Tips and resources to help you navigate the joys and challenges of aging, from Boston's trusted expert in senior care.
BOSTON – Harvard Medical School affiliate Hebrew SeniorLife (HSL), a nonprofit organization committed to improving the lives of older adults, today announced Rachael Falk, Psy.D., has joined Hebrew Rehabilitation Center’s Department of Medicine. Dr. Falk will begin providing psychology services this week at HSL’s NewBridge on the Charles campus in Dedham, as well as on the Roslindale campus through the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center and the Center for Memory Health.
Dr. Falk obtained her master’s and doctorate from William James College (formerly the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology) and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in primary care behavioral health at the Bedford Veterans’ Administration Medical Center. She earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Experience gained along her education journey included internships/posts at Aurora Healthcare, Emerson College Counseling and Psychological Services, McLean Hospital, and Ethos Elder Services.
She has a long-standing interest in geropsychology and is a member of both the American Society on Aging and Psychologists in Long-Term Care. Dr. Falk will provide assessment and psychotherapy services in ambulatory care services, long-term chronic care, post-acute care, and the Center for Memory Health.
“Dr. Falk brings practical psychology experience to our patients throughout the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center and the Center for Memory Health,” said Helen Chen, M.D., Chief Medical Officer for the Department of Medicine at Hebrew SeniorLife. “We welcome her aboard and know that she will serve our patients well.”
“Geropsychology is a fascinating and rewarding area of psychology where I can make a difference in the lives of aging adults,” said Dr. Falk. “I welcome the opportunity to join HSL because it is a national leader in the care of seniors and I know through my work at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, NewBridge on the Charles, and the Center for Memory Health, I can directly help patients and their caregivers and families live their best lives.”
About Hebrew SeniorLife
Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, is a national senior services leader uniquely dedicated to rethinking, researching, and redefining the possibilities of aging. Founded in Boston in 1903, the nonprofit organization today provides communities and health care for seniors, research into aging, and education for geriatric care providers. For more information about Hebrew SeniorLife, visit http://www.hebrewseniorlife.org, follow us on Twitter @H_SeniorLife, like us on Facebook, or read our blog.
Specialties:
Researchers found a higher rate of bleeding and little difference in effectiveness.
Boston, MA - A nationwide study of 21,878 older nursing home residents with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation found a higher rate of bleeding and little difference in the effectiveness of standard versus reduced-dose treatment using direct oral anticoagulants.
“Given the potential harms and unclear benefits of standard DOAC dosing, our results support the use of reduced-dose DOACs for many older adults with multiple chronic medical conditions,” said Sarah Berry, M.D., MPH, of Hebrew SeniorLife’s Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research.
DOACs can prevent serious thrombotic events like stroke in residents with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and have a lower risk of major bleeding events than warfarin.
Persons receiving standard dosing of DOACs experienced 1.4 more major bleeds per 100 person-years than those on reduced dosing, with highest relative bleeding rates among those aged ≥80 years or who were not obese.
Over the 1-year follow-up period, the overall rate of major bleeds in this population was 8.6 per 100 person-years and 5.7 per 100 PY for thrombotic events.
The findings were reported in the article Benefits and Harms of Standard Versus Reduced‐Dose Direct Oral Anticoagulant Therapy for Older Adults with Multiple Morbidities and Atrial Fibrillation, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Authors were:
*Drs. Zullo and Berry contributed equally.
About Hebrew SeniorLife
Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, is a national senior services leader uniquely dedicated to rethinking, researching, and redefining the possibilities of aging. Hebrew SeniorLife cares for more than 4,500 seniors a day across six campuses throughout Greater Boston. Locations include: Hebrew Rehabilitation Center-Boston and Hebrew Rehabilitation Center-NewBridge in Dedham; NewBridge on the Charles, Dedham; Orchard Cove, Canton; Simon C. Fireman Community, Randolph; Center Communities of Brookline, Brookline; and Jack Satter House, Revere. Founded in 1903, Hebrew SeniorLife also conducts influential research into aging at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, which has a portfolio of more than $85 million, making it one of the largest gerontological research facilities in the U.S. in a clinical setting. It also trains more than 1,000 geriatric care providers each year. For more information about Hebrew SeniorLife, visit our website or follow us on our blog, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Whether you’re interested in our flagship Boston campus or our location at NewBridge on the Charles in Dedham, the referral and admissions processes are the same.
Central Admissions: 617-363-8372
Russian Bilingual Program: 617-363-8425
Learn more about the admissions criteria for our post-acute care and long-term chronic care programs below.
Patients and families can request to rehab at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center when meeting with hospital case managers or discharge planners. A clinical referral is required.
Refer a Patient
We welcome referrals to Hebrew Rehabilitation Center from individual seniors in the community, family members, physicians, senior care organizations such as assisted living communities, and other sources. Click below to learn more, or download our referral packet.
Refer a PatientTo make a referral to Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for long-term chronic care at either our Boston or NewBridge on the Charles Dedham location, we invite you to call our central admissions team at 617-363-8372. Russian-speaking families are invited to contact our Russian Bilingual Program at 617-363-8425.
Anyone can refer patients to us. Whether you’re a senior, a family member, a medical professional or part of another senior care organization such as an assisted living community, we look forward to guiding you through the admissions process.
Patients are admitted based on their need for long-term chronic care, the availability of beds, and the assessed level of care.
We accept the following insurances and payment methods:
To make a referral to post-acute care at Hebrew SeniorLife, including Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Boston or Dedham, we invite you to call our central admission team at 617-363-8372.
Read on for additional detail about the admissions processes based on level of care.
Our Rehabilitative Services Unit (RSU) offers short-term, skilled nursing care for patients who require rehabilitation services after an acute hospital stay before returning to their home in the community.
Determining an appropriate post-hospital care plan following a screening by a case manager or discharge planner at an acute care hospital, patients will consult with their physician and family to determine the most appropriate post-hospital care plan. Patients who wish to rehab at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center may request us by name. If a patient meets the Rehabilitative Services Unit’s criteria for clinical expertise, and a bed is available, the patient will be admitted.
The RSU is an appropriate placement when recovering from a variety of health conditions. We specialize in cardiovascular, orthopedic, and neurological recovery for seniors. We are unable to accept patients with the following conditions or care needs: ventilator-dependent, spinal cord injury, burn, hemodialysis, total parenteral nutrition, or head injury.
We accept the following payment methods: Medicare, private pay, and most major insurances, including Tufts Health Plan, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Commonwealth Care Alliance. Hebrew Rehabilitation Center offers financial assistance programs as well.
Admissions to our Medical Complex Unit for post-acute patients with complex medical conditions or multiple acute or chronic illnesses are based on clinical information. Evaluation by a Hebrew Rehabilitation Center clinical liaison must take place prior to admission. Once a patient is deemed clinically appropriate, insurance benefits and eligibility are reviewed.
The Medical Complex Unit is an appropriate placement for patients with a wide range of medical and post-surgical conditions, including pulmonary, cardiovascular, orthopedic, and neurological illnesses.
We accept the following payment methods: Medicare, private pay, and most major insurances, including Tufts Health Plan, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Commonwealth Care Alliance. Hebrew Rehabilitation Center offers a financial assistance program as well.
Many chronic care patients receive rehabilitation services provided by skilled therapists who specialize in treating older adults. Each Hebrew Rehabilitation Center patient receives a thorough evaluation of current abilities and an assessment of any impairments that might be impacting quality of life.
Patients who can benefit from rehabilitative therapies will receive an individualized program. The care team works closely with each patient to set appropriate goals, whether it’s feeling more confident using a walker or wheelchair, gaining stamina to enjoy activities, or improving speech to allow for better communication.
Family members and caregivers are an important part of rehabilitative therapy, too. Throughout the process, our care team will keep you informed about your loved one’s progress and share ways that you can be involved in their treatment program.
Here’s a closer look at the types of rehabilitative services patients at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center may receive:
Physical therapy can restore, maintain, and promote optimal movement and function. Our skilled physical therapists help improve strength, mobility, flexibility, coordination, and endurance using a variety of techniques, including:
Our physical therapy team tailors treatment plans to meet each patient’s needs.
Helping your loved one maximize their function is a top priority for our occupational therapists.
Occupational therapy services can help restore or increase the ability to complete day-to-day activities or assist in adapting to new environments and situations. Treatments and techniques may include:
Our occupational therapy team personalizes treatment plans for each patient’s needs.
Our speech-language pathology team provides comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for impairments in speech, language, swallowing, and cognition.
Speech-language pathology treatments include a mix of traditional and cutting-edge interventions, including:
Our speech-language pathologists have extensive knowledge in treating older adults.
Hebrew Rehabilitation Center provides a range of additional services for our long-term chronic care patients, including:
