Highlands’ seniors benefit from Right at Home event

What started as a humble Jewish ritual for a small group of senior residents turned into a party – one that tugged at the heartstrings in surprising ways.

When Naomi Fink Cotrone at Right at Home of Warwick began planning a Dec. 12 Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony for the Jewish residents of The Highlands on the East Side, she couldn’t have anticipated the emotional impact the event would have on everyone involved.

When a senior moves into an assisted living community, they often downsize in more ways than just eliminating their possessions. Although never by intention, sometimes lifelong traditions fall by the wayside. What was once a hallowed ritual can begin to feel like just a memory of another lifetime.

On the first night of Hanukkah this year, Cotrone and her Right at Home team organized a “light-up-the-evening” event for the community. The senior care franchise partnered with The Highlands and invited residents and their families to join the celebration. They set up a dreidel-spinning station complete with chocolate gelt, a photo booth with Hanukkah-themed props, a three-foot-tall millennial pink menorah, traditional doughnuts for Hanukkah, and traditional latkes that were generously donated by the East Side Marketplace.

“Laurie from our office is married to the chef at East Side Marketplace, and our entire office team prepared for this event with incredible enthusiasm, adopting it as their own holiday for the day,” said Cotrone. “What started as a community-builder really turned into a labor of love, and for that, I’m so proud of the staff.”

During the event, Eddie Fink, Cotrone’s father, led the group in Hanukkah storytelling, and Cotrone chanted the melodic traditional Hebrew prayers over the candles.

As she chanted, Cotrone noticed one senior in particular who was transfixed by the flames. Cotrone invited her to light a second menorah, and as the flame touched the wicks, the senior’s eyes welled up, beaming. She quietly held Cotrone’s hand throughout the rest of the ceremony.

“This was very special for me, because I no longer have grandparents,” Cotrone said. “I felt like I needed her as much as she needed me.”

Mary Ellen Lehman, The Highlands’ director of Memory Care and Community Engagement, was overjoyed by the program. “The residents were made to feel so special,” Lehman said. “The feedback since the event has been incredible. The seniors loved the food, enjoyed the games, and had fun getting their pictures taken. I know it particularly meant a lot to one resident, Janet, whose daughter also joined. This event allowed them to celebrate the holiday in a real way, together.”

The event was such a success that The Highlands and Right at Home are already discussing partnering for Passover 2018.

Merisa Fink is a marketer at Right at Home of Warwick.