Eleanor Mandel

Eleanor died on April 5, 2020 at New York Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital.

She had been a resident at the Brookdale Battery Park cared for by True Care Home Care. This care agency replaced * Hearthstone, a wonderful place with a unique philosophy about caring for Alzheimer and Dementia patients. Please read below about the wonderful ideas that motivated us (Jay Rosinger, Eleanor’s surviving brother and his partner, Bascha Mon) to choose it as a residence for Ellie.

She died peacefully at the hospital from Covid 19.

The burial service took place on Friday, April 10, 2020 at New Montefiore Cemetery, Pinelawn, NY. Arrangements were overseen by Riverside-Nassau North Chapels 55 North Station Plaza, Great Neck, NY 11021. Rabbi Summers officiated. Unfortunately, due to the Covid 19 Stay at Home quarantine, we could not attend.

On the sad day, even the weather shared our grief. The Magnolia and Weeping Cherry trees are in bloom in splendor. At the same time, wind; snow flurries; and threat of frost were blowing through our area in New Jersey.

Eleanor was born in Laurelton, NY to Frank and Ruth Rosinger. They and her younger sister, Geraldine, and her loving spouse, Leonard Mandel 9/17/07, predeceased her.

Eleanor was the beloved mentor and older sister of Jay (Jerome) Rosinger, D.D.S. She attended PS 132 in Queens. She attended Far Rockaway High School. She then became the first in her family to attend college. She graduated Queen’s college and also received her MA from that college. She then taught 2nd grade for many years in the Great Neck school system. Ellie was very musical: she played classical piano and Jay loved to hear her play Chopin. She sang in the choir with her mother, Ruth Rosinger at the Laurelton Jewish Center before her marriage to Leonard Mandel.

Eleanor and Leonard belonged to Temple Israel of Great Neck before they both moved to live in a nursing home.

Jay remembers that Ellie drove a car and was an inspiration to him as she set an example of what could be accomplished even by a woman in those years. Jay made her proud by graduating from City College and then attending SUNY Buffalo Dental School to attain a degree in dentistry and beyond that attended NYU to become an orthodontist.

Eleanor was greatly loved by the staff at both Hearthstone and True Care. We wish to express deep gratitude to Jody Berman, the Director, for the consideration and affection which she showed to both Ellie and to Jay and to Eleanor’s guardian, Jane Turchiano.

• Hearthstone:

“I’m Still Here - A New Philosophy of Alzheimer’s Care” (we read this book by Dr. John Zeisel and were persuaded that this philosophy would bring the best care to Eleanor Mandel).

I’m Still Here ensures that each individual’s unique interests and skills are incorporated into their daily activities, so that every experience is meaningful and fulfilling.

At the core of I’m Still Here is the knowledge that people living with memory challenges feel empowered and hopeful when they continue to be a part of the community. The I’m Still Here program includes daily activities and events, events organized for families and visitors including outings.

Music was a very special part of this program.

According to Dr. Oliver Sacks, music accesses parts of the memory that are otherwise inaccessible. Especially this is true when patients hear old songs which were familiar to them. Eleanor used to have a special music therapist who came and played songs for her. She responded to this in a very positive way. There is a wonderful video of Dr. Sacks talking about music and Alzheimer’s. It is such a loss that he has died but he left us with a great legacy.

Donations may be made in honor of Eleanor Mandell to either:

ALZHEIMER’S FOUNDATION OF AMERICA: AFA

Alzfdn.org

866-232-8484

[email protected]

or to REACH OUT AND READ

www.reachoutandread.org

[email protected]