“Referrals come through who you are not what you sell.” — Fred Lewis, Fred’s Audiovisual Services, St. Louis Park, Minnesota
“Eilon Caspi is a first class professional with sensitivity and compassion. I have seen his work first hand and I am in awe of his talents and the extraordinary difference he has made in the world. We need an army of people like him.” — Marilynne (Mal) Ryan, daughter of an older woman with Alzheimer’s disease
Chris Rosenthal, former director, Jewish & Family Services, St. Paul, MN: Letter from Chris Rosenthal JFS
Mary Schulz, Director, Information, Support Services, and Education, Alzheimer’s Society of Canada: Mary Schulz – Letter of Support – May 17 2016
Annette Sandler, Director of Aging Services at Jewish Family & Children Services of Minneapolis (JF&CS): Letter of recommendation from Annette Sandler
Tali-Kadmon Stern, Director, Reut-Eshel Center, Israel: Letter of recommendation from Tali
Dr. Sumner Richman, caregiver for his wife who is in a late stage of Alzheimer’s disease: Letter of Support – Sumner Richman – October 24 2015
Nurit Shtruzman, Music Therapist: Letter of recommendation from Nurit
Marilynne R. Ryan, daughter of an older woman with Alzheimer’s disease: Letter from Mal Ryan
Alex Leavitt, husband of a woman with a cognitive disability: Alex Leavitt – Letter of recommendation – November 20 2017
A daughter of an older woman with dementia (asked to remain anonymous to protect her parents privacy); February, 8 2019:
Aisha Elmquist, Policy Specialist, Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care, Minnesota (January 2019):
“Dr. Caspi presented to the entire staff of the Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care regarding resident-to-resident altercations in long-term care. His presentation was informative and helped staff to deepen their understanding of this important issue. Staff learned more about the underreporting of these incidents, their consequences, and common triggers for altercations such as lack of meaningful engagement. We are very grateful to Dr. Caspi for his informative research and presentation.”
Thank You Letters (Translated from Hebrew)
Dear Eilon,
I wanted to express my appreciation for the training program you delivered to our care staff members. I am happy that we were able to do it. With all the difficulty of summarizing all the material you are clearly very knowledgable about, the messages you delivered were very clear and most of all your personality is impressive and what you project.
It is impressive that you started your journey in the aging field as a nurse aide. It is impressive that you chose to work with elders and that you love what you do.
Your emphasis on respect to and dignity of human beings was invaluable!
One of the participants in the training program was a recreational therapist. She shared with me that if you were to open a nursing home, she would want to work there.
I am confident that I will use your material and messages in our future training programs.
All the best,
Ruchama Shriver, Director, Social services, Mishan Neot Afeka, Tel Aviv
Tzahalon Geriatric Center, Jaffa, Israel (December 22, 2002):
To Mr. Eilon Caspi,
These days you completed delivering a staff training program to the care team of the care unit “B” for people with dementia during which you presented the Validation Therapy for this population.
I would like to express my appreciation on the professionalism, dedication, sensitivity, and responsibility you’ve demonstrated, from the preparation phase, delivery, summary, and follow-up in implementation at the care home.
I have no doubt that this method will enable our long-term care home to make a step forward both at the professional and personal levels so that the elders will receive an improved care.
On behalf of the elders and the care team, I would like to thank you and I hope that the success of the workshop will lead to its implementation also in the other care units within our long-term care home and on other care-related issues.
Keep up the good work!
Best wishes,
Haim Atia
Director of Tzahalon
Family Care Partners Support Group – City of Petach Tikva – Alzheimer’s Association of Israel (March 14, 2011):
To Eilon Caspi,
I would like to thank you on my behalf and on behalf of the members of Petach Tikva Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association of Israel, “EMDA,” for your participation in our monthly family meeting held at the beginning of this month.
You presented to us the principles and strengths of the the Validation Method as the most appropriate approach with patients with dementia. Your messages were illustrated using real life examples – the fruits of the observations you conducted during the preparation of your doctorate, and you even enabled us to become wiser with insights and tips from your professional experience.
In addition, you have demonstrated a lot of empathy to our members and their comments and you have shown patience and willingness to address our members’ questions.
For all this we are grateful and wish you the best,
We are very appreciative of your willingness to take the time and come to our meeting on a voluntary basis without asking for compensation.
Ruti Itzcaki
Coordinator, Petach Tikva Chapter,
EMDA, Association for patients with dementia, Alzheimer’s and related disorders
Family care partners support group – City of Ramat Gan – Alzheimer’s Association of Israel (February 12, 2003):
To Eilon Caspi,
It is with pleasure that I am thanking you for the fascinating lecture you gave to our family support group of patients with Alzheimer’s disease in Ramat-Gan.
The topic of Validation Method for helping patients is important.
As you saw, the lecture met with a lot of interest among the members and they had hard time saying goodbye to you at the end.
I am confident that members of our other support groups will be happy to learn about the method from you.
For a continued collaboration,
Best wishes,
Yael Hameiri-Parphel
Chair, Ramat-Gan Chapter
Alzheimer’s Association of Israel
Department of Social Services for Elders – City of Ramat Gan (June 12, 2003):
To Eilon Caspi,
We are all very grateful for the terrific lecture during our meeting. We were filled with pride about a colleague who brought to us the tenets of a new method for caring for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.
The lecture created in us the will to learn and implement the method in our Adult Day Health Centers and in our care of elders and their families in the community.
The lecture was fascinating and we were all caught in the enthusiasm and it gives us strength to continue our work.
Again, thank you from our hearts and see you again in future collaborations.
Miriam Marcus
Director, Department for the Welfare of Elders
Department of Social Services for Elders – City of Kfar Saba (October 16, 2003):
To Eilon Caspi and Chaya Koren,
We would like to thank you from our hearts on the fascinating lecture on the Validation Therapy for patients with Alzheimer’s Disease you delivered on October 14, 2003.
The lecture was given to the employees of the Department for Social Services for Elders during a team meeting and included: social workers, director of an adult day health center, administrative staff, and paraprofessionals.
You were able to connect in an outstanding way with the participants who come from diverse professional and personal backgrounds.
Your extensive knowledge and preparation in the topic were notable. You managed to present the content in a diverse, interesting, and very clear way.
The tenets of the care approach you presented in such a practical way were internalized by us and led to a change in the way we perceive elders with dementia. For example, one participant said, “You caused us to change the way we see elders with dementia. It is possible to communicate with people with dementia directly, at different stages of the disease, not just with their family members.”
You installed in us the belief that a lot can be done in this area, and you challenged us and caused us to feel a strong need for enhanced professionalism in the different respective care areas: the individual, the family, the group, and the community.
With gratitude, appreciation, and hope for continued cooperation,
Sosh Drimer
Social worker
Director of the Department