Segregation and prejudice in nursing homes

When you think of segregation and prejudice, you tend to visualize race riots and horrible injustices done to blacks in America in the times prior to the Civil Rights Movement. There are many other forms of segregation that are more subtle and often ignored. For example, prejudices against the handicapped. Many older adults were raised in an era where prejudice was the norm and political correctness was never an issue. When people first move to independent living, sometimes they are unwilling to associate with their peers who use walkers and wheelchairs. While you may be 90 years old, you see the people with equipment and think, “I’m not like them.”

Jews in assisted living and skilled nursing homes often feel very isolated and some of the isolation is self-imposed. Sometimes, this isolation is caused by a lack of sensitivity to a Jew’s diet such as the serving of pork products on the menu. Other times, the staff will find that the Jews do not interact with the rest of the residents. In many facilities, you will see a table of Jewish residents who dine together for every meal. This cliquish behavior is due to a commonality of culture.

The Jewish Pavilion is an outreach organization that seeks to enrich the lives of residents of all faiths who reside in independent, assisted and skilled nursing facilities. The organization has a small staff and 400 volunteers who visit the Jewish residents weekly. The Sabbath services, holiday parties, happy hours, musical programs and courses offered by the Jewish Pavilion are open to residents of all faiths.

As a result of all of these fun activities taking place on a regular basis, residents have gotten to know one another in a unique way. Friendships have been formed between diverse groups: people who can walk upright and those who use wheelchairs, Jews and non-Jews, blacks and whites all participate equally and get to know one another more intimately. An appreciation of the Jewish culture has developed. For example, I taught a lesson about the history of matzo ball soup and then served homemade soup to the residents. I asked, “Who has tasted this soup before?” and everyone raised their hands. Then one resident commented, “I tasted it for the first time when I moved to Savannah Court. I had never met a Jew prior to living here. I have learned so much and made such good friends in the Jewish community thanks to the Jewish Pavilion.”

Nancy Ludin is the executive director of the Jewish Pavilion. Visit JewishPavilion.org to learn more.