Great Appreciation from Great Britain

Mrs. Clive’s daughter, Suzie, was recovering from lumbar spinal fusion in the Jewish Home’s short-term and rehabilitation services unit (STARS), and 93-year-old Zena, who lives in Middlesex, England, was exceptionally grateful for the outstanding care and loving attention she knew her daughter was receiving.

When Suzie heard about her mother’s generous gift, “It just blew me away,” she says. “I was really moved. My mom doesn’t have a lot, but she was so thrilled I was being well taken care of that she wanted to make a donation to the Home.”

The Jewish Home’s STARS unit caters to individuals 65 and older who need up to eight weeks of specialized medical or rehabilitative management after an illness or surgery before returning to their homes. STARS patients have the full range of the Home’s services available to them.

As she had never had surgery before, nor been to a nursing home, Suzie was not quite sure what to expect, but throughout her five weeks on the STARS unit, “I found the quality of care was quite extraordinary,” she says. “I had a really positive experience. If you need this kind of treatment, this is a good place to be.”

Zena, who was very worried about her daughter, called daily. “The fact that she could speak to me so easily made her feel a lot better,” Suzie recalls.

Noting that she is proactive about her health, Suzie particularly valued the openness and willingness of the Home’s medical staff to discuss her treatment with her. “We had two-way conversations. I could ask questions and we collaborated in my care. I felt respected as a patient and that really made an impact on the quality of my stay.”

Before being hospitalized, Suzie was not familiar with the Jewish Home, but she selected it for her rehabilitation when the discharge planner at UCSF’s Long/Moffitt Hospital, where she had her surgery, recommended it. “We looked at online reviews and the Home was given five stars, the highest rating, by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,” Suzie recounts. “It seemed like the place to go because of the standard of care it offered.”

Along with the excellent care, Suzie was impressed with the Home’s physical environment and the myriad of small things that enhanced her well-being during her stay. There was a nurse who massaged her feet and washed her hair, and another who rigged up a pole to hang items such as her hairbrush and dental floss so they would be within reach.

“When you’re in pain and can’t move, you really appreciate the little things,” Suzie muses. “I’m a very independent woman and the thought of being dependent on others was difficult for me. But everyone on STARS made it so easy.”

Learn more about STARS, the Jewish Home’s short-term and rehabilitation services center of excellence, by contacting STARS admission coordinator at 415.469.2286.