This Veterans Day, we had the privilege of hosting a special event at MorseLife Health System, paying tribute to one of our most beloved residents, Franklin Simon. At 100 years old, Franklin’s remarkable journey continues to inspire all who meet him. His recent trip to Normandy, marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day, was a poignant reminder of the tremendous sacrifices made by those who served in World War II.

Franklin’s visit to Normandy this past summer was a personal journey fille with poignant memories which he thoughtfully shared with our residents and staff. As a young soldier, he was part of the historic D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944—a day that marked the beginning of the end for Nazi tyranny in Europe. On his return to Normandy this year, Franklin was able to meet with fellow veterans, film director Steven Spielberg, and even President Joe Biden, all of whom shared in the profound honor of recognizing the sacrifices made by those who fought during the war.

Franklin’s path to becoming a war hero began long before D-Day. Raised in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood during the Great Depression, he faced early hardships after the death of his father. Franklin took on jobs from a young age to help support his family. In the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the U.S. Army at just 17 years old, eager to do his part for his country.

Serving under the legendary General George S. Patton, Franklin was involved in some of the most pivotal moments of the war. He played a role in the liberation of France and was instrumental in the liberation of Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, one of the most notorious death camps in Nazi-occupied Europe. Franklin was also part of the campaign that helped free Czechoslovakia from Nazi occupation.

For his bravery and service, Franklin received numerous awards, including three Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars, a Silver Star, and the prestigious French Legion of Honour. In addition, the Czech Republic honored him with a commemorative medal for his role in the liberation of their country.

After the war, Franklin made the most of the opportunities afforded to him through the G.I. Bill, earning a college degree and later an MBA from Harvard Business School. He went on to have a successful career in real estate development, founding The Simon Companies in 1966. His career took him across several northeastern U.S. states before he eventually moved to South Florida, where he continues to remain active and independent at MorseLife’s Levin Palace.

At MorseLife, we are incredibly proud of Franklin and all our resident veterans. Their service not only shaped the course of history but also paved the way for the freedoms we cherish today.

Franklin Simon’s remarkable life serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving the stories of those who fought for our freedom. It is through remembering their service that we ensure their sacrifices are never forgotten, and their legacy continues to inspire future generations.

Knowing the residents you’re cooking for is an important part of the job for MorseLife Executive Chef Matt Hammett, Director of Culinary, Chef Chris Collier, and the MorseLife culinary team. Many residents have dietary preferences and restrictions or simply just like certain foods. Hence, our culinary specialists make an extra effort to get to know them individually, putting a face to each delicious meal they cook and serve. The scent of good food can go a long way toward helping elderly residents feel more at home, especially when there’s the extra touch of knowing the chef who cooked it for you really cares.

This personal relationship sparked a conversation between resident Arthur Nagler, age 97, and Chef Matt, who was awed and inspired by Nagler’s harrowing tales and scrapbook photos of his U.S. Army service as a World War II surgical technician.

Drafted in 1943 to General George S. Patton’s Third Army, Nagler landed with his medical service team on Utah Beach in Normandy, France, just four months after the D-Day invasion. Soon, he was called to Germany, where he was wounded and suffered a concussion during the famed two-month Battle of Bulge, but despite his injuries, Nagler kept working to care for other soldiers.

Although France later bestowed him with the French Legion Honor Medal, Nagler never received a Purple Heart from the United States, perhaps because—unknown to many—the rules surrounding the award of the famed medal had been changed by the Army just two years before, suddenly making them very rare.

The Purple Heart remains one of American history’s most cherished and widely recognized medals. So, after hearing Nagler’s story, Chef Matt decided it was time to rectify history. Scouring through heirlooms for sale, he found a real Purple Heart and gave it to Nagler as a gift.

“Although it was not an official presentation or military issue, he can still wear it on the left side of his uniform,” Chef Matt explained.

Nagler returned home after the war to become one of the original managers of Florida’s Everglades Growers Cooperative with his wife, Nola, in the late 1950s. He was also a civic founder of The Glades area, which comprised early rural developments in Belle Glade, Pahokee, and South Bay.

Even though it was unofficial, receiving the symbolic Purple Heart filled Nagler with pride, and he still talks about it every time he introduces Chef Matt to his friends and family.

Matt also feels a deep sense of pride at being able to pay his respects to his good friend from the “Greatest Generation” and shared that “Mr. and Mrs. Nagler are amazing people.”

Realizing your loved one may be facing the onset of dementia can be a lonely, helpless feeling. Take comfort in knowing you are not alone. Caring for a loved one suffering from a progressive memory disease such as Alzheimer’s takes tremendous time and patience.

Many who attempt to singlehandedly care for someone suffering from significant memory impairment eventually find themselves at the agonizing crossroads of contemplating whether to continue alone or navigate the often-overwhelming unknowns of seeking outside help.

There is another option. By moving your family member or loved one to a high-quality memory care residence, you can feel good about ensuring they receive proper care in a safe and loving environment with a continuum of care that can significantly improve their quality of life.

Here, at MorseLife’s five-star Memory Care Residences, we’re using new and exciting ways to provide residents with groundbreaking therapies to help slow the progression of memory-related illness, reduce difficult dementia symptoms, and help engage them in fulfilling ways. With around-the-clock access to expert care, residents can experience art, music, dance, and even virtual reality therapies that can bring them joy, healthy stimulation, physical movement, and a reduction in mood disorders.

Notably, MorseLife is the only senior care provider authorized by the State of Florida to offer cannabinoid-based therapies, which help to uplift spirits, promote better sleep, ease pain and reduce reliance on pharmaceuticals.

MorseLife’s multi-sensory approach includes the aroma and sight of home-cooked meals prepared in an open kitchen. Residents are also encouraged to engage with friends, family, and care staff in warm, homelike living areas and enjoy nature in the tranquil outdoor gardens with common areas arranged into welcoming “neighborhoods.”

All-inclusive care, locator systems for each resident, an in-house medical clinic, and access to various enrichment activities and family support make MorseLife an ideal community to help ease physical and emotional distress.

MorseLife’s expert interdisciplinary medical team, led by our on-site Harvard-trained geriatrician, is supported by certified nursing assistants and licensed practical nurses.

As cognitive impairment illness progresses, MorseLife Memory Care offers a single, all-inclusive fee that will not increase with the level of care.

Give MorseLife a call or schedule a visit to learn more about our reputation as a national leader in enlightened memory care.

Eighty-four years have passed since the violent anti-Jewish demonstrations of November 9^th and 10^th 1938, known as Kristallnacht, a word that translates from German into “The Night of Broken Glass.”  Those two days marked a ghastly escalation in the pre-World War II persecution of Jews from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia and ultimately all European Jews.  After this tragic night of violence and destruction perpetrated by Nazis, the persecution of Jews intensified progressively until six million were murdered in what came to be known as the Holocaust.

With each passing anniversary of Kristallnacht, we are reminded that historical turning points like these can help us comprehend the past, so we can determine how to secure a better future, where atrocities like the Holocaust never happen again.

Three years ago, MorseLife learned about the plight of impoverished Holocaust Survivors living among us in Palm Beach County, which was a turning point in the way we saw our role in the community.  We discovered these remaining frail elders who had survived the most horrible atrocities were now struggling amidst the plenty that surrounds them. To help them, we created the NOW For Holocaust Survivors initiative, through which MorseLife now provides vital services at no charge to Survivors in need.  Our purpose is to keep them healthy, safe and secure.

To date generous donors have contributed more than $5 million to the NOW initiative, making a substantial difference in the lives of hundreds of vulnerable Holocaust Survivors by addressing their needs for case management, food insecurity and emergency financial assistance.

As they age, Survivors’ crucial needs are even greater than we anticipated and we are determined to help them, but most importantly, to let them know someone cares.

To find out more about NOW for Holocaust Survivors and what can be done to help, please visit morselifefoundation.org/holocaust-survivors.

MorseLife’s Holocaust Butterfly Project with
Palm Beach County School District

MorseLife Resident and World War II Ghost Army Veteran to Soon be Honored with a Congressional Gold Medal of Honor

MorseLife resident Manny Frockt is one of nine surviving members of two top-secret World War II military units called the “Ghost Army.” Thanks to the recent passage of congressional legislation, Manny will finally be awarded a Congressional Gold Medal for his service 75 years ago.

In World War II, Manny served in the 3133 Signal Service Company Special, which handled sonic deception for the Ghost Army, a classified “tactical deception unit.” Manny enlisted at 21 and was sent to New York to train for a “top secret” troop of about 1200 men whom the “bigger army” used when they needed to pull out of an area. They would send the “ghost army” in who would use inflatable tanks, sound effects, and imagination to fool the Germans on the battlefields of Europe, making the enemy think the “bigger army” was still there.

Manny himself was in the “sound effects” troop as he explained, “They would open the back of these big tractors and play recorded sounds of men’s voices, yelling, gunfire, grenades, engines until the Nazis either backed off or until the “bigger army” had enough time to move their troops elsewhere. It was easier for the ghost army, which consisted of 1200 men or so, to move without being noticed than the average 15,000-man troop.”

The Ghost Army started in Normandy and lasted for three years until Paris was liberated. The units did a total of 19 missions. Unfortunately, Manny was medically discharged due to severe frostbite in his feet.

Members of the Ghost Army saved thousands of lives and helped win the war, but their efforts and contributions were classified for over 40 years. Congratulations, Manny, on this long-awaited recognition. We are so proud to know you, and it is a pleasure to have you as part of our MorseLife community!

MorseLife Partners with Community Organizations to

Bring the Butterfly Project to Palm Beach County

A recent Jewish Journal story highlights how the project memorializes children who perished in the Holocaust and honored Survivors through art and education

 

MorseLife residents, Palm Beach County students, and community members are taking part in the Butterfly Project. In this educational and memorial-making project, each participant paints one butterfly for every child lost in the Holocaust.  The goal is to create 1.5 million butterflies worldwide as a display of resilience and hope.

Morselife Health System’s NOW for Holocaust Survivors Initiative, along with NEXT GENERATIONS of Holocaust Survivors in Boynton Beach, the Palm Beach County School District, the Orthodox Union’s youth group NCSY’s Jewish Student Union, and the international Butterfly Project have partnered together to bring the Butterfly Project to the Palm Beach County community. The partnership was made possible through a grant from the Jewish Federations of North America’s Center on Aging and Trauma, a project of the Holocaust Survivor Initiative.

“While we provide free care and support services to Survivors in poverty through our NOW for Holocaust Survivors Initiative, we also feel a profound obligation to educate younger generations and memorialize those who were lost in the Holocaust,” said MorseLife Health System President and CEO Keith Myers. “Art can touch the soul in deeply meaningful ways, which is why this project is so powerful for children, families, and our residents.”

Each butterfly comes with a biography about a child who was murdered in the Holocaust, relating information about their life to connect the artist to the victim. The Butterfly Project uses the lessons of the Holocaust to educate about the dangers of hatred and bigotry while cultivating empathy and social responsibility.

“All of the impoverished survivors we support through our NOW for Holocaust Survivors Initiative have suffered unimaginable trauma. With more than 5,000 ceramic butterflies being created community-wide in Palm Beach, this project represents hope for the future and the assurance that through education, history won’t repeat itself,” added Rabbi Erica Rosenkranz, MorseLife’s NOW Initiative engagement director.

MorseLife has also announced plans to work with a local artist on a sculpture designed with the butterflies, which will be on permanent display at MorseLife and serve as a lasting symbol of endurance, hope, and change. The sculpture is to be complete in early 2022.

To read more, visit the Jewish Journal.

Committed to Caring for Holocaust Survivors 365 Days a Year

 

January 27^th was International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a time to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust while honoring those who survived. At MorseLife, we pay tribute to those who suffered this unimaginable cruelty each day. Through our NOW Holocaust Survivor initiative, we provide a lifeline of services to impoverished Holocaust Survivors throughout Palm Beach County and beyond, 365 days a year.

Depending on each Survivor’s need, MorseLife provides comprehensive services including care management, housekeeping and errands, nutritious meals, personal care, transportation, medication management, skilled nursing care, medical assessment, safety system installation, respite care, music and art therapy, financial management, and more, at little or no cost.

As a leading-edge provider of senior care, we are also working hard to train our care teams to better support older adults with a history of trauma through ‘Person-centered, trauma-informed’ (PCTI) care.  PCTI provides holistic care to promote the dignity, strength and empowerment of trauma survivors by incorporating knowledge about trauma into our programs.

At MorseLife we are firmly committed to educating today’s youth about the dangers of hatred and bigotry and ensuring that history never repeats itself. We recently launched The Butterfly Project in Palm Beach County, allowing children and families in our community and at local synagogues to paint ceramic butterflies as symbols of resilience and hope, one for each child who perished in the Holocaust, and in honor of Survivors. To date, over 1,000 butterflies have been painted and will soon be part of a commemorative sculpture on the MorseLife campus.

To learn more about the Now for Holocaust Survivors initiative, visit MorseLifeFoundation.org or call (561)349-4556.

New Free Webinar Series is Offered to Holocaust Survivors and Family Members

A ten-part live webinar series offered at no cost to Holocaust Survivors, their families and interested members of the community is being presented by NEXT GENERATIONS, in partnership with NOW for Holocaust Survivors at MorseLife Health System and Jewish Federations of North America Center for Advancing Holocaust Survivor Care.

Led by Dr. Irit Felsen, a clinical psychologist, trauma expert and published author on mental health issues of child survivors of the Holocaust, each lecture will discuss important topics to Survivors and their families in an open and interactive forum.

For a list of all webinars, times and dates and to register visit www.nextgenerations.org/events.

To learn more about MorseLife Health System’s commitment to Holocaust Survivors and the “Now for Holocaust Survivors” initiative, please visit MorseLifeFoundation.org or call (561)349-4556.