Douglas Gardens Seminar Addresses Pain and Aging

The Miami Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged (MJHHA), in cooperation with the Community Chaplaincy Service of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation (GMJF) and the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami, recently hosted the Eleventh Annual Ministering to the Elderly Seminar on the tropically landscaped Douglas Gardens campus. Over 140 interfaith clergy members and allied professionals came to hear a panel discussion on this year’s area of focus, “Pain and Aging: Physical, Emotional and Spiritual,” featuring a keynote address by Hubert Rosomoff, M.D., and Renee Steele Rosomoff, Medical Director and Programs Director, respectively, of the Rosomoff Comprehensive Pain Center. The distinguished panel included Michael Silverman, M.D., MJHHA Medical Director; Rita Nacken Gugel, Ph.D., MJHHA Director of Psychological Services; and Rev. Patricia Wilson-Cone, D. Div., Director of Pastoral Care and Clinical Pastoral Education at Jackson Memorial Health Systems. Rabbi Solomon Schiff, Director of Chaplaincy at GMJF and Executive Vice President of the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami, serves as Program Chairman for this annual event, which is organized by Elaine Schumacher, MJHHA Community Outreach Coordinator.

(seated l-r) Dr. Hubert Rosomoff, Renee Steele Rosomoff, Dr. Michael Silverman, (standing l-r) Rabbi Solomon Schiff, Dr. Rita Gugel.

Following the seminar was the presentation of the Douglas Gardens Clergy Award for Ministering to the Elderly by Judge Irving Cypen, Chairman of the Board Emeritus and Honorary President of MJHHA. Judge Cypen was honored to present the award to Rev. Leo Frade, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida.