Nursing Home Symposium Aids Families
In Choosing Better Nursing Home Care
RUTH LITINIANN STAFF WRITER
S
top. Look. Listen.
These are the watch-
words most children
follow when, without
the guiding hand of a parent,
they begin crossing streets.
But "stop, look, and listen"
also pertain to more figura-
tive crossroads in life — like
finding the proper nursing
home for a loved one.
As the American popula-
tion ages, the demand for
elder care increases. Admin-
istrators and members of
Temple Israel organized an
Oct. 4 nursing home sympo-
sium to help people become
more educated.
The five panelists includ-
ed Dr. Jacqueline Grekin, a
clinical psychologist who spe-
cializes in health psychology,
Susan Titus of Citizens for
Better Care, Arnold Budin,
director of Allied Health
Management Associates Inc.
and a former executive di-
rector of the Jewish Home for
Aged, State Rep. Maxine
Berman, and Diane Braun-
stein, director of Michigan's
Office of Services to the Ag-
ing.
"The family
provides the eyes
and ears."
— Dr. Jacqueline Grekin
Dr. Jacqueline Grekin out-
lined procedures for choosing
a nursing home.
"The lesson is simply stop,
look and listen. When you
walk in the door, are you
greeted pleasantly," or is the
receptionist on the phone,
chewing gum or reading a
magazine?
Dr. Grekin recommends
visiting the facility unan-
nounced. Meet the staff. Peek
into the rooms. Are staff
tending the residents or are
residents shouting for atten-
tion?
Eat at the facility, she sug-
gested. Is the food good? Are
aides cooperating with each
other to help the residents
during mealtimes and after-
ward?
"Listen to the conversa-
tions of the staff," she said.
"Are they open, friendly? Are
they team workers?"
People with loved ones in
nursing homes should keep
tabs on the facility by getting
involved with a family coun-
cil.
"The family provides the
eyes and ears in places where
staff cannot always be," she
said.
If administrators and staff
are not open to constructive
criticism, she said, beware.
Admitting a loved one to a
nursing home is a family ex-
perience, and professional
care givers should treat res-
idents, as well as their fam-
ily members, with respect.
Above all, Dr. Grekin ad-
vised, chose a facility nearby
and "fact-find before you have
the need to put a loved one in
a nursing home."
The other speakers con-
curred. Rep. Berman stressed
that nursing homes are often
more expensive than home
care — and less comfortable
than a domestic setting.
"Whenever there's a large
group of people together in
one place, it's going to be in-
stitutionalized," she said.
"You have to come to grips
with that when you're think-
ing about nursing homes."
Ms. Braunstein, of the Of-
fice of Services to the Aging,
described options to nursing
homes. Programs like Care
Management, the Medical
Waiver Program and Meals-
On-Wheels exist to help peo-
ple care for their elderly,
homebound relatives, she
said.
Mr. Budin stressed that
people should have realistic
expectations of nursing
homes. The institutions have
changed significantly, he
said:
"Nursing homes today are
what you and I viewed as
hospitals 15 years ago ...
"You are not going to get
one-on-one care in a nursing
home," he said. "It's not the
same as the care you provide
at home."
Treat staff with respect
and "ask for ways to help be-
fore problems arise," Mr.
Budin said. "Trying to direct
people to do things (for your
relative) will put staff on the
defensive and make you the
enemy."
Representing Citizens For
Better Care, Susan Titus ex-
plained how her organization
operates Michigan's Office of
the State Long Term Care
Ombudsman Program, which
offers support and information
to families considering placing
a loved one in a nursing home.
The ombudsman program also
provides advocacy services. It
investigates facilities and de-
termines if their care and fi-
nancial practices are up to par.
"A nursing home is a nurs-
ing home. And the only way
that home part will be realized
is if we make it happen," she
said.
For more information on
nursing homes, call Citizens
For Better Care, 962-5968; the
Area Agency On Aging, 948-
1640; Jewish Family Service,
559-1500.
Fund To Enhance
Jewish History
LESLEY PEARL STAFF WRITER
Robed Aronson, Walter and Lea Held, Harold Be
the commission.
n 1963, Walter Field con-
den.sed 4,000 years into 40
written pages. He called it
A People's Epic.
A history of Jews, A People s
Epic was Mr. Field's effort at
setting the record straight in
a concise and readable way.
Since the publication of his
words, Mr. Field, now 92, has
continued to work to advance
knowledge of Jews in history.
He tries to focus on positive
contributions.
To guarantee a legacy of
such knowledge, Mr. Field
and his wife recently estab-
lished the Walter and Lea
Field Fund.
A sum of $250,000 was giv-
en to form a commission for
the dissemination of Jewish
history. The Jewish Federa-
tion of Metropolitan Detroit
will hold the fund and the
Agency for Jewish Education
will run the program. Finan-
cial and practical aspects will
be overseen by the 12-person
commission headed by Harold
and Robert Berlow toast
Berry.
"I like the truth, and to see
things as they are," Mr. Field
said "We are cheating our
children by telling them only
the tsores and calamities and
bringing them statistics that
say only more trouble is com-
ing. -
"I want our youth to see the
role Jews play in the drama of
human advancement." Mr.
Field founded-the Mac -O-Lac
paint company in 1931:
The commission will show
positive Jewish history and
role models through three
components — a teen schol-
ar program, a community pro-
ject and a publication.
Next spring, a city-wide
program will show a yet-to-be
determined period, event or
personality from Jewish his-
tory. Possible formats include
exhibits, video and computer
programs and musical and
dramatic presentations.
An 80-page publication
highlighting Jewish achieve-
ments also is in the works.
The highlight of the com-
mission involves 10 high-
school students. Chosen from
criteria emphasizing leader-
ship qualities and commit-
ment, the 10th- and
11th-grade students will act
as teen scholars in Jewish his-
tory.
Starting in January, for two
years students will meet with
Jewish history professors to
learn about their various ar-
eas of specialization. Rabbis,
AJE staff, educators and the
professors will develop the
specific curriculum.
Participants will agree to
pass their learning on in con-
gregational and day schools,
Jewish camps and communi-
ty programs.
Howard Gelberd, executive
director of the ME, is excited
about the possibilities.
Participants will
agree to pass their
leamings on.
"Of all the aspects of Jew-
ish education, the treatment
of history is the hardest be-
cause it is so deep, wide, long
and diverse. We haven't done
a good job because teachers
haven't been trained well and
effective materials have not
been written," Mr. Gelberd
said.
The Jewish Education Ser-
vice of North America will
work with the AJE, monitor-
ing and assisting in the pilot
program, for possible nation-
wide use.