About the Hulda B. and Maurice L. Rothschild Foundation

(last revised March, 2005)

History | Objectives | Program Description

History [Top]

            The Hulda B. and Maurice L. Rothschild Foundation is a private philanthropy with primary interest in improving the quality of life for elders in long-term care environments.  The Foundation was created under the will of Hulda Rothschild and came into being at her passing in 1980.

            Hulda Rothschild lived to the wonderful age of 102, and had always been concerned about the needs of older adults in her community.  She was active at the Chicago Art Institute, the Michael Reese Hospital, and Northwestern University, amongst many other community organizations.  Her husband, Maurice, started in the dry goods business by selling out of a covered wagon to railroad workers in Kansas.  Years later, he moved to Chicago and became one of the merchant princes of State Street.  The building he constructed to house his retail clothing store still stands at the corner of State and Jackson.

            The Founding President of the Foundation is Robert Mayer, PhD.  To contact the Foundation, email Robert Mayer at Robtmayer@aol.com.

Objectives [Top]

            The Rothschild Foundation supports projects designed to meet the following broad objectives:

• Nationally, to increase the availability and effectiveness of comprehensive programs designed to support elders in alternative long term care programs and built environment designs.  The Foundation supports model programs, resources, and research.
  
• Locally, to improve the quality of residential care, including cultural enrichment.  The Foundation presently provides grants to 30 performing arts organizations delivering approximately 1500 performances a year in Chicago nursing homes.

Program description [Top]

            Improving Built Environments.  The Rothschild Foundation is committed to integrating seniors and their families into the design, planning, and programming of skilled nursing facilities.  If we are truly to improve the way we support and care for elders, they and their families must be part of that services delivery system.  From the physical design of space to the nature of services available, residents are in the best position to impact their own environments positively.  Rothschild is presently working with a group of providers and consultants to rethink the culture, built-environment, and process of developing skilled nursing facilities.  It has assisted with the design and development of the Waud Family Resource Center of the Bowman Health Center at Rush Medical Center, and the City of Evanston to develop an enabling garden for the new Levy Senior Center.

             The Foundation has supported several National conferences of the Pioneer Network.  The Network advocates for and facilitated deep system change in our culture of aging.  Much of their work has its roots in nursing home reform.  It has also supported the work of the Eden Alternative, which creates habitats for people who live and work in long-term care environments.  William H. Thomas’s 2004 book, What are old People For?  How Elders Will Save the World received Foundation backing.  The Foundation also supported video describing the Green House program in Tupelo, MS, which was produced by nationally-acclaimed filmmaker Dale Bell, executive co-producer of the & Thou Shalt Honor broadcast,  and which  had its premier at the National Press Club in Washington in 2003.  For more about the video, see http://mmm1918.dulles19-verio.com/med229/shop/catalog/.

            In 2002, the Foundation announced the first Creating Home and Building Community Award of $100,000 to assist a skilled nursing facility that is remodeling or replacing its physical environment to become more resident-centered.  The Award was received by the Garfield Community Hospital District in Pomeroy, Washington, which was pioneering a number of new management processes in long-term care.  (http://www.ideasinstitute.org/RFPawardannounce.pdf    

            In 2005, the Foundation announced a new research initiative, Comparing State Regulations Affecting Nursing Homes:  Implications for Culture Change and Resident Autonomy.  This research project was designed to collect, classify, analyze, and compare state regulations, such as building and fire safety codes or occupational regulations.    It will also create and evaluate a searchable web site containing state regulations and related materials such as inspection policies, waiver policies, and innovative examples of state regulations, policies, and procedures.

             Improving the Quality of Residential Care: Cultural Environment. The Rothschild Foundation provides culture enrichment to the non-ambulatory older adult population within the City of Chicago.  As in most cities, Chicago has many wonderful cultural programs targeted to the independent adult populations.  However, those who are no longer able to avail; themselves of senior discount tickets and free days are sadly neglected.  The Rothschild Foundation recognized that most skilled nursing facilities and retirement centers lack an organized and effective means of bringing the arts to their residents.  Both funding and staff resources are extremely scarce, due to cost constraints.  Also, the residents lack the visibility and political voice of the more independent senior population to press for additional support.  As a result, residents often go for many months with no outside cultural exposure at all.

          The Rothschild Foundation seeks to fill this gap by contracting with a variety of arts and other organizations to travel to nursing homes where non-ambulatory populations reside.  The Foundation pays for performers, transportation, and a portion of administrative overhead.  It also coordinates the sites for the program participants.  Programs typically last 45-60 minutes and are designed to include audience involvement and to reach out and engage the elders both verbally and physically.  Currently, more than 30 performing arts and other organizations conduct approximately 1500 visits a year. 

Some examples:

• Lincoln Park Zoo. The Brookfield Zoo is a leading wildlife conservation center. A Zoo Coordinator brings animal artifacts and 10-12 live animals on each visit.  Each animal is presented individually and taken around the room for patting, while the coordinator explains interesting characteristics of the animal and its behavior.  Touching a live animal is not only therapeutic, but induces positive reminiscing.
  

• Chicago Sinfonietta.  A mid-sized professional orchestra, the Sinfonietta performs a repertoire of classical, romantic and contemporary music as originally conceived by the composer.   Dedicated to diversity of both music and performer, the Sinfonietta performs ensemble concerts for the foundation.
  

• Mostly Music at Northeastern Illinois University.   An organization that sponsors high quality live performances of chamber music throughout Chicago, the Mostly Music program provides a wide variety of formats, including jazz, blues instrumentals, and vocalists of a highly interactive nature. 
  

• Imagination Theater.  This small improvisational troupe conducts a 50 minute performance utilizing two professional actors and a piano player to involve the audience in creative dramatics.  Professional theater games and exercises are used to activate audience memories and imaginations, and to stimulate social interaction.  Participatory exercises get the audience involved in creating scenes and improvising with the actors.  Music underscores each scene and helps to color the stories.
  

• Big Apple Circus.  In a unique pilot program, the Foundation contracted with the Big Apple Circus of New York City to bring vaudeville style performances into long term care facilities.  The Circus offers both 30-45 minute shows of comedy and magic, and bedside visits.  As one participant notes, “Your wonderful moments of fun, song, and silliness help heal as much as any medicine can.”  The Circus brings the power of laughter, joy, delight, wonder, awe, and spontaneity to residents and staff alike.