A newsletter for the employees of the Jewish Home and Care Center, Chai Point and Sarah Chudnow Community
Kulanu - All of Us. Together. Meet Scott Bergin, Controller Becca Loss, Communications Specialist
April 2016 WELCOME New Team Members CP Maria Veloz, Dietary Shontierra Wren, Nursing SCC Duvaugh Chambers, Dietary LuVienna Edwards, Nursing Roberta Friedrichs, Nursing Alicia Johnson, Nursing Erica Kreunen, Dietary John Lawson, Administration Jessica Shine, Nursing Laura Triblett, Nursing Tyler Wallace, Dietary JHCC Sheree Belin, Nursing Scott Bergin, Finance Amy Biller Daniels, Social Services Samantha Bluford, Nursing Debra Melissa Brinkley-Lagrone, Nursing Dominique Copeland, Dining Monika deArteaga, Physical Therapy Danielle Elder, Physical Therapy Pamela Enea, Occupational Therapy Fantasia Gibbs, Nursing Kaitlin Gromacki, Physical Therapy Katie Hiller, Occupational Therapy Emily Hitchcock, Physical Therapy Miguel Morales, Dining Sandra Noll, Speech Therapy Kesley Scheller, Occupational Therapy Raychel Schulz, Nursing Susan Smith, Occupational Therapy Lakisha Taylor, Nursing
“Success isn’t how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started.” ~ Steve Prefontaine, marathoner and running legend
electronic reporting. “Much of the current information is recorded and distributed manually,” he says. “The challenge will be transferring the records to electronic form without a fiscal reporting gap.”
Much like training for a Scott Bergin, Controller marathon, Scott Bergin, recently hired controller and marathon runner, plans to His track record prior to our make great strides for the finance organization includes serving department to be “fiscally fit” as it ten years as controller at the travels into the future. Lutheran Home and Harwood Place in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. In his short time at JHCC, Bergin In that capacity his responsibilities already has goals in place for his first included all financial reporting for year. “Ideally, I would like managers the organizations (i.e., financial to receive all their necessary financial statements, tax returns, Medicaid information at the touch of a finger,” & Medicare cost reports). He also he reveals. To achieve this, it would prepared the annual operating require a change from manual to budgets, managed the annual electronic financial record keeping. financial audit, presented financial Bergin continues, “The goal is to results to the board, participated in utilize our current technology, strategic planning, and managed resulting in a user-friendly program the business office staff. During his which electronically distributes time at the Lutheran Home, Bergin the most comprehensive, up-toalso served four years as CFO for the date financial information to the board. Prior to that, he worked in management team.” In the future, he accounting at Eastcastle Place. would like to see more services that are currently outsourced brought It was a lateral move for Bergin in-house, including tax return to change pace and join JHCC. “I documentation. was serving as interim CFO at the Lutheran Home. When a new CFO While distance running requires was hired, they planned on taking time, effort, and dedication, so does away the responsibilities I enjoyed: the transition from manual to see “Kulanu,” on page 4
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Clip ‘n Save: When to Call the Volunteer Department Have you ever found yourself wishing you had an extra hand? Or extra bodies? Or an FTE, just for a day or two? That might be an indication that it’s time to pick up the phone, send an email, or stop in to the new office across from the elevators and visit Beth Draper, volunteer coordinator!
It takes a special kind of caring to spend your free time helping others, and we truly appreciate the thousands of hours our volunteers give us. Many of our volunteers have gone on to become residents, and we want them remember their volunteer experiences with pleasure.
Volunteers on our campuses come from all walks of life; some are residents, some are retired from their full-time jobs, some are college students, some still work full time but volunteer in their free time. There is no set standard for a volunteer, except for the generosity of their time.
Volunteers can do many things to help you! They can assist with office activities, serve as concierges on the resident floors, help residents with computer tasks, dance with residents during activities, assist with decorating for special events, and serve as greeters at events, take the library cart to residents, accompany residents to the salon, synagogue, activities, etc.
All volunteers are required to go through state and federally mandated background checks and meet certain requirements: they must go through Beth’s orientation process and learn the basics that we all do in employee orientation: HIPAA, standard precautions, general resident’s rights, etc. So you can be sure that, when you have a volunteer working with you, you have someone who is ready to roll. However, like any new employee, they just need some guidance in your department. Please remember: Volunteers are here as unpaid help. Please be courteous to them, and treat them with respect.
You may think of something else that you just don’t have the time or personnel to do… contact Beth, and she will work with you to find the right person to help out: 414.277.8802, ext. 848 or bdraper@jewishseniorliving.org And remember, if you want to help support our volunteer organization, you can become a Hand in Hand member. Call Liz Brach at 414.721.9255 or ext. 255 to join for $25 or become a life member for $200. This is the organization that fulfills your grant requests.
Training/Continuing Education Opportunities New Hire Orientation
JHCC Staff Education Room
Monday, April 11
7:30 am - 4:00 pm (Peck Hall)
CBRF Standard Precautions
Tuesday, April 12
7:45 am - 4:00 pm (Peck Hall)
Wednesday, April 6
8:30 am - 10:30 am
Wednesday, April13
8:00 am - 4:00 pm (Staff Ed. Rm.)
Thursday, April 14
8:30 am - 10:30 am
CBRF First Aid & Choking
Relias (Online Learning)
Thursday, April 14
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Workplace Violence (All)
Monday, April 18
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Passover (All)
CBRF Fire Safety
Understanding Falls AL (CBRF CNAs & Nurses)
Sunday, April 17
Understanding Falls (CNAs - SNF & SCC Rehab)
CPR for the Healthcare Professional
Preventing Falls (Nurses - SNF & SCC Rehab)
Tuesday, April 19
9:00 am - 1:30 pm 8:30 am - 1:30 pm
Peck Hall Contact the Staff Education Department at ext. 876 or 414.277.8876 for more information and to sign up for the continuing education opportunities.
Resilience: Strengths & Mental Well-Being as We Age Tuesday, April 5
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Training by UWM, for social workers only. If interested contact Marlo Graceffa, director of HR & OD, at ext. 837, 414.277.8837, or mgraceffa@jewishseniorliving.org.
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Passover (Pesach) 101 Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is one of the three major pilgrimage festivals of ancient Israel. Originally a combination of a couple of different spring festivals, it is a commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt–especially the night when G-d “passed over” the houses of the Israelites during the tenth plague–and of the following day, when the Israelites had to leave Egypt hurriedly. Centered on the family or communal celebration of the seder (ritual meal), Passover is one of the most beloved of all Jewish holidays. History The origins of Passover lie in pre-Israelite spring celebrations of the first grain harvest and the births of the first lambs of the season. Within a Jewish context, however, it celebrates G-d’s great redemptive act at the time of the Exodus, leading the Israelites out from slavery in Egypt to freedom. Together with Shavuot (the Festival of Weeks) and Sukkot (The Festival of Booths), Pesach is one of the ancient Israelite pilgrimage festivals, during which adult males journeyed to the Temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices and bask in the divine presence. Since the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, the focus of Pesach celebration shifted to the ritual meal, called the seder, that takes place either in the home or in the community. At Home In anticipation of Pesach, it is traditional to engage in a thorough spring cleaning. During the holiday, Jews’ food reflects the major theme of Passover, reliving G-d’s great redemptive act, albeit in a vicarious manner. Because the Israelites had no time to let their bread rise, Jewish law forbids eating (or even possessing) any food that can contain leaven. Therefore, a major part of the preparations for Pesach consists of removing all traces of leavened foods from the home and replacing them with unleavened foods (though many Jews prefer to “sell” their unused leaved products to a non-Jew for the duration of the holiday). This necessitates both a massive cleanup and the replacement of one’s ordinary dishes with special Pesach ones. It also requires a shopping expedition to stock the kitchen with special kosher-for-Passover foods.
The central ritual of Pesach is the seder, a carefully choreographed ritual meal that takes place either in the home or in the community. A number of symbolic foods are laid out on the table, of which the most important are the matzah, the unleavened “bread of affliction,” and the shankbone, which commemorates the Pesach sacrifice in the Temple. The seder follows a script laid out in the Haggadah, a book that tells the story of the redemption from Egypt and thanks G-d for it. Although the Haggadah is a traditional text, many people — particularly in the modern world — add to it and revise it in accord with their theology and understanding of G-d’s redemptive actions in the world. In the Community Although the focus of Passover observance is on the home, it should not be forgotten that Pesach is a holiday, on the first and last days of which traditional Judaism prohibits working. There are special synagogue services, including special biblical readings, among which one finds Shir ha-Shirim, “The Song of Songs” and Hallel, Psalms of praise and thanksgiving for G-d’s saving act in history. The last day of Passover is one of the four times a year that the Yizkor service of remembrance is recited. Theology and Themes The overarching theme of Passover is redemption. After all, this is the holiday that celebrates G-d’s intervention in history to lead the Israelites from slavery to freedom. It is a time to celebrate G-d as the great liberator of humanity. The divine redemption of the Israelites thus becomes the blueprint for the Jewish understanding of G-d and divine morality and ethics, which can be seen in Jewish participation at the forefront of movements for social justice. Resources: http://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/passover-pesach-101/#
Is there anything you’d like to learn about Jewish history, culture or religion? Send an email to rloss@jewishseniorliving.org and we’ll provide the answer in an upcoming issue of Personnelly Speaking. PERSONNELLY SPEAKING | April 2016 | 3
Kulanu
The Grapevine continued from page 1
A Final Farewell to Trouble by Paul Bischoff
overseeing staff, reporting to the CEO and presenting financials to the board,” says Bergin. “I wanted to find an organization where I could continue to perform those responsibilities.”
It is with sadness that I tell you that Trouble, the 13year-old kitty with two teeth that adopted me in April 2012, passed away from lung disease Sunday February 7, 2016. Trouble in 2015.
We had a nearly four-year wonderful adventure together. She suffered a stroke in 2013 and recovered 90% from that. While I am sad and do miss her, I smile thinking of our adventures including: • Watching the entire Dark Shadows TV soap opera (all 1225 episodes) on Saturdays • Trouble sharing her rotisserie chicken with me • Playing like a kitten until the last week or two • Tearing a shrimp apart to eat (sorry, she was not Jewish) • Eating ice cream • Eating Jim Hahn’s shredded taco chicken • Rubbing her chin and so many other things.
Bergin, a Wisconsin native, holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Carroll University. He has two daughters, aged 33 and 31. The older works in IT in Milwaukee; the younger is a recruiter in Portland, Oregon, and is the owner/designer of her own clothing line. As you might have guessed, when not crunching numbers, he can be found pounding the pavement. He runs six miles per day (even in the winter) and has completed four marathons, with the Chicago marathon ranking as his favorite. If past performances (both mental and physical) are any indication, JHCC is set to distance itself for success well into the fiscal future. Scott Bergin’s office is located in the Business Office near the entrance of the 1410 Building. He can be reached at: 414.277.8815 | ext. 815 | sbergin@jewishseniorliving.org
Photos of Purims Past
Do you have exciting news? Did you receive an award? Are you newly married? Are you a proud parent or grandparent? Submit your news to Grapevine by emailing Becca Loss at rloss@jewishseniorliving.org.
Rabbi Emmer channels his inner fortune teller at JHCC’s 2015 Purim celebration.
Mar/Com Mischief
Nothing says Purim like a country western hoe-down at Chai Point (2013).
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Social Media Module
Garden Safely
Check out our social media pages!
Gardening can be a great way to enjoy the outdoors, get physical activity, beautify the community, and grow nutritious fruits and vegetables. Take a few minutes to help stay safe and healthy while gardening.
Facebook JHCC: http://www.facebook.com/JewishHomeAndCareCenter Chai Point: http://www.facebook.com/ChaiPointSeniorLiving SCC: http://www.facebook.com/Sarah-Chudnow-Community JHCC Foundation: http://www.facebook.com/jhccfoundation
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Twitter ReCharge!: http://twitter.com/JSL_ReCharge JHCC Foundation: http://twitter.com/JSLiving YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/JHCCFoundation
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LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-jewish-home-and-carecenter-foundation (note: our sister communities can be found via the LinkedIn JHCC page)
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Put on protective gear as needed, including safety goggles, sturdy shoes, long pants, gloves, insect repellent, and sun screen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher. If you’re outside in hot weather for most of the day, make an effort to drink more fluids. Make sure your tetanus/diphtheria (Td) vaccination is up-to-date. If it’s not, call your health provider to make an appointment to get it. http://www.cdc.gov
Instagram http://www.instagram.com/jhccmarketing
“I don’t speak because I have the power to speak; I speak because I don’t have the power to remain silent.” ~ Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook
Social Media Fun Fact:
The very first video uploaded to YouTube was called “Me at the Zoo” on April 23, 2005.
Congratulations to Everyone Celebrating April Anniversaries with Us! Elaine Gauger William Letherwood Adrianna Patlin Michelle Putz Danielle Svehlek Edward Wade Omega Williams Ashley Wondra
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Heather Adkins Donna Cumby Jean Leonaitis Sandra Schulte Connie Eastman Khalid Howze Sally Moskol Annette Patterson
2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3
Yvonne Weddle Lorie Maechtle Susan Skirko Jacqueline Zephirin Ana Feliciano Jackie Nowak Chris Cleveland-Mitchell Patricia Stampfer
3 4 4 4 5 6 8 8
Priscilla Maitland Altagracia Melchor Sherry Nash Jennifer Ruiz Linda Barczynski
12 13 15 20 24
Happy Birthday! Apr 3 Conlin Steinert Apr 4 Princess Ferguson Apr 4 John Gruenwald Apr 4 Lorie Maechtle Apr 5 Morgan Jones Robinson Apr 6 Ida Bailey Apr 6 Stacey Hodges Apr 6 Nortell Scott Apr 7 Barbara Erby Apr 7 Nancy Kesy
Apr 7 Apr 9 Apr 11 Apr 12 Apr 12 Apr 13 Apr 13 Apr 17 Apr 18 Apr 20
Shreda McAfee Jennifer Fechter Carmillita Collins Lyudmila Balan Kendra Jones Mary Kurland Jesus Regis Anna Haack Maria Miranda Sonturra Ball
Apr 20 Apr 21 Apr 21 Apr 24 Apr 24 Apr 24 Apr 24 Apr 25 Apr 25 Apr 26
Jim Noffke Belen Alcaraz Elijah Jones Terinika Cross William Pickering Jonathan Sykes Karen Yust Elicia Engel Sandra Noll Jean Leonaitis
Apr 28 Apr 28 Apr 28 Apr 29 Apr 29 Apr 29 Apr 29 Apr 30
Beatrice Gray Patricia Stampfer Carol Ann Skurulsky Vicky Mack David Milbauer Starr Thomas Winzer Touyer Lor Devontray Davenport
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