2022: Year in Review
What a difference a year makes. Our residents, families, and staff marked the return to normalcy after the unprecedented isolation of the pandemic. That’s worth celebrating on so many levels.
Take a look at some of the year’s highlights. We are excited to usher in 2023!
Chelsea Jewish Lifecare Celebrates Best Place to Work Designation
The organization received the prestigious Great Place to Work® designation. This certification process involved surveying employees on more than 60 elements and was bestowed upon the organization by the Great Place to Work Institute and its senior care partner Activated Insights, a global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Employees were surveyed about such topics as community impact, belief that their work makes a difference, and the feeling their work environment is safe. Our employees truly make our organization special.
Welcome Back Families!
Our families and residents resumed family visits and activities after a long hiatus due to the pandemic’s restrictions. Getting together and being able to hug, laugh and converse was momentous for us all. We remain in awe of our residents, who showed such courage and resiliency throughout COVID-19.
Memory Care Expansion at CJL
Chelsea Jewish was the recipient of a $75,000 grant from The Sephardic Foundation on Aging, The grants funded program enhancements for the two Dementia Special Care Units, located in the skilled nursing homes at The Jeffrey and Susan Brudnick Center for Living in Peabody and the Katzman Family Center for Living in Chelsea. The Sunday Boston Globe featured the new programs in a comprehensive feature aptly entitled “Dementia Special Care Units use New Tools, Strategies for Improving Quality of life for residents.”
Resident Trips
Relaxed restrictions paved the way for trips and events. Our vented residents enjoyed a highly anticipated outing to a Celtics game. instead of just watching the games on TV, our vented residents actually attended a basketball game between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics lost the game by a few points, but the residents and staff still had a wonderful time.
In July we took our residents to the ocean. It was a glorious summer’s day at Revere Beach for 30 Cohen Florence Levine Estates and Florence & Chafetz residents. They spent the day frolicking in the waves and relaxing on the beach. Amidst lunch, singing and much laughter, residents and staff thoroughly enjoyed being by the water. In fact, it was such a magical day that it was captured by the Boston Globe. A photo of residents and staff appeared on the front page of the paper the very next day!
ALS & MS Walk for Living Held In-Person
The 14th Annual ALS & MS Walk for Living returned in person this year. Approximately 700 individuals came together on a perfect fall day to celebrate the inspiring residents of the Leonard Florence Center for Living. The event raised over $75,000. Every single dollar raised went directly back to patient care and programs for the ALS and MS residents.
Lively Purim Parades
Our residents and staff never miss an opportunity to don costumes and this year’s Purim Parades was no exception. Colorful and creative costumes were worn by residents and staff members when each home held their own festive parade. Purim is one of the most joyous Jewish holidays and the excitement in the air was evident in every residence.
Chelsea Jewish Lifecare Wins Prestigious Dietary Services Award at the 2022 MA-ALA Dinner
Kaplan Estates staff member Patricia “Patty” Vigliotti was honored at the 2022 Massachusetts Assisted Living Association (MA-ALA) Excellence Awards Dinner for her outstanding work in the Dietary Department at Harriett and Ralph Kaplan Estates. Patty has played an integral role in food service at the assisted living for the last 15 years.
Each year, Mass-ALA recognizes the best of the best in the assisted living industry at Mass-ALA’s widely attended Excellence Awards dinner. The 2022 theme, “Honoring Excellence, Celebrating You,” honors the people who make a difference in the lives of older adults.
Legacy Lifecare Affiliations Continue to Expand
The values and ethics that make Chelsea Jewish Lifecare so unique translates well to other organizations. Under the Legacy Lifecare umbrella we are working with JGS Lifecare in Longmeadow, Sister of Charity in Wellesley, Deutsches Altenheim in West Roxbury, and the Armenian Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Jamaica Plain. There is strength in numbers and by working together we can help preserve charitable, high quality senior care.
CNA Program Takes Off
Our Temporary Nurse Aid (TNA) training sites have been a tremendous success. Thirty CNA’s have graduated from the program throughout the organization. The TNA program allows individuals interested in becoming a CNA the opportunity to work alongside a certified nurse assistant. At the same time, they participate in online training so they will be qualified to take the state certification exam. Once again, Chelsea Jewish Lifecare is serving as a model for other nonprofit health care providers.
This newsletter was created for our residents and families, so please let us know what kinds of stories and features you’d like to see in 2023. Feel free to contact Debbie Weisberg at dweisberg@legacylifecare.org. We value your feedback!