Joshua

Points of Pain:
• Loneliness
Joshua*, a former jewelry store owner, is 75 • Guilt about not being able to
and lives alone in his San Francisco home. His keep Rebecca at home
wife, Rebecca, 73, has Alzheimer’s disease. She • Misses being active in his faith
lived at home with Joshua until a few months ago • Worries about what the future
when she began wandering outside at night and holds for Rebecca
Joshua became exhausted from lack of sleep. • Concern about his own future,
Their children, who live out-of-state, stepped in with no children living locally
and helped Joshua come to terms with moving and the ongoing cost of
Rebecca to a memory support neighborhood. Rebecca’s care
Joshua is beginning to regain his health and to
feel more optimistic about things; he is grateful
for the care Rebecca is receiving, and especially
grateful that she is in a Jewish-sponsored
community where the traditions he and Rebecca
cherish are part of her life. Likely Immediate
Engagement:
Communication • Support groups

Preferences: •
•
Café
Synagogue, Shabbat services
1. E-mail • Pastoral care
2. Website • Fitness and wellness
3. Family communication system • Health assessment
4. Traditional media • Lifelong learning
• Pharmacy and retail

The Square
The Square is not:
The Square is a meeting place where older adults can find a variety of opportunities • A mental health clinic
for services, engagement, nourishment, wellness, fitness and intellectual stimulation. • Adult day care
The Square feels like an indoor piazza, an urban gathering place, full of life and • A place to sleep in the
activity. The Square is connected to and part of the Jewish Home of San Francisco, lobby
an organization that has provided residential and non-residential services to older
adults and their families for 140 years. *These personas are fictional characters, but
represent typical seniors in this market who will
benefit from membership in The Square.
Desires:
• To spend time with Rebecca
every day
• To find support for the feelings
of loss and failure
• To reconnect with and be
comforted by Jewish traditions
• To restore and improve his
own health
• As he gets older, to know that
there is help available if he
needs it
Possible Future Pathways:
• Referrals for home upkeep
services
• Skilled nursing and hospice for
Rebecca
• Possible clinic and home health
services
• Possible future residency for
Joshua
 Laura and Jerry
Points of Pain:
• Loneliness
Laura and Jerry* have lived in the Excelsior • Lack of stimulation
district all their lives. They are 84 and in good
health. Many of their friends have either passed
away or moved to be closer to their children.
Increasingly, this couple finds themselves
spending more time “together but alone” – they
have different interests and they miss having
friends. Laura and Jerry decided years ago that
they will never move to a retirement community.
They worked as a hotel manager and a secretary,
respectively.

Communication Likely Immediate

Preferences: Engagement:
• Square membership for social,
1. Email educational and wellness
2. Search opportunities
• Dining and retail
3. Traditional Media

The Square The Square is not:

Desires:
• Friends
Possible Future Pathways:
• Transportation
The Square is a meeting place where older adults can find a variety of opportunities for • A mental health clinic • Productivity and a sense • Care management
services, engagement, nourishment, wellness, fitness and intellectual stimulation. The Square • Adult day care of accomplishment and • Home health*
feels like an indoor piazza, an urban gathering place, full of life and activity. The Square • A place to sleep in the lobby belonging • Information & referrals
is connected to and part of the Jewish Home of San Francisco, an organization that has • Some time “together but • Rehab*
*These personas are fictional characters, but
provided residential and non-residential services to older adults and their families for more represent typical seniors in this market who will apart”
than 140 years. benefit from membership in The Square. *Medicare or other
reimbursement

Luis*, a 69-year-old retired sanitation worker,
lives alone just two blocks from The Square. He
came to the grand opening of The Square with
his daughter, who also lives in the neighborhood.
Luis was so impressed with The Square that he
decided to apply for a discounted membership
for neighbors, which he has now received. Apart
from chronic high blood pressure and high
cholesterol, Luis is healthy, but lonely.
Luis
Points of Pain:
• Luis has been divorced for a
while now, and many of his
friends have moved
• Concern about keeping his blood
pressure and cholesterol in check
• No strong understanding of
health care, and no relationship
with a doctor, other than at the
clinic at The Square

Communication
Preferences: Likely Immediate
1. E-mail Engagement:
2. Facebook • Monitoring of blood pressure
3. Traditional media and cholesterol
• Pharmacy
• Fitness center and pool
• Café and takeout

Desires: Possible Future Pathways:

The Square
The Square is not: • Care advisor
• Stay healthy
• A mental health clinic • Home health services
• Have an enjoyable time
• Adult day care
The Square is a meeting place where older adults can find a variety of opportunities for in the neighborhood in a
• A place to sleep in the
services, engagement, nourishment, wellness, fitness and intellectual stimulation. The Square respectful environment
lobby
feels like an indoor piazza, an urban gathering place, full of life and activity. The Square • Have a “go-to” person to
*These personas are fictional characters, but
is connected to and part of the Jewish Home of San Francisco, an organization that has represent typical seniors in this market who will
trust for information about
provided residential and non-residential services to older adults and their families for more benefit from membership in The Square. health care in the future
than 140 years. • Have the convenience of
services and programs
offered by The Square
 Rachel
Points of Pain: Desires:
• Can no longer drive • Safety
• Keeping house is too much • Good nutrition
• Not always eating regularly or taking medications • Medication management
• Lonely and depressed • Jewish traditions
Rachel* is 84 and lives in the East Bay. She was widowed 10 years • Misses being in touch with her faith • Transportation
ago, and has been doing fine in her home until this past year. Each • Opportunities for friendship and
time her children visit now, things seem a little more difficult for Rachel. engagement
Her condo, which was always immaculate, has not been kept up to
her usual standards. Rachel has lost weight and seems depressed. She
has stopped going to synagogue and to her club meetings because
she is afraid to drive. Recently, when Rachel’s daughter accompanied
her to a physician’s appointment, the doctor expressed some concern
that Rachel may not be taking her medications regularly. The family
has been talking and wants to find an independent or assisted
living community that Rachel will feel comfortable with; it would be
important to all of them that this community is Jewish. Rachel was a
secretary to a rabbi and her husband was in the insurance business.
She needs help with cooking, cleaning and medication management.

Communication Preferences: Likely Immediate Engagement: Possible Future

1. Traditional media Assisted Living Pathways:
2. E-mail
3. Rachel’s children • In spite of the distance from her home, Rachel considers • All higher levels of care
4. Internet JHSF’s assisted living neighborhood to be her first choice
5. Facebook because of the tie to the Jewish faith. Rachel’s children,
6. Twitter who live in Mill Valley and Sausalito, respect her wishes
7. YouTube and are supportive; they want her to be safe and
recognize that she can no longer stay in her own home.

Assisted Living at the Jewish Home of San Francisco

*These personas are fictional characters, but
represent typical seniors in this market who will
benefit from membership in The Square.
 Rick
Points of Pain:
• Guilt over not being there
Rick* is a 54-year-old sales executive for his dad
who lives in a condo in San Francisco • Wants to be sure his dad
and travels about two days a week. His gets the best possible care
dad lives in JHSF’s nursing home.

Communication
Preferences:
1. E-mail
2. Twitter
3. Facebook
4. Family communication system Likely Immediate
Engagement:
5. Web content

• When he visits, he takes his

dad to The Square to dine
• Conveniences and possibly
fitness at The Square
• Uses information from The
Square Online, the online
community website

The Square The Square is not: Desires: Possible Future

The Square is a meeting place where older adults can find a variety of opportunities for • A mental health clinic • To spend quality time Pathways:
services, engagement, nourishment, wellness, fitness and intellectual stimulation. The Square • Adult day care with his dad when he can
• Hospice*
feels like an indoor piazza, an urban gathering place, full of life and activity. The Square • A place to sleep in the • To have someone he
is connected to and part of the Jewish Home of San Francisco, an organization that has lobby trusts to contact when he *Medicare or other
provided residential and non-residential services to older adults and their families for more *These personas are fictional characters, but is away reimbursement
represent typical seniors in this market who will
than 140 years. benefit from membership in The Square.
 Sarah
Points of Pain:
• Concerned about her mom’s
Sarah* is an HR manager for a large corporation health and happiness
in San Francisco, and she and her husband own
a home in Sausalito. Sarah’s mom is a member of
The Square. She and her mom are very close and
Sarah plans to be there for her mom as she ages.

Communication Likely Immediate

Preferences: Engagement:
1. Facebook • Attend social events or
2. Twitter classes with mom
3. E-mail • Provide transportation for
4. Web content mom
• Reads The Square’s content
• Meets the staff to be sure
they know she is interested in
anything to do with mom

Desires: Possible Future Pathways:

The Square
The Square is not: • Caregiver education
• A mental health clinic • To be an active participant • Use of information from The
• Adult day care in her mom’s life Square Online, the online
The Square is a meeting place where older adults can find a variety of opportunities for • A place to sleep in the • To give her mom good community website
services, engagement, nourishment, wellness, fitness and intellectual stimulation. The Square lobby advice • Care management and
feels like an indoor piazza, an urban gathering place, full of life and activity. The Square *These personas are fictional characters, but advocacy/advice
is connected to and part of the Jewish Home of San Francisco, an organization that has represent typical seniors in this market who will • Information & referrals for
provided residential and non-residential services to older adults and their families for more benefit from membership in The Square.
home upkeep
than 140 years. • Rehab*;**
• Potentially any of the residential
services of JHSF*;**

*Private pay funds required

**Medicare or other
reimbursement
 Sofia and Bejer
Points of Pain: Desires:
• Concern over Sofia’s increasing confusion and restlessness • To be among others who share
• Fear of being separated their cultural and religious
Sofia*, who is 88, and Bejer*, who is 89, are Jews from the former background
Soviet Union who followed their children to San Francisco in 1997. • To enjoy the outdoors
They have been married since they were in their late teens. Like • To stay together
• Bejer wants to make Sofia as
most Soviet Jews of their generation, they were unable to practice
or connect to Judaism. Even though they have been in the U.S. for
Possible Future happy and comfortable as he can
18 years, Sofia does not speak English and Bejer’s limited English is
difficult to understand. Currently, Sofia and Bejer live together in an Pathways:
assisted living apartment at JHSF. Bejer looks out for Sofia – who has • Home health in their apartment in
early-stage memory loss – tenderly and carefully. assisted living for Sofia
• Move to memory care for Sofia
• Possible rehab stays if needed
Communication Preferences:
1. Internal communication at JHSF
with Russian translation
2. Their children and grandchildren

Likely Immediate Engagement:

• Enjoy the café, gardens and courtyards of The Square
• Sofia will benefit from the early-stage memory-support day program
• Bejer will be able to have some respite time for himself to take a class
or attend a Russian-language support group at The Square
• Worship services in Russian

Assisted Living at the Jewish Home of San Francisco

*These personas are fictional characters, but
represent typical seniors in this market who will
benefit from membership in The Square.
 Solomon
Points of Pain: Desires:
• Loneliness • Safety
• Concern about the future • Programs to slow memory loss
• Guilt and indecision • Jewish traditions would mean
a lot
Solly* is 83 and a retired psychiatrist. Since he was widowed, Solly has been
living in the East Bay with his daughter Ruth and son-in-law John, who are in
their mid-50s. They have plenty of room for Solly and love having him there, Likely Immediate
but they both work, so he has been pretty lonely during the day. Over the past
few months, Ruth and John have felt increasingly concerned about leaving Solly Engagement: Move Possible Future
alone. Last week, he forgot about a pan on the stove and the smoke alarm went
off. The week before, he went out for a walk and a neighbor had to help him
find his way home. Ruth and John are considering whether to hire someone to
to Memory Support Pathways:
stay with Solly during the day, or look for a living situation where he can be • Ruth and John bring Solly to look at JHSF • Higher levels of care
safe and also participate in activities to keep him more stimulated and slow and The Square • Ruth and John may join The Square
down his memory loss. • They visit the café and consider the as Family Members
facilities and programs at The Square as an
advantage
• They learn about the Early Onset Program
and the success that the program is having in
Communication Preferences: delaying memory loss
• The family decides that life will be better for
Solly: Solly at JHSF than with a caregiver
1. Traditional media
2. E-mail

Ruth and John:

1. E-mail
2. Internet
3. Facebook
4. Twitter
5. YouTube
6. Traditional media

Memory Support at *These personas are fictional characters, but

the Jewish Home of San Francisco represent typical seniors in this market who will
benefit from membership in The Square.
 Anna and Frank
Anna and Frank* (who are 72 and
74 years old, respectively) live in the
North Peninsula. Frank is in JHSF’s
rehab for 60 days, where he is
expected to make a full recovery from
a recent stroke. Frank worked as a jazz
musician and Anna was a kindergarten
teacher.
Points of Pain: Desires:
• Getting to see each other daily • Transportation
• Anna is uneasy at home alone and • Social access
going out on her own to see friends • A plan for the future
• Frank will need ongoing outpatient
rehab after his residential rehab is over
• Anna is worried about keeping up their
house without Frank being able to help
• Anna does not know if she can give
Frank all the help he needs when he
comes home

Communication Likely Immediate Possible Future

Preferences: Engagement:
• Anna will likely dine at the café and,
1. Facebook as he gets better, take Frank there
2. Twitter • She could join The Square for social
3. E-mail engagement, for a support group or
4. Traditional media for transportation during Frank’s stay
5. Family communication system • She would likely benefit from care
management, information & referrals
for home upkeep
Pathways:
• Home health care
• Outpatient rehab
• Membership in The Square for both
• Assisted living in one of the
apartments suitable for a couple*
*Private pay funds required

The Square
The Square is a meeting place where older adults can find a variety of
opportunities for services, engagement, nourishment, wellness, fitness The Square is not:
and intellectual stimulation. The Square feels like an indoor piazza, an • A mental health clinic
urban gathering place, full of life and activity. The Square is connected to • Adult day care
and part of the Jewish Home of San Francisco, an organization that has • A place to sleep in the lobby
provided residential and non-residential services to older adults and their
families for more than 140 years. *These personas are fictional characters, but
represent typical seniors in this market who will
benefit from membership in The Square.
 John
Points of Pain: Desires:
• Shock and fear about his wife • Get the best care for Betty
• Loss of support system • “Keep it together”
• Betty is unable to contribute to home • Minimize the impact on their
upkeep or cooking son’s big opportunity
• Navigating the health care system
• Worry about the future

John* is 75 and lives in San Rafael. Just

two weeks after his 45-year-old son got
a big promotion and moved his family
to Dallas, John’s wife, Betty (also 75),
was diagnosed with inoperable stage-
four lung cancer. John worked as a radio
announcer and retail clerk.

Likely Immediate Possible Future

Communication Engagement: Pathways:
Preferences: • Care management and advocacy • Square membership for John
1. Facebook • Support groups for him and Betty • Home health
2. E-mail • Dining or meal delivery • Support group
3. Web content • Information & referrals for home • Ability to re-engage and build a
4. Search upkeep new life
5. Traditional media • Longer-term, all residential services*;
6. Family communication system **
• Hospice**

*Private pay funds required

**Medicare or other reimbursement

The Square
The Square is a meeting place where older adults can find a variety of
opportunities for services, engagement, nourishment, wellness, fitness The Square is not:
and intellectual stimulation. The Square feels like an indoor piazza, an • A mental health clinic
urban gathering place, full of life and activity. The Square is connected to • Adult day care
and part of the Jewish Home of San Francisco, an organization that has • A place to sleep in the lobby
provided residential and non-residential services to older adults and their
families for more than 140 years. *These personas are fictional characters, but
represent typical seniors in this market who will
benefit from membership in The Square.
 Rose and Irving
Rose and Irving*, both 81, are a
couple who rent an apartment about
15 minutes from The Square. Rose
has early-stage memory loss and
is diabetic. Irving is healthy apart
from having high cholesterol. They
have two children out-of-state and
one who lives in San Diego. Irving
worked as an engineer for BART
and Rose did not work.
Communication
Preferences:
1. Facebook
2. Search
3. E-mail
4. Traditional media
5. Web content
Points of Pain: Desires:
• Caregiving is getting harder for Irving • A plan
to manage • Some time apart
• Irving needs some time for himself
• Rose needs frequent checks on her
diabetes management and would
benefit from a social program designed
for her cognitive capabilities
• Their children are worried about them
and what the future holds for them
Likely Immediate Possible Future
Engagement: Pathways:
• Rose: Early-stage memory-support • Home health*
day program, clinic health checks for • Memory support for Rose*
diabetes
• Irving: Social, educational and
• Children may choose for parents to
live in a residential community in the
wellness programs, support group future*
• Both: Dining, retail services
• Children and Irving: Care *Private pay funds required
management, information & referrals,
vetted resources, education about
memory loss

The Square
The Square is a meeting place where older adults can find a variety of
opportunities for services, engagement, nourishment, wellness, fitness
The Square is not:
and intellectual stimulation. The Square feels like an indoor piazza, an • A mental health clinic
urban gathering place, full of life and activity. The Square is connected to • Adult day care
and part of the Jewish Home of San Francisco, an organization that has • A place to sleep in the lobby
provided residential and non-residential services to older adults and their
families for more than 140 years. *These personas are fictional characters, but
represent typical seniors in this market who will
benefit from membership in The Square.