A note from the Administrator

Transcription

1 2505 Grand Avenue, Bronx, NY March 2018 UPCOMING EVENTS A note from the Administrator March 2, 2018 World Day of Prayer March 17, 2018 St. Patrick s Day March 19, 2018 Social Worker Day March Storytelling Event March 25, 2018 Palm Sunday March 30, 2018 Good Friday Service March 31, 2018 Pesach (Passover) April 1, 2018 Easter Sunday Luncheon April Fool s Day April 19, 2018 It has truly been a great beginning for me here at University Center. Thank you all for giving me such a warm welcome to the University Family. Getting to know the residents and the staff alike has been a pleasure. I am looking forward to spending more time with and working together with all of you. The reason why our facility has a five-star rating is clear to me. The staff here is top of the line. Each employee here puts in their all to create a happy, healthy and safe environment. With the utmost care and devotion, they accomplish our goal of giving five-star care to our residents. It s been great celebrating the Holidays with each of you. Starting with New Years, going on to Martin Luther King Day, Black History Month, and ending off in February with Purim and Tonkya s reenactment of Esther. Thank you to our residents for helping make these events as fun and exciting as they are. We have some more exciting days coming up, so stay tuned and keep your eyes on that calendar. We love hearing feedback from each of you so feel free to stop by me at any time to share whatever is on your mind. You can read more about us online or check out our Facebook pages for great pictures and videos of our activities. Administrative Assistance Day Ocupational Therapy Volunteer Celebration Saul Silbermintz Like us on Facebook

2 2 March 2018 Strolling music visit the residents form room to room and serenade them The residents enjoy the music and sing along

3 March Celebrating Mardi Gras at University Center Benny Blanco from the Bronx The Artist

4 4 March 2018 February United States in the United States, it is known as African-American History Month. It is an annual celebration of the achievements and contribution by African-American to society, and their role in the history of The United States. It has been celebrated since February, Over the past 50 years, African-American elders have witnessed vast improvements in social and economic status. From the Civil Rights Movements in the 1960 s to the election of the first African-American President. Residents, family member and the community were invited to celebrate Black History Month at University Center. The Residents made posters, colored pictures and looked at videos of some of the inspiring achievers: Barak Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Cicely Tyson and more. Selection from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr s I Have a Dream Speech plus played throughout the building on the intercom system. Reminisce about Malcom X. and Marcus Garvey Residents lifted their voices singing Gospel Hymns Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and Motown Sounds were heard bringing memory of nostalgia and hope for today. Residents and staff read poetry by African American poet such as Phillis Wheatley, James Baldwin, Maya Angelou, Lanston Huges, Alice Walker and many more. Address the different inventions that African Americans contributed to American society. Enjoyed the typical soul food; fried chicken, collard greens with red onions, corn grits and sweet potatoes biscuits plus sweet potatoes pie. Last reading excerpts from Barack Obama s book Audacity of Hope to the sound of Mahalia Jackson We Shall Overcome and Moms Mabley s Abraham, Martin and John Black History Month Observed Knowledge is Power!

5 March Why is there a Palm Sunday? Palm Sunday is the start of Holy Week, which is the week before Easter, commemorating events in the last days of Jesus Christ's life. According to Christian belief, Jesus rode into Jerusalem where people gave him a hero's welcome during the Jewish Passover celebration. What is Easter and why do we celebrate it? Easter, which celebrates Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead, is Christianity's most important holiday.... Instead, Christian churches in the West celebrate Easter on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox on March 21. What is the Passover and why is it celebrated? Passover is one of the most important religious festivals in the Jewish calendar. Jews celebrate the Feast of Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) to commemorate the liberation of the Children of Israel who were led out of Egypt Who celebrates Good Friday? Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday proceeding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of Passover. Happy Easter and a Blessed Passover

6 6 March 2018 A note from Kenny Sometimes a story comes along that makes you want to stand up and cheer. I hear them all the time because they take place in Centers homes everywhere. But this one caught my attention because of some unusual circumstances. The thanks of the entire Centers Health Care family goes out to our team at Steuben Center where it all took place. Christina McLendon, a Navy veteran from Texas was visiting New York to attend a late September women s retreat. What happened to her while she was here changed her life, and a lot of lives at Steuben Center. Christina was struck by an automobile while walking through a local parking lot and severely injured. Her shattered leg required two separate and very complicated surgeries at Corning-Guthrie Hospital, and extensive rehabilitation. With her 12 year old son and her husband at home in Texas, Christina was completely alone. Then she chose Steuben Center for her rehabilitation and everything changed. Christina looked at her situation as an opportunity to meet new people and joined us with such an upbeat attitude and positive outlook that she quickly became one of our most popular residents. She worked tirelessly on her rehab and became a cheerleader for her fellow residents, giving them a needed boost when their therapy got tough. If I can do it, you can too and other encouraging words backed by her bright smile, were credited by dozens of other residents as being the tonic they needed at just the right time to help them through their own rehab. As the holidays drew closer, when most people in her situation would struggle with depression, Christina became even more upbeat. A welcome visit from her husband and son at Thanksgiving helped of course, but Christina saw the holidays as just another way to bring joy into other people s lives. She assisted the team at Steuben by wrapping eighty presents they had purchased for their residents, and personally delivered them to everyone on Christmas morning. As she neared the end of her rehabilitation, she told us about all that she had gotten from her experience. I m looking at all that I can take away from this she said. I got to meet so many wonderful people and learn their stories. They are amazing and I found them so inspiring. And I ve been blown away by the kindness and generosity of people. It s made me revaluate how I want to go forward in life. On January 30 th, the Steuben Center family threw a surprise farewell party for Christina. She will be missed by everyone, but her story will continue to inspire other residents for a long time to come. Kenny Rozenberg, CEO

7 March Staying ahead of the curve There are always exciting things happening in the therapy suite at every Centers facility. After all, recovery is exciting. But this month, four of our facilities are participating in a virtual reality pilot program that may ultimately change the therapy protocols throughout the Centers Health Care family. Virtual reality therapy has made its way into many rehab facilities, as a way to provide low-impact workouts in a real world setting. However, the set-up is often large, unwieldy, and requires extensive specialized equipment. Now, Centers is partnering with Jintronix, a Canadian firm, to bring their breakthrough rehab technology to our residents. Jintronix uses a sophisticated yet very compact computer and advanced motion sensors to create a wide range of precise activities. Residents sit or stand in front of a television and the therapist creates an exercise that appears on the screen. The resident sees his or her movements on the screen and every motion is tracked and recorded so as the resident progresses through their rehabilitation, their advances are documented and the sophistication of the exercises is increased. And one of the best parts? The Jintronix system uses computer gaming technology to make the therapy fun! Residents might find themselves skiing, playing soccer, or shooting a basketball. The games make therapy more enjoyable, encourage longer sessions, and provide immediate positive reinforcement. Just one more way that Centers Health Care is staying ahead of the curve.

8 8 March 2018 Happy St. Patrick s Day April Employee of the month of Employee of the month of March Karen Johnson a proud mother of four children and two grandchildren plus a wonderful husband of eight years. Ms. Johnson has been working for twenty Years, first under umbrella of Prospect Park and now Brooklyn Center as a CNA and in the Admission office. During 2015, Ms. Johnson joined University Centers as an Administrators Assistance. She stated that it gives her great pleasure to work in different positions and acquire knowledge that challenges and provide new growth with the company. University Centers Louis Ortega has been employed at University Center for seventeen years. He started off as a Dietary Aide. At times, Mr. Ortega prepares breakfast during the morning hour. He drives the van to pick up the food. During the Spring/Summer on Barbecue days Mr. Ortega is outside cooking and the aroma goes inside of the building plus saturates the neighborhood The Residents that are outside find it difficult to wait until the food is placed in front of them. University Center Thanks you Mr. Ortega and proud to recognize you as the Employee of the month Grand Avenue, Bronx, NY