32 | OCTOBER 5 • 2023 J
N
T
he Dorothy and
Peter Brown Jewish
Community Adult
Day Program will reopen
its Southfield location
(29699 Southfield Road)
on Oct. 9, six months after
merging with its location in
West Bloomfield (6720 W.
Maple Road) due to staffing
challenges.
The Brown Program
provides innovative, engaging
activities and care for those
living with dementia, along
with support for their
families. It is a joint initiative
of Gesher Human Services
and Jewish Senior Life.
Since April, Brown Center
staff from Southfield and
interested participants moved
to the West Bloomfield
location, and a shuttle bus
provided transportation
when necessary.
“We had 12 Southfield
participants continue their
programming in West
Bloomfield and, since then,
more have joined us,” said
Brown Program Director
Debi Banooni.
“It was vital to have the
correct number of staff to
provide the programming
and support that makes
us unique, so pooling our
resources in West Bloomfield
was the best thing to do.”
Currently, the Brown
Program has around
50 participants, with
approximately 22 to 25
people attending the program
each day.
“Our Southfield staff is
very excited to be moving
back to that location; we
now have a robust team,
which includes myself, a
site supervisor, program
support specialists, four to
six program assistants and
an office specialist,” Banooni
said. “We feel strong and
ready to return to a two-site
program.”
Banooni pointed out that
research has been done
showing that adults living
with dementia remain
healthier in both body and
mind by staying engaged
and that isolation is a major
detriment. “Our attendees
are happy and stimulated on
the days they are with us and
that is a huge plus for them
and their families,” she said.
The program offers a wide
variety of activities. Music
specialists come to the Brown
Program six to eight times
a week. Exercise specialists
provide classes, and there is
also a yoga specialist who
comes multiple times a week
to each location and provides
a virtual session.
Attendees also enjoy
regular performances from
musicians, participate in art
programs and enjoy staff-led
brain games such as quizzes,
bingo and discussions about
current events. Healthy meat
kosher lunches are served
every day.
For more information on the Brown
Program, which is open to the com-
munity regardless of race, religion
or sexual orientation, contact (248)
233-4000 (Southfield) or (248) 661-
6390 (West Bloomfield) or email info@
brownadultday.org.
Back in Action
OUR COMMUNITY
Brown Program for adults
living with dementia reopens
in Southfield on Oct. 9.
ALISON SCHWARTZ SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
A Southfield participant
enjoying a visiting pet
at the West Bloomfield
Brown Program location.
Israel Admitted into
U.S. Visa Waver
Program
U.S. Secretary of Homeland
Security Alejandro Mayorkas
announced Sept. 27 that
Israel has been admitted
officially as the 41st nation
in the U.S. Visa Waiver
Program.
The announcement,
which the secretary made
in consultation with U.S.
Secretary of State Antony
Blinken, means that as of
Nov. 30, Israelis will be able
to visit the United States for
fewer than 90 days without
a visa.
“The designation of
Israel into the Visa Waiver
Program is an important
recognition of our shared
security interests and the
close cooperation between
our two countries,” Mayorkas
stated.
“This designation, which
represents over a decade
of work and coordination
between the United States
and Israel, will enhance our
two nations’ collaboration
on counterterrorism, law
enforcement and our other
common priorities,” the
secretary added. “Israel’s
entry into the Visa Waiver
Program, and the stringent
requirements it entails, will
make both of our nations
more secure.”
Blinken added that Israel’s
admission “represents a
critical step forward in
our strategic partnership
with Israel that will
further strengthen long-
standing people-to-people
engagement, economic
cooperation and security
coordination between our
two countries.”