As an organization that prides itself on challenging stereotypes of aging, Hebrew SeniorLife is committed to supporting and empowering staff regardless of age. As an endorsement of this effort, Hebrew SeniorLife was recently recognized as a Certified Age Friendly Employer by the Age Friendly Institute. This certification is issued based on an evaluation of employers’ human resource and management policies and their commitment to recruiting and retaining employees over 50. 

In addition to being acknowledged as a Certified Age Friendly Employer, Hebrew SeniorLife committed to supporting an age-diverse workforce by signing the AARP Employer Pledge. Employers who sign the pledge believe in equal opportunity for all workers, recognize the value of experienced employees, recruit across diverse age groups, and believe that workers over the age of 50 should have a level playing field in applying for and obtaining employment. 

Hebrew SeniorLife believes that supporting workers of all ages is more than just the right thing to do, it makes us a better, stronger organization. It means that the organization finds and retains the best employees from the largest possible pool of candidates, and having people with a range of life experiences on our teams makes us better at problem-solving, creative thinking, and innovation. Hebrew SeniorLife congratulations our community members for creating an environment that welcomes all people in support of our mission.

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.

Boston, MA - Hebrew SeniorLife, New England’s largest nonprofit provider of senior health care and living communities, and the only senior care organization affiliated with Harvard Medical School, announced the successful completion of its Age of Opportunity: The Campaign for  Hebrew SeniorLife, raising more than $130 million.

The seven-year effort, the largest fundraising initiative in Hebrew SeniorLife’s history, exceeded its original $125 million goal.

Campaign funds were used to enhance Hebrew SeniorLife’s memory health efforts, support teaching and research, provide programs and services that go above and beyond for seniors, and enhance the flagship Boston campus.  Notable accomplishments include:

• Naming the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, which provides clinical and translational research on specific health challenges facing older adults. Marcus Institute investigators are finding solutions to the most pressing challenges of aging, including Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, osteoporosis, falls, frailty, and more. Among the institute’s many future-altering efforts is a Healthy Aging Initiative, established to answer the question “What predicts and supports healthy aging?” 
• Creating and naming the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health at Hebrew SeniorLife.  The Wolk Center provides comprehensive outpatient care related to brain health, cognitive and behavioral problems, and memory loss, whether due to Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias, or other neurological or psychiatric conditions, and supports both patients and their families during their journey.  The center’s Brain Stimulation and Neuromodulation Program offers non-invasive, personalized interventions to help individuals maintain brain health, mental well-being, and cognitive function, including symptom management for those with dementia. 
• Renovating and remodeling the 6th floor of the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center - Boston campus, radically transforming the highest floor of our long-term chronic care hospital into the household model desired by today’s seniors and their families.
• Launching new workforce development initiatives to address a critical need for health care workers. These include a certified nursing assistant training program that provides 200 hours of paid training and English language learning, and a culinary and hospitality immersion program to empower participants with the skills needed to build a successful culinary career.
• Establishing a new transportation program that will help older adults access services at the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health as well as other medical and community-based services.
• Strengthening Hebrew SeniorLife’s commitment to help nurses advance their careers, stay abreast of best practices, and develop innovative initiatives that lead the way in the care of older adults.
• Raising $6.6 million for essential COVID-19 relief and front-line worker salaries during the pandemic.
• Funding expanded community space in a new building under construction at the Center Communities of Brookline affordable housing campus in Brookline, MA. 
• Supporting innovative, individualized services that go above and beyond in the care of seniors such as the Center for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and Neglect, expressive therapies, hospice and palliative care, spiritual care, and multigenerational programming.

“The community’s support of this effort has been so incredibly generous, and we are grateful to all those who contributed. This investment of resources is allowing Hebrew SeniorLife to address the most urgent needs of seniors, which became even more critical during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Board Chair Melissa Bayer Tearney. “The Age of Opportunity Campaign was both ambitious and forward-thinking. Donor support is allowing Hebrew SeniorLife to reimagine aging through outstanding health care, inclusive senior living communities, influential teaching, and rigorous research.”

“We want to applaud the many accomplishments of the campaign that are helping to meet the challenges of senior care today,” said President & Chief Executive Officer Steve Landers M.D., MPH.  “The concerns that seniors face are pressing, including the need for more affordable housing options, more supports for people with dementia, and more geriatric training and research. While the Age of Opportunity campaign comes to a close, Hebrew SeniorLife will never stop in our pursuit of helping older adults live longer, more active, and more fulfilling lives. We all deserve better—and we believe Hebrew SeniorLife is exactly the right organization to continue finding creative new solutions.” 

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.

Hebrew SeniorLife, a Harvard Medical School-affiliated, integrated system of health care, senior living, research, and teaching, has been named one of the Top Places to Work in Massachusetts in the 15th annual list published by The Boston Globe. This is the fifth time that Hebrew SeniorLife has been named to the list. 

Top Places to Work recognizes the most admired workplaces in the state voted on by the people who know them best — their employees. The anonymous survey measures employee opinions about their company’s direction, execution, connection, management, work, pay and benefits, and engagement. 

The nonprofit organization was ranked #14 in the Largest Employer category (1,000 or more employees), up from #24 in 2021, which was the last time the organization participated in the survey.

Hebrew SeniorLife employs more than 2,400 people who serve 4,500 seniors per day on six campuses in Greater Boston, as well as through its home- and community-based services. 

“This award is evidence of all the work our employees do to create a culture in which we appreciate and recognize each other, and find purpose in fulfilling our important mission of helping older adults live with purpose and joy,” said Linda Thompson, Hebrew SeniorLife chief people officer. “The survey data showed that working here makes people feel like they’re part of something meaningful, and that HSL operates by strong values. We see this every day in the quality of care and the experience our employees provide, and the way we are looked to by the health and senior care industries as a standard-bearer. Our greatest strength is the people of Hebrew SeniorLife.”

“The best employers are always striving to put their people first, whether they’re honoring small individual accomplishments or adjusting company-wide policies to become more inclusive,” said Katie Johnston, the Globe’s Top Places to Work editor.

The rankings in Top Places to Work are based on confidential survey information collected by Energage (formerly WorkplaceDynamics), an independent company specializing in employee engagement and retention, from more than 137,000 individuals at 347 Massachusetts organizations. The winners are constantly working to improve their workplaces, from investigating how artificial intelligence can assist workers, not replace them, to helping workers get to know each other in an increasingly hybrid world.

The full listing can be viewed online and in the Sunday, December 3, issue of the Globe Magazine.

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, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Threads.

About Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC
Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC (“BGMP”) is a multimedia organization that provides news, entertainment, and commentary across multiple brands and platforms. BGMP offers leading integrated advertising solutions that connect communities, ideas, and causes through powerful storytelling and multimedia experiences. BGMP properties include The Boston Globe, Globe Opinion, Globe.com, Boston.com, STAT, The B-Side, Globe Publishing Services, Globe Events, and Studio/B.

Alvaro Pascual-Leone, M.D., Ph.D., Medical Director of the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health and a Senior Scientist at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research at Hebrew SeniorLife, was ranked as the 10th most influential neuroscience researcher in the world, and 6th in the U.S., according to the first annual Ranking of Top 1,000 Scientists in the area of Neuroscience. The list was compiled by Research.com, a prominent academic platform for scientists. 

Dr. Pascual-Leone is also a Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School whose research focuses on how the brain controls various activities in humans, and how this can be modified to make the brain more adaptable and effective. He is a pioneer in the use of noninvasive brain stimulation and its application for the study of brain-behavior relations and the development of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in neuropsychiatry. One of his overarching goals is to characterize and modulate brain activity to help patients overcome debilitating neuropsychiatric disorders, like dementia, and to promote brain health across the lifespan.

In addition to his research, Dr. Pascual-Leone also sees patients as a cognitive neurologist, delivering comprehensive, patient-centered, personalized care and multi-disciplinary, holistic support of individuals with cognitive decline, their families, and caregivers.

Research.com undertook a “meticulous examination of 166,880 scientists on Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic Graph.” From a list of 9,233 neuroscience researchers, Dr. Pascual-Leone was selected based on the H-index, which measures both productivity – the quantity of research produced – and quality – the number of citations of that research in studies published by other researchers. The H-index data was gathered by Microsoft Academic on Dec. 6, 2021, including only prominent scientists with an H-index of at least 30 for scientific papers published in the field of Neuroscience. Dr. Pascual-Leone’s H-index score was a 185 based on 125,335 citations in 810 publications. In the broader field of medicine, his H-index was 155, with 94,154 citations in 754 publications, ranking him 336 in the world.

See the full Research.com rankings.

Research.com said it compiled its first annual ranking with the aim “to inspire scholars, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers worldwide to explore where leading experts are heading and to provide an opportunity for the entire scientific community to discover who the leading experts are in specific fields of research, in different countries, or even within research institutions.”

“The Research.com ranking is further validation of Dr. Pascual-Leone’s excellence in research and patient care, which joins his previous commendation by Thomson Reuters that named him one of the ‘World's Most Influential Scientific Minds,’” said Lewis Lipsitz, M.D., Director of the Marcus Institute for Aging Research and Chief Academic Officer at Hebrew SeniorLife. “We are proud of the research he does in the Marcus Institute and how the insights he gains help improve the care of patients throughout the world.”

Boston, MA – Hebrew SeniorLife, New England’s largest nonprofit provider of senior health care and living communities dedicated to improving the lives of older adults, and the only senior care organization affiliated with Harvard Medical School, raised more than $1.2 million at its 9th annual EngAGE event held September 12. Proceeds will benefit Hebrew SeniorLife’s health care, communities, research, and teaching that transform the experience of aging.

Nearly 300 guests attended the in-person event, held at the Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston’s Seaport neighborhood, which included live performances by Fran Drescher, actress, comedian, writer, activist, and trade union leader best known for her starring role on the TV sitcom, “The Nanny”, and by Isaac Mizrahi, entertainer and fashion designer known for his fashion line and numerous TV appearances. 

Because he was nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category for “Barry” in the 2022 Emmys broadcast the same night, Henry Winkler, Emmy Award-winning actor, author, director, and producer best known as Fonzie on “Happy Days,” joined via recorded message. 

Dr. Mallika Marshall, medical reporter at WBZ-TV/CBS Boston, conducted a fireside chat with Louis J. Woolf, president and CEO of Hebrew SeniorLife, highlighting programs and research from Hebrew SeniorLife, and touching on Woolf’s recent announcement that he would retire in June 2023. Other speakers included Dr. Lewis A. Lipsitz, director of the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and Chief Academic Officer at Hebrew SeniorLife, and HSL Board Chair Melissa Bayer Tearney.

“This was our first in-person EngAGE event since 2019, and it was wonderful for our community to be together again,” Woolf said. “The engaging performances by Fran Drescher and Isaac Mizrahi were both funny and poignant, weaving together their love of their parents with their thoughts on aging. And we congratulate Henry Winkler on his Emmy nomination, and thank him for helping transform the perception of aging because at age 76, he continues to work, thrive and prosper.”

Woolf added, “I am moved by and appreciative of our community’s support for Hebrew SeniorLife, which seeks to provide extraordinary health care, strengthen our senior communities, conduct research on aging, and teach new generations of geriatricians and care providers.  Thanks to the efforts of our donors, frontline staff are empowered to provide such incredible care for the seniors we serve.”

For more information about EngAGE 2022 visit hslengage.org.

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 3,000 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 $63 million, making it the largest gerontological research facility 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.

For the seventh consecutive year, Hebrew Rehabilitation Center has been named to the “Top 100 Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts” and ranked #9 in the 2022 installment of this list, a joint project of The Women’s Edge — formerly The Commonwealth Institute, renamed during its 25th anniversary to reflect its expanded scope and impact — and the Boston Globe’s Globe Magazine.

Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, which is located on Hebrew SeniorLife’s flagship campus in Boston and at NewBridge on the Charles in Dedham, is led by Mary Katherine Moscato, FACHE, President of Hebrew SeniorLife Health Care Services and Hebrew Rehabilitation Center.  With more than 1,400 employees, Hebrew Rehabilitation Center provides geriatric specialty care under a long-term chronic hospital license to meet the medical needs of older adult patients in a therapeutic and healing environment.  

Hebrew SeniorLife is New England’s largest nonprofit provider of senior health care and living communities dedicated to improving the lives of older adults, and is the only senior care organization affiliated with Harvard Medical School. 

“I am pleased that Hebrew Rehabilitation Center has been recognized as a top women-led business in Massachusetts for the past seven years,” said Moscato.  "This honor reflects the commitment and dedicated hard work of our leadership team and staff, which includes numerous women nurse leaders and managers, who support and help our patients live the highest quality of life possible.” 

For each organization, The Women’s Edge, a nonprofit that supports female business leaders, examined revenue or operating budget as well as other variables, including number of full-time employees in the state, workplace and management diversity, and innovative projects. The Women’s Edge then ranked organizations according to its own formula. This is the 22nd year that The Women’s Edge has created the list and the 10th year that the Globe Magazine has partnered with the group.

The current honorees were recognized at an award breakfast on October 28, 2022 and in the October 30, 2022 Boston Globe Magazine.

Moscato joined Hebrew SeniorLife in 2012 and oversees a comprehensive and integrated network of senior health care, post-acute health care, and home- and community-based services. Moscato is a seasoned health care executive with 25+ years of C-level progressive management experience of multisite clinical operations, including long-term chronic care, post-acute care delivery systems, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, home care and hospice, medical practice management, and adult day health. Moscato is recognized nationally for her advocacy role regarding the impact on federal policy for specialty hospitals and community-based programs, as well as her leadership in implementing alternative payment models in the post-acute sector.

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 3,000 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 $63 million, making it the largest gerontological research facility 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.

BOSTON, MA - Harvard Medical School-affiliate Hebrew SeniorLife has appointed Ernest I. Mandel, M.D., S.M., Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, as its Chief Medical Officer.

“Dr. Ernest I. Mandel is an inclusive leader with extensive administrative experience, demonstrated clinical innovation, and a record of academic accomplishment including medical education leadership,” said Mary Moscato, FACHE, President, Hebrew SeniorLife Health Care Services, Hebrew Rehabilitation Center.  

“The Department of Medicine has a long-standing history of providing outstanding quality care to the most vulnerable seniors and teaching the next generation of caregivers, and these critical efforts will only continue to grow in importance. We look forward to succeeding together under Dr. Mandel’s leadership as he applies his experience, skills, and talents as Chief Medical Officer,” she said.

About Dr. Mandel
Dr. Mandel is a clinician at both Hebrew SeniorLife and Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), with an expertise in geriatric nephrology and renal palliative care. He is deeply committed to and passionate about Hebrew SeniorLife and its mission. His clinical and research interests in serious illness communication with dialysis patients led to the creation of the KidneyPal renal-palliative care service at BWH. He is committed to teaching and advancing geriatrics education, and was the Training Program Director of the BWH/MGH Joint Nephrology Fellowship, the premier training program in nephrology. Dr. Mandel received his Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude in Chemistry from Harvard University, his medical degree with honors from Yale University, and his Master of Science in epidemiology from Harvard School of Public Health. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he was also chief resident. He then completed a fellowship in nephrology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. He is currently participating in the Brigham Leadership Program at Harvard Business School and is an Age-Friendly Fellow in the American Hospital Association’s Next Generation Leaders Fellowship.

Since joining Hebrew SeniorLife in 2012, Dr. Mandel has provided nephrology consultative services and served in several leadership capacities, including as Medical Director of HRC’s Medical Complex Unit where he oversaw daily clinical operations and providers, and his current positions as Medical Director of Nephrology and Dialysis and Medical Director of Quality and Safety. He also serves as co-chair of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, chair of the Infection Control and Utilization Review Committees, and a member of the Ethics and Medical Executive Committees.

Dr. Mandel will assume the role of CMO effective January 17. As CMO, Dr. Mandel will oversee the Department of Medicine, including medical staff recruitment, retention and development; physician staffing on all campuses; and physician relations activities, both internally and externally. He will continue to oversee quality improvement operations, infection control, and safety initiatives, and will lead efforts to continually enhance the patient experience, clinical delivery systems, and patient and physician satisfaction. In addition, Dr. Mandel will guide the Department of Medicine’s efforts to develop innovative clinical programs, conduct collaborative research with the Marcus Institute, and maintain HRC’s tradition of excellence in teaching Harvard Medical School medical students, residents, and fellows. Finally, he will continue to provide on-site nephrology and dialysis care as Medical Director of Nephrology and Dialysis. 

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 3,000 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 $63 million, making it the largest gerontological research facility 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.
 

Hebrew SeniorLife, the largest provider of senior health care and senior living communities in New England and an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, has named Richard J. Henken chair of its Board of Directors.

Henken has been a valuable volunteer leader at Hebrew SeniorLife for 15 years. In addition to serving on the Hebrew SeniorLife Board of Directors, Henken has served as chair of the Senior Living Committee, and also serves on the Governance, Real Estate, and Roslindale Campus Planning committees. 

He steps into the board chair role that was held by Melissa Bayer Tearney, who has been a volunteer leader at Hebrew SeniorLife for more than 25 years and served as its board chair for the last three years.

“We are pleased to welcome Richard Henken as our new board chair,” said Louis J. Woolf, president and CEO of Hebrew SeniorLife. “He is a long-time volunteer leader at Hebrew SeniorLife who has long brought his experience in management, real estate, and philanthropy to provide exceptional support of our critically important senior care mission.”

“I am honored to take on the role of board chair and am proud to work with this organization to support seniors seeking to live their best lives,” said Henken.   

“I would also like to thank Melissa Bayer Tearney for her extraordinary leadership as board chair and her significant contributions to our organization, and those patients, residents, and families that we serve,” said Woolf.

Henken officially joined the Schochet Companies as its executive vice president in 1997, after having been affiliated with, and an advisor to, the company for more than a decade. In 2004, Henken became president of the Schochet Companies, including Schochet Development, Schochet Investments, and Schochet Property Management (Schochet Companies’ wholly owned property management subsidiary). Since joining the company, Henken has been responsible for closing transactions with a total value approaching $1 billion, including the acquisition and preservation as affordable of over 3,500 apartments in sixteen developments.

Henken earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from Tufts University and a master of science degree in management, with concentrations in marketing and finance, from the Sloan School of Management at MIT. Prior to joining The Schochet Companies, Henken was a marketing and strategy consultant to Fortune 500 companies and held senior marketing positions in the financial services and consumer packaged goods industries.

Henken also sits on several other nonprofit boards of directors, including the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service at Tufts University, New Lease for Homeless Families, and Discovering Justice. His previous board service includes the Catholic Schools Foundation, where he is a past president and current member of the Advancement Committee; the Greater Boston Real Estate Board (GBREB), where he served as chairman and currently sits on the Legislative Affairs Committee; the Massachusetts Apartment Association, where he is a past president and past chair of the Affordable Housing Committee; the National Apartment Association, where he served as a regional vice president; and Jewish Family Services of MetroWest. He is a member of the Economics Advisory Board of the Tufts Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Henken is the recipient of the 2011 Outstanding Service Award of the Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; the 2012 Retirement Housing Foundation Friend of the Elderly Award; the 2012 B’nai B’rith Housing Distinguished Achievement Award; the RHA’s 2017 Industry Excellence Award; the 2020 Lawyers Clearinghouse Stephen M. Nolan Leadership Award; and the 2024 Carolyn and Peter Lynch Award, for his service to the Catholic Schools Foundation.

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 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; Jack Satter House, Revere; and Leyland Community, Dorchester. 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 $98 million, making it one of the largest gerontological research facilities in the U.S. in a clinical setting. It also trains more than 500 geriatric care providers each year. For more information about Hebrew SeniorLife, visit our website or follow us on our blog, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn.

Hebrew SeniorLife has received a $250,000 grant from the Alzheimer’s Association Center for Dementia Respite Innovation (CDRI) to enhance the quality and availability of dementia-specific respite care for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

Hebrew SeniorLife is one of 21 recipients chosen to receive grant funding from nearly 200 applicants across the country.

In conjunction with the grant, Hebrew SeniorLife will also receive online training and ongoing technical assistance from the CDRI to ensure respite services are dementia-capable and to support sustainability. The CDRI will also collect data and evaluate the impact of these innovative projects from all grant recipients to inform public policy.

“We congratulate Hebrew SeniorLife on its grant and look forward to working with its team to help enhance respite care services for local dementia caregivers,” said Sam Fazio, PhD, senior director of Quality Care and Psychosocial Research at the Alzheimer’s Association. “We intend to gain insights from each respite program we fund, ultimately developing a catalog of programs, tools, and resources that will be easily accessible to interested caregivers and care providers.”

The Alzheimer’s Association created the CDRI earlier this year after receiving a $25 million grant from the Administration for Community Living (ACL), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Over the next five years, the CDRI will provide $25 million in grant funding to local respite providers and organizations to enhance the quality and availability of respite care nationwide. Visit alz.org/cdri to see the full list of this year’s grant recipients.

Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health

The Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health at Hebrew SeniorLife provides comprehensive outpatient care related to brain health, cognitive and behavioral problems, and memory loss, whether due to Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias, or other neurological or psychiatric conditions.

We are committed to providing families and patients with answers, hope, and personalized interventions designed to minimize disability, slow the progression of symptoms, and maximize quality of life.

The Wolk Center welcomes patients and their families at every stage, whether interested in sustaining brain health, seeking a diagnosis, managing mild cognitive impairment, or navigating advanced stages of memory loss.

Funding disclosure

This project is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $32,962,453 with 75 percent funded by ACL/HHS and $8,333,333 amount with 25 percent funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

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 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; Jack Satter House, Revere; and Leyland Community, Dorchester. 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 $98 million, making it one of the largest gerontological research facilities in the U.S. in a clinical setting. It also trains more than 500 geriatric care providers each year. For more information about Hebrew SeniorLife, visit our website or follow us on our blog, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn.

Investigators at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research at Hebrew SeniorLife are launching a large clinical food trial to test whether a combination of probiotics and prebiotics will help manage bone health over 18 months in 220 women aged 60 years and above.

Principal investigator Dr. Shivani Sahni, PhD, and her research team also plan to study the underlying mechanisms related to diet, inflammation, and the gut microbiome that lead to age-related bone loss. 

Study To Attenuate Resorption of Skeleton (STARS) is an 18-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial investigating a symbiotic (a combination of probiotic and prebiotic) medical food for the dietary management of metabolic processes associated with age-related bone loss. 

“There are currently no consistent guidelines on how middle-aged and older adults can maintain healthy bone mass as they age,” said Dr. Sahni. “Consequently, approximately 10 million Americans aged 50 years and above are living with osteoporosis, culminating in 1.5 million fractures costing $17 billion annually. Hence, there is an unmet need for safe and effective dietary interventions for the metabolic processes underlying bone loss.”

She added, “If successful, this trial could lead to the development of safe, inexpensive health-promoting strategies for the dietary management of the metabolic processes underlying osteopenia and osteoporosis.”

This study is funded by the National Institute on Aging. Collaborating institutions include Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Maine Medical Center, Solarea Bio, and Tufts University. Persons interested in participating in the study should contact Evelyn O’Neill at 617-971-5800.

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 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; Jack Satter House, Revere; and Leyland Community, Dorchester. 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 $98 million, making it one of the largest gerontological research facilities in the U.S. in a clinical setting. It also trains more than 500 geriatric care providers each year. For more information about Hebrew SeniorLife, visit our website or follow us on our blog, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn.

About the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research
Scientists at the Marcus Institute seek to transform the human experience of aging by conducting research that will ensure a life of health, dignity, and productivity into advanced age. The Marcus Institute carries out rigorous studies that discover the mechanisms of age-related disease and disability; lead to the prevention, treatment, and cure of disease; advance the standard of care for older people; and inform public decision-making.