Cedar Sinai Park's Robison Jewish Health Center after a significant cardiac event and was ready for discharge. She was advised not to go home by herself, and her family wanted her to have access to medical care around the clock, treatment they could not provide. “She had a great big family, all living in the Portland area, really supportive, and they all brought her over to Rose Schnitzer Manor Active Assisted Living to meet with me,” said Elliott. “And after our tour, the mom said to me privately that she was not moving in. She said she’d stay for a month or two, and then she was going home. “So, we made that ‘the plan.’ I told her she could drive the bus, so to speak, and make the decision regarding how long to stay with us. As long as the healthcare team was confident about her returning home to live on her own after a month or so, she could do so. “The family did a great job decorating her apartment to make it feel like home and I saw her almost every day,” added Elliott. “After a couple of months, I found her in the art studio painting. I reminded her that she had been with us for more than two months, and asked what happened to her going home. “She looked at me and said, “I know. I really like it here. Is it okay if I stay? “It reminded me that even though the resident had the support she needed from the health services team and her family, what was essential for her mental and emotional and spiritual well-being were the relationships that she forged while she was in assisted living. “She was so busy meeting and helping others, that her kids couldn’t get her on the phone, which is exactly what they had wanted for her because she had been isolated and alone before her heart event.” The lesson, said Elliott, is that elders need regular socialization with their peers, beyond the love and support of family or caregivers. Elders who have experienced the recent loss of a partner or friend, are especially susceptible to depression. Other signs of intense sadness that may need medical intervention include feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and worthlessness. The need for socialization is one key indicator for seniors when they and their families are determining whether it’s time to move to assisted living. Late-life depression affects about six million Americans ages 65 and older, according to WebMD, but only 10 percent receive treatment. “Even in the most loving and attentive family, seniors can feel adrift and lonely if they do not have access to people their own age to whom they can relate and connect with day to day,” said Elliott. “It’s important to remember that depression in older people can be overlooked when dealing with the effects of many illnesses, disabilities, and medications. “It’s important to be watchful of a sadness that lasts longer than usual, and to seek medical help if there are any doubts.”

June 8, 2023

June 3, 2022

June 1, 2023

May 25, 2023

May 18, 2023

5/4/2023 MEMORANDUM

DATE: May 4, 2023

TO: Cedar Sinai Park Colleagues, Residents, Families, and Friends

FROM: Kimberly Fuson, Chief Executive Officer

RE: New Covid-19 Positive at Robison Jewish Health Center/Harold Schnitzer Center for Living (RJHC/HSCL)

Dear Colleagues, Residents, Families, and Friends,

Since our last communication, we learned that one additional resident in the Holzman household at Robison Jewish Health Center/Harold Schnitzer Center for Living tested positive for Covid-19.

DATE: May 4, 2023 TO: Cedar Sinai Park Colleagues, Residents, Families, and Friends FROM: Kimberly Fuson, Chief Executive Officer RE: New Covid-19 Positive at Robison Jewish Health Center/Harold Schnitzer Center for Living (RJHC/HSCL) Dear Colleagues, Residents, Families, and Friends, Since our last communication, we learned that one additional resident in the Holzman household at Robison Jewish Health Center/Harold Schnitzer Center for Living tested positive for Covid-19. Our resident is unvaccinated and aymptomatic. Please join me in wishing our beloved resident a speedy recovery. The following continues to apply at RJHC/HSCL until further notice:

Holzman closed to visitation through at least Friday, May 19 (except compassionate care).
Holzman closed to all group activities.
No communal dining in Holzman; room service is available for those wanting to take extra precautions in all households.
Residents: Masks strongly recommended in ALL indoor common areas.

All RJHC/HSCL Staff and Visitors: N95 masks required. Eyewear required for staff in Holzman; recommended in other households. For the month of May 2023, total Covid-19 positive cases are as follows: RJHC/HSCL: Total staff testing positive: 1

Staff mildly symptomatic: 1
Staff vaccinated: 1

Total residents testing positive: 6

Residents aymptomatic: 6
Residents fully vaccinated: 5
Resident unvaccinated: 1

We have notified Public Health (OHA), the Oregon Department of Human Services Safety, Oversight and Quality Unit (DHS/SOQ) and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) as required. As in all cases, contact tracing is performed. Please know we are taking every step as recommended by authorities to contain the spread. We want to make residents, their families, and our dedicated staff aware of this situation. It is more important now than ever to continue to do our best to do all we can to support our community by following the recommendations set forth by the CDC. ♥ Wear the appropriate PPE (mask/shield/gown) as instructed. ♥ Avoid touching your face. ♥ Washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water and use hand sanitizer. ♥ Social distancing. ♥ Self-isolating if showing any signs or symptoms of COVID-19. ♥ Seek medical assistance as necessary. Developments are changing day by day, minute by minute. Our focus remains on the health and well-being of our community. We must also recognize our team for the concern and commitment they have shown to our residents and one another during this challenging time. Our mission has never been more meaningful. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact Rose Schnitzer Manor Administrator Rachael White (256-541-7994) or me. We will assist you in any way possible. With love, honor, and respect, Kimberly Fuson Chief Executive Officer 503-504-5277