Program Details:

Many of our anxieties about death for ourselves or a loved one reflect our fear of physical or mental decline, such as the development of dementia. To help us approach these possibilities with more confidence and heart, Rabbi Dayle Friedman will share a framework inspired by Jewish wisdom to bring a practical and joyful approach. Through her teachings, we’ll explore the realities of dementia, the concept of advanced directives for joy, and, of course, how to have conversations now to clarify your own and/or understand the wishes of others in preparation.

Recording:

Resources:

Advancing Joy Worksheet from Growing Older
The Health Directive for Dementia by Barak Gaster, MD
End of Life Decisions by the Alzheimer's Association
Dementia Guide for Caregivers of People with Alzheimer's or Dementia, The Conversation Project
An Example of a “Dementia Road Map” Guide from Washington State

Speakers:

Rabbi Dayle A. Friedman, MSW, MA, BCC, is a pioneer in forging a fresh vision for the second half of life. She is a spiritual leader, social innovator, scholar, author of Jewish Visions for Aging: A Professional Guide to Fostering Wholeness and editor of Jewish Pastoral Care: A Practical Handbook from Traditional and Contemporary Sources. She founded and directed Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Rabbi Friedman offers training, consulting and spiritual guidance through Growing Older, her Philadelphia-based national practice.

In Conversation with:

Sally Kaplan is the Director of What Matters: Caring Conversations About End of Life, an initiative under the auspices of Shomer Collective, to bring advance care planning to the Jewish community in New York and across the country. She previously directed What Matters for 7 years at Marlene Meyerson JCC in Manhattan.