Hebrew SeniorLife

05/22/2026

Congratulations to Hebrew SeniorLife's 2026 Nurse of the Year, Nover Baoengan, LPN!

Recognized at this year's Achievement in Nursing Excellence Celebration, this award honors someone who demonstrates the highest standards in their nursing practice, brings strong assessment skills to their work, and consistently provides patient-centered care.

Nover, a staff nurse at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center - Boston, was nominated for his clinical judgment and ability to build strong connections with patients. He has been a dedicated member of the Hebrew SeniorLife community for more than 21 years.

Congratulations to Nover on this well-deserved recognition, and thank you for everything you do for the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center - Boston community!

If you'd like to join our team, visit our website to view current opportunities ➡️ https://bit.ly/3Av42LD

05/21/2026

Hebrew SeniorLife is expanding its nationally recognized Right Care, Right Place, Right Time (R3) program to two Chelsea Square Apartments and Greenhouse Apartments in Chelsea. Both are affordable housing communities.

Through this new partnership with Related Affordable, older adults at both communities will have on-site access to a nurse and wellness coordinator, blood pressure clinics, health and wellness education, fitness classes, benefits assistance, and connections to critical resources — all designed to support independence and well-being where they live.

"Hebrew SeniorLife is committed to providing older adults with personalized care and services, supporting them to live independently and well, through our R3 program," said Stephanie Small, R3 executive director. "We are excited to partner with the teams at Chelsea Square Apartments and Greenhouse Apartments to bring health and wellness resources to the older adults in these communities."

Learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/49IGyBx

05/20/2026

Congratulations to Hebrew SeniorLife's 2026 Nursing Assistant of the Year, Sandra Douglas!

Recognized at this year's Achievement in Nursing Excellence Celebration, this award honors someone who consistently leads the way in providing patient-centered care, demonstrates personal and professional accountability, and is an integral part of the nursing team.

Sandra, a personal care assistant at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center - Boston who has been with Hebrew SeniorLife for more than 30 years, dedicated the award to her patients and colleagues.
Thank you, Sandra, for all your hard work, and congratulations on your well-deserved award!

If you'd like to join our team, visit our website to view current opportunities ➡️ https://bit.ly/3Av42LD

05/19/2026

When two people age together, their care needs don't always follow the same path. One partner may need more support while the other remains independent — and that difference can make planning for the future feel complicated.

A blog post by Catherine Couture, LICSW, MPH, community life director of our Orchard Cove campus in Canton, explores how couples navigating different care needs can still live together — or close by — at a community that offers multiple levels of care. She also shares key questions to ask when evaluating your options, including:

💑 If my partner lives in a different level of care, can they still access programs and dining options with me?
🤝 How will I be supported as a caregiver?
🗣️ How will I know my voice and goals will lead the conversation, rather than feeling "forced" into a certain decision?

Learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4nE9el9

05/18/2026

The impact of professional growth was on display at this year's Achievement in Nursing Excellence Celebration. Three members of the nursing team — Staff Nurse Judith Alcindor, RN; Staff Nurse Jennifer Bonheur, LPN; and CNA Elcirene "Cici" Santana Kelly — spoke about their unique career journeys and the training and education programs offered by Hebrew SeniorLife.

Cici, who started as a housekeeper at Hebrew SeniorLife six years ago, was part of one of the first two nurse training cohorts at the Lunder CareForce Institute. The evening also included the presentation of the Nursing Assistant of the Year and Nurse of the Year awards to Sandra Douglas and Nover Baoengan, LPN — both of whom we're spotlighting in posts later this week.

Judith has a long history of professional growth at Hebrew SeniorLife. After starting as a certified nursing assistant, she became a registered nurse and ultimately earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, all with the support of Hebrew SeniorLife's career development nursing scholarship. She is also a graduate of the new nurse residency program.

"Over the years, this work became more than a job to me. It became part of who I am," says Judith.

Jennifer began her Hebrew SeniorLife career as a culinary employee. In search of a career change, she transitioned to a patient care associate role, then completed Quincy College's LPN program, and is now part of the 2025-26 cohort of the nurse residency program.

"Looking back, I never imagined that starting in culinary would lead me to becoming a nurse, but Hebrew SeniorLife created the pathway for me. The organization believed in me, supported me, and gave me opportunities to grow. Today, I stand here proud," says Jennifer.

We thank our team of outstanding nursing professionals for their hard work day in and day out!

If you'd like to join our team, visit our website to view current opportunities ➡️ https://bit.ly/3Av42LD

05/15/2026

We are proud to celebrate five Hebrew SeniorLife nurses honored in the Boston Globe's Salute to Nurses — an annual recognition of nurses across New England whose compassion, expertise, and human connection transform the experience of care.

Congratulations to Anna Changxiu Qiu, RN, and Satish Sapkota, LPN, of Hebrew Rehabilitation Center at NewBridge on the Charles; Stephanie David, RN, and Victoria Gorodetsky, NP, of Hebrew Rehabilitation Center - Boston; and Stephanie Ifezue, MSN, RN, of the Rehabilitative Services Unit at NewBridge on the Charles.

Each of these nurses was nominated by a colleague who wanted the world to know just how extraordinary they are. We couldn't agree more. Thank you for all you do. 💙

Learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4tpFdXd

05/14/2026

What does a retired jazz drummer tapping pencils like drumsticks, a patient singing along to "Over the Rainbow," and a clown pulling a stuffed elephant from her purse have in common? They're all part of a recent visit by Hearts & Noses, a nonprofit therapeutic clown troupe, to patients at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center.

The Boston Globe captured the magic in a beautiful piece on “elder clowning”—and the feeling of joy that lingers long after a visit, even as the memory fades, known as a “happiness hangover.”

Read the full story:

Hearts and Noses uses therapeutic clowning to connect with seniors.

05/13/2026

In the Boston Business Journal, Hebrew SeniorLife President and CEO Adam Scott writes about something too many families know firsthand: a dementia diagnosis shouldn't mean navigating a fragmented health care system alone — but for most people, that's exactly what happens.

Drawing on his own family's experience, Adam makes the case for integrated, team-based memory care and caregiver support. He also highlights the work of the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health and the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, where researchers are studying the toll dementia takes on patients and caregivers alike — and developing better ways to help.

As we mark Older Americans Month, this piece is a timely reminder that every person living with dementia, and every caregiver walking alongside them, deserves to be seen, supported, and cared for with dignity.

Read the full oped ➡️ https://bit.ly/3RmlDhj

05/13/2026

This National Hospital Week, Hebrew SeniorLife is proud to be recognized by the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association for two innovations that reflect our longstanding commitment to older adults and the people who care for them: "Strength at Every Age," honoring our pioneering research on strength training in older adults, and "Barriers Broken, Careers Unlocked," celebrating the Lunder CareForce Institute's work to expand career pathways in health care.

Learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4eGLGth

05/12/2026

If a loved one has ever seemed confused or disoriented after a hospital stay, you may have witnessed delirium — a sudden state of confusion that affects 2.6 million older adults in the U.S. every year. For many years, delirium was considered temporary, something that simply "happens" to older people after a hospitalization.

But researchers at the Aging Brain Center at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research are changing that understanding: for many patients, the effects of delirium can linger for weeks or months — and have been linked to lasting cognitive decline.

The good news? Up to 50% of cases can be prevented — and families play a crucial role. In our latest blog post, Assistant Scientist Eva M. Schmitt, PhD, breaks down what delirium is, how it differs from dementia, and the concrete steps caregivers can take before, during, and after a hospital stay to help prevent delirium — and spot it early if it develops.

Learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4dGzDu3

05/11/2026

This Mother's Day, residents at Leyland Community — Hebrew SeniorLife's affordable independent living community in Dorchester — celebrated by arranging floral bouquets and enjoying lunch. It was a beautiful afternoon for creativity, good food, and even better conversation, and a wonderful way to honor the amazing mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures in our community! 🌸