Officials say an April 29 event will feature guidance on how to embrace the journey of aging.
Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice will host “Embracing the Journey: Meaning, Hope and Eldering” — a Jewish aging workshop, on Sunday, April 29, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Due to program sponsor, Platt Memorial Chapels, this event is free and open to the public. Along with Samaritan, collaborators include the Tri-County Board of Rabbis, Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Southern New Jersey, Katz JCC of Southern New Jersey, Aleph Home Care, Lions Gate and Jewish Sacred Aging.
During the course of three hours, officials say a series of thought-provoking conversations will encourage guests to embrace the inevitable journey of aging, inspired by the beauty of Jewish teachings and traditions. Officials say spiritual, medical and social perspectives will highlight the meaning and hope of living fully at every age, as well as the importance of planning ahead and discussing one’s goals, values and wishes with family members.
Highlights of the event:
- “Spiritual Eldering” — workshop by Rabbi Richard Simon, Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice, features spiritual and psychological techniques on how to “elder,” not age, and how to approach your inevitable destiny more comfortably.
- “Gift of Timely Conversations” — workshop by Dr. Stephen Goldfine, Samaritan’s chief medical officer, will discuss how health care wishes should be discussed with loved ones and documented.
- “The Art of Caregiving” — workshop by Rabbi Richard Address, Jewish Sacred Aging will focus on Jewish traditions and texts and how they can help you honor your loved ones.
- “Finding Meaning & Hope in Serious Illness” — workshop by Dr. Donald Friedman, Jefferson’s Kimmel Medical Center, will address how finding meaning in illness can be a powerful way to cope with a difficult diagnosis.
“This program, which is part of a larger national dialogue on how we approach end of life and care-giving issues, will hopefully both educate, inform and empower those in attendance to open discussions with family members on what their wishes may be as their own health situation changes,” said Rabbi Richard Address, Chair of Samaritan’s Sukkat Shalom Jewish Hospice Advisory Committee and Founder and Director of Jewish Sacred Aging. “These are challenging conversations, but, in this environment, necessary ones.”
The Advisory Committee includes area clergy and lay leaders who support Samaritan’s Jewish Hospice Program with community education, engagement and connections to Samaritan patients and their family caregivers.
“We are excited to partner with these well-established, highly-regarded organizations and thought-leaders in bringing the important discussion of aging into our community,” said Mary Ann Boccolini, Samaritan president/CEO. “This event will offer many resources, tools and techniques on aging and how aging plays a role in managing difficult diagnoses. It will also provide a safe and comfortable place to talk about fears related to the aging process.”
For more information, to register or for a full schedule of events, visit https://samaritannj.org/hospice-blog-and-events/events/jewish-aging-workshop/.
The event will be held at The Samaritan Center at Voorhees 265 S. Route 73 in Voorhees.
