From the March 17, 2004 edition of The Northeast News Gleaner
Good neighbors want to educate seniors
Five Northeast care communities seek to help older residentsBy: Don Brennan
An unprecedented effort to provide information to senior citizens on a wide range of topics from the personal to the practical is underway in the Northeast.
Good Neighbors Educating Seniors (GNESS) is bringing the talents and energy of five Northeast care communities to the single effort of offering education, information and support to local seniors at a time in their lives when they need it most.
The participants are:
Nazareth Hospital, 2601 Holme Ave., a member of the Mercy Health System and Catholic Health East. The hospital, open since 1940, has 225 acute and 28 skilled-care beds.
Deer Meadows Retirement Community, 8301 Roosevelt Blvd. Founded in 1869 as the Baptist Home of Philadelphia, nearly 500 residents live there in various accommodations from independent living to hospice care.
St. John Neumann Nursing Home, 10400 Roosevelt Blvd. Established in 1965 and owned and operated by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, St. John Neumann is a long-term care facility with 246 beds. They are one of the premier providers of Catholic long-term care in the region.
Immaculate Mary Home, 2990 Holme Ave. Also owned and operated by the Archdiocese, IMH is a sister facility to St. John Neumann with 296 beds offering a wide variety of senior services. Spiritual care is an essential component of their work.
Evangelical Manor, 8401 Roosevelt Blvd. Founded in 1888 and located adjacent to Pennypack Park since 1930, they are a full-service Continuing Care Retirement Community. In addition to personal care, nearly 200 seniors live in residential apartments on the 12-acre site.
"We came together simply because we discovered there are a lot of needs out there that we can meet," said Patricia B. DeAngelis, president and chief executive officer of Nazareth Hospital. "Once this idea had taken root, the staffs of these facilities really ran with it, did all the leg work, and created a very exciting concept."
Simply put, GNESS has three priorities: Provide educational information to seniors regarding their quality of life; provide support systems among seniors; and serve as a resource on alternative lifestyles for seniors.
"Each of us is being asked the same questions," said Michael Jacobs, chief executive officer at Deer Meadows. "So we decided to put our heads together and ask, 'How can we serve the greater good of the community collectively?'"
Monica Eckhardt, Nazareth Hospital's director of Emergency Services and Coordinated Care, said the group has created an exciting and informative agenda that stretches well into 2005.
"We've taken a calendar approach, and developed topics that are of interest to seniors," she said. "We recognize that the elderly community may not really understand what a Power of Attorney is, what assisted living actually means, what do Medicare benefits rally consist of, things like this."
These topics and more, Eckhardt said, will be addressed by representatives of each care community on a rotating basis.
The Northeast News Gleaner will serve as a monthly conduit and publish these articles. In addition, internal publications, newsletters and brochures will also carry GNESS's message. Health fairs and seminars are also being planned.
Lisa Sofia, community administrator at Deer Meadows and a 17-year veteran of the home, said seniors currently living independently and who have questions about their future will be greatly served by GNESS.
"These folks have questions and concerns. We hear about them all the time," she said. "We want them to come to our health fair and our seminars, and get the information they need to make informed decisions about their future."
And it's the quality of the information that sets GNESS apart from other sources, said Liz Harbison, director of public relations and admissions at Deer Meadows.
"There is so much misinformation out there that it's easy for seniors to become confused about many issues," she said. "That's where we are taking the lead; we want to become a reference point, and give people the correct information they need."
The group is adamant about one thing: GNESS is not a thinly veiled sales pitch for the facilities. All five care centers are basically filled to capacity, and some are considering dramatic and expensive changes and expansions to meet anticipated needs.
Of course, should a person desire more information and a tour of a specific facility, any of the GNESS members would be happy to oblige.
"Our desire to educate seniors and their families is truly the main goal of this group," said Michelle Bieszczad, administrator at St. John Neumann. "And this education will help before a crisis develops."
Stuart Skinner, administrator at Immaculate Mary, agrees.
"Immaculate Mary Home has always been very much a part of the Northeast. For example, we have over 100 volunteers from the Northeast communities. We look at GNESS as a way to strengthen those ties. Family and volunteer involvement is what we're putting our emphasis on."
In fact, all five facilities employ a Good Neighbor Policy. During the last four years under DeAngelis, Nazareth Hospital has literally opened their doors to the community. The results of numerous focus groups composed largely of neighboring residents have provided the impetus for Nazareth's dramatic turnaround.
Last year, the hospital announced a relationship with the prestigious Rothman Institute Orthopaedics as a key step in the development of the Nazareth Hospital Center for Orthopaedic Excellence. Extensive renovation and remodeling of the hospital is also underway.
"The future is about values and culture, about relationships, and about how we can build on those relationships. It's a very exciting time at Nazareth," she said.
The same can be said about Deer Meadows. In a little over a year at the helm, Jacobs has boosted morale and encouraged independence and creativity among staff members. Last May, hundreds of people attended their "Salute to Our Military Family," that honored the service and sacrifice of more than 50 residents.
"There's a whole new approach here," Jacobs said. "We're bringing the outside environment inside. It's a holistic approach. We want to invite the community to come inside."
St. John Neumann's cavernous multi-purpose room has played host to community events, and Immaculate Mary Home's outdoor events have drawn local residents to their seven scenic acres. Bieszczad has been at St. John Neumann's for 10 years, Skinner at IMH for five.
Evangelical Manor has a longstanding relationship with the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. In addition to hosting the group's monthly board meetings, the Manor has been the site of many of the chamber's breakfast and luncheon events.
Veronica Gibbone, a former CEO at Evangelical Manor and one of the founders of GNESS, stresses the importance of quality.
"You can always do things better as a group rather than individually," she said.
" When the local community sees us working together for overall quality care, extraordinary care, that will benefit all of us because the community will stand up and take notice at these providers."
