Hamaspik Gazette Hamaspik GazetteHamaspik Gazette Hamaspik GazetteHamaspik Gazette Hamaspik GazetteNews of Hamaspik Agencies and General HealthDecember 2005 • Issue No. 24Feb. 2010 . Issue No. 68

Two teams of scientists, onestudying 13 Ashkenazi Jews afflict-ed with Joubert Syndrome and theother scrutinizing a single affectedchild and the child’s parent, identi-

fied the precise genetic mutation thatgives them the rare condition.

The teams of researchers werespearheaded by Dor Yeshorim, aBrooklyn-based organization dedi-

cated to the prevention of the inci-dences of recessive genetic diseasesaffecting the worldwide Jewish com-munity.

Joubert Syndrome is named forDr. Marie Joubert, the Canadianphysician who identified the fre-quently debilitating condition in1969.

The syndrome is diagnosed afew days or weeks after birth, andaffects roughly 1 out of every 10,000births. The condition affects numer-ous developmental areas, includingbalance, muscle tone, and brain andlung function. Symptoms are mildto severe, and differ with eachpatient.

The disease has been increasing-ly studied in past decades. Amongthe most important breakthroughs inyears past was a possible Joubert-causing link between certain genes,but only in individuals of Italian orSwedish heritage.

In recent years, however, a risingnumber of Ashkenazi Jews havebeen diagnosed with the syndrome,largely because definitive MRI test-ing and increased information hasreduced the number of misdiag-noses. (Joubert is sometimes mis-taken for standard mental retarda-tion.)

Continued on Page E4

I N S I D EI N S I D E**

Special-Needs Parents

Weekend Coming — E2

**38th St. Shvesterheim

Opens — E4

**A Day in the Life of a

Hamaspik Nurse — E5

**What’s Happening

In Your Health — E12

The warmth inside Hamaspik ofOrange County’s Admin/Day Habbuilding contrasted strongly with thebone-chilling cold outside onTuesday, December 29, 2009, asDavid Jolly, Orange CountyCommissioner of Social Services,paid his first-ever visit to Hamaspikof Orange County.

The Commissioner had beenplanning to attend the building’sgrand opening and ribbon-cuttingevent two months prior, but wasunable to make it due to last-minuteconcerns.

However, Jolly did expressdesire to compensate for the missedevent—a desire that came to fruitionwith a personal visit, tour and lunch-eon as Year 2009 came to a close.

The event began at 11:00 a.m. asa select group of staffers fromHamaspik of Orange and RocklandCounties hurriedly dashed from theirparked vehicles to escape the bitingwind. Commissioner Jolly, who hadarrived a few moments earlier, was

greeted by Executive DirectorMeyer Wertheimer at the front

entrance, and a walking tour began.Trailed by a cluster of Hamaspik

staffers, Mr. Wertheimer showed theCommissioner around the first floor,

where Hamaspik of Orange Countymaintains its Day Hab programspread across several spacious,brightly lit activity rooms.

The entourage’s first stop was aroom in which higher-functioningconsumers stopped scrutinizing theirmath workbooks to greet their visi-tors. “Hi! I’m David!” said the affa-ble Commissioner, himself an expe-rienced family crisis professional, toone young man. “Nice to meetyou!”

The scene was repeated in thenext several rooms, where con-sumers of various levels of functionreacted happily and excitedly to theirguests, readily displaying their hand-iwork.

Having popped in on the entireDay Hab wing across the entire firstfloor, the group then boarded thecavernous elevator to the third floor.The doors slid open to reveal anenormous banner draped across thepicture windows overlooking the

Joubert Syndrome in Ashkenazi JewsLinked to Genetic Mutation

Researchers find disability-causing gene;Dor Yeshorim-driven discovery makes future testing possible

United under the same banner: The commissioner at the start of his visit with Hamaspik staffers

O.C. Commissioner of Social Services David JollyPays First-Ever Visit to Hamaspik

Orange County leader hosted for lunch, tour of Admin/Day Hab Building

Continued on Page E5

E2 Feb. ‘10 | Hamaspik Gazette

Hamaspik will be organizing its 8th and9th annual grand Shabbatons, or JewishSabbath retreats, this coming February andMarch, 2010.

The events are exclusively for parents ofchildren with special needs who benefit fromHamaspik’s At-Home services.

The first of the two Shabbatons, gearedfor traditional Yiddish-speaking parents, willbe held over the February 5-7 weekend, andthe second, exclusively for their English-preference peers, will be held over the March5-7. Both will take place at the RadissonHotel Piscataway in (you guessed it!)Piscataway, New Jersey.

Parents are “excited” about it, points outMrs. Brenda Katina, Hamaspik’s EventCoordinator, explaining that its superlativetrack record is its own best advertisement.

The event’s purpose is “to bring peoplein the same situation together to strengtheneach other,” continues Mrs. Katina, touchingupon the unique needs of parents of special-needs children—and their oft-times sense ofisolation. “More and more people come outof the closet each year.”

The program will feature a number ofsessions on various disabilities, stress man-agement, public programs and support avail-able to the developmentally disabled popula-tion, and opportunities for integration andinvolvement in the community.

Most importantly, participating familieswill enjoy the once-a-year opportunity totransform complete strangers into trustedfriends over bonds of shared experience.

Scrumptious meals will be provided by atop caterer under scrupulous kosher supervi-sion. Still, for the parents, hospitality andcomfort are “side dishes” compared to theevent’s “main course”: The combination ofinspiring speeches, relevant lectures, refresh-ing rest and relaxation, and, above all, a per-vasive atmosphere of inspiration and rejuve-nation.

In March of 2004, Hamaspik held its first

Shabbaton at the Marriott in Somerset, NewJersey to further that critical sense of commu-nity belonging and integration among parentsof children with special needs. Long a propo-nent of full inclusion, Hamaspik has seen asignificant positive change in community atti-tudes towards children with special needssince its 1986 inception.

However, as Gazette readers surely know,there’s always room to improve.

That’s why Hamaspik turned theShabbatons into annual events, with each big-ger and better than the previous one.Increasingly prominent speakers were broughtin each year to inspire Hamaspik’s consumerparent body, and larger, more detailed sched-ules were planned.

Last year’s events required the largest-evernumber of room reservations for the English-language program as well as its Yiddish-lan-guage counterpart.

Additionally, while earlier Shabbatonswere held in the summer, the past two years’events were held in the winter, allowing forlonger Friday- and Saturday-night group ses-sions.

“I’m very excited. I could use one!” saidMrs. Berzesky, a Monroe, New York parent ofa very medically involved Hamaspik con-sumer, upon hearing of the upcoming event.Mrs. Berzesky attended Hamaspik’s Yiddish-language Shabbaton in the winter of 2008. “Itgave us life for the entire winter,” the gratefulparent reports.

What did Mrs. Berzesky like the mostabout the 2008 event? “Everything!”

Rabbi Akiva Tendler, a noted lecturer withMonsey’s respected Ohr Somayach organiza-tion and a Hamaspik parent, is effusive in hispraise for Hamaspik in general and the eventin particular. As parents of a child with specialneeds, Rabbi and Mrs. Tendler attended a pastShabbaton.

Asked by phone what he liked most aboutthe event, Rabbi Tendler pauses for a weightymoment then asks through an audible smile,“Where do I start?”

“The best part was that it was a stressreliever. Everything was done so well andcoordinated to the tee. You got there and youhad no worries left in the world. You left real-ity,” first says Rabbi Tendler. “It was thegreatest opportunity, and a highly recommend-ed opportunity. The programming was per-fect.”

Rabbi Tendler remembers a richly diversebut precisely executed program comprisingeverything from ample food, inspiring musicand vocal performances to “endless” opportu-nities to connect with peers and even a thera-peutic percussion session.

“The support: talking about challengeswith children, sitting together by the meals—you realize you’re not the only ‘normal’ persongoing through this challenge. You’re in goodcompany,” says Rabbi Tendler. “That alonewas a tremendous chizuk [Hebrew for moraleboost—ed.].”

As the Gazette went to print, ProjectCoordinator Mrs. Katina and Hamaspik MSCstaffers were busy sending out personalizedinvitations to a select group of parents.Hamaspik will keep its parent body informedof all further Shabbaton details as they becomeavailable.

Annual Hamaspik weekend retreat for special-needs parents approaching

Yearly event designed to inspire, educate and boost morale

Flying high: At last year’s Shabbaton, spirits soared, live music played and feet flew all Saturday—to 4:00 am Sunday morning

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E3Hamaspik Gazette Feb. ‘10

On December 24, 2009, MSCSupervisors at Hamaspik of Orangeand Rockland Counties held a jointannual training session for theService Coordinators under theirsupervision on the premises ofHamaspik of Rockland County.

Close to 20 Hamaspik staffersfrom both agencies met on aThursday for three hours of state-mandated training in incident report-ing and infection control, plus apresentation on human growth anddevelopment for Hamaspik’s two

newest MSCs.At the behest of MSC

Supervisors Mr. Arthur Sabel andMrs. Nechama Nissenbaum ofRockland, and Mr. Moshe Sabel andMrs. Perry Zelik of Orange,Hamaspik of Rockland CountyDirector of Residential Services Mr.Shaya Wercberger opened the ses-sion with an informative, detailedand current review on all incidentreportage rules.

Mr. Wercberger’s presentationcovered a wide range of issues,

many part of the OMRDD’s criticalPart 624 rules, including the impor-tant Jonathan’s Law, precise defini-tions of “abuse” and “neglect”, andspecific procedures for NHTD andTBI consumers.

Mrs. Evie Steinhart, RN, aFamily Care Nurse with Hamaspikof Rockland County, followed withan overview on infection control.

Mrs. Steinhart’s presentationcovered all pertinent infection-con-trol information. This includedhand-washing and other hygiene

procedures, handling and/or avoid-ing body fluids, and performinghygienic emergency medical tech-niques on consumers with specialneeds.

The third and last of the ses-sion’s three parts consisted of areview of normal developmentalstages for children of various ages.The review, presented by RocklandIRA/Day Habilitation Nurse Mrs.Riva Naiman, RN, equipped ServiceCoordinators with the authoritativeknowledge required to advise par-

ents of young consumers whatwould best work, or not work, fortheir kids.

Veteran Hamaspik ServiceCoordinator Mr. Joseph Ergas, cur-rently working out of the OrangeCounty offices, notes that knowingwhat children ought to be doing ateach age makes all the difference incrafting individual profiles. “Ithelps when you’re working ongoals,” he says.

The training session ran from10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Hamaspik of Orange, Rockland Holds Training EventMSC Supervisors, Coordinators converge for joint session

Leading by example: Wercberger recalls personal expe-riences

Always growing: Seasoned MSCs Eliezer Eizicovits andMordechai Follman listen thoughtfully

As the Gazette went to print,Hamaspik’s newest IRA, the 38th St.Shvesterheim in the Borough Parksection of Brooklyn, officiallyopened its doors to its first residen-tial consumers on Sunday, January10, 2010. A full mezuzah-mountingand grand opening ceremony for theconverted Brooklyn brownstone isplanned for the near future.

As reported in the most recentissues of the Gazette, constructionand interior design was completed, ateam of competent staff was hired,and furniture was purchased anddelivered.

Additionally, the new Shvester-heim’s caregivers met with parents’consumers to smooth their daugh-ters’ transition to their new home

and iron out any and all paper-work—a transition for some that wasyears in the making.

With final state inspections justcompleted satisfactorily, the resi-dence’s group of young women gotthe green light to move in at last,culminating over three years ofwork.

According to Home ManagerYomtov Malik, the new residentswill move in one at a time, the betterto allow each a smooth adjustmentto her new surroundings. As men-tioned, each consumer’s individualstrengths, weaknesses, preferences,proclivities and particular health andtherapy requirements have beenpainstakingly taken into account,primarily through careful consulta-tion with caregivers and parents.

The residence joins the existing61st St. Briderheim and South 9thInzerheim to become the newestmember of the Hamaspik of KingsCounty family.

New 38th St. ShvesterheimOpens Doors

New dining room (furniture): Consumers will feel—andeat—right at homerecalling personal experiences

A grand entrance: Facilitating consumers, the originalexterior staircase was replaced with a ramprecallingpersonal experiences

E4 Feb. ‘10 | Hamaspik Gazette

Getting started

Dor Yeshorim is best known forits trailblazing efforts to preventTay-Sachs, a recessive genetic disor-der disproportionately affectingJews of Ashkenazi descent. Today,however, the organization’s screen-ing and compatibility program cov-ers many other genetic conditionsthat are recessive, or appearing onlyif both the patient’s parents carry themutated genes that cause them.These include cystic fibrosis,Fanconi Anemia, and FamilialDysautonomia.

Key to the self-education thathas defined the organization, DorYeshorim’s staff maintains ongoingcommunication with geneticresearchers the world over, constant-ly staying on the cutting edge ofmedical genetics.

One unintended benefit of regu-larly amassing the newest knowl-edge is Dor Yeshorim’s ability toexplore new possibilities from a

position of reliable authority—tostand shoulder to shoulder with theexperts, not one step behind.

About one year ago, because ofthe rise in Joubert Syndrome diag-noses among Ashkenazi Jews, DorYeshorim began concentrating partof its ongoing scientific explorationon the syndrome.

The anonymous subjects of DorYeshorim’s study were 13Ashkenazic Jews with JoubertSyndrome: one adult, two teens andten children all ranging in age from26 to 1. Funded by Dor Yeshorim,the two scientific teams were provid-ed with substantial data, and theresearch began.

Finding a missing link

The human body contains bil-lions of cells: skin cells, bone cells,muscle cells, blood cells, brain cells,nerve cells and so on. Each cell con-tains 46 chromosomes—two sets of23 each. And each chromosome iscomprised of genes—numberingfrom the thousands to the millions.

Most human beings carry manychromosomes whose genes aremutated, or changed. But becauseeach mutated gene has a healthytwin, the mutation causes no medicalproblems.

However, when both copies ofthe same gene have the same muta-tion, various genetic diseases or con-ditions are created.

Previous research had foundseven different genetic mutations inJoubert Syndrome patients in Asia,Italy and Sweden. But intriguingly,Dor Yeshorim’s research did not findany of those mutated genes in any ofthe 13 Ashkenazi Jewish JoubertSyndrome patients in its currentstudy.

However, further research founda new mutation in all 13—a muta-tion that was not present in theaforementioned patients. In thegroup of Jewish patients, theTMEM216 gene was discovered tobe mutated.

The research teams made theirindependent discoveries of the samegenetic mutation this past October,

on the eve of the Jewish holiday ofSukkos.

Most significantly, the researchdemonstrated that roughly 1 out ofevery 92 Ashkenazi Jews carry a sin-gle mutated TMEM216 gene—mak-ing them otherwise healthy JoubertSyndrome carriers thanks to thegene’s intact twin.

This also means that 1 in 8,000couples who are carriers of themutation and who marry each otherhave a 1 in 4 chance of having achild with Joubert Syndrome.

The study concluded with a call

for a thorough examination of theTMEM216 gene. “Given its smallsize in comparison to other JSRD[Joubert Syndrome] genes, sequenceanalysis of TMEM216 is warrantedin every JSRD patient, especiallythose who suffer from associatedanomalies,” it said.

The breakthrough raises the pos-sibility for Dor Yeshorim to addJoubert Syndrome to the list ofgenetic diseases detected by its cur-rent compatibility-test system bymeans of a simple blood test.

The study was published in theJanuary 8, 2010 issue of TheAmerican Journal of HumanGenetics, and listed Dor Yeshorimfounding executive Joseph Ecksteinas a key study author.

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Rockland County EI Director Mrs. Lalouch,

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to feel their way along to an improved future.

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Continued from Page 1

E5Hamaspik Gazette | Feb. ‘10

building’s front walkway.The banner read: “Hamaspik of

Orange County Welcomes DavidJolly, Commissioner of SocialServices, Orange County, December29, 2009”. “Oh, wow!” Jolly react-ed in pleasant surprise.

The event had originally calledfor the banner to be mounted out-doors, across and above the build-

ing’s main entrance. However, dueto the prohibitive outdoor tempera-tures (the mercury was well below20 degrees Fahrenheit at the time),the banner and its concomitant groupphotos were moved to the building’stoasty interior.

After a group of camaraderie-building group shots were snapped,the entourage of 20-plus Hamaspikstaffers trickled after theCommissioner and Mr. Wertheimer

as they began visiting the third-flooradministrative workspaces.

Stepping onto the floor, theCommissioner found himself speak-ing to Mrs. Perry Zelik, a Hamaspikof Orange County MSC Supervisor.Mrs. Zelik introduced herself andthe Coordinators of the EarlyIntervention department, and theCommissioner and hosts movedfrom cubicle to cubicle, striking upseveral friendly conversations.

In one such dialog, a brief chatabout Early Intervention, theCommissioner shared that veteran EIprofessional Sharon Jolly of SharonJolly & Associates LLC in HighlandMills, New York was actually hisown esteemed mother. Hamaspikhas used EI evaluators from the pri-vate firm on numerous occasions,Mrs. Zelik informed theCommissioner.

At a second cubicle, just-pro-moted Director of Early InterventionMrs. Leah Klar, a longtimeHamaspik of Orange Countyemployee, described how Hamaspikencourages appropriate Medicaidconsumers to purchase and use pri-vate insurance plans as well. “Wesaved the County 1.5 million dol-lars,” Mrs. Klar informed theCommissioner, citing one consumerin particular.

After touring the workspacesand briefly passing through a sectionof the floor still under construction,the Commissioner and the crowdmade their way back down a hall toa corner conference room, where anelegant lunch had been set up.

The 20-plus attendees took theirseats around the three tables asemcee Mendy Hecht, Editor of theHamaspik Gazette, formally beganthe proceedings.

“I’m not going to speak for verylong,” quipped Hecht, setting a for-mal but friendly tone. “It’ll justseem like it.”

After another icebreaker that hadthe crowd laughing, the emcee recit-ed an English translation of anancient Hebrew prayer traditionallyrecited upon the visit of governmentleaders. The prayer, adapted fortoday’s times, solicited G-d’s bless-ings for several public servants fromU.S. President Barack Obama ondown to Commissioner Jolly.

The translation was followed bya cantorial rendition in the originalHebrew by Mendel Rosenfeld,Hamaspik of Orange County FamilyCare Liaison—and a professionallytrained chazzan, or cantor.

By way of an amusing anecdote,Hecht then introduced a short butinformative and inspiring videoabout Hamaspik and what it does.

Visiting a restaurant with hismother, a little boy was asked by awaiter what he’d like. The childrequested four frankfurters with allthe trimmings but his mother, with aknowing look, instructed the waiterto bring him a bowl of mashed pota-toes instead. The mother was horri-fied when the waiter returned withthe frankfurters—but the child waselated. “Look, Mom!” he said. “Hethinks I’m real!”

The point, Hecht elaborated, wasthat “at Hamaspik, our consumersare real, and their needs are real”—acorporate philosophy that was com-municated by the ten minutes offootage showing Hamaspik con-sumers, mostly group home resi-dents, being cared for lovingly.

“Wasn’t that a great video?”Hecht asked after it ended. “I couldwatch it all day… But there’s onething better than that video: the realthing.”

Hecht then introduced “thefather of Hamaspik,” Executive

Director Mr. Meyer Wertheimer, toshare a few words.

In his brief comments, Mr.Wertheimer touched upon the scopeand range of Hamaspik’s services,pointing out that through referralsfrom the Orange County Dept. ofSocial Services, its Access to Homeprogram had helped consumers inMontgomery, Otisville, Port Jarvis,Port Jervis, Newburgh, NewWindsor and Warwick, New York.

“Since we have a unified mis-sion and we want to be on the samepage,” said Mr. Wertheimer to theCommissioner, “we want to makesure that you’re not just on the samepage, but on the same time and sameminute, every minute of the day.”He then presented CommissionerJolly with Hamaspik’s token ofappreciation for his visit: an elegantwood and brass desk clock crownedwith a personalized message.

Commissioner Jolly then shareda few personal words with thecrowd.

“I bring my best from theCounty Executive, Edward A.Diana,” he began. “It was a realwonderful opportunity I got heretoday to meet some of the peopleyou serve.”

Touching briefly on the twoorganizations’ shared mission, theCommissioner said that his missionwas to determine what consumersneed and get them what they need.“That’s our job. And that’s the job Iknow you’re doing here every day,”he concluded. “You’re looking ateverybody individually and you’retalking to them about what theirneeds are.”

Hecht wrapped up the event bysharing one last anecdote—one thathe had actually personally overheardon his first day on the job. A gov-ernment official, once visitingHamaspik’s Dinev Inzerheim ICFjust adjacent to the Admin/Day HabBuilding, remarked that the bedlinens in one consumer’s bedroomwere the same as the ones she had inher own home. “That’s the idea,”her host tellingly replied, highlight-ing Hamaspik’s uncompromisingtreatment of consumers as the full-fledged members of the communitythat they are.

The Commissioner was thankedonce again for his visit, and thecrowd slowly broke up and headedto the rest of their day. For OrangeCounty participants, that meantmerely walking back to their officesa few paces away. For Hamaspikemployees from Rockland County,that meant a brief 30-minute driveback to Monsey. But all of themcame away with one thing: arenewed sense of pride in their mis-sion, backed no less by the partner-ship and support of the OrangeCounty Department of SocialServices.

As the Commissioner himselfput it, “You should be very proud,and that’s really why I wanted tocome visit today—to tell you howproud I am of you and the work thatHamaspik does both in Orange andin Rockland County.”

Commissioner Jolly VisitContinued from Page 1

Joining forces: Commissioner Jolly and Transportation CoordinatorLazer Farkas hit it off

Familiarization tour: Mr. Wertheimer acquaints the Commissionerwith Hamaspik goings-on as covered in the Gazette’s last issue

Standing together: Hamaspik staff join the Commissioner in common cause

E6 Feb. ‘10 | Hamaspik Gazette

Editor’s note: This colorful, heart-warm-ing and exclusive feature was originallypenned two years ago by popular freelancewriter Ruchama Jacobs, capturing the worldof the Hamaspik IRA from the perspective ofits residents and staff (several of whom havesince moved on). It has not been published—until now.

It was a warm summer evening. At the61st Street Briderheim, supper had beenserved and cleared and bedtime routines wereabout to commence. Mrs. Schwartz, devotedstaff member, suddenly noticed Moishy stand-ing at the door, flapping his hands strangely inthe direction of the still-bright sky. “Moishy,what happened? What are you doing?”

Moishy’s voice rang with innocent intensi-ty. “I’m pushing away the sun,” he explained,“so Shabbos should come faster!” Grinningwidely, he declared, “I love Shabbos!”

Who doesn’t love Shabbos? It’s a day torelax, a day to recharge, and a day to refocus.It’s a day of singing, satisfaction, and spiritualjoy. Special consumers seem to display a par-ticular affinity toward Shabbos, and at theHamaspik group homes, the seventh day pos-sesses an extra sweetness. Shabbos is muchanticipated during the week, eagerly embracedthroughout its duration, and then enthusiasti-cally awaited once more.

Starting Sunday, one consumer from theConcord Briderheim can be heard exclaiming,“It’s almost Shabbos already!” When that dayfinally does come around, he’s in his element.

And not only consumers love Shabbos atHamaspik. Several staff members who regu-larly spend Shabbos at Hamaspik admit to afeeling of deflation during “off-Shabbosim”that are not spent at the group homes.

The aroma of Shabbos can be detected onThursday, when dedicated Hamaspik cooksprepare the complete Shabbos menu. Fromfish and cholent to gourmet desserts and cakesand even fresh, homemade challah, nothing isoverlooked, and the “heaven-scent” aromastease consumers’ senses.

By the time Friday dawns, pots and panshave been replaced by a peaceful and poignantsense of excitement. The day begins typicallyenough with the usual morning routines. Atapproximately midday, however, two commu-nity-member couples arrive to spend Shabbosat the group home. Once the Shabbos staff ispresent, the countdown begins in earnest.

Friday, 2:00 p.m.:Welcomes and Work

Consumers return to Hamaspik from theirschools and Day Habilitation programs. Afterdisembarking from buses and vans, each isgreeted with a cheerful hello and a light snack.“When the boys come home on Fridays,”relates Mrs. H. of the Arcadian Briderheim,“they notice the Shabbos staff present, andreact with unusual excitement and pleasure.Each consumer, in his own unique way, dis-plays his elation at the approaching Shabbos.”

Soon, the table has been clad in festivewhite and adorned with silverware andsparkling candlesticks. Residents sit down forthe traditional “toamehah” [pre-ShabbosShabbos meal—ed.] and delightedly samplepotato kugel and farfel. But there’s no time tolinger over the food. Shabbos is coming andthere’s still so much to do…

The next few hours are a rush of splashingwater, sudsy soap, and physical exertion. Withvarious degrees of assistance, residents show-er, nails are cut, payos [traditional side locks—ed.] are curled and hair is neatly styled. Theyemerge a while later, bedecked in Shabbos fin-ery, freshly-scrubbed faces glowing with joy.

Friday, 5:00 p.m.: MovingMoments and Going Places

While the requisite preparations have beencompleted, the Hamaspik Erev [late after-noon—ed.] Shabbos experience is far fromover.

Fridays are often special occasions forinteracting with parents and family members.Consumers happily pick up the telephone anddial their home phone numbers to wish theirparents a “good Shabbos”. Mrs. Fisher mov-ingly relates how three residents of the

Forshay Briderheim visit their parents on ErevShabbos to braid challah with their mothers.Once the loaves are baked to golden perfec-tion, they are tenderly wrapped and sent backwith the boys to Hamaspik.

Consumers are occasionally taken home tospend Shabbos with their families, and theseabsences are keenly felt. “Each girl adds aspecial flavor,” says Mrs. Landau, “When anygirl leaves to spend Shabbos with her parents, Ireally feel that she’s missing.”

Thoroughly prepared, thoroughly relaxed,and in the highest of spirits, the Hamaspikfamily stands ready for the treasuredmoment…

Zero Hour: The Queen Arrives

A match is struck, a flame is lit, and soonseveral candles illuminate the Shabbos tablelike glowing jewels. Mesmerized, all eyes fol-

““ II LLoovvee SShhaabbbbooss!! ””

aaaatttt HHaammaasspp iikk

Bearing the family torch: Still bedecked in Shabbos finery, the young son of a live-in IRA staffer “helps” his father hold theHavdalah candle, furthering the family atmosphere

E7Hamaspik Gazette | Feb. ‘10

low the gently-moving hands of the women inthe house, as they encircle the radiant lightsand then rest over their faces in silent prayer.One can only guess if, amid prayers for theirown families, these special women are plead-ing on behalf of their beloved Hamaspik“kinderlach” [Yiddish for children—ed.].

The hands are lowered and a thrill ofexcitement grips those present. The Queen hasarrived. The atmosphere is saturated with acontented calm. Consumers are happy,serene… and tired. No time is wasted so thatthe meal could begin as soon as possible.During the summer weeks, that means thatShabbos is ushered in at the earliest opportuni-ty and the men do not linger in shul [syna-gogue—ed.].

For a short while, quiet reigns. Consumerswho are not able to remain up any longer arefed and put to bed. Many others, who can han-dle the later bedtime, help put the finishingtouches to the Shabbos table. While awaitingthe menfolk, staff and consumers engage inspirited Shabbos song.

And then there’s a knock on the door. Themen walk in, with broad smiles and hearty“Good Shabbos” greetings. The much-awaitedShabbos seudah [meal—ed.] is about to com-mence.

Catered to Perfection

The stirring strains of “Shalom Aleichem”[the opening Friday-night table hymn—ed.]echo in the air, as the young men at Hamaspikjoin voices with devoted male staff members.After the last notes fade, Kiddush [wine bene-diction—ed.] is recited, with consumers takingpart to the best of their ability.

The food is, of course, a highlight of themeal. Mrs. Landau describes the lavish abun-dance. “There’s more than enough of every-thing. We serve all the traditional Shabbosfoods, and then some! Our table boasts fivetypes of dips, and a variety of drinks…Nothing is overlooked.”

Good food and song define Shabbos mealseverywhere, but Hamaspik is unique in thatmuch more than scrumptious food is served upat each meal. The Shabbos seudos [meals—ed.] are literally and lovingly catered to eachindividual consumer. They’re opportunities toshowcase each resident’s strengths and tomake every member of the Hamaspik familyshine.

As would be expected in any large family,consumers take part in bringing each course tothe table, and then clearing the dishes after-wards. But that’s often easier said than done,as Mrs. Schwartz elaborates. “When I ask aresident to take the fish container out of thefridge, I have to precede my request with somany additional instructions: ‘Look on thesecond shelf of the refrigerator, on the leftside, and find the clear container with a bluecover. And be careful to hold it straight andsteady so nothing should drip…’ Really, itwould be a lot simpler for me to just go andget the stuff myself. But, of course, we’re notlooking for shortcuts here. The boys feel somuch more special when they help. I think it’swhat turns this motley group into ‘family’.”

So despite the extra time and patienceinvolved, residents are given the star roles atthese Shabbos meals. “Our meals stretch overmore than two hours,” shares Mrs. Laufer, “butevery moment is worthwhile.”

The winter months afford additional relax-ation and “together time” after the night meal.Refreshments such as nuts, cake, and fruit areserved, and consumers shmooze or readtogether. Droopy-eyed and satisfied, theyfinally head off to bed.

Shabbos, 8:00 a.m.: Morning,Musings, and Mealtime

It’s morning. Residents awake one by one,get dressed, make their beds, and meandertoward the kitchen for breakfast. On Shabbos,that usually consists of special fare like cakeand drinks. One Shabbos morning, it wasunusually quiet at the 61st Street Briderheim.Mrs. Freund, a devoted staff member, headedup the stairs to check if, perhaps, the boys hadall overslept. The sight that met her eyes stillwarms her heart today. “They were all sittingon the couch,” she remembers, “and looking ata book together. One resident was explainingthe story, while the others listened and sharedtheir comments. It was a family snapshot I’llalways cherish.”

Pinchas, an adorable 12-year-old from theArcadian Briderheim, routinely goes to shulwith a staff member on Shabbos. Along theirregular route, they often passed a scary-look-ing watchdog, which frightened Pinchas terri-bly with its incessant barking. One week, asPinchas and Mr. H. were nearing the watch-dog’s usual spot, the boy began raising hisarms heavenward in the classic expression oftefillah [Jewish prayer—ed.]. Mr. H., familiarwith Pinchas’ unique style of communication,understood. “Are you asking Hashem to takeaway the dog?” he asked. The child’s vigorousnodding confirmed his interpretation.

“Pinchas cannot talk,” explains Mr. H.,“but he is extremely articulate in his uniqueway. And you know what’s really interesting?Since that incident, we’ve never seen thewatchdog again.”

The girls, meanwhile, are pleasantly pass-ing the time taking walks and setting theShabbos table once again. Challahs and drinksare placed on the table, the silverware is laidout, and details like napkin holders and saltshakers are not forgotten either. Gefilte fish issliced into individual portions and the eggs forthe second course are shelled and diced.

When all is ready and the men havereturned, consumers gleefully partake of thesecond Shabbos meal. Residents from theForshay Briderheim are sometimes invited outto meals by their wonderful neighbors. At thegroup homes, the meal is, once again, anunsurpassed blend of good food, sweet song,and individualized attention. Cholent, every-body’s favorite, is devoured with delight alongwith sumptuous servings of kugels and meat.By the time consumers bentch [recite theGrace after Meals—ed.] at the end of the meal,they are physically and emotionally sated.

Shabbos, 4:00 p.m.:Pastimes and Partying

Following the seudah, Hamaspik con-sumers engage in various leisure activities.Though different in each home, these activitiesare all characterized by relaxation and bond-ing. Residents of the Acres Briderheim loungearound Mrs. Laufer as she devotedly readsbook after book for them. “Story time is abeloved and relaxing aspect of Shabbos in ourhome,” she states.

Boys of the Arcadian Briderheim linger onthe porch and front yard, while South 9thInzerheim residents jump furiously on thetrampoline, swing, and play ball.

And finally… it’s time for the Shabbosparty! Consumers are treated to an array ofgoodies, from fruit and nuts to ice cream andcake. Besides the noshing, many group homesutilize this opportunity to celebrate birthdaysand other happy occasions on a grand scale.“There’s hardly a week when we don’t findsomething to commemorate,” laughs Mrs.Laufer. “Anything is cause for celebration—

from personal milestones to the engagement ofa family member.”

Shabbos, 7:00 p.m.: Last Licks

Shalosh Seudos, the third and finalShabbos meal, is one last opportunity to savorthe exquisite Shabbos spirit. Mrs. Katz, man-ager of the Seven Springs Shvesterheim,describes the camaraderie that marks thismeal. “The girls and staff prepare a beautifulspread of salads and fish together. Often,friends from the community join us for themeal and it’s a wonderful time of fun andfriendship.”

At the Arcadian home, where most resi-dents are painstakingly spoon-fed, ShaloshSeudos is nevertheless a memorable occasion.“I try to serve foods that the boys will enjoy,”says Mrs. H., “while still maintaining theunique Shalosh Seudos flavor. Tuna sand-wiches and nosh are often on the menu.” Andin many group homes, the meal is a time for

beautiful singing as well. As the hour growslate and the sky darkens, younger consumerssuccumb to sleep. The older ones relish thelast precious moments of a beautiful day. Andthen, the first stars appear, dusk turns to night,and the Shabbos Queen takes leave.Reluctantly, the table is cleared and Havdalah[the Shabbos-closing ceremony—ed.] is made.

Saturday, 10:00 p.m.

The residents are settled safely in bed, thedining room has been tidied and the friendlybanter has died down. It’s silent in the grouphome, and for once, there’s no special actiongoing on at Hamaspik. At the ConcordBriderheim, one consumer’s head rests on hispillow and his face wears a pensive look.Shabbos has ended, he reflects sadly. But in amoment, his eyes brighten. “It’s almost nextShabbos!” he reminds himself, drifting off intohis happy dreams.

The countdown has begun again.

My Shabbos Visit to Hamaspik“Is this it?” I wondered, standing in front of a two-story home that blended in perfectly

with the rest of the block. Unsure of the exact address I was seeking, I eyed the trim structurefor any outward signs that it was a Hamaspik group home. Finally, my gaze rested on a walk-er next to the entrance. Ah… this must be it.

Having heard so many extraordinary details about Hamaspik over the phone, I was eager tocome and personally verify what it was really like. I knocked lightly at the door. It was openedalmost immediately by a warm-eyed young woman in Shabbos apparel. “Good Shabbos,” shesmiled, and I knew immediately that I had found the right address.

We entered the tasteful, uncluttered dining room. At the opposite wall stood a china closetfilled with the family’s silver and basic seforim [holy books—ed.]. From my vantage point, Ihad a narrow view of the cozy kitchen. But the real focus of my attention was the large diningtable filling much of the space. Seated placidly around the Shabbos table were several con-sumers.

Despite my lack of previous interaction with special consumers, within minutes of myarrival, I felt remarkably at home. What registered first was the complete nonchalance withwhich the staff addressed the residents. “Chezky,” Mrs. Freund said to a teenager whose backwas turned to us, “Please give Rafi a fork.” When her instructions were ignored, she repeatedthem calmly, with motherly firmness.

We sat down on the couch facing the table and observed the peaceful scene. In one corner,Mrs. Knoblach was feeding Alter, a wheelchair-bound young teen. Consumers were relishingtheir slices of watermelon, cake and rugelach, nuts and chips. More residents straggled in fromtheir naps, all wearing proper Shabbos attire and happy grins. I watched the goings-on in won-der.

After a while, the male staff members arrived, merrily greeting the consumers and loving-ly adjusting one boy’s yarmulke and another’s payos. We women arose to “tour” the rest of thehome, passing through an extra-wide hallway clearly constructed with wheelchairs in mind.Avromi, a resident with a budding reddish beard, obligingly led us to his bedroom, which waslarge and airy, outfitted with charming light blue furniture.

The second bedroom held a curious surprise: one of the beds consisted of just a mattressplaced directly on the floor. The staff explained that Moishy was prone to many suddenseizures. To avoid any falls in case of a seizure during the night, he slept on the mattress.

We stood for a while, shmoozing about the ins and outs of Hamaspik life. My respect andamazement increased steadily, as the devoted women shared their experiences and thoughts.By now acquainted with many of the consumers residing in the home, I wondered how it waspossible to focus on each one’s diverse needs.

Take Chezky, for example. “When Chezky first joined our home, he was always edgy andirritable. We realized that he needed to be constantly occupied and active. So he became oneof our biggest ‘helpers’ and we keep on finding jobs for him to do. This approach was com-bined with more effective medication, and today, Chezky is so happy, helpful, and settled,”says Mrs. Knoblach.

She pauses for a moment and then adds thoughtfully, “You know, that’s one of the incredi-ble things at Hamaspik. The entire staff at each group home is all comprised of caring men andwomen. The results are a thoroughly dedicated environment.”

There’s more. We discover that the home boasts a basement and an upstairs level withadditional bedrooms. We hear about the heartwarming way in which the residents interact andhow each pair of roommates are so uniquely suited to each other.

The beautiful sound of singing draws us back to the dining room, where we witness atouching family scene. Mr. Freund and Mr. Knoblach are seated on dining room chairs, facingthe consumers who are settled on the couch. Together, they are raising their voices in Shabbossong. Individual struggles melt away as the residents unite into one big, happy family.

Ice cream is distributed, with the men keeping the atmosphere warm and light-hearted.And suddenly, the women gasp in surprise. It’s late! The time has flown and Shalosh Seudosmust be served. As they head off into a flurry of preparations, I reluctantly take my leave. Thewarmth and vibrancy of this loving family are hard to resist, and I suddenly understand howHamaspik manages to touch so many lives and change them for the better.

E8 Feb. ‘10 | Hamaspik Gazette

It was roughly 7:30 p.m. on a bitterly coldnight in the largely deserted, dark streets ofBrooklyn. It was Tuesday, December 29,2009, and winter’s frosty fury was in fullforce, as if the season was trying to get in itslast licks in the old year’s waning hours.

The wind was howling, the temperaturehovered in the low tens, and the wind chill ren-dered the mercury close to zero as I foundmyself pounding the unforgiving stone corri-dors of Williamsburg on the way home fromwork.

Shivering against blasts of frigid air, Iworked my way down Rodney Street, acrossthe usually teeming commercial thoroughfareof Lee Avenue and up Williamsburg Streettowards the Marcy Avenue elevated subwayplatform.

Having navigated Division Avenue to turnthe corner onto Broadway, I trotted up the longflight of outdoor stairs to the suddenly appeal-ing indoor elevated station, half-frozen handsburrowed deep in my pockets and head downagainst the wind.

At the top of the staircase, I pulled openthe door and practically fell into the heatedinterior. Reprieve—at least for a few minutes.A few straggling transients, equally numbfrom the cold, stood or sat around the station,silently trying to warm up.

I stepped over to the MetroCard machines.Reaching into my coat pocket, I pulled out mywallet and fished out three MetroCards. Iknew that none of them had enough fare for asingle ride—but not a problem: I would mere-ly recharge the card using the machine’s ATM

card feature; the few dollars would be deduct-ed from my bank account.

Or so I thought.One card had 95 cents on it. The second

had 50. The third, $1.95. After a few screentouches, the machine swiftly swallowed thethird MetroCard, and I dipped my ATM cardand not-so-patiently waited for the transactionto process while a rumbling train approached.

“WE’RE SORRY, BUT WE CANNOTPROCESS YOUR REQUEST AT THISTIME” read the screen before me. Great.Computers are like people, I reminded myself:Sometimes, you have to tell them twice beforethey do it. So I tried the other machine. Sameresult. Something wasn’t working. Whatever.So here I was, in the middle of forlorn,windswept Brooklyn, surrounded by strangersand not able to get home.

I stood in the station for a few indecisivemoments, wondering what to do.

I supposed that I could have walked intoany nearby synagogue, explained my situationand collected a bit of cash from a friendlystranger to get me on the train. For a fleetingsecond, the thought of ducking the turnstilecrossed my mind. I pushed it away.

My native New York cynicism kicked intohigh gear, in defiant contrast to the cold. Iheaded back down Broadway and turned thecorner onto Division, heading nowhere in par-ticular while half-seriously, half-wishfully cal-culating that I’d run into some sort of commu-nity-support option—that someone or some-thing helpful would magically appear.

At the corner of South 9th, however, some-thing struck me like the blast ofcold air which actually was strik-ing me rather insistently at themoment. “Isn’t Hamaspikaround here somewhere?” Ithought to myself.

See, I continued, it’s goodyou work for them. Then, whenyou get stuck in the middle ofnowhere and you need to get inout of the cold and get your bear-ings, you can always just popinto a Hamaspik office.

And so I found myself strug-gling up the stone pathwaybetween the Marcy Avenue hous-ing project buildings, banking onanother hunch that Hamaspik’sSouth 9th location was north ofDivision, not south. (One blocklater, my hunch was proven cor-rect as a fellow pedestrianinformed me that South 9th onlyran up that way, not the otherway.)

Crossing Bedford, I startedgetting worried about my imme-diate physical health and safetyfor the first time. Because myleather dress shoes were notequipped for hikes to the NorthPole or trans-Siberian treks suchas the ones I was currently endur-ing, the extremities in my leftfoot, for some reason, werebecoming painfully numb.

The silent brownstones and apartmentcomplexes lent no clue as to their residential orcommercial contents. Hamaspik group homes,as I had long since learned, bear no signs thatidentify them as “HOME FOR SPECIALNEEDS” or any such cliché that would onlyfurther thankfully-eroding stereotypes aboutindividuals with various challenges. AtHamaspik, that labeling, disabling philosophyis virtually taboo.

But meanwhile, I was freezing my foot off.I asked a man emerging from a multi-unit

home whether he knew of any group home inthe area. “Um, not that I know of, but you canask my neighbors, the Cohens,” he offered,opening the door to his building’s narrow stair-case. “They’re on the third floor.”

At the top of the winding steps, a timidyoung teenager cracked open the door uponmy knock. Her appearance, and that of thehome behind her, shouted “certified local,” andin a moment, I had been told exactly whereHamaspik was, street address and all.

I was now really, really dangerously cold.It was getting late. And South 9th seemed tobe running out of street. I was getting to theend of the road—in more ways than one. Andthen I saw it: a tiny awning above a front doorjust off the end of the block, displaying thatall-too-familiar logo.

Suddenly, that little flame had so muchmore meaning.

I rushed up the stairs. An impromptudoorbell rehearsal flashed through my mind.Yes, this is Mendy Hecht, Editor of theHamaspik Gazette. I just happened to be inthe area freezing to death. Could you save mylife?

But the buzzer conversation was a lot lessalarming. After introducing myself as “fami-ly,” the kindly fellow Hamaspik employeeinformed me that while “there’s no one here,you can come in for a few minutes.” Um, Isure hope so! I do work for Hamaspik, youknow—and if you don’t let me in, I might notbe working for anybody in the near future…The door buzzed and I thrust my way in to thevestibule. I was home. For now.

Inside, I trudged up a creaky Brooklynstaircase. As I crossed the second-floor land-ing and approached the flight to the third floor,

a voice from above echoed my repeated“Hello?” This was Robert Neuwirth, ChiefFinancial Officer [?] of Hamaspik of KingsCounty.

Unbeknownst to me until that moment, thepremises of the South 9th Inzerheim alsohouse the Williamsburg offices of Hamaspik ofKings County (another office is located inBorough Park). In my capacity as editor, I hadcalled that office quite a few times. I just hadnever known it was here. And now, I got tosee it first-hand, under the most unexpectedcircumstances.

Robert Neuwirth, who I had met before ata Hamaspik luncheon event in Orange County,gladly showed me to the conference room,where I took a few minutes to massage myfoot back to a relatively tolerable state. I don’tknow if it helped, but I felt better.

Meanwhile, Mr. Neuwirth went back to hisoffice. From down the hall, he explained thathe had stayed late “to take care of a few thingsthat had to get done today.”

Upon hearing that, a newfound apprecia-tion for Hamaspik’s work ethic hit me like abolt of lightning.

True, if no one was there at the offices, Iprobably could have at least gained admittanceto the Inzerheim next door, where I could haveused their office to make some phone calls andfigure out what to do. And if worse came toworst, I could have dashed out again to thenearest synagogue two or three blocks away,where I could have stabilized my body temper-ature while ironing out my circumstances.

But here I was, in a place where I feltwarm and accepted, in a place where Ibelonged, in a place where I was an importantcontributor, a part of a team… and a memberof a family. I was home.

Was I an employee? Or a consumer?It was not the first time I was stuck on the

street. As such, of course, I panicked not.Things worked out. I got home. And I evenmanaged to stop at my daughter’s school forPTA before stumbling through my front doorat 10:00 p.m. MetroCards and money comeand go.

But a profound new understanding ofHamaspik will stay with this writer forever.

A Family, Not a Job:A Hamaspik Employee Adventure

E9Hamaspik Gazette | Feb. ‘10

If there’s one thing that defines aHamaspik nurse’s typical day, it’s: No onething defines a Hamaspik nurse’s typical day.

Speaking to a few of Hamaspik’s full-timenursing professionals, the Gazette discerned apicture of highly organized chaos. Mrs. RivaNaiman, Judy Schwartz, Lolly Hutman, andEvie Steinhart, all RNs, found the time to shareover 75 years of combined experience… andconvey a kaleidoscopic range of requirements.

Work can begin as early at 7:00 a.m., and13-hour days are not atypical. Then there arethe weekend or late-night emergencies;Hamaspik RNs are part of the staff rotations oncall at the agency’s 24-hour emergency hot-line.

Between Hamaspik’s community resi-dences, Family Care consumers and other resi-dence- and center-based programs, there’smore than plenty for Hamaspik RNs to do.The Gazette took a look.

A healthy organization

“The primary role of nurses at Hamaspik isto oversee the medical and health needs of theindividuals we service,” Mrs. Naiman explainsin an e-mail to the Gazette.

Standard duties include regular blood pres-sure monitoring and injections as required,writing semi-annual pharmacology reports andquarterly nursing reports, and working withhome staff.

“This includes being involved in medicalissues as they arise, interfacing with physi-cians and, in the IRA setting, working closelywith the group home managers,” Mrs. Naimanwrites.

Besides regular visits, nurses also visitHamaspik group homes to provide triage whenissues arise, evaluating individual consumersto determine the need for any further medicaltreatment.

With the various prescription medicationsrequired by some Hamaspik consumers, nursesare also responsible for each group home’smedication closet—and for administrating itscontents.

“As nurses, we make every effort toremain current with happenings in the medicalcommunity. Many of us attend [theOMRDD’s] Nursing Quarterly Updates,” Mrs.Naiman adds.

Finally, Hamaspik’s nurses serve the restof its staff as “teachers and trainers,” Mrs.Naiman notes—including orientation and med-ication-certification training to all Direct CareWorkers.

On the go

“I never know what’s going to happen,”testifies Mrs. Hutman, a Hamaspik of OrangeCounty nurse, when asked for her daily rou-tine. “Nurses must be flexible.”

Mrs. Hutman describes her work as aHamaspik nurse as “very exciting.” Asked forher chief contribution, Mrs. Hutman offers,“Maybe a sense of fun”—in addition to com-petence, she says.

Then the French-speaking Montreal expa-triate adds, “Joie de vivre—you know, doing itseriously but having fun… it is very fulfillingto be of service.”

Getting it done

“I have to cover a lot of bases in a lot ofterritory,” cheerily says Mrs. Schwartz, a nursewith Hamaspik of Kings County. That’s where30-plus years of experience helps.

“The last few days were unbelievable,”continues Mrs. Schwartz, commenting on themandatory training she just finished providingto all staffers of the just-opened 38th St.Shvesterheim.

For example, a New York State regulationcalled AMAP dictates an exact method ofadministering liquid medications to IRA con-sumers—and also dictates that staff be AMAP-trained by a nurse.

“Everyone has to be AMAPed,” indefati-gably smiles Nurse Schwartz. “You have towork with every single staff member,” person-ally witnessing that they have been duly edu-cated.

Like Mrs. Hutman, Mrs. Schwartz isbusier than a beehive, what with Family Careconsumers all over Brooklyn, Queens and evenFar Rockaway to care for, plus more inHamaspik’s IRAs.

Still, despite the intense workload, Mrs.Schwartz maintains that “That’s the nice partof the job—there’s no typi-cal day. It’s never boring.”

Chaotic? “No—well,kind of,” she confesses.“There are a lot of differ-ent kids, a lot of staff, anda lot of needs.”

Yet Mrs. Schwartz stillloves her job. “I love allthe consumers and thekids. You becomeattached to them,” sheexplains. “And the staff isfabulous. Hiring the rightstaff is what makes ahome.”

Bringing the caringhome

Generally, Mrs.Steinhart spends her morn-ings tending to FamilyCare consumers in theirhomes.

Afternoons are gener-ally spent conqueringpaperwork, phone callsand assorted due diligence.

But as a Hamaspik ofRockland County nurse,Mrs. Steinhart must fre-quently juggle her sched-ule, applying the nurse’scalm competence to themost important task athand. “What’s most med-ically urgent has priority,”she explains.

Mrs. Steinhart’s dutiesalso encompass consumersat the Fosse ShvesterheimIRA, where she visits reg-ularly to execute such sta-ples as checking the med-ication closet and speakingto the group home manag-er.

However, Mrs. Steinhart has extensiveduties outside of the group home under herjurisdiction—primarily involving the youngFamily Care consumers, and their caregivers,in her hands.

“I’m a medical resource for them, espe-cially in the beginning,” she notes, providingpersonal training and referrals. “That’s themost important part of the job.”

Above and beyond

Hamaspik’s nursing staff subscribe whole-heartedly to the organization’s corporate cul-ture of genuine love, good cheer and rigorousprofessionalism delivered in a seamless syn-thesis.

“When I walk into the Day Hab, they greetme very warmly!” says Mrs. Hutman. “Theythink I am a special person when I think theyare… They made me a more spiritual person.”

Mrs. Hutman expresses not only pride onbeing on Hamaspik’s team, but admirationtowards all her coworkers too. “Everyone isexpected to do their best, and they do,” shesays.

For Mrs. Steinhart, a product of the presti-gious Beth Israel School of Nursing, that com-passion was communicated when she suggest-

ed the right course of action for one consumer.“It was really rewarding to me to see her be somuch happier,” says Mrs. Steinhart. “She wasa different person. She told me so herself. Ido care about the consumers and make surethat they get the best medical care that theycan.”

“I really love them all—I really and trulydo,” says Mrs. Schwartz of her consumers.“Especially the ones in the residences: you getto know them so well.”

“There is tremendous love and care” atHamaspik group homes, Mrs. Schwartz con-tinues. “It’s a family, it’s a home—and I’veworked in group homes all my life. These kidshave family.”

“I’m crazy about S. He’s so cute!”declares Mrs. Naiman, mentioning one con-sumer. The Gazette had just asked what shemost likes about her job.

“He’s a real personality,” Mrs. Naimancontinues, explaining that after not seeing himfor some time, he approached her, smiling andwagging a finger, saying “I’m mad at you!” inmock anger.

“I like the connection; they’re very endear-ing to me,” Mrs. Naiman comments on hernumerous charges. “Some really pull on theheartstrings. I wish I could do more.”

Nursing An Interest In OthersA Day in the Life of a Hamaspik Nurse

E10 Feb. ‘10 | Hamaspik Gazette

An agonizing bout of kidney stones drovethe editor of the Gazette to the emergencyroom on a recent Saturday night. Seven hourslater, this editor made his way home havinglearned first-hand about the condition the hardway. In the hope of preventing such painamong the Gazette’s worthy readership in thefirst place, we find it prudent to present basickidney-stone facts.

Learning the hard way

Kidney stones are concentrated deposits ofvarious minerals and chemicals in the body’swaste system.

Normally, the body’s waste-processingsystem—the liver and kidneys—filter thebloodstream and expel waste from the body.However, certain minerals and chemicals canslowly build up in the kidneys over severalmonths until they form tiny rocks or crystals.These deposits then get stuck in the urinarytract—at which point excruciating pain and/orurinary incontinence can erupt.

In this case, a mild cramp in the side short-ly after midnight dramatically escalated toexcruciating pain in less than five minutes. Acomfortable position could not be found, andbreathing became very ragged. It felt like aknife in the side, and like an invisible handwith a crushing grip wrapped around my lowerspine. I later learned that this is all too typicalfor kidney-stone patients. My wife calledHatzolah, the community volunteer ambulancecorps.

While lying in an emergency-ward bed atBrooklyn’s excellent Methodist Hospital, aninjection of the classic painkiller morphine,deftly administered by a male nurse namedMatt, an imposing but affable former correc-tions officer from Georgia, brought the pain inthe left kidney area down to a tolerable level.At the same time, the associated pain and mus-cle spasms in my lower left-side back also sub-sided.

Several samples were taken during firsttwo or three hours of my stay. This is the firststep in determining whether one actually has akidney stone, explained on-shift physicianAngeleta Taylor, M.D., noting that the blood inmy laboratory sample was a strong indicatorbut not a confirmation of kidney stones.

The presence of a two-millimeter stone—a“medium”-sized one, attending resident Dr.Hadpawat responded when asked how big—was later discovered in a CT scan.

Following the high-tech scan, I waswheeled back to #21, my assigned station inthe emergency ward, where I half-slept, half-snoozed into the early morning hours beforemy 7:00 a.m. discharge. Matt even shut thelights for me.

Two days later, having weathered severalattacks of thoroughly debilitating nausea andvomiting brought on by Percocet, the

painkiller (and potentially addictive narcotic)that had been prescribed, I finally sat down tolearn more about kidney stones. Here’s what Ifound.

Causes and symptoms

The kidneys filter the body’s blood toremove waste products. A narrow tube calledthe ureter (pronounced YOUR-eh-tur) runsfrom the kidneys to the bladder. When thebladder fills and nature calls, the bladder emp-ties through the urethra (you-REETH-ra), amuch wider tube than the ureter.

But certain chemicals sometimes clumptogether inside one or both kidneys to form thebeginning of kidney stones. These tiny crys-tals are smaller than a grain of sand when theyform but gradually can grow over months to aone-tenth of an inch or larger.

But the size of the stone doesn’t matter asmuch as where it is located.

When the stone sits inside a kidney, itrarely causes problems. But when it passesinto the ureter, it acts like a dam, partially orcompletely blocking liquid waste from reach-ing the bladder. As the kidneys continue toproduce liquid waste, pressure builds upbehind the stone and causes one or both kid-neys to swell.

It is this pressure that causes the often-ter-rible pain known commonly as “kidneystones” (and medically as renal colic).

However, the pressure also helps push thestone down the ureter towards the bladder.When the stone finally breaks free of the ureterinto the bladder, the symptoms usually disap-pear.

The main symptom is severe pain thatstarts suddenly and may go away just as quick-ly. Pain may be felt in the abdomen or side ofthe back (as in my case). The back might feeltender to the touch. Other symptoms caninclude abnormal urine color, blood in theurine, chills, fever, nausea and vomiting.

But what causes these stones to form in thefirst place?

The leading cause of kidney stones isdehydration: not drinking enough water everyday. A level of water in the body that is regu-larly lower than it should be can allow thechemicals that form stones to build up a pres-ence and crystallize inside one or both kid-neys—instead of flushing out as they normallydo. Other causes include heredity, geographi-cal location, diet, medications, and underlyingillnesses.

Because the majority of kidney stones arecomposed of hardened calcium, people withfamily histories of hypercalciuria (high levelsof calcium) are more susceptible to kidneystones. Some rare hereditary conditions suchas renal tubular acidosis, or problems absorb-ing cystine (an amino acid), oxalate (a type ofsalt) or uric acid, also create a predisposition to

kidney stones.Individuals living in areas with hot climate

and poor fluid intake, such as the southernUnited States, may be regularly dehydrated,allowing more stones to form in their kidneysthan individuals in other regions.

One’s diet may also be an issue, especiallyif the cause is simply not including enoughwater-drinking in one’s diet. Ongoing exces-sive consumption of calcium-rich foods,diuretics, or “water pills,” and calcium-con-taining antacids may also increase the risk ofkidney stones. Higher calcium levels havealso been linked to excess amounts of vitaminsA and D. Additionally, some commonly pre-scribed medications associated with kidney-stone formation include Dilantin, a seizure-prevention drug, and antibiotics like Rocephinand Cipro.

Several chronic illnesses are also associat-ed with kidney stone formation, includinginflammatory bowel disease, renal tubular aci-dosis, and cystic fibrosis.

Diagnosis and detection

Pain of high magnitude in specific areas ofthe body is usually the first indicator of kidneystones. But once the patient is in the hospital,urinalysis will first be performed to detect thepresence of crystals, red blood cells, calcium,oxalate or uric acid, as well as possible infec-tion of the kidney, ureter or bladder.

Kidney stones (and other blockages of theureter) can also be detected with such commondevices as CT scanners, MRI machines, andX-rays. They also can be decisively detectedusing kidney ultrasounds.

However, the most commonly used diag-nostic test is CT scanning. The scan willdemonstrate the anatomy of the kidneys,ureter, and bladder and can detect a stone, itslocation, its size, and whether it is causingdilation, or widening, of the ureter and inflam-mation of the kidney.

In those patients who already have thediagnosis of a kidney stone, plain abdominalX-rays may be used to track its movementdown the ureter toward the bladder.

Types of kidney stones

Calcium stones are the most common typeof kidney stones. They occur more often inmen than in women, usually appear in patientsbetween the ages of 20 to 30, and are likely torecur. Calcium can combine with other sub-stances, such as oxalate, phosphate, or carbon-ate to form the stone.

Uric acid stones—the second-most com-mon type, my doctor later informed me—aremore common in men than in women. Theycan occur with gout or chemotherapy, but usu-ally do not.

Struvite stones are mostly found in women

who have a urinary tract infection. Thesestones can grow very large and can block thekidney, ureter, or bladder.

Cystine stones can form in people whohave cystinuria. This disorder runs in familiesand affects both men and women.

Furthermore, as was explained to this edi-tor, some stones can also have “antlers” or pro-jections that get stuck in the walls of the ureter,making them more difficult to pass and oftenrequiring lithotripsy, an ultrasound procedure,to remove.

Treatments

Kidney-stone treatment is twofold: Firstly,to relieve the painful symptoms by takingpainkillers, passing the stone, breaking it up orotherwise removing it, and secondly, to imple-ment preventive measures, usually changes indiet, to prevent further kidney stones.

Treatment depends on the type and size ofstone and how severe the symptoms are.People with severe symptoms might need to behospitalized. (The Gazette editor can tell youabout that!)

If a fever is associated with the symptomsof a kidney stone, medical care should besought immediately. Also, urinary tract infec-tions associated with kidney stones oftenrequire urgent assessment and may need inter-vention by a urologist to remove or bypass thestone.

Symptom control is very important, andmedication for pain and nausea may be provid-ed before the confirmation of the diagnosisoccurs. Pain can be severe enough to neednarcotic pain relievers—or at least prescribethem. As mentioned, this editor was pre-scribed the narcotic Percocet, which proved topack too powerful a side-effect punch: over-whelming nausea and vomiting. Because ofPercocet’s side effect, this editor discontinuedthe drug, taking only prescribed 600mg pills ofMotrin, a far milder painkiller.

Today, most treatments are much less inva-sive than in the past. Lithotripsy is used toremove stones slightly smaller than a half aninch that are located near the kidney. Thismethod uses ultrasonic waves or shock wavesto break up stones, which then flush naturallyfrom the body.

However, surgery is usually needed if thestone is too large to pass on its own, the stoneis growing, or if the stone is blocking urineflow and causing an infection or kidney dam-age. Ureteroscopic surgery may be used forstones lodged in the lower urinary tract—andstandard open surgery (nephrolithotomy) maybe needed if other methods do not work or arenot possible.

Prognosis

As time passes, so do kidney stones.Methodist’s Dr. Hadpawat elaborated that thisprocess usually takes “two-three days,” duringwhich an abundance of water and drinks con-taining electrolytes (electrically-charged liq-uids important for the body) was to be imbibedso as to help the stone along.

In the meantime, my personal physiciansuggested ten 5-ounce cups of water a day,together with 1 quart of electrolyte-boostingPedialyte mixed with grape juice to make itmore palatable.

Bottom line: Prevention is always thepreferable way to treat kidney stones.Remaining well-hydrated will help preventkidney stones from forming in the first place.As for any potential pain, this editor will crossthat bridge when he gets to it—Motrin, and, ifabsolutely necessary, Percocet, at hand.

Kidney stones:Painful but avoidable

E11Hamaspik Gazette | Feb. ‘10

With over 70 nations having rat-ified the U.N. Convention on theRights of Persons with Disabilities, afirst-ever global agreement on therights of disabled individuals, inter-national pressure is mounting on theUnited States to become a domesticparty to the treaty as well.

The treaty, which was intro-duced in the United Nations inSeptember of 2006, has since gar-nered the signatures of over 150countries, 74 of which have ratifiedit in their parliamentary bodies aswell. Another 36 are pursuingdomestic laws to further rights forindividuals with disabilities.

The Obama Administration hasthrown its support behind the treaty,with the President instructing U.S.ambassador to the U.N. Susan Riceto sign the treaty in July of 2009.Obama is also pressuring SenateDemocratic leaders to domestically

adopt the treaty so as to frame hisdomestic health care agenda as partof a bigger global picture.

The previous Administrationresisted signing the treaty for fear offoreign dictation of domestic policytowards the disabled population ofthe U.S., which the Bush WhiteHouse felt led the world in quality oflife and rights for individuals withdisabilities.

Bush had also noted that of the26 global civil rights treaties createdsince the founding of the U.N., theU.S. had only signed only three.

However, on this past annualInternational Day of Persons withDisabilities, December 3, 2009, theObama White House released a sup-portive statement. The EUParliament ratified the treaty on thesame day, adding European weightto the 12 EU member countries thatalready domestically adopted its

standards: Austria, Belgium, theCzech Republic, Denmark, England,Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal,Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Driven by Parliament memberSteven Fletcher, who remains activedespite being paralyzed from theneck down, the treaty has even beendomestically adopted by Canada.The U.S. Senate, however, does notcurrently have enough support fordomestic adoption.

The treaty calls for full andequal opportunity for people withdisabilities in all areas of modernlife, including employment, accessto public transportation, running forpublic office, protection from dis-crimination and homeownership.

Contrary to conventional wis-dom, Obama’s support for the treatyis not another slap in the face toBush policy, but just the opposite.Bush believed that America sets amoral standard for the world, andObama apparently believes thesame—at least when it comes to ele-vating disabled individuals withinAmerican society, believing as hedoes that signing the treaty positionsthe U.S. as a disabled-rights leader,not follower.

This leadership was brought tothe fore at the G-20 Conference inPittsburgh this past summer, atwhich top officials of the 20 mostpowerful countries convened to dis-cuss the global economy and otherissues.

Several leaders used their freetime at the Conference to tour the

city personally guided by formerPennsylvania Gov. RickThornburgh, a former AttorneyGeneral under the first PresidentBush, a disabled-persons advocate inrecent years and a prominent figurein the global disabilities-rights com-munity.

“They were wide-eyed in totalwonder at how people with disabili-ties are active in society and dailylife, with jobs and with havingalmost all the opportunities in lifeenjoyed by everyone else,” saidKatherine D. Seelman, PhD,

Associate Dean of DisabilityPrograms at the University ofPittsburgh’s School of Health &Rehabilitation Sciences, which thegroup visited.

“They were greatly interested bythe ramps on street corners,” addedSeelman, noting that they were moststruck by how most disabledAmerican individuals were not“placed in nursing homes away fromsociety.”

What will strike the Senate asvote-worthy about the treaty, howev-er, remains to be seen.

Everything is kosher atHamaspik, and the proof is in thepudding—and the meat, milk,orange juice, and fruits and vegeta-bles too. That’s because, onThursday, January 7, Hamaspik ofOrange County’s Day HabilitationProgram passed a CACFP audit.

In addition to being qualifiedrecipients of state and federalMedicaid programs, the consumersattending Hamaspik’s DayHabilitation program on a daily basisalso participate in the federal-levelChild and Adult Care Food Program,or CACFP.

The program allows participat-ing organizations to provide nutri-tious, balanced meals to its servicedcommunity—so long as the mealsmeet the program’s rigorous nutri-tional requirements. These require-ments include ensuring that adequatelevels of daily vitamins and nutri-

ents, such as protein, carbohydrates,Vitamin C and riboflavin, are includ-ed in each meal.

Towards this end, the govern-ment provides exacting guidelines asto which types of foods are accept-able and/or required under the aus-pices of the CACFP program.

For example, a serving of milk isrequired at every CACFP-fundedmeal. However, if dietary or com-munal restrictions such as the tradi-tional kosher laws bar the consump-tion of milk, then an approved sub-stitute may be served instead.

This minor but critical detail wasappropriately raised by the auditormid-audit upon observing thatHamaspik consumers were beingserved turkey without an accompa-nying serving of milk. Kosher laws,strictly observed in the communitiesserviced by Hamaspik, forbid theconsumption of dairy products for

six hours after the consumption ofmeat or poultry products.

“I provided her with the rulesfrom FNS that exempts Jewishorganizations sponsors of the milkcomponent on a day that meat isserved. She checked with Albanyand it was confirmed,” wrote JoelFriedman, Hamaspik of OrangeCounty’s Director of Day Services,in an e-mail to Hamaspik staff.

According to official govern-ment documentation, “FNS mayapprove variations in the food com-ponents of meals served in the childnutrition programs … where there isevidence that such variations are …necessary to meet ethnic, religious,economic, or physical needs.”

The documentation also states,“In addition to this variation, theaforementioned entities (schools,institutions, and sponsors) may beexempted from the meal pattern

requirement of the child nutritionprograms which requires that milkbe served with all lunches and sup-pers.”

The CACFP program is underthe auspices of the Food andNutrition Service, a division of thefederal-level USDA. In New YorkState, the CACFP is administered bythe state’s Department of Health.

Participating organizations aresubject to a review every three yearsby an auditor dispatched by Albany.

“It’s a very thorough, verydetailed review,” explains Friedman,also telling the Gazette thatHamaspik successfully applied for,and procured, the food program atthe same time it launched its DayHab program over ten years ago.

“They review the menu, thepaper trail, the kitchen; they observehow the staff serves the meal andhow the consumers eat,” continues

Friedman. “It took four hours.”During that block of time, which

began at 9:30 a.m., the solitary audi-tor first observed the breakfast pro-ceedings, next personally inspectingthe kitchen and even the refrigerator.The program’s menus, which mustcontain a specific choice of foods toensure consumption of nutritionalstaples as previously mentioned,were perused next.

In wrapping up the inspection,the auditor scrutinized every item-ized receipt for all purchases madeunder the auspices of the program,ensuring that all items bought werewarranted. Scrutiny of the receiptswas followed by a personal observa-tion of lunch, and an exit conferencewas then held.

The audit was completed withno recommendations or findingsnoted by the visiting auditor. “Thereviewer was amazed [at] how effi-cient our agency operates and howneat and organized our records aremaintained,” wrote Friedman in hisinitial e-mail to Hamaspik staff noti-fying them of the results.

“You are what you eat,” the oldsaying goes. And if what you eat iskosher, then certainly your food pro-gram—and its audits—are koshertoo. At least at Hamaspik.

Hamaspik of Orange County Day Habpasses CACFP audit

Food program meets dietary-law requirements, government standards

U.S. pressured to ratify global disabled-rights treatyObama White House seeking Senate approval

Job Opportunity at Hamaspik

Hamaspik of Orange Countyis seeking to hire a Registered Nurse.

Experience in dealing with the developmental disabilities preferable.

FT Job - Warm Environment - Great Benefits - Will TrainApply now by sending your resume to:

EMAIL: admin@hamaspikorange.orgor FAX to 845.782.8461

or CALL us at 845.774.8400 ext. 366

Who’s leading who? The United Nations building on New York’sEast River

H1N1 Flu update

At least 60 million people in theU.S. have received the H1N1 fluvaccine, according to a December22, 2009 briefing at the CDC.According to the CDC’s informa-tion, twice as many doses have goneto children than adults, with 111 mil-lion doses still available.

In the meantime, as previouslyreported in Gazette, swine flu caseshave fallen off, with only 11 statesreporting widespread disease activi-ty.

Health Care Overhaul?Pain before Gain

The costs of health care reformbeing pushed through Congress byDemocrats will be felt long beforethe benefits. Proposed taxes andfees on upper-income earners andinsurers will take effect quickly. Sowould Medicare cuts. But benefitssuch as subsidies for lower middle-income households, consumer pro-tections for all, and eliminating theprescription coverage gap for sen-iors, will come gradually. “There’sgoing to be an expectations gap, noquestion about that,” said DrewAltman, president of the nonpartisanKaiser Family Foundation. “Peopleare going to see their premiums andout-of-pocket costs go up before thetangible benefits kick in.”

Significantly, most of the 30 mil-lion uninsured helped by the billwon’t get coverage until 2013 at theearliest, well after the next presiden-tial election.

Still, more than two-thirds ofAmericans get their coveragethrough large employer plans—andtheir premiums won’t go up becauseof the legislation, according to num-ber crunchers at the nonpartisanCongressional Budget Office. ButCongress can’t abolish medicalinflation, so don’t hold your breathwaiting for premiums to drop.

Carbon monoxide cancause flu symptoms

You’ve got symptoms of the flu:headache, nausea, fatigue. You go toyour doctor. He may think it’sH1N1. But it could be carbonmonoxide poisoning.

This year, with the H1N1 flupandemic on everyone's mind, evendoctors may confuse the two, Harrissaid. That’s why Regions Hospital inS. Paul, Minnesota and the S. PaulFire Department recently issued ajoint public alert on how to distin-guish between the two problems. Itcan “mean the difference betweenlife and death,” the alert read.

With carbon monoxide poison-ing, several people in the home maywake up with the same symptoms,

including blurred vision, disorienta-tion, shortness of breath and vomit-ing. But unlike the flu, these symp-toms disappear when they leave thehome and breathe fresh air.

One Minnesota woman said shethought it might be the flu when shewas too tired to get out of bed theSunday after Thanksgiving. But shedidn’t worry until two days later,when both her teenage children com-plained of the same thing. Then shecalled her clinic. “It’s very rare thatour whole house is sick at all, letalone at the same time,” she said.“Things just weren’t adding upright.”

A nurse asked a few questionsand, suspecting it might be carbonmonoxide, told her to get the wholefamily to the emergency room. As itturned out, the nurse’s assessmentwas fortuitously correct.

New Gene Therapy MayHalt Emphysema

A new type of gene therapy mayhelp stop the progression of emphy-sema in young people who have aninherited form of the deadly disease.

Researchers say previousattempts to correct the gene mutationthat predisposes young people toemphysema have failed to achievelasting results.

But a new study shows that adifferent approach that targets cellsknown as alveolar macrophages,delivering the gene therapy to thelungs of mice with this form ofinherited emphysema, was success-ful in treating the condition in thosemice for two years.

Emphysema is a progressivelung disease that causes severeshortness of breath. There is no curefor the disease.

People born with a genetic muta-tion that causes a deficiency inalpha-1 antitrypsin, a natural[enzyme?], are predisposed to anearly form of emphysema.

In the study, published in theJournal of Clinical Investigation,researchers at the Boston UniversitySchool of Medicine developed a sys-

tem to target alveolar macrophage(AM) cells inside the lungs of micethat had alpha-1 antitrypsin deficien-cy. AM cells play a key role in thedevelopment of emphysema.

The results showed that a singletreatment of the gene therapy suc-cessfully delivered healthy humanalpha-1 antitrypsin genes to 70% ofthe AM cells in the mice.

As a result, researchers say thesymptoms and progression ofemphysema in those mice weresignificantly improved compared tountreated mice—which may bodehopeful for humans in the future.

Hazelnuts Recalled Due toPossible Salmonella Risk

An Oregon company is recalling114,350 pounds of shelled hazelnutsthat have “the potential” to be con-taminated with salmonella, an organ-ism that can cause serious illness,even death.

The nuts, also known as filberts,have been distributed across the U.S.and Canada, according to a newsrelease by Willamette Shelling Inc.of Newberg, Ore., that was postedon the FDA’s website.

Ben Mitchell, president ofWillamette Shelling and manager ofWillamette Filbert Growers, saysthat Willamette Shelling recalled “atotal of 114,350 pounds” of shelledhazelnuts because of possible salmo-nella contamination. No illnesseshave been reported.

Whole Foods, the giant grocerychain based in Austin, Texas, hasalso announced in a news release onthe FDA website that it is a recallingan unspecified amount of raw organ-ic hazelnuts. A spokesperson forWhole Foods says that the hazelnutsbeing recalled originated withWillamette Shelling and WillametteFilbert Growers. The recall covershazelnuts sold through its stores inCalifornia, Colorado, Kansas, NewMexico, Oregon, Utah, andWashington.

Feeling blue? Don’t pop

that pill!

In the first week of 2010, TheJournal of the American MedicalAssociation published a study thatquestions the effectiveness of antide-pressant drugs. For most patients, itsaid, the most commonly used anti-depressants are generally no betterthan a placebo.

Indeed, many patients withdepression get better with no drug atall, just a placebo pill and attentivetreatment by a therapist—as many as50% in some studies.

Panel: No Evidence toSuggest Digestive Link to

Autism

A panel of experts said there isno evidence that digestive problemsare more common in autistic chil-dren than their peers, and the expertsrefuted the notion that autistic chil-dren should be put on special diets,according to a new report inPediatrics.

Though the panel calls for morerigorous research on the subject, itsaid there is no evidence of "leakygut" or "autistic enterocolitis,"which some people believe is adigestive problem unique to childrenwith autism.

Another study published in thePediatric Infectious Disease Journalalso found no link between autismand the measles-mumps-rubella vac-cine or the measles-only vaccine,further discrediting the theory,Reuters reported.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Nobel-Winning

head to step down

One of the few hospitals in theworld to be headed by a NobelPrize-winning president and CEO,New Nork’s renowned MemorialSloan-Kettering Cancer Center, willsoon no longer bear that distinction.

For the past 10 years, the leadingmedical institution was led by Dr.Harold E. Varmus, who garnered the1989 Nobel Prize for his research in

cancer-causing genes.The announcement, which was

made at the start of the New Year,also noted that Dr. Varmus, 70,would remain in charge until thehospital found a successor.

Dr. Varmus started in 2000 at thecancer center after a stint directingthe National Institutes of Healthsince 1993. Varmus also co-chairsPresident Obama’s Council ofAdvisers on Science andTechnology.

White House creates newtop FDA position to

streamline inspection,safety

Career FDA official Michael R.Taylor was recently appointed to thenewly created position of DeputyCommissioner for Foods at the Foodand Drug Administration. The pow-erful new slot will oversee all theagency’s many food and nutritionprograms.

The FDA currently comprises 13different and oft-times overlappingagencies; Taylor has been chargedwith streamlining this bureaucracyand stemming the creeping rise offood-product recalls in recent years.

At the same time, Congressionallegislation slated to pass in spring of2010 will boldly empower the FDAto take a noticeably more aggressive,pro-active stance against contamina-tions and unsanitary food packagingand preparation. Among Taylor’sfirst responsibilities will be easingthe agency into its powerful newrole.

The legislation is expected togrant the agency the power toincrease food inspections, force anti-contamination plans upon manufac-turers and recall questionable items.

Taylor is known in the industryas a tough reformer unafraid to takeon mega-corporations.

Schumer calls for cadmi-um ban in kids jewelry

U.S. Senator Charles E. “Chuck”Schumer (D-NY) is proposing legis-lation that would ban cadmium, atoxic heavy metal, as a hazardoussubstance from products and toys.Reports of high cadmium content inchildren’s jewelry imported fromChina prompted the U.S. senator toact.

Cadmium is known to causecancer, and according to recentresearch, can hinder brain develop-ment in young children.

“There is enough evidence abouthow dangerous this metal is that wemust take action immediately so nomore children are put in harm’sway,” Mr. Schumer said. “It’s timeto get this toxic metal out of chil-dren’s jewelry and toys and keep itout

E12 Feb. ‘10 | Hamaspik Gazette

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