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PURIM FESTIVITIES AT BETH PROTEA
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Despite a stormy start to the day, festivities were at a peak as the residents, staff, friends and family got together in the dining room at Beth Protea to celebrate this colorful holiday.
The theme this year was SPANISH and it was exciting to see the innovative costumes worn by both staff and residents. A superb Spanish quartet set the musical tone for the party and two traditional Spanish dancers took to the floor and mesmerized the audience with magical footwork. A special treat was a dance performed by young Hadas – art teacher Sarah’s lovely daughter...
The traditional Purim “spiel” this year told the story with a Spanish twist and was performed with much gusto by the ever willing residents.
A great time was had by all (including the delicious eats). Superb decorations as always by the ever talented Sarah.
Life partners notice a decline or change
in their partner’s behavior
Children are faced with the fact
that their parents are aging
and roles are reversing
An aging person undergoes uncontrollable changes
– how to cope and adjust accordingly
Do you feel like one of these subjects is addressing you personally and you have no-one to turn to who understands what you are going through?
Stop for a moment – read the following information. Be comforted by the knowledge that there is a helping hand and a listening ear to assist you cope and understand what has turned your once peaceful life upside down.
Be it male or female, any new decline or disability creates stress. So often, this affects not only the person diagnosed with the problem, but also the spouse or partner who shares their daily life.
The aging process is often accompanied by loss. Whether it is one or more of our senses – eyesight, hearing, taste, smell or mobility, co-ordination, reflex responses, incontinence, sexual drive, mood changes, memory loss... they are all life changing factors that are difficult to cope with and accept.
While the person experiencing the loss is trying to come to terms with the changes, the difficulty they are going through is often ignored or badly handled by those closest to them, simply because they themselves feel frustrated and angry and have no idea of how to help or cope.
It is not only the person undergoing these changes that needs assistance, but the family and/or care givers who also have to adjust to the outcome of such changes. They need tools and strategies to help them find fulfillment and satisfaction again with their relationships on different levels.
The new limitations placed on relationships can often endanger the wellbeing of both partners. When not addressed, the resulting stress can be destructive to each partner as well as to the broader family circle.
Often the care givers are unable to deal with the new demands placed upon them as a result of their partner’s inability to continue handling certain affairs. This results in added stress for both sides: guilt, resentment and sadness are all elements resulting from such situations.
Learning to deal with new limitations, adopting new attitudes or different behavior patterns will bring the balance back to all your lives.
Beth Protea offers an outreach program called “Protea Plus”.
This wonderful service is offered to the community at large and all these issues and many more are handled and addressed by an experienced social worker. Protea Plus’s extensive knowledge in this area offers assistance and support in finding that personal road to follow. Total confidentiality and discretion is always assured.
For further information, contact Ziona Kemelman at 09-9595228
or by e-mail :ziona@bethprotea.com
Beth Protea Honors Herman Musikanth
I have goose-pimples when I look around and see all the people whom I was closely involved with and when I think of the wonderful memories we created together.
Above: Walter Robinson and Herman with the painting presented to Herman at the farewell function.
January 2008 - These were Herman Musikanth's opening words to the gathering of fellow volunteers at a function in his honor, marking his retirement after 19 years devoted service to Beth Protea.
Herman recalled the day he was recruited by Walter Robinson and Myron Weinberg to chair the finance committee of what was then still a planned retirement home for Southern Africans. It so happened that at that time he and his wife Daphne had just completed an investigation into available facilities for elderly English speaking people for Daphne's mother. They had found that the costs in any facility prepared to accept an English speaking person were prohibitively expensive. They were fortunate, however, that Daphne's mother was accepted by their Kibbutz, Maagan Michael, which saved them from having to consider the possibility of having to return to South Africa.
Walter and Myron had told Herman that the job would involve at the most two days a month, but in Herman's words " their estimate of my time was the biggest con job ever imposed upon me. The acceptance of the position changed the course of my life".
Herman spoke of the group led by Walter Robinson, who together with Joel Katz, himself and many other volunteers, built a "dream team" whose dedication ensured the success of the project.
He also thanked Basil Gamsu and Monty Hilkowitz for their assistance at all times. He spoke of general manager, Lynn Lochoff as the finest example of concern and warmth, whose management of Beth Protea truly reflects the ideals of the founders.
To Beth Protea, he said, "Thank you for the great compliment and appreciation you acknowledged by the presentation of the portrait which honors me".
December 2007 - Chanukkah is a time to celebrate the tiny miracle of oil and light, and the spirit of the Jewish people fighting to preserve our identity throughout the course of history. |
