Achiezer’s Eldercare II an evening to remember

The Eldercare II, Achiezer conference drew people from all walks of life last Sunday evening: middle-aged children, doctors, Rabbonim, spouses; residents of New York City, Williamsburg, Monsey, Connecticut, Clifton, Lakewood, as well as the Five Towns. All with one goal in mind: to provide the best possible care for the seniors in their lives.  

People were literally turned away at the doors of several sessions which were filled to capacity.

The concurrent sessions included:

•Dealing with Dementia, led by neurologist Dr. Marshall Keilson; dementia specialist Susan Methal, RN; and Mrs. Henny Friedman, RN, whose husband currently suffers from dementia. The large number of attendees highlighted the extreme need for information and support in this particular area.

•Caring for the Caregiver, led by Dr. Rachel Lowinger, was filled to overflowing with caregivers of dementia patients, who headed directly from the dementia information session, for a much-needed dose of Chizuk.

•When Home May Not Be An Option, led by Brian Rosenman, Mrs. Gittie Neufeld, and Dr. Zev Carrey, provided illuminating direction and guidelines regarding the difficult decision of placing a loved one in a rehabilitation or nursing facility.

•Hospital-Based Challenges of the Critically Ill Patient, led by Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt, Assistant Rabbi of Young Israel of Woodmere; Dr. Beth Popp, Director of Palliative Care and Hematology/Oncology at Maimonides Hospital; and Jonathan Rikoon, JD, partner at Loeb & Loeb, served as a perfect blend of halachic, medical, and legal information for caregivers of patients in critical care situations.

•Asset Protection Planning, led by eldercare attorney Ronald Spirn.

•Medicare & Retirement Planning, led by Steven Kass and Shlomo Bassalian.

In a keynote session, Rabbi Ephraim Eliyahu Shapiro and Rabbi Yaakov Bender provided words of Chizuk and inspiration that left the crowd inspired and empowered to continue in their difficult but potentially uplifting role as caregivers.

Over 30 vendors manned booths offering every product and service available in the field of eldercare — from Shabbos ramps to home health aides, pharmaceutical products to nursing homes, life insurance to estate planning, and more.

Audio recordings of the concurrent sessions as well as video footage of the keynote address will be available atachiezer.org in the coming days, or by contacting the Achiezer office at 516-791-4444.

Feedback is  welcome by  phone or through an online contact.