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Jewish retirement residence

Deciding to move into an assisted living facility is never easy, but leaving a Jewish home behind makes the task even more difficult. Luckily, the Bay Area is blessed with a wealth of Jewish retirement homes that feature all the comforts of a Jewish household with the luxury of innovative senior programs.

There is something for everyone at the Esther and Jacques Reutlinger Community for Jewish Living in Danville. With a synagogue, rabbi, artist studio, college courses and even a comedy nightclub, Reutlinger has a house full of happy residents. “People will say, I never expected it to be this great,” says executive director Dr. Janice Corran. “It is way beyond being an assisted living facility — this is our residents’ home.”

For over 138 years, the Jewish Home San Francisco has been providing  care for adults in the Bay Area. For long term to short-term care, The Home has multiple medical clinics and facilities on its campus to suit the needs of its residents. During the day residents can be found at drum circles, poetry readings, activities in the city and more. “The Jewish Home has extensive roots serving this community, and we are dedicated as a community steward to providing services that are innovative and responsive to the needs of our residents,” says director of corporate planning Sherie A. Koshover. This year the Home is in the process of renovating several parts of its campus, and is looking forward to its annual summer arts festival.

Sharing the San Francisco limelight is Rhoda Goldman Plaza, another Jewish retirement home with extensive roots in the community. “It’s the fun of a cruise ship and the security that offers safety and wellness,” says marketing director Iris Hudis. Creative kosher cuisine is one of the many amenities that draw residents from all over the country. Popular activities include live concerts, knitting blankets for the homeless, Tai Chi classes and museum tours. “You’ll see a group of residents coming home exhausted but excited after our trips,” Hudis says.

Chai House in San Jose features a bundle of 70 modern apartments — which are offered at reduced costs to low- and moderate-income seniors, Jews and non-Jews alike. The only community of its kind in the South Bay, residents receive kosher meals five nights a week, along with the use of top-notch recreational facilities and innovative programs. Run by director Marc Tumlinson, Chai House just celebrated its 20th anniversary.

In second place was the soon-to-open Moldaw Family Residences in Palo Alto.

First Place

San Francisco

Jewish Home San Francisco

(415) 334-2500

www.jhsf.org

Rhoda Goldman Plaza

(415) 345-5060

www.rgplaza.org

East Bay

Reutlinger Community for Jewish Living

Danville

(925) 648-2800

www.rcjl.org

South Bay/Peninsula

Chai House

San Jose

(408) 947 1818

chaihousesj.googlepages.com

Second Place

South Bay/Peninsula

Moldaw Family Residences

Palo Alto

(650) 321-2188

www.899charleston.org

Non-sectarian retirement residence

Seniors looking for a mix of traditions and culture have to look no further than the  winning non-sectarian homes j. readers voted for in the Bay Area.

Schmoozing with friends, morning yoga stretches, and the occasional glass of wine greet the residents of Byron Park in Walnut Creek on any given day.

“When you walk into Byron Park you see people engaged in things — they are friendly group of neighbors, who enjoy being very independent and going to a lot of interesting activities,” says marketing associate Rayne Merrywood. Offering private apartments with accessible transportation around the bay area, Byron Park hosts a happy group of residents who enjoy yoga, fitness and a number of other activities.

Formerly known as the Claremont House, Monarch Place in Piedmont is enjoying its first year in its completely renovated facilities. “What sets us apart are our Gold Crown services, outings on our excursion bus, full concierges services, fine dining, Sunday brunches or just walking your dog,” says executive director Rebecca Cockrill. Living in luxury is one perk of Monarch Place, which boasts a pastry chef on staff  for those with a sweet tooth. “Our goal is for our residents to enjoy the life they deserve,” Cockrill says.

The opera, symphony, ballet and local museums are all places you’ll find the residents of San Francisco Towers. “This is a vibrant, robust community of fascinating people. They all feel that they have liberated themselves of many of the stressors that come with aging,” says marketing director Kate Hoebke. “People move in when they are independent, and as they age they have access to independent, assisted and skilled nursing care.”

Aegis Living was the top pick in the North Bay, having several communities there. “We have a very home-like atmosphere,” says marketing director Candice Moses. “We have a beautiful courtyard in the back where they can enjoy the sunshine and the outdoors in a very safe environment. It’s very welcoming.” In addition to a peaceful atmosphere, Aegis offers a wealth of amenities, including a movie theater, library and a kitchen with a full-choice menu. Aegis is nationally renowned for its Alzheimer’s and dementia care, along with seven-day-a-week nursing coverage.

Situated on 55 acres in the Cupertino foothills bordering the Rancho San Antonio open space reserve, the Forum at Rancho San Antonio is a bustling retirement community. Many residents take long hikes through the open space preserve and take advantage of the fitness center at the Forum. “Our residents are very active in our own community and the greater Bay Area community,” says community relations director Jean Newton. And when residents sit down for meals, they enjoy a full palette of excellent cuisine. “There is always fresh fish and filet mignon on the menu — our residents love the food here,” Newton says.

The resident-led kazoo band can be heard jamming most afternoons at Palo Alto Commons. The facility offers a long list of activities for its residents — among them Foothill College courses, Nintendo Wii gaming and scenic hikes. When residents move into the Commons they have access to assisted living, focused care and an Alzheimer’s and dementia unit called the Meadow Wing. Located in Palo Alto, just minutes from Stanford University, residents are at the center of Bay Area life.

In second place were the Sequoias in San Francisco, AgeSong at Lakeside Park in Oakland, Classic Residence by Hyatt in Palo Alto and AlmaVia of San Rafael.

First Place

San Francisco

San Francisco Towers

(415) 776-0500

www.sanfranciscotowers-esc.org

East Bay

Byron Park

Walnut Creek

(925) 937 1700

www.byronpark.com

Monarch Place

Piedmont

(510) 658-9266

www.monarchplace.cc

South Bay/Peninsula

The Forum at Rancho San Antonio

Cupertino

(650) 944-0100

www.theforum-seniorliving.com

Palo Alto Commons

(650) 494-0760

www.paloaltocommons.com

North Bay

Aegis Living

Various locations

www.aegisliving.com

Second Place

San Francisco

The Sequoias

(415) 922-9700

www.ncphs.org/life_care/the_sequoias_-_san_francisco

East Bay

AgeSong at Lakeside Park

Oakland

(510) 444-4684

www.agesonglsp.com

South Bay/Peninsula

Classic Residence by Hyatt

Palo Alto

(650) 838-0300

www.hyattclassic.com/go/palo-alto.html

North Bay

AlmaVia

of San Rafael

(415) 491-1900

www.eldercarealliance.org

 

Day program

 

Learning to jam on the guitar, doing yoga stretches and exploring local museums are just some of the activities you can find local seniors doing at the many senior day programs offered throughout the Bay Area.

“The Older Adult Program at JCCSF is a community hub for people,” says program manager Shiva Schulz. The program offers many free events for seniors, including health and wellness awareness presentations and movie nights. Six days a week seniors enjoy lunch served by local congregants. “They have an opportunity to socialize and keep engaged in the world,” Schulz says.

North Bay residents who are yearning for the seaside breeze of San Francisco, or just the company of their fellow peers, find a perfect outlet in the Friendship Circle of the JCC, Sonoma County. The program serves seniors who are looking for exciting new ways to explore the Bay Area — including the popular lunch and learn programs, which have included trips to the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, laughter yoga and the San Francisco Symphony. “We’ve overheard participants saying that they have met new people, that is it is their only connection to the Jewish community and the best part of their social life,” says program director Barbara Scharf.

For Peninsula seniors, the PJCC’s Get Up & Go program is “a lifesaver,” says program coordinator Betty Burr. Seniors who need transportation to the market, to get groceries or to handle cumbersome packages utilize the Foster City JCC’s Get Up & Go to take care of their daily needs, as well as their social outings. Seniors gather on alternating Wednesdays for live music, lectures on current events and other activities. “We serve an older community that cannot drive or use public transportation and give them renewed access to the world,” Burr says.

“It’s a really happy place to be,” says program coordinator Melissa Roman about the Millman Adult Day Program at Walnut Creek’s Contra Costa JCC. The program that enhances the lives of memory-impaired participants with socializing activities including music, reminiscing and word games. “We have so many volunteers from the community who come in and

a variety groups from the preschool too,” Roman says. New to the program is

the Dementia Caregiver Resource Library, which educates caregivers on dementia

and how to work with memory-impaired

individuals.

First Place

San Francisco

Older Adult Program

JCC of San Francisco

(415) 292-1200

www.jccsf.org

East Bay

Millman Respite Program

Contra Costa JCC

Walnut Creek

(925) 938-7800

www.ccjcc.org/template.php?section=PM

South Bay/Peninsula

Get Up & Go

Peninsula JCC

Foster City

(650) 212-7522

www.pjcc.org

North Bay

Friendship Circle

JCC, Sonoma County

Santa Rosa

(707) 528-4222

www.jccsoco.org/friendshipcircle.html

 

Home care program

Housed in Jewish Family and Children’s services of the East Bay in Albany is the Suse Moyal Center for Older Care Services, a care management and counseling program for older adults and families. “When families are in crisis, they can turn to us,” says client services coordinator Lisa Yordy. Staffed by licensed clinical geriatric social workers, the center works to help seniors will all levels of care. “People say they are very relieved to have found us, that their parents or older adults in their life ended up getting better care,” Yordy says.

Seniors at Home, a division of the S.F.-based Jewish Family and Children’s Services, offers comprehensive home-based services for seniors and their families. “We pride ourselves on being responsive to our home care clients and personalize all services to meet their individual needs” says director Judy Lynch. Unique to Seniors at Home is the Healthcare Advocacy program, which helps navigate the heath care system for those who have been recently diagnosed with serious diseases. “We are a one-stop resource,” Lynch says.

The Facebook of home care, Palo Alto–based Caresquare connects families with senior care and senior caregivers across a social network. Qualified senior caregivers can create a free profile with their skills, availability and references, which can be accessed by families looking for care. “In the past you always had to go through agencies for services, which can cost thousands of dollars,” says cofounder and CEO Ariel Ford. “We wanted to provide a low-cost alternative that wasn’t Craigslist, but wouldn’t cost thousands when your mom needs help.” The company has been around for two years and is connecting caregivers with families in most major metropolitan areas in the U.S., with a big presence in the Bay Area.

First Place

San Francisco

Seniors at Home

Jewish Family and Children’s Services

(415) 449-3777

www.seniorsathome.org

East Bay

Suse Moyal Center for Older Adult Services

Jewish Family & Children’s Services of the East Bay

Albany

(510) 558-7800

www.jfcs-eastbay.org/olderadults

South Bay/Peninsula

Caresquare

Palo Alto

(650) 328-8568

www.caresquare.com

 

Alzheimer’s care center

You will most likely find the residents of the Traditions Alzheimer’s and Dementia Unit at Reutlinger Community for Jewish Living out of their rooms on any given day. “Its a full activity program, seven days a week,” says Dr. Janice Corran, executive director of the Danville community. “It’s a feel good place — our staff go up there to take a break and dance.” Vacancies are quickly filled at Traditions, which has a waiting list. “People stay here for years — they just thrive in the program,” Corran says.

Just a 15-minute ferry ride from San Francisco is the Corte Madera community of Aegis Living, just one of Aegis’ many winning North Bay communities. With extensive facilities including a private movie theater, this innovative memory care program serves residents well. “Its really important for them to have a good quality of life, and that is what we can give them,” says director of marketing Candice Moses.

Different versions of Monet’s Waterlilies painting line the walls of the Alzheimer and Dementia Unit at Rhoda Goldman Plaza in San Francisco. Residents let loose their inner artist under the skilled hands of the unit’s specialized staff. Rhoda Goldman engages its residents by using different therapies, such as percussion classes, where sounds stimulates the mind and gets residents moving to the beat. “Families love to visit and see their loved ones engaged in life, which some haven’t seen in years,” says marketing director Iris Hudis.

Specializing in Alzheimer’s and dementia care, Cedar Creek Center in Los Gatos engages its residents throughout the day, seven days a week. The center’s activity program starts after breakfast and continues until 7 p.m., and includes music, art, pet therapy, daily exercise and discussion of current events. “We live in our residents’ world rather than correcting them or expecting them to live in our reality,” says community relations director Kelley Colla. “We want to preserve their self-respect and their dignity.”

The center sits on an acre of land and provides secure grounds where residents can walk around and enjoy the chickens and doves in the center’s aviary. “We want to encourage our residents socially, physically and intellectually as much as we can,” Colla says.

In second place were the Jewish Home San Francisco and Chaparral House in Berkeley.

First Place

San Francisco

Rhoda Goldman Plaza

(415) 345-5060

www.rgplaza.org

East Bay

Reutlinger Community for Jewish Living

Danville

(925) 648-2800

www.rcjl.org

South Bay/Peninsula

Cedar Creek Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care Community

Los Gatos

(408) 356-5636

www.the-creeks.com/Cedar.html

North Bay

Aegis Living

Various locations

www.aegisliving.com

Second Place

San Francisco

Jewish Home San Francisco

(415) 334-2500

www.jhsf.org

East Bay

Chaparral House

Berkeley

(510) 848-8774

www.chaparralhouse.org