Cabrini of Westchester’s News 12 Commercial

 Held at the beautiful Tappan Hill Estates in Tarrytown, N.Y., Hudson Valley Bank, Steve Amigdalos, RPh and Tom Amigdalos RPh of Prime Care Pharmacy Services and Deacon Don Quigley, Coordinator for Retired Priests for the Archdiocese of New York, were honored at Cabrini of Westchester’s 13^th Annual Sharing in Mission Dinner, “An Evening in Paradise.” The honorees were chosen for their dedication to Cabrini of Westchester’s mission which calls on individuals to be leaders, educators, advocates and sponsors of quality services to those in need of care and compassion.

The Sharing in Mission Dinner is Cabrini of Westchester’s largest fundraising event of the year. Dinner proceeds raised will support the various programs and services of Cabrini of Westchester.

Upon arrival at the event, all attendees were welcomed with Lei’s and proceeded to step into an island paradise with palm trees, tropical flowers and a steel drum band. The festivities heightened, as His Excellency Archbishop of New York Timothy M. Dolan arrived, greeting all with a big smile. All were blessed by his presence as he gave the invocation at the start of the evening’s program. 

Reverberations of laughter were also heard throughout the reception hall, as Radio Personality, Mike Bennett from 100.7 WHUD was Emcee as well as unofficial comedian for the event.

A special thanks to all of the evening’s underwriters, sponsors and donors. Your support was the foundation behind the event’s success!

 By Executive Order #5 Governor Cuomo appointed the Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT), a highly qualified team of professionals from insurance, healthcare, government, the legislature, the healthcare workers’ union (1199) and consumer advocates.  He tasked them with reducing cost and increasing the quality and efficiency of the State’s Medicaid program for the 2011-12 fiscal year, meeting his budgeted Medicaid spending target, i.e. reducing Medicaid spending $982 million, “while avoiding across the board rate cuts to providers, institutions, individuals and communities.” Go to the official website for more information on the MRT: www.health.state.ny.us/health_care/medicaid/redesign/ .

 Put briefly, the MRT gathered 4,057 suggestions which were narrowed down to 79 in less than two months. On February 24th, ahead of schedule, they were able to vote in favor of presenting them to the Governor.  Now the 79 recommendations are in the hands of the Senate and Assembly with the April 1^st Budget date looming.

 Medicaid costs taxpayers an enormous amount of money for a variety of reasons: 4.7 million enrollees (increased due to the poor economy and job loss), generous benefits compared to other States, fraud and abuse, inefficiencies, and loopholes.  Reform is needed. Redesign may be needed. The redesign recommended by the MRT is largely not fully developed, or fully understood at this time. Neither those who will require care nor those who will provide it can comprehend the full impact.

 What is known is that although the task of the MRT was to reduce Medicaid spending “while avoiding across the board rate cuts to providers, institutions, individuals and communities,” a recommendation for a 2% across the board reduction in Medicaid payments is on the table for all providers of care. 2% doesn’t sound like much, but against a background of nine rounds of budget cuts since 2007 amounting in $1.5 billion in Medicaid payment cuts to nursing home and home care providers, it is staggering!  The recommendations also eliminate the trend or inflation factor (which has already been eliminated for two years) while the cost of labor, supplies, and services continue to increase.

The Governor promises a budget by April 1st, and although we have advocated against some of the recommendations, there is little doubt that payments will be reduced once again. Continuing to cut services to elders and other special needs populations for whom Medicaid is the primary payor is neither redesign nor reform. It is simply more reductions impacting the most vulnerable and the providers that serve them: home care and day care agencies and nursing homes.

Patricia Krasnausky writes a monthly column in The Rivertown’s Enterprise Newspaper, a local paper in Southern Westchester County, as well as Town and Village, a local paper for New York City’s Lower East Side.

With the start of baseball season, St. Cabrini Nursing Home’s dedicated Dodgers’ fan, resident Sr. Vincent Cecire, MSC, was featured on NPR’s Morning Edition on April 1, 2011.

Click the link below to hear Sr. Vincent’s “home run” interview: 

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/01/135017760/a-nuns-lifetime-devotion-to-the-dodgers

Celebrating 39 years as “Westchester’s hometown bank,” Hudson Valley Bank has grown into a trusted and well respected financial institution. Its 35 branches which span the Hudson Valley, Metropolitan New York area and lower Connecticut provide a full range of quality financial services for individuals, businesses, professional service firms and not-for-profit organizations. Hudson Valley Bank’s comprehensive services and exemplary, personable customer service has earned them the reputation of being successful in cultivating relationships with those whom they serve. This dedication is also present in the Hudson Valley National Foundation. Established by Hudson Valley Bank in 1981, the Foundation supports worthwhile not-for-profit organizations and projects in the communities served by the Bank. Since its inception, more than $5 Million dollars has been distributed to hundreds of organizations and projects benefiting youth groups, hospitals, churches, schools, the handicapped, homeless, cultural institutions and more. Cabrini of Westchester is just one of the many not-for-profit organizations that has benefited from both the bank’s expertise and exemplary services as well as from the Foundation’s generosity.

With the objective of setting a new standard of service in the long term care industry, in 2006, brothers and business partners Steve Amigdalos, RPh and Tom Amigdalos, RPh began Prime Care Pharmacy Services. A long term care pharmaceutical provider, Prime Care provides a variety of quality services including dispensing and delivery of prescriptions. Their state of the art facility and excellent records systems allows Prime Care’s personable and expert staff to provide these services with the highest quality. Under the leadership of Steve and Tom, Cabrini of Westchester has greatly benefited from Prime Care’s services as well as created a wonderful friendship along the way. Prime Care’s generosity and social consciousness has contributed to their growing relationship and helps in Cabrini of Westchester’s mission of caring.

The residents and staff of Cabrini of Westchester were blessed to experience first hand Deacon Don Quigley’s compassionate, personable manner and passion for caring for others. A previous employee of Cabrini of Westchester, Deacon Quigley was the Director of Social Services, and Director of Volunteers/Mission Integration at St. Cabrini Nursing Home. His dedication to serving elders was ever present in these positions and continues in his current role as the Coordinator for Retired Priests for the Archdiocese of New York. For over a decade, Deacon Quigley has been responsible for coordinating a variety services to all retired Archdiocesan Priests including health care, housing, hospital and nursing home placement. Deacon Quigley has successfully combined his career and his vocation as a religious, to better the lives of those in need. 

The 13th Annual Sharing in Mission Dinner, “An Evening in Paradise” Invitation

On March 31, 2011, join Charles Edelson, M.D. of Southern Westchester Orthopedics and Kathleen Birnbaum, PT, Director of Rehabilitation of Cabrini of Westchester, to learn how you can optimize your outcome on your road to recovery with a FREE joint replacement seminar!

The seminar will take place at 4PM at Cabrini of Westchester, 3^rd Floor Board Room, 115 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. Refreshments will be served. Spaces are limited, so please call (914) 693-6800 Ext. 502 by March 28th to reserve your seat.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

For more information on the Seminar, click here!

Referred to as the, “Show on The Road” by Sr. Veronica, this Missionary Sister of 57 years and retired English teacher has presented the talk many times to employees of CCNR as well as to staff at the St. Frances Cabrini Shrine in New York City. Her most recent “Conversation” was held on Friday, February 25, 2011 at Cabrini Apartments, affordable housing for Elders on 19th Street in New York City. Staff of Cabrini Care at Home, and Cabrini Apartments as well as some tenants, listened to Sr. Veronica’s narrative on the life of Mother Cabrini which provided insight to the values which guided her throughout her life.

Sr. Veronica says that Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini is more than just the Patron Saint of Immigrants. Her life is like a quilt sewn with patches of different experiences that tell a story of drive, passion, courage and perseverance. In her lifetime she faced adversity in different forms: from people who didn’t support her dreams of being a missionary to her own personal, life long battle with disease and illness. Despite these trials, Mother Cabrini never allowed the hardships she encountered to stop her from fulfilling the many aspirations she had or to blind her from seeing the many blessings that surrounded her.

“I want Cabrini staff to know something about Cabrini’s life so that they can take courage in their own life when they have difficulties and to put it to practice for their own work,” said Sr. Veronica. “Saints are human beings, and the fact that they can live in such a way makes us believe we can live in that way too.”

Symptoms such as anger, denial, social withdrawal, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, sleeplessness, irritability and health problems are among the signs of caregiver stress. According to the Alzheimer’s Association they are also warnings that the caregiver is putting him or herself at risk. Offering a “Caregiver Stress Check” on their web site  (http://www.alz.org./stresscheck/) is one of the many resources provided by the Alzheimer’s Association for caregivers that will be helpful to all and not only those caring for Alzheimer’s patients.

Another support for caregivers is short term temporary periods of relief or what is known as “Respite Care.” In 2006 Congress authorized The Lifespan Respite Care Program to provide for the delivery of both planned and emergency respite services, as well as to recruit and train respite workers and to empower caregivers. In September of 2010 the New York State Office for the Aging received funding for three years from the United States Administration on Aging to build a coordinated system of access to respite services for families across age and disability spectrums. If successful, these services will reduce the likelihood of caregiver stress and illness, the abuse of those receiving care, and permanent placement in care facilities.

Currently respite services are available in several forms: home care, day care, and short-term stays in a nursing home. Licensed home care agencies will provide aides in your home for a few hours up to 24 hour live-in care under the supervision of a registered nurse. Medical adult day care centers offer care during business hours six days a week and include transportation to and from the program. Planned short-term stays are available in some nursing homes for those needing 24-hour skilled care or dementia care. Some insurance policies, private funds, and Medicaid are possible sources of payment. Cabrini of Westchester (St. Cabrini Nursing Home) offers all these services and more. Call us at (914) 693-6800 x261.

Patricia Krasnausky will be writing a monthly column in The Rivertown’s Enterprise Newspaper, a local paper in Southern Westchester County. Caregiver Stress debuted as her first article in the February 25, 2011 issue.

On January 14, 2011, Mother Nature’s recent blast of blustery snow brought much fun to some residents of St. Cabrini Nursing Home. A bin filled with the white delight was brought into Cabrini’s River Terrace Café where residents decked out in coats, hats, gloves and scarves sculpted forts, snowmen and other creations.

“Many of the residents I work with were admiring the snow and telling me they wish they could go out and play in it,” said Sr. Lorraine Campanelli, OSF, Social Worker at St. Cabrini Nursing Home. Sr. Lorraine and Rich Fetzer, Director of Recreation at St. Cabrini Nursing Home, coordinated the activity. “Since they can’t go outside, we decided to bring the snow in to them.”

 Resident Sr. Georgeanne Farrell, FSP, enjoyed the activity so much, that she was inspired to write the poem below about the creative experience led by Sr. Lorraine Campanelli and Rich Fetzer.

Sr. Lorraine has a great idea.

She presents her plan to Rich.

They both agree it can be done,

Without a single hitch!

What can we do on snowy days

when the weather outside is frightful?

We gather in our New Café,

the scenery here – delightful!!

Residents dressed with hats, scarves and gloves.

All ready for some fun.

We do not know what’s going on.

Can’t believe what they have done!

Old blankets cover dinner trays.

Cameras set to go.

Here comes Rich all ready,

With his shovel and the snow!

Which one of us will make the best

of snowmen, forts or tree?

With a quick glance to my right,

for sure it won’t be me!!

When the hour ended,

that Friday 3 to 4

Many “Window Watchers”

Came streaming through the door!

And so another lesson learned

What fun it all has been!

When those snowy days return

“Just bring the outdoors in!!”

 Though the activity was a chilly one, the residents’ display of smiles and laughter proved it warmed their hearts. A special thank you to Sr. Lorraine and Rich Fetzer for your effort in coordinating such an enjoyable afternoon!