Hebrew SeniorLife

11/14/2025

🌍 Last week, the 2025 LeadingAge Annual Meeting & EXPO brought more than 7,000 leaders and innovators in the field of aging services to Boston. The meeting took place after Orchard Cove hosted several of the leaders for a tour of the campus.

Hebrew SeniorLife was proud to have our experts contribute to this global conversation through three insightful sessions:

💬 Let Residents and Team Members Reimagine the Continuum
Presented by Orchard Cove Executive Director Aline Russotto, Geriatric Specialist Jennifer Brinckerhoff, MD, Director of Community Life Catherine Couture, and Resident Janet Brady, this session highlighted how co-creation between residents and staff has redefined what it means to age well — emphasizing independence, well-being, and choice.

Adding to Orchard Cove’s presence at the conference, resident and artist Edie Green led a community project to create a 36-foot mural that was displayed at the event, symbolizing collaboration and creativity across Hebrew SeniorLife communities. Green and Russotto even presented the mural on the main stage to an audience of over 5,000 people!

🧠 Addressing Labor Shortages and Respite Demand in a Single Program
Featuring Lingda Hou, NHA, administrative director of the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health, and Rachel Fox, CWC, wellness coach and coordinator. This discussion explored an innovative model that addresses workforce shortages while expanding culturally competent respite care for individuals with dementia and their caregivers.

🏡 Integrating Affordable Housing and Health Care
Mimi Lewis, MSW, director of the Right Care, Right Place, Right Time (R3) Program, and Rebecca Donato, BM, MBA, R3 Director of Business & Program Development, shared lessons from Hebrew SeniorLife’s R3 model — which was implemented at Schochet’s Fresh Pond Apartments in 2025 — showing how partnerships between housing and health care providers can transform wellness for older adults.

👏 We’re honored to have shared our work alongside peers and partners who are shaping the future of aging with innovation, compassion, and purpose.

11/13/2025

♻️ Residents at the Diane and Mark Goldman Family Residences at Hebrew SeniorLife’s Center Communities of Brookline joined town officials to celebrate the installation of Brookline’s newest Food Waste Drop-Off site.

Eleanor Chmielowicz, assistant recycling coordinator, and Miranda Hotham, zero waste program manager, shared how the program works and answered questions from an enthusiastic group of older adults eager to start composting.

👏 Special thanks to residents Jean Preer, Margaret Cain, and Suzanne Gelber for leading the advocacy effort that made this possible! Thanks to their persistence, the new bins—located at Beacon Street and Lancaster Terrace right outside the Goldman building—make it easier than ever for residents to help reduce food waste.

In its first year, nearly 1,500 Brookline households have joined the program. As Hotham said, “It was great to see that so many Center Communities of Brookline residents are already eager to begin diverting their food waste through the program!”

🌱 To learn more and find your nearest drop-off location, visit https://bit.ly/4p4xT1t

11/12/2025

🧠 Depression later in life doesn’t just affect mood — it can also influence how the brain ages.

New research shows that persistent depression may accelerate memory loss and increase the risk of developing dementia. But the good news is that depression is treatable — and getting help early can make a real difference.

In our latest blog, Dr. Mohit P. Chopra, psychiatrist at the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health at Hebrew SeniorLife, explores:

✅ How depression and dementia are connected
✅ Why early identification and treatment matter
✅ How advanced therapies like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can support recovery

💡 The Wolk Center for Memory Health is home to New England’s only TMS program designed specifically for older adults with depression.

Learn more about the link between depression and dementia — and how treatment can help protect cognitive health ➡️ https://bit.ly/47Sfw8X

11/11/2025

Today, on Veterans Day, we honor the courage and dedication of all who have served in our nation's armed forces. At Hebrew SeniorLife, we are privileged to care for many veterans and proud to have veterans among our staff whose service and sacrifice have helped secure our freedoms. We are forever grateful for their commitment.

11/10/2025

🎬 Remember “Of the Heart,” filmmaker Alex Salsberg’s short animated film featuring four Center Communities of Brookline residents and their intergenerational friendships?

We’re thrilled to share that this heartwarming film — created through the Jewish Arts Collaborative’s Community Creative Fellowship — will be screening this Friday, November 14, at the Boston Jewish Film Festival at Lesley University in Cambridge.

✨ Through Alex’s unique animation style, “Of the Heart” beautifully explores the power of friendship and connection across generations.

🎟️ Learn more and get your tickets here ➡️ https://bit.ly/4nJ0sjZ

11/07/2025

🧠 A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Anesthesia shows that family members and caregivers can play a critical role in detecting delirium after surgery — helping to catch symptoms early and support faster recovery for older adults.

Researchers from Hebrew SeniorLife’s Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and Washington University School of Medicine found that a simple screening tool known as the Family Confusion Assessment Method (FAM-CAM) can empower families to recognize delirium both in the hospital and at home after discharge.

💡 Delirium — a sudden state of confusion that affects attention and awareness — is one of the most common yet frequently missed complications after surgery in older adults. Early detection is crucial in preventing long-term effects, including prolonged hospital stays, falls, and cognitive decline.

Key findings from the study include:

✅ Nearly 80% agreement between family and professional assessments
✅ Families identified delirium symptoms in 22.4% of patients
✅ Half of at-home delirium cases had been missed in the hospital

“Family members, with minimal training, can serve as effective partners in detecting postoperative delirium — not just in the hospital but also during the crucial recovery period at home,” said study author Sharon K. Inouye, MD, MPH, senior scientist and Milton and Shirley F. Levy Family Chair at Hebrew SeniorLife’s Hinda and Marcus Institute for Aging Research.

This study was supported by federal funding from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health — a powerful reminder of how public investment in research drives innovation that improves health, independence, and quality of life for older adults.

Learn more ➡️

Family-administered assessment tool reliably detects delirium, extending monitoring into home recovery.

11/06/2025

🔬 Researchers from Hebrew SeniorLife’s Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Northeastern University, and UMass Boston recently brought science into the community at the Jack Satter House Research Fair in Revere.

The event gave residents an opportunity to learn about current studies on healthy aging, meet researchers, and see how their participation in studies contributes to advancing knowledge that benefits older adults everywhere.

Each research team set up displays with posters, pamphlets, and interactive materials in the community room, while resident services staff helped participants make connections and ask questions. Nearly 70 residents attended — thanks to the leadership of Marcus Institute Assistant Scientist Amy Lo, PhD, and Jack Satter House Fitness Specialist Talor Waintrup, who organized the fair. 👏

Events like these highlight why public investment in aging research matters — helping scientists discover practical ways to promote health, independence, and quality of life as we grow older.

🧠 Learn more about the Marcus Institute’s research in aging at the link in the comment below.

11/05/2025

New research published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia reveals important connections between vascular health and brain health in older adults.

🧠 Key Findings:

✅ Arterial stiffness may amplify the effects of nerve fiber damage on memory and cognitive function
✅ Participants with both stiff arteries and elevated levels of neurofilament light chain showed the strongest associations with memory difficulties
✅ Stiff arteries were linked to poorer performance in episodic memory, working memory, and processing speed

“While we can’t yet say that reducing arterial stiffness will reverse or halt cognitive decline, our findings suggest that stiff arteries may make the brain more vulnerable to damage,” said Lewis A. Lipsitz, MD, Hebrew SeniorLife’s chief academic officer and director of the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research. “Protecting vascular health through the treatment of hypertension, high cholesterol, and other vascular risk factors could be an important piece of maintaining memory as we age.”

Learn more ➡️

IGNITE study finds link between arterial stiffness, nerve fiber damage, and cognitive performance in adults without dementia.

11/04/2025

💬 “We didn’t realize we were making memories. We just knew we were having fun.” – Winnie the Pooh

Friendship isn’t just good for the soul — it’s good for your health! Research shows that strong social connections can help older adults:

❤️ Live longer
💪 Reduce risk of heart disease and diabetes complications
🧠 Protect brain health and reduce dementia risk
😊 Lower stress and depression
🌿 Boost immunity and overall well-being

Discover seven science-backed ways friendship supports healthy aging 👉🏼

Learn how friendship and social connection can lead to a healthier, happier, longer life.

11/03/2025

🎵 For people living with dementia, music has the power to unlock memories, lift moods, and bring connection.

A new article from U.S. News and World Report explores how music therapy can reduce agitation, improve communication, and spark joy for those experiencing memory loss and features insights from Dr. Alvaro Pascual-Leone, medical director of the Deanna & Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health and senior scientist with the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research at Hebrew SeniorLife.

As Dr. Pascual-Leone explains: “Just hearing a certain musical piece or singing a song with others that is particularly meaningful to an individual can create strong positive feelings, evoke memories, and generate joy.”

He adds that research shows music therapy can:

😊 Improve mood and reduce agitation
🧠 Enhance memory recall
💬 Boost communication and social connection
💊 Reduce reliance on medications
✨ Improve quality of life

🎶 Read how families and care teams are using music to improve quality of life for older adults with dementia 👉🏾 https://bit.ly/45kixzs

10/31/2025

💉 Hebrew SeniorLife President and CEO Adam Scott recently rolled up his sleeve at one of our recent flu shot clinics — joining employees across all our communities who are getting vaccinated this season.

Getting your flu vaccine is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself and those around you — including the older adults we care for, the colleagues we work beside, and the loved ones we go home to.

As we head into respiratory virus season, Hebrew SeniorLife encourages everyone — staff, residents, families, and community members — to take steps to stay healthy. For most people, that includes getting a flu shot each year and talking with your health care provider about whether a COVID-19 vaccine is right for you — especially if you’re a health care worker, have an underlying health condition, or are age 65 or older.

✅ Vaccines can reduce the risk of severe illness and hospitalization
✅ They help protect vulnerable members of our community
✅ They help keep our workplaces and households healthy

Let’s all do our part to protect one another! 💪💙

10/30/2025

Eight hundred years of wisdom gathered around one table! 🎉

NewBridge on the Charles recently celebrated eight residents turning 100 years old. Jerry Wyner, Jay Berkson, Joan Warshaw, Mary Rosenfield, and four other centenarians shared their secrets to longevity with WCVB Channel 5 Boston, and reflected on living through World War II, the Great Depression, and incredible technological changes.
Their advice? Take care of yourself, keep learning, stay busy, and find purpose in every day.

"I think the most important thing is that every day of your life you have to have a meaningful reason to get out of bed," said Wyner, who used ChatGPT to come up with questions for his fellow centenarians, asking about the most underrated virtue in life and small memories that still make them laugh.

What a celebration of life, longevity, and the wisdom that comes with a century of experiences!

Watch here 🎬

A birthday celebration a century in the making was held on Friday.