emmy times
April 2012
Bates Smart architects Sheree Proposch (second from left) and Eugene Cheah (right) discuss planning options with Board member Bruce Joske and Vice President
Susan Hearst. Photo: Ben Weinstein
Bates Smart to design new building
Emmy Monash Aged Care has commissioned leading Australian architects Bates Smart to design
179
a new facility
its site
Road,
North Caulfield.
PMS for
Warm
Greyon
11HawthornPMS
The proposed development forms part
of a new vision for Jewish aged care.
Emmy Monash president Joe Krampel
welcomed the collaboration. “Emmy
Monash and Bates Smart are both
award-winning organisations working
in the health and aged care sectors.”
Bates Smart, whose health portfolio
includes the new Royal Children’s Hospital
and Alfred Hospital (Alfred Centre), was
chosen by an expert selection panel.
“A highly innovative provider, Emmy
Monash has an exciting vision for the
future of aged care and we feel privileged
to be appointed to this project,” a
Bates Smart director said.
In addition to new residential care and
apartment accommodation, Emmy Monash
is exploring opportunities to design
additional activities programs and build
stronger links to local community life.
A range of stakeholders will be consulted
as part of an ongoing community
consultation program ‘Shape Tomorrow’
throughout this year. Market research has
already been conducted with targeted
focus groups.
Emmy Monash Chief Executive Officer
Tanya Abramzon said the organisation
was very conscious of its role in
responding to community needs.
“With demand for our services consistently
exceeding our capacity to supply, Emmy
Monash is confidently beginning the
next stage of development,” she said.
“We are very much part of the community
and this has been reflected in our services,
accommodation and participation in
communal life since inception.”
“The engagement campaign is about
listening, responding to the diverse
needs of the community and setting
new benchmarks in care,” Tanya said.
How you
can help
to:
shape
tomorrow
See inside for details.
A publication of Emmy
Monash Aged Care Inc
518-526 Dandenong Road,
Caulfield North VIC 3161
p 03 8508 9300
f 03 9509 6176
e [email protected]
www.emmymonash.asn.au
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Message
from the
CEO
It has been a great start to 2012.
Having received 30 bed licenses in the
latest aged care assessment rounds,
we had the green light to start planning
our new building in Hawthorn Road.
I am very excited about our appointment
of award-winning architects Bates
Smart who are working closely with
the Board and staff to realise our
vision for the future. Our community
consultation program ‘Shape Tomorrow’
involves all our stakeholders and
the wider community through focus
groups, information workshops for
staff; discussions with key donors; and
through an online survey (see details
in enclosed flyer).
A diverse range of community members
is already involved in daily life at Emmy
Monash – from school children to
volunteers in their 80s. Our expansion
plans will provide further opportunity to
create something special together; a true
partnership that will revolutionise Jewish
aged care well into the future.
Genia Simon with the Mayor of Glen Eira Jamie Hyams at her birthday party.
Genia going strong at 100
Genia Simon says the world hasn’t really changed in 100 years, but people have.
The centenarian was talking to Australian Jewish News journalist Livia Albeck-Ripka on
the occasion of her 100th birthday at Emmy Monash on Friday 10 February. Genia was a
very relaxed ‘birthday girl’ and happy to lap up the attention lavished on her by her many
family members, friends and fellow residents. Special guest, the Mayor of Caulfield, Jamie
Hyams, presented her with a certificate and flowers on behalf of the city, while George
Greenberg represented the Emmy Board. Fellow resident Josef Rewinson recited a special
prayer for her health and long life, while Gregory Cveigoren provided some background
entertainment on piano. Enjoying pride of place were the beautifully-framed letters
of congratulations from the Queen and from the Governor General as well as other
photos of Genia and her family from times gone by.
Of course everything we do in the
future is based on our already solid
foundations. Building on an exceptional
2011, showcased by Better Practice and
Employer of Choice Awards, this year we
will be expanding programs across the
organisation - in clinical areas, lifestyle,
Life Enrichment, in the apartments and in
our volunteers’ program.
Two of our newer initiatives are featured
in this issue. A popular item on the
apartment residents’ wellness menu is
Reiki, led by volunteer Joan Cohen, who
has gained a loyal following, as you can
see on the opposite page.
In our clinical area, we are thrilled that
residents are benefiting from our Pain
Management Clinic which provides a
holistic approach to treating chronic pain.
Read about this too on page 3.
I look forward to the exciting year ahead
and encourage you to help us ‘shape
tomorrow’.
Tanya Abramzon
CEO
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Apartment resident Shmuel Rosenkranz and Community Lifestyle Assistant Shirley Jacobs at Australia Day
celebrations at the apartments.
Celebrating our national day
Australia Day was a ‘fair dinkum’ affair for residents and staff joining together for
a good old singalong, a history quiz about the meaning of some of the best-known
Aussie songs and scones and beer. Apartment residents were entertained by Kathy Kaplan
OAM, daughter of resident Vera Freiden, who reflected on the meaning of receiving her
Australia Day honour last year and explored the topic, ‘Australian Jew or Jewish Australian:
Is there a difference?’
Reiki hits
the spot
Holistic approach
to wellbeing
Residents are now benefiting from
Emmy’s new Pain Management Clinic
which provides a holistic approach to
their physical, emotional and spiritual
wellbeing.
If you notice our Emmy Monash
Apartment (EMA) residents looking
particularly relaxed, it’s probably
because they’ve just left a Reiki
session conducted by our expert
volunteer practitioner Joan Cohen.
The former hydrotherapy room on the
ground floor of the Don and Sonia Marejn
Low Care Unit has been transformed into
a tranquil space with recliners, chill-out
music and fragrant oils.
Joan, who has a Level 3A Masters degree in
Reiki, has been volunteering her services at
the apartments since last November, and her
one-on-one sessions are in high demand.
Physiotherapists from Health Care 2
You treat chronic and acute pain with
heat packs, therapeutic massage and
Tens machines. Residents can also use
the room for relaxation and meditation
under Emmy staff supervision.
Joan was first introduced to Reiki in 2006
to treat severe stress. “It made me feel so
much better that I learnt how to give it to
myself. Then I started working on others.”
Joan says Reiki works on both physical and
emotional levels. She believes the technique
is especially effective with older people as
it gives them a different outlook on life
and helps them to feel more positive.
“Many people believe it gives you wisdom
and makes you feel more useful. It certainly
promotes relaxation and positive healing,”
she said.
Joan is enjoying working with older people,
finding that her empathy and nurturing
instincts are growing as she matures.
She stresses however that Reiki is not
an alternative, but works in conjunction
with other treatments.
Apartment resident Hilda Meltzer had
never heard of Reiki before, but is now one
of Joan’s “hooked” customers. Hilda says
everyone should keep an open mind and try
it. “I couldn’t believe how relaxing it was.
Every part of me was relaxed by the end
of the treatment.”
Another resident Ruth Beebe said, “It’s the
most wonderful cure for insomnia. I could
have easily fallen asleep and I never fall
asleep. I had less aches and pains the next
day and wasn’t so stiff.”
Both Hilde and Ruth are counting the
minutes to their next sessions.
Apartment residents participate in lifestyle
activities that benefit their physical,
emotional and intellectual wellbeing. They
are visited by a diverse array of fascinating
The initiative has been a huge hit
with residents.
Resident Abe Siegel enjoys Reiki therapy
from Joan Cohen.
guest speakers. The year opened with a
standing-room only event when more
than 30 apartment residents, low and high
care residents, families and community
members – young and young at heart
– came to hear Rabbi Daniel Kraus of
Manhattan Jewish Experience discuss the
crisis facing America’s Jewish community.
He spoke of his work connecting young
Jewish professionals to each other, their
community and Judaism. The Melbourneborn rabbi is the grandson of Hilda Meltzer.
Eva Lipton, who receives shoulder,
neck and knee massage four days a
week, says she finds the treatments
beneficial and very relaxing.
Rose Stach described her treatment
as soothing, the environment as
very relaxing and said she felt better
immediately afterwards. “I could go
straight to sleep,” she said.
The individually-tailored sessions,
which must be booked ahead, run
from Tuesday to Friday.
What is Reiki
Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress
reduction and relaxation that also
promotes healing. It is administered by
“laying on hands” and is based on the
idea that an unseen “life force energy”
flows through us and is what causes us
to be alive. If one’s “life force energy”
is low, then we are more likely to get
sick or feel stress, and if it is high,
we are more capable of being happy
and healthy. Reiki treats the whole
person including body, emotions, mind
and spirit with the aim of creating
relaxation and feelings of peace,
security and wellbeing.
Resident Tania Liberman receives treatment
from physiotherapist Hila Katanov.
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Chanukah fun for all ages
Emmy’s annual Chanukah party was a resounding success and a fitting finale to a
busy 2011. As always it was a packed house with residents joined by family members
for the early celebration of the Festival. The catering team prepared a delicious lunch;
David Rothberg kept everyone entertained, ending his performance with everyone singing
a rousing rendition of Ma’oz Tzur; and the children were kept occupied with fun arts and
crafts activities. Our annual raffle raised more than $600 with proceeds going towards
funding programs for residents with dementia in our Bierman-Sajet Unit.
The late Rose Weiss’ children Norman Weiss and
Heather Cohen (left) with Emmy Monash Board
member Karen Wayne in front of the Tree of Life.
Remembering
Rose
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The family of the late Rose Weiss has
made a generous donation to Emmy
Monash in appreciation for the care and
attention she received during the time she
lived at the home. Family members visited
Emmy Monash earlier this month to affix
three leaves inscribed in her memory on
our Tree of Life. The gift, from her children
Heather Cohen, Norman Weiss and
Andrew Weiss (dec), will be used to fund
vital programs for our residents.
All donations of $1,800 and more are
recognised with an inscribed leaf on our
Tree of Life. We gratefully acknowledge
contributions from those who have
requested donations from family and
friends to Emmy Monash in lieu of
gifts to honour a simcha; to honour
someone’s memory; and to those who
have made a generous contribution on
their own behalf.
(1) Jada (left) and Sonia Chrapot. (2) From left (seated): Dakota, Geoff, Shane, Susan and Eva Lipton; (standing):
Toby Lipton, Frank Tisher. (3) From left (clockwise): Mia, Leah, Miles and Oscar Urbinder. (4) From left: Tanya
Abramzon, George Greenberg, Karen Wayne. (5) From left: Shelley, Danny and Jessie Klinger, Les Bloom, Halli
Klinger. (6) From left: Asher, Ben and Irit Kave, Eduard Hellinger, Daniel and Georgia Kave.
Your gift will help us to enrich the lives
of residents.
YES, I would like to support Emmy Monash Aged Care
All donations over $2 are tax deductible.
Title:
First Name:
I/We would like to make a donation of $
Please find a cheque attached
(made payable to Emmy Monash Aged Care)
Or please debit my credit card:
MasterCard Visa
Card Number:
Surname:
Expiry:
Address:
Daytime Phone:
P/code:
/
Name on Card:
Signature:
Mail to: 518 - 526 Dandenong Road, Caulfield North 3161. Fax to: (03) 9509 6176
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