Los Angeles Jewish Home

Rick L. Smith, M.D.
Jewish Home Medical Director

A San Fernando Valley native, Dr. Smith earned his medical degree at Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel (1986). He did his internship, residency, and had fellowships as follows: Internal Medicine, State University of New York at Syracuse (1989); Geriatrics Fellowship, UCLA (1992). Dr. Smith is Board Certified in Internal Medicine. He has been a Staff Geriatrician at the Home since 1992 and has served as the Jewish Home's Medical Director since 1994. Dr. Smith has a daughter and enjoys sports.

Isaac Vielma, M.D.
Jewish Home Associate Director of Palliative Care & Staff Geriatrician

As Associate Director for Palliative Care and staff physician, Dr. Isacc Vielma brings a wealth of experience and leadership in serving senior populations to the Jewish Home. Dr. Vielma received his medical degree from Loma Linda University in 2002 and completed his residency in Family Medicine in 2005 at the Florida Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program. He completed a fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine at the University for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice in 2006. Dr. Vielma enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters, and is known to have extensive conversations about basketball and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Shahin Delkhah, M.D.
Jewish Home Staff Geriatrician

Born in Iran, Dr. Delkhah and his family fled after the fall of the shah. Jews were no longer welcome in that country. Dr. Delkhah spent a year in Europe before coming to the United States, where he worked for eight years making it possible for his family to come to this country. Dr. Delkhah spent his college years in Los Angeles and has his undergraduate degree from UCLA. He received his M.D. from Ross University School of Medicine in New York City and performed his internal medicine residency at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. He is board certified in Internal Medicine. Dr. Delkhah joined the Jewish Home staff in April 2006. He speaks several languages, enjoys sports, and has a talent for cooking.

Eli Engel, M.D., Ph.D.
Jewish Home Staff Geriatrician

Dr. Engel attended medical school at the University of Buffalo (now State University of New York at Buffalo). He did his internship at Philadelphia Naval Hospital. Dr. Engel has his Board Certifications in Family Practice and Geriatrics. He also has earned a Ph.D. in Physiology at UCLA, and is Adjunct Associate Professor of Biomathematics at UCLA. Originally from New York, Dr. Engel has two children and five grandchildren.

Nallini Gnanadesigan, M.D., M.P.H.
Jewish Home Staff Geriatrician

A native of India, Dr. Gnanadesigan attended medical school at Coimbatore Medical College, India (1966-1972). She did her residency in preventive medicine at UCLA/LA County DHS (1992-1993); at the UCLA-Multi-campus Program in Geriatric Medicine (1995-1996); and at Martin Luther King-Drew Medical Center, Los Angeles (1996-1997). Dr. Gnanadesigan is board certified in preventive medicine, internal medicine, and geriatric medicine. She holds an appointment as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine with UCLA in the Division of Geriatrics. She has a special interest in identifying and managing bursitis pain and clinically important drug interactions. Dr. Gnanadesigan is married and has two children.

Hangnga Vu, M.D.
Jewish Home Staff Geriatrician

A native of Vietnam, Dr. Hangnga Vu earned her M.D. degree with honors at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 2003. She did her residency at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, CA (2003-2006). Dr. Vu is Board Certified in internal medicine and joined the medical staff of the Jewish Home in September of 2006. She is married, plays music, and loves to write poems in her leisure time.

Darla Rae Oak, M.S.N., G.N.P. - B.C.
Jewish Home Nurse Practitioner

Ms. Oak earned her Master of Science in Nursing, Geriatric Nurse Practitioner from UCLA. She is Board Certified and her experience includes more than six years at Glendale Adventist Medical Center in surgical intensive care. She is licensed in California as a Nurse Practitioner and Registered Nurse, having received her Bachelor's Degree from Loma Linda University. Originally from Duluth, Minnesota, Ms. Oak has a wonderful family and son.

Ann Keren-Zvi, R.N., G.N.P.
Jewish Home Nurse Practitioner

Ms. Keren-Zvi received her Master of Science in Nursing, Clinical Nurse Specialist (Pulmonary) from UCLA (1980), and earned her Post Master's Certificate as a Family Nurse Practitioner from UCLA (1997-1998). She is trained as a wound care specialist and acts as a consultant at the Jewish Home. She has over 30 years experience as a Registered Nurse. She is married with two grown children.