Brrr!  It sure has been cold outside! Yet we still have residents who will bundle up and go out and sit for a bit every day.  Who would do that? Some of our folks who are from Russia love the outdoors, especially in the cold. They tell us that this kind of weather is what they are used to and that they find it invigorating.  I think that's another testament to our staff and how tuned in they are to resident needs.  While we make sure that those individuals are warmly dressed, we also recognize that this is their need and we find a way to meet it.

Speaking of meeting needs, we are embarking on some great new changes with breakfast in our dining service in Health Care.   We know that not everyone likes being an early riser or to have their breakfast as the very first thing.  But our structure, for a very long time, has dictated meal times, especially breakfast.  Well, beginning in the next few weeks, that is going to change.  Folks who are up early, and that is the majority, will have their regular breakfast in their unit dining room.  After that time, a continental breakfast will be available on all units.  And, if someone wants a hot breakfast, all the staff will have to do is call down to Dining Services, place the order and the room service tray will be prepared and delivered.  Why are we doing this? Because we don't have 162 residents in our Health Care Center, we have 162 individuals and their needs, preferences and desires are different.  Recognizing and meeting those needs is vital to providing good care and good service.

Construction continues on the rehab expansion project and we are so excited about the progress being made.  But even before construction is complete, our therapy staff are forging ahead and doing a spectacular job.  And they are constantly innovating to make rehab an even better experience for our patients.  One interesting educational program they did today was about shoes!  They talked with patients about how to choose safe and appropriate footwear and they even brought in samples from their own closets to illustrate both "good" and "not so good" choices.

We had a fabulous opportunity to show one of the films from the Jewish and Israeli Film Festival this week.  A capacity crowd in the Wilbur and Mary Jean Cohen Religious and Cultural Center munched popcorn, drank sodas and watched an incredibly powerful movie, "100 Voices, A Journey Home," the story of a 100 cantor Mission to Poland.  The stories, many of which were from cantors whose parents were Holocaust survivors, the music and the lesson in the history of cantorial music in Poland were all powerful, moving and memorable.  If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.  In fact, I liked it so much that I went online and found that DVD's were available for pre-order for March delivery.  I think it is a film I will appreciate over and over

All the best,