Jewish Community Housing Corporation of Metropolitan NJ

  There are many reasons why someone chooses to live at a senior community. To make acceptance of the move as easy as possible, the senior living community in question should tick off all your boxes. Not all senior communities are created equal, and you will find that your loved one will not feel at home in every facility you visit.  With that being said, our team at  Lester Senior Living in Whippany, NJ  has put together a list of what to look for when picking a senior living community. How does the senior community help residents maintain their independence? Great senior living communities prioritize the independence of their residents. At Lester for instance, seniors in the independent living apartments are in a physically separate building with others of similar mental and physical acuity. Furthermore communities like Lester provide support with ADL’s (activities of daily living), i.e. daily chores like cooking, cleaning, managing medications and getting dressed for the day so its

     L’shanah tova! It’s almost Rosh Hashanah and we hope everyone has a sweet new year. In preparation for this holiday, and to ensure this new year is sweeter than the last, we must prepare the key foods of Rosh Hashanah. Perhaps the most delicious being the honey apple cake. Eating honey was first referenced in the book of Nehemiah and eating red apples was first dated back to Rosh Hashanah in 1208. That’s a lot of honey and apples over the years! This traditional recipe provided by our chefs at the Lester  assisted living community in Morris County  combines both of these classic foods in the tastiest way. Ingredients for Honey Apple Cake: 4 apples diced (we recommend granny smith or honeycrisp apples) 2/3 cup honey 1 cup chopped walnuts 3 tablespoons rum 6 large eggs 2 sticks of butter 2 cups sugar 2 ½ cups flour 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon cardamom 1 teaspoon

Deciding to leave your family home and transition to an independent living community is a big adjustment. Not only can it be emotional for your senior loved one, but there also is the challenge of downsizing from a big home filled with years worth of belongings to more conservative apartment living. No matter the circumstances, it’s going to take time for mom or dad to realize this move is in everyone’s best interest, and to settle into their new home and life. Fortunately, as their child and support system, there are things you can do to help them  transition to independent living more successfully . Be completely honest.  Sometimes it doesn’t help to be overly positive at the expense of truth about the change. Instead, let them know that they can be honest with you about their emotions at all times, and in turn be honest and empathetic with them. Validate their feelings when they express how sad they are to leave the home they raised children in. But also remind them that it’s a pa

Rosh Hashanah translates to “Head of the Year” and is one of the most joyous celebrations for our people! It is also a time for reflection, where we think about the past year and how we’d like to make more positive changes in the upcoming year. While for many, Rosh Hashanah conjures up hours spent at synagogue, the best part about this holiday is celebrating with family and friends. If you’re looking for ideas, our Lester  assisted living staff in Morris County  have compiled great ways to enjoy Rosh Hashanah! #1. Wish your neighbor a happy new year! Perhaps, the easiest way to spread Rosh Hashanah cheer and make a positive change is to wish your neighbor a happy new year! You never know, after wishing someone “L’shana tova!” you might strike up a conversation that leads to a new friendship. There are many different ways to greet someone during Rosh Hashanah. You could stick with a simple “Happy New Year!” like we do on December 31st. Or if you want to practice your Hebrew more, yo