MARCH 2020—ADAR-NISAN 5780—VOL 20 NO 7

Health Notes ......................................... 7Dining .................................................... 8 Flower Garden ..................................... 9Flowers Family Business ..................10Flowers Family Business .................. 11

President’s Message ......................... 2Employee of the Month ..................... 3Candiece’s Flowers ............................. 4Candiece’s Flowers ............................. 5Health Notes ......................................... 6

The Power of Flowers

March Activity Calendar insert

Staff

Emma Davis, Director of Programming 415-345-5098 Adrienne Fair, Assistant Executive Director 415-345-5077Ira Kurtz, Executive Director 415-345-5080Eric Luu, Chief Financial Officer 415-345-5083Van Ly, Business Office Manager 415-345-5073Samson Legesse, Director of Facilities 415-345-5088 Candiece Milford, Managing Director of Marketing 415-345-5072Corey Weiner, Director of Food and Beverage 415-345-5066Elizabeth Wyma-Hughes, Director of Resident Services 415-345-5085

2180 Post Street San Francisco, CA 94115

415.345.5060; 415.345.5061 (fax) www.RGPlaza.org RCFE #385600125

Rhoda goldman plaza

Don AbramsonKaren Aidem David DossetterNancy GoldbergDr. Carl GrunfeldDr. Lawrence HillBernie NebenzahlJaimie SanfordPaul SiegelJim ShapiroJosh SmithRonna StoneMartin TannenbaumDr. Anita FriedmanKaren Staller

Board of Directors

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Message from the Resident Council President Len Sperry

“The flowers that bloom in the spring (tra la) Breathe promise of merry sunshine,” from Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta The Mikado introduce the March Olive Press on flowers.Thanks to Candiece and Corey we have fresh bouquets weekly. They buy, choose, and arrange the many of the flowers throughout the common areas at RGP. Although I’m not much of a flower person, I do like roses. I pay attention to flowers when they coincide with music, as quoted above.

March Birthdays

Larry Lipkind 1Steve Caldwell 2Henni Kuflik 6Nancy Kaplan 15Kenneth Baker 20Herbert Scholder 25Roberta Graff 28Ruth Kagan 30

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Employee of the Month-Rosalie Locsin

SCAM AlertProtect Yourself from Scams

Several residents have reported receiving fraudulent telephone calls. Most common is a message from the “Social Security Administration” or “IRS” saying “there is a lawsuit against you..” Scammers may request that you to provide personal information like SS#, date of birth, or bank account numbers or say “please confirm your SS#”. Scams also come in emails. If you have doubts about the legitimacy of emails of phone calls, please check with Elizabeth.

Hanging up is the best prevention. Do not talk to them. Or, ask for their name and number and say you will call them back. This usually deters future calls.

Do Not give out any personal information!

Tom Stahl, PhotographerArt Reception

Sunday, March 1 2:00

Rosalie Locsin, PCA (Personal Care Giver), as residents have noticed, smiles a lot. “I love working at RGP because everyone helps each other, our staff share a common vision, and the residents are very nice too,” she said. Rosalie started working at RGP in July 2017, originally in assisted living, but

now works entirely on the Terrace.

Born in Manila, the Philippines, Rosalie graduated from the University in Manila with a BS in nursing and an interest in psychiatric nursing. After graduating, she volunteered in the psychiatric nursing in a local hospital before she came to the USA in 2002 with her husband. Because she did not have documentation of her degree, Rosalie was not able to work as a nurse when she arrived. So she attended the Bay Area College of Nursing in Daly City and studied to become a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) and received a CNA certificate. She worked at St. Luke’s Hospital from 2002 to 2004 and, concurrently at Coventry from 2002 through 2004. After taking time off to raise her family, Rosalie returned to work in 2017.

Rosalie loves gardening, although she has no access to a garden where she lives. “In Manila, I had a garden with beautiful orchids. I have a green thumb so I loved spending time with plants; it very restful.” My favorite flower is a tulip,” she said.

Rosalie’s supervisors write: “Rosalie works primarily on the Terrace where her skill with our residents is impressive. She is quiet and calm in her manner, very grounded with a ready smile, working tirelessly without complaint. She knows the residents really well and always pays attention to the details of their care: what foods they like, choosing their favorite outfits, etc. — She is particularly patient and kind with residents on hospice. (I’m thinking in particular of a resident who called her Mama because she was so attentive). We’ve often said that I wish I could clone her!”

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Flowers Bloom Happiness at RGP

FlowersUnlike plastic plants and bogus blossoms, real flowers are high maintenance. In a sense, they are alive. Alive and high maintenance may go hand in hand. Plastic flowers, unlike real flowers were never alive, always unresponsive and completely inert.

Having real flowers in the building entails effort. Finding, choosing, arranging, displaying, and caring for flowers requires paying attention, monitoring, evaluation. Flowers can’t be left to fend for themselves. We could call it fleurculture (distinct from agriculture) because the relationship is so much more personal. Beautiful flowers astonish. Artistically designed flower arrangements evoke aesthetic pleasure. Flowers exude scents of spring, Paradise, forgotten days in nature; they reconnect the part of our brain with its earthy roots.

Flowers speak to us, symbolize significant events, evoke memories, engage. Research has shown that flowers reduce stress, improve mood, increase compassion, help sleep, increase sex appeal, and improve healing. They restore the soul.

That’s why we have real flowers. Because we are alive.

Candiece Milford,Managing Director of Marketing

When I interviewed four years ago at Rhoda Goldman Plaza, my attention was immediately caught by the fresh flowers in the lobby and dining room. I subsequently learned that providing fresh flowers (not artificial) was a premise of the organization. Dr. Anita Friedman, who initiated RGP, understood that this detail quietly elevates the quality of the community. What a delight to this lifelong flower lover that ultimately led to the flower arrangements in my office, the Lobby, art openings, and elsewhere on occasion.

However, I am not alone in creating floral arrangements. Corey Weiner, Director of Food and Beverage, also buys flowers for the building. And I must now admit to Corey and residents, that I sometimes purloin a few flowers from her arrangements to complete or refresh my own . . . mea culpa, Corey!

Arranging flowers for RGP started in my office to provide an aesthetic experience for our guests and residents. As my bouquets became more popular, Corey invited me to do the ones for the lobby to which I enthusiastically said “yes!” So that is the genesis of my floral arranging career at RGP.

Based on the reaction to various arrangements, I’ve learned that the most colorful ones get the most attention. I believe it’s partly due to the flowers themselves being simply gorgeous. The quieter arrangements, while fascinating, are designed for textural interest and require close study, perhaps being too subtle for our changing eyesight.

The roots of my love of flowers derives from spending hours as a child in our huge back yard with bountiful flowers. It backed up to a giant, dirt lot where a florist grew rows and rows of Sweet Peas . . . in the heart of Los Angeles in the early 60s. I’d climb over our fence

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and walk between their rows, inhaling their heady fragrance. To this day, this humble flower is one of my favorites.

Every Saturday morning I go to my favorite “candy store”, a floral business within an organic grocery store, whose flowers are mostly sourced from farms in Sonoma. My eye usually gravitates towards something seasonal that will last more than a week as I like to reuse them when possible. I look for flowers that aren’t fully bloomed for the same reason. Once I find that first signature flower, I look for complimentary or contrasting colors and textures.

Back home, I cut all the stems to refresh them and put them in water, layering them front to back in a vase from the hardiest to more delicate in anticipation of their transit in my car. If there are tulips, I put about 5 pennies in the vase as this helps the poppies to stay erect. Otherwise, they droop which I also use as a design technique on occasion.

Once at RGP I sort them by type, collect and wash vases filled with fresh water, and then I’m ready to go. How do I go about an arrangement? The process is completely intuitive from here and a bit hard to describe, but I start with the vase and its color, choosing a core flower from my bundles. I literally build on that considering height, what is interesting “filler”, what looks good in front and back or contrasts in color and texture within the bouquet. Contrast is key and finding surprising juxtapositions of flowers and greenery is often the

delight I discover as I work. If I feel like something is missing, I go upstairs and check out Corey’s flowers!

Since I can’t bear to throw out any flower that is still viable, I often try to finagle unusual ways to save them. For example, a wilted sunflower has its petals torn off, retaining the brown center as a textural touch. Protea, once relieved of its browning outer leaves, reveals a soft inside core you see in the lavender blossoms above.

Flower arranging can certainly be taught, but the natural ability to just “know” when something works derives in part from that beautiful concept of serendipity which I love and use in the design. I also believe that the flowers somehow have a voice and quietly whisper to me as I arrange them . . . “they have no mouth but seem to speak, a thousand words so mild and meek. They have no arms, but seem to pat when with worries my heart is fat. They have no feet, but seem to walk along with me in my dreams and talk.” 1

1 Flowers, © Pearlyn, published 2/2015 Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/flowers

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Adrienne Fair, MSN, RN, Assistant Executive Director

Health Notes

A Medicinal Bouquet

Who doesn’t love flowers? They are so uplifting and pretty. Randomized control trials have even shown that having ornamental plants and flowers in patient rooms improved recovery after surgery. The patients had lower blood pressure, lower pain levels, and less anxiety and fatigue 1.

Aside from being visually appealing, there are many different flowers used in medicine. I thought it would be fun to put together a bouquet of medical flowers. These flowers are used to make some potent medications that are widely used in healthcare.

Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus). Alkaloids from this plant (vincristine and vinblastine) are used in the treatment of many diseases and conditions including: leukemia,

Hodgkin disease, and malignant lymphomas. The alkaloids can also improve cerebral blood flow and treat high blood pressure. 2

Echinacea (Echinacea purpura) is widely used to fight infection, especially for the common cold and the flu.

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is also a commonly used herb that is said to relieve upset stomach, heartburn, nausea and vomiting. Some cancer patients use chamomile as a mouth rinse to alleviate the pain of mouth sores

common with cancer treatments. Both echinacea and chamomile are available as pills or as an herbal tea. (2)

Foxglove (Digitalis lanata) is a very dangerous flower for pets because it is quite poisonous. It is used to make digitalis medications (also known as Digoxin) which make the heart pump more forcefully and steadily in the treatment of heart failure. 3

The anticancer medications known as taxanes (Taxol and Taxotere) come from the bark of the Pacific Yew (Taxus brevifolia). The taxanes are used in conjunction with other medications to treat breast and ovarian cancer. 4

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The plant quinine (Cinchona officinalis) has been used for over 350 years in the treatment of malaria.

Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) has been used even longer—for over 4000 years! Aspirin treats pain and inflammation and is also an antiplatelet agent (to help avoid blood clots). It comes from the bark of the willow tree (of the genus Salix). 5

Marijuana buds (Cannabis sativa) are somewhat controversial and have not seen rigorous clinical trials as compared to regulated pharmaceutical medications. Some patients use marijuana to increase appetite, control

pain, and alleviate irritable bowel symptoms. 6

The milk of Poppy buds (Papaver somniferum) are used in a very wide array of opiate medications—as well as in street drugs like heroin. Opiods (medications derived from opium) such as Vicodin, Fentanyl, and Norco are controlled substances due to their potential for addiction and misuse—and they are very effective for treating pain. (3)

A major side effect of opiods is constipation, which brings me to the final flower in the bouquet: senna (Senna alexandrina). You may be familiar

with the little brown senna laxative pills. Who knew that they came from such a cheerful and utterly lovely little yellow flower? (3)

I have quite enjoyed putting this bouquet together for you: maybe you will think of all these pretty flowers the next time you take your morning pills.

1 Park & Mattson (2009). Ornamental indoor plants in hospital rooms enhanced health outcomes of patients recovering from surgery. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

2 WebMD (2020). Diet and supplement guide. Webmd.com

3 US National Library of Medicine (2019). Drugs and supplements. Medline.gov

4 Bryan, J (2011). How bark from the Pacific yew tree improved the treatment of breast cancer. Pharmaceutical-journal.com

5 Conelley, D (2014). A history of aspirin. Pharmaceutical-journal.com

6 Grinspoon, P (2018). Medical marijuana. Health.harvard.edu

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Flowers and Flours

Corey Weiner,Director of Food and Beverage

Ambivalence—that almost defines my relationship to flowers—actually—now they just annoy me. Every week, I go and buy flowers for the dining room. Shi, Thi, Man and other staff cart them up the elevator, cut the flowers, put them in the bud vases and larger vases for the second floor and dining room. The flowers wilt, have to thrown away, and the whole process begins again. I’ve lost my patience for such cyclic and predictable events..

Every week these arrangements toy with my emotions. They start off lovely right? …Whatever. A bit of beauty, nature, and color which cheers us all up in the dining room. Then, shortly, in a week or less, they droop like some of our aging body parts (you know the ones I mean. If not, look in a full-length mirror). Doomed from the start, they are transformed from immortal beauty to mortal unsightliness in a few days. They become the flowers that only Candiece can love (she being the mistress and savior of dry and saggy flowers, becoming her signature horrifyingly stunning arrangements. So we start again; they cheer us up; they wilt. They irritate the heck out of me. I won’t even have them at home. Why? Partly the doom and sagging part, and because my cats eat them—poisonous or not—they love the fun of pushing over the vases. Although our residents don’t eat fleurs, some residents (you know who you are) do steal them and I am left with suspiciously empty bud vases and smelly water…. There is no recourse. The police do nothing. Perhaps I should just get Venus Fly Traps, or flowers whose pollen doesn’t wash off.

But... Wait a minute!!!! ....Oh! You were talking about FLOUR. Well, I am not so fond of that either. It also has no place in my home. This will shock you, but my cats, (Maisy and Lester) also like to toss powdery things around the house! Also, if I had some (floury material), that would unerringly lead me to turn on the oven, and use it. Not gonna happen. My oven is brand new and staying that way. I have cleaned my last oven.

Thank goodness for Kelly, the baker extraordinaire, is a flour maestro. In addition to conventional flours, she uses a multitude of alternative flours for the gluten-intolerant—rice, almond, coconut flour. And thank goodness for really alternative flours—like cassava flour which constitutes Brazilian cheese bread (and it is kosher for Passover!). In fact, April 8th is the first seder… so look forward to macaroons, and other chametz-less foods. You’ll find me nearly catatonic, under my desk, muttering about matzah.....

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RGP’s Flower Garden

My mother had an amazing garden in the back yard—an oasis—it was an inspiration for what flowers and gardens can provide.

I started gardening in 2014 and shared photos of my plants with residents. As a result of their enthusiasm and comments, I started the Garden Club. Gardening activities brought about many conversations, unleashed a flood of memories from residents who had had gardens. The practice of gardening provided a “place” for residents to reminiscence and share stories with other gardeners.

The Gardening Club built a beautiful spot. The garden took off exponentially—the number of flowering plants increased, attracted pollinators (bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies) and became an island of nature in the city. It also made residents feel like this was a piece of home. East Coast residents especially love to watch bulbs sprout since it reminds them that spring is really coming… The garden gave residents an opportunity to say “I helped build that”.

I bring our flowers to new resident luncheons and to residents who are not feeling well. Flowers from our garden makes the dining table a little more special, because they are flowers residents themselves grew.

Elizabeth Wyma-Hughes

Flowers for the Dining Room

Flowers—A Family Business

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Growing up in the flower business often felt like living in the heart of the community. All stages of life from birth to death are acknowledged through flowers, including christenings, b’nei mitzvahs, weddings, funerals, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, holiday parties, proms, parties, new homes, and businesses. Sometimes more eloquent than the written word, flowers uniquely express the infinite events of the human condition. From a husband returning from a three-day fishing trip bringing flowers to his wife, from friends on birthdays, lovers at Valentine’s Day, or mourners at funerals, flowers express love, remorse, attachment, respect, congratulations, sympathy, and the entire range of human feelings.

RGP residents, Ruth and Ron Miguel and their children, Barry, Melanie, and Renee operated the House of Flowers in San Francisco’s Richmond District. They have spent their lives with flowers. Ruth related that “My father, who emigrated from Rhodes, Turkey, moved his flower business from Los Angeles to San Francisco. When he was a child, he used to pick wild flowers on the island, making them into bunches to sell to people who were walking to the nearby cemetery. When he immigrated to the USA, he lived in LA and began his flower business with a horse and cart. He moved to San Francisco and opened the House of Flowers on Geary. I began learning the flower business by sweeping the floor, she said. “But sweeping the floor in a flower shop is a little different than in any other shop or store. On market days, it’s not unusual to have hundreds of flowers to be stemmed and cleaned—they really pile up—pretty soon you’re trying to work standing on a foot of leaves and stems.”

Sixty-five years ago Northern California produced about half of the nation’s flowers. There were fields and hot houses in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Sonoma Counties. Originally the San Francisco Flower Mart was on Fifth Street and then moved to its present location at Seventh and Brannan. “We bought flowers three or more times a week at 4:00 am,” Ron said, “depending on the season and the events. Ruth added “I loved going to the flower market, it was so exciting. I loved the smells, the colors, the kinds and varieties of flowers. I still love being surprised to find what has come into season.”

“Flowers have been a part of human civilization before recorded history.” Renee stated. “They were mentioned in the Gilgamesh Epic (2800 and 2500 BC). They were part of rituals and cultural events in Greece, Rome, Micronesia, China, and Africa; all cultures have used flowers at ceremonial events”.

Renée, Melanie, Ron, and Ruth Miguel

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Designing flowers arrangements for large venues is quite challenging,” Ron said. “It requires seeing the big picture and organizing the details. For example, designing flowers for Temple Emanu El was a nightmare. Although the synagogue is very beautiful, it is huge. Flower arrangements had to be visible from the back rows, so it was challenging to find and design arrangements large enough to be seen at a distance. Almost as challenging was providing bouquets for the prima ballerinas at the ballet. That bouquet had to be seen from the balcony—so you can imagine that it was quite large. The ribbon was-about six inches wide! We learned a lot about people’s daily lives and hierarchy from doing corporate events. One of our clients hosted Japanese business guests and we were directed to make Japanese president’s bouquet twice the size of the next person in rank.”

Designing flowers requires an artistic aesthetic, a balance of color, shape, size, and height—the relationship of the flowers and greens to each other and the piece as a whole to the environment in which they’re placed. You’re creating an atmosphere that reflects and enhances the event, expresses its joy, or witnesses its sadness, and always respects its significance. The flower arrangements should reflect not only the occasion, but also the place and people involved.

Melanie explained, “It’s important to allow the flowers do what they do naturally. Never dye them, never add glitter, always maintain their integrity; we have to respect them. Flowers are our gift from the earth. They bring infinite value to our lives and are the continuous reminder of the beauty of nature.”

Today the Miguel family’s 90-plus year flower tradition continues. Renee still goes to the Flower Mart in the early morning hours and comes back to the Commonwealth Club where, in addition to her other assignments, she creates all of the Club’s arrangements as well as those for organizations which rent the building for events.

SF Flower Mart

Rhoda goldman plaza 2180 Post Street San Francisco, CA 94115

415.345.5060 415.345.5061 (fax)

www.RGPlaza.org RCFE #385600125

Founded by Jewish Family and Children’s Services and Mount Zion Health Fund

Rhoda Goldman PlazaThe appeal of Rhoda Goldman Plaza is undeniable. Older adults and their families prefer our unsurpassed assisted living and memory care community enriched by culture and tradition.Residents enjoy superb, “made-from-scratch” cuisine that is always well reviewed by our most vocal critics; our residents! While our dining selections please the appetite, accommodations showcase spacious, private apartments designed to maximize space and comfort. In fact, we’re re-defining your life as Living Well With Assistance — we believe our community is every bit as good as a five-star hotel. And, professionally trained, courteous staff promotes your health and well-being with choices of activity programs both on and off-site.

Our Terrace Memory program provides specialized memory care to residents through therapeutic activities that enhance physical, mental, and emotional health. Both privacy and companionship are afforded on our self-contained Terrace. Living Well With Assistance is more than a promise, but a way of life for our like-minded residents and staff who share the vision of our upscale community.

Visit Rhoda Goldman Plaza today by calling 415.345.5072.

Founded by Jewish Family and Children’s Services and Mt. Zion Health Fund in 2000, Rhoda Goldman Plaza (RGP) was established as a non-profit assisted living facility to provide a better and more secure life for older adults.