Theresa Gold named Bergen Regional Medical Center Employee of the Month
(Paramus, NJ) Theresa Gold has been selected as the employee of the month at Bergen Regional Medical Center. Theresa, who works as a ward clerk on Unit D-1 of the Medical Center, has worked at the hospital for 36 years and was selected because she exemplified the following core values that the hospital’s customer service training promotes: honoring our customers and community; excellence in all that we do; attitude of pride and professionalism; respect for confidentiality and cultural diversity, and thoughtfulness in all our actions.
Theresa was honored by BRMC President Heather Aaron and other administrators and staff members at a surprise ceremony in her honor on June 9, 2008.
Bergen Regional Medical Center Receives Achievement Award From Quality Improvement Organization
(Paramus, NJ) Bergen Regional Medical Center (BRMC) was recognized for its achievements during a recent awards ceremony hosted by Healthcare Quality Strategies, Inc., (HQSI), the Medicare-designated quality improvement organization (QIO) for New Jersey. The award honored the successes BRMC made as a voluntary participant of the nationwide Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI), a three-year project sponsored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
As a participant of the NHQI, BRMC focused quality improvement efforts on reducing high-risk pressure ulcers, decreasing the use of physical restraints, and improving both the management of pain, and the management of depression. “These are important initiatives that we felt could help significantly improve healthcare outcomes for our residents,” said BRMC President, Heather Aaron. “Our goal is to extend these successes to additional clinical areas.”
Bergen Regional Medical Center is the largest healthcare facility in New Jersey and has the largest licensed nursing home in the state.
Bergen Regional Medical Center has two honorees at the 24th Annual Tribute to Women and Industry (TWIN) Awards
(Paramus, NJ) The YWCA of Bergen County recently recognized Bergen Regional Medical Center’s Connie Magdangal, Vice President of Finance and Grace Vickerie, Associate Director of Nursing, with the 2008 TWIN Honoree Award at the 34th Annual TWIN Awards at the Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe on May 1, 2008.
Connie Magdangal
Vice President of Finance
Connie is responsible for overseeing the day to day financial aspects of New Jersey’s largest hospital. In addition to being the Vice President of Finance for Bergen Regional Medical Center, she is a CPA who has been the recipient of the Bergen County Executive Distinguished Achievement Award for two consecutive years. Extremely organized, energetic and proficient in multi-tasking, she manages her staff and interacts with her co-workers with the perfect blend of warmth and professionalism. Her tenacity and ability ensure budget adherence and financial integrity for her 1,070 bed facility.
Grace Vickerie
Interim Director of Nursing, Long Term Care
Grace chairs the Wound Care Team for Bergen Regional Medical Center’s Long Term Care Division and is a wound care consultant for the Acute and BHS divisions. Because of her efforts in the management and prevention of pressure ulcers, we have received accolades and awards from the Pressure Ulcers Collaborative and the New Jersey Quality Institute. She has developed the pressure ulcer policy, which is now shared by all three divisions at BRMC, continuously updating or revising it to comply with regulatory requirements. Grace is very well respected in all the units she is responsible for and follows up thoroughly on any issue that is brought up to her.
“I’m proud of Connie and Grace and all of the dedicated professionals that we have at Bergen Regional Medical Center,” said BRMC President, Heather Aaron. “Connie and Grace are terrific examples of the leadership and talent BRMC has.”
Established 34 years ago, the YWCA Tribute to Women and Industry (TWIN) Award is the largest awards program in Northern New Jersey. The TWIN Award honors women who have made significant contributions in a managerial, executive or professional role and their companies whose progressive policies have been instrumental to their success. Proceeds help fund scholarships for financially underserved youngsters in the YWCA’s child care programs and summer camps, as well as the Rape Crisis Center. Honorees are selected from Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaic Counties in NJ and Rockland County in NY. All nominations are reviewed by the TWIN Nominee Review Committee, composed of industry members, previous TWIN honorees and YWCA representatives.
Dr. Williams graduated from Yale University and earned his Medical Degree with honors in 1982 from George Washington University. Following an internship and residency at the University of North Carolina (UNC), Dr. Williams completed his research and clinical cardiology Fellowship at UNC. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiology and Nuclear Cardiology and currently practices in all specialties. Dr. Williams is currently President of the Northern Jersey Board for the American Heart Association.
Bergen Regional Medical Center
Pilots Cardiac CT Angiogram Program
PARAMUS, N.J. — April, 2008 — The Cardiac CT Angiogram Procedure is a new, cutting edge program being piloted at BRMC that will offer patients a non-invasive test that can detect abnormal heart muscles and valves and assist in predicting heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in this country for both men and women.
This program is being led at BRMC by Dr. Marcus Williams and will utilize the hospital’s state-of-the-art 64 slice CT unit. “I’m very excited about bringing this program to BRMC”, said Dr, Williams. “I believe it will add tremendous value to patient care.” Williams added, “By detecting calcium deposits in the artery walls, a cardiac angiogram using a 64-Slice CT Scan can detect the presence of blockages in coronary arteries that may not yet be severe enough to show up on other tests.” Williams noted that “a coronary artery scan can determine if you are at risk for a heart attack years before the first symptoms.”
Stress tests don’t show any abnormalities until an artery is at least 70% narrowed. Most heart attacks occur in arteries that are less than 50% narrowed and are therefore not detectable by any form of stress testing.
The ability of cardiac CT to rule out coronary artery disease is reported to exceed a predictive value of 95%. This means that when the study is reported to be normal, it will be normal. This makes it a more accurate test than stress-testing, stress-echocardiography, and stress-thallium. More importantly, the heart does not have to be stressed to get this information. The Cardiac CT Angiogram Scan is the most sensitive non-invasive method currently available to accurately identify the presence of early coronary artery disease.
The Cardiac CT Angiogram is one of the many clinical specialties offered at Bergen Regional Medical Center (BRMC) located on a 65 acre campus at 230 East Ridgewood Avenue in Paramus, New Jersey. For more information or to schedule a CT Cardiac Angiogram, call 201-967-4075.
Bergen Regional Medical Center is fully accredited by the Joint Commission and with 1,070 beds, is the largest hospital in the state of New Jersey. The hospital is known for providing a broad scope of clinical services within three major areas of care including Acute Care services, Long Term Care services and Behavioral Health services. BRMC has a full service emergency department, 21 outpatient clinics and state-of-the-art operating suites to serve the medical needs of the community. To reach BRMC, call 201-967-4000 or visit www.bergenregional.com.
Alice Arcillo, pictured seated in the pink, was overcome by joy and emotion at the surprise award ceremony in her honor that took place on April 10th. Pictured with Alice are three of her family members and Heather Aaron, BRMC President.
Employee of the Month
PARAMUS, N.J. — Thursday, April 10, 2008 — On behalf of all of us at Bergen Regional Medical Center, I want to congratulate Alice Arcillo from the Recreation Department for being selected as the first BRMC Employee of the Month.
She was nominated and subsequently selected by the Employee of the Month Committee because of the dedication and compassion she demonstrated throughout her almost 40 years of service at the hospital. Alice exemplifies the H.E.A.R.T. program standards that are at the core of the Employee of the Month recognition program:
· Honor our customers and community
· Excellence in all that we do
· Attitude of pride and professionalism
· Respect confidentiality and cultural diversity
· Thoughtfulness in all our actions.
While “Our Patients and Residents are at the Heart of Everything We Do”, employees such as Alice are the ‘heart’ of our hospital.
Please join me in congratulating and thanking Alice!
God Bless, Heather Aaron
BRMC President
From left to right, Izzy Landau, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors; Donna Miesner, Director of Social Services, BRMC BHS; Philip Feldman, Program Coordinator; Dr. Erica Schiffman, Dr. Giloni, Head of Psychiatry, Western Galilee Hospital; Heather Aaron, BRMC President; Rabbi Schneider; Gagan Luthra, Director, BRMC Access Center; Dr. Hanif Ramay, BRMC Chief Psychiatrist.
Bergen Regional Medical Center Hosts Medical Professionals from Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya, Israel
PARAMUS, N.J. — Thursday, March 13, 2008 —In a joint project with Partnership 2000 and under the auspices of the UJA Federation of Northern New Jersey, Bergen Regional Medical Center hosted Dr. Carlos Giloni, Head of Psychiatry for the Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya, Israel on March 13, 2008.
Dr. Giloni and the patients and staff of Western Galilee Hospital are located in an active war zone and have come under heavy fire several times over the years having to move quickly to relocate patients and staff to safety in a fully equipped underground facility. Despite the ongoing situation, the hospital has maintained its intensive medical and surgical care for the inhabitants of northern Israel.
“We are proud to have hosted Dr. Giloni and his team,” said Heather Aaron, President of BRMC. “As a teaching hospital with one of the largest psychiatric residency program in the country,” adds Aaron, “we were eager to share best practices with Dr. Giloni.”
Steven Covington, Vice President of Behavioral Services at BRMC commented “As a leading provider of psychiatric services, we at BRMC were thrilled to meet with Dr. Giloni and discuss his hands on work with post traumatic stress disorder treatments, disaster preparation and other specialty topics.”
During Dr. Giloni’s visit, his team met with key members of BRMC’s staff. Dr. Erica Schiffman was instrumental in bringing Dr. Giloni and his team to BRMC. “We all benefited from the information and technique sharing opportunity,” stated Covington. Izzy Landau, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for Bergen Regional Medical Center added, “We were happy to participate in this joint partnership with UJA NNJ’s Partnership 2000 that bridges the miles between the United States and Israel by fostering relationships that help us share ideals and best practices between the people of Nahariya and those of us in Northern New Jersey.”
BRMC Celebrates Doctor’s Day
PARAMUS, N.J. — Thursday, March 28, 2008 —The first Doctors’ Day observance was held March 30, 1933, in Winder, Georgia. The United States House of Representatives adopted a resolution commemorating Doctors’ Day on March 30, 1958. In 1991, then President George Bush signed a resolution designating March 30 as National Doctors’ Day.
This year, BRMC celebrated Doctor’s Day on Friday, March 28th with a special physician’s only breakfast. The breakfast with special Doctor’s Day gift and carnations was appreciated by all those in attendance.
BRMC's Long Term Care Resident and Pastoral Care Department Volunteer are Honored.
From left to right, Linda Snyder, Director of Social Services for BRMC; Katie Richardson, Asst. Administrator Long Term Care; Jean Kuiken CNA; Barbara Brave; Michael Augustowicz; Bill Wright, Asst. Dir. Therapeutic Recreation; Lowell Fein, Vice President, Long Term Care.
Barbara Brave, a BRMC Long Term Care resident, was honored by the Bergen County Division on Disability Services at their annual Breakfast of Champions on October 26, 2007 in Hackensack, New Jersey.
Ms. Brave is a LTC resident on Unit 8-9 since March 2001. She was honored at the 9th Annual Salute To Champions Breakfast observing National Disability Month and honoring individuals who demonstrate a commitment to inclusion and changing attitudes. Barbara received an Inspirational Champion award honoring those individuals who have met their personal challenges.
From left to right, Gita Patel, Volunteer Coordinator; Izzy Landau, Vice President of Organizational Development; Bill Wright, Asst. Dir. Therapeutic Recreation; Rose Ronda; Bishop Singletary; and Rose's grandauaghter Toni.
Rose Ronda, a volunteer with BRMC's Pastoral Care Department, won the Volunteer of the Year Award from the Healthcare Association of NJ (HCANJ).
Ms. Ronda was honored with Volunteer of the Year Award by the Health Care Association of New Jersey at their luncheon in Atlantic City on October 23, 2007. Rose has been a volunteer at BRMC for over 8 years working primarily with the Pastoral Care Department. She is extremely dedicated, and with a heart of gold, has had a tremendous impact on the lives of many residents in LTC. Rose has helped maintain and improve their quality of life.
BRMC's Dr. Michael Nevins Curator and Speaker of
"Art and Medicine in Terezin"
September, 26, 2007 - Dr. Michael Nevins, Medical Director of Long Term Care at Bergen Regional Medical Center will be the Guest Speaker and Curator of the exhibit "Art and Medicine in Terezin" at the Holocaust Museum and Study Center of Spring Valley, NY.
The exhibit is comprised of 30 works of art done by 4 physicians and other artists, all prisoners in Terezin. The opening reception on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 7:30pm will feature the curator of the exhibit, Dr. Michael Nevins.
Terezin was a concentration camp near Prague where 140,000 Jews were incarcerated between 1941 and 1945. When the camp was liberated, only about 19,000 were still alive. Of nearly 15,000 children, only about 100 survived. Over 30,000 Jews died at Terezin of starvation, typhus or other diseases. Terezin had overcrowded living spaces filled with rats, lice and fleas.
Approximately 600 Jewish physicians were at Terezin, which included some of Europe's finest, and who were supported by about 1500 Jewish nurses. Medicines were smuggled in and preventive health measures helped to control epidemics.
Dr. Michael Nevins, grew up in the Bronx and was educated at Dartmouth College and Tufts University Medical School. He practiced internal medicine and cardiology in Bergen County, New Jersey for 37 years and currently is Medical Director of Long Term Care at Bergen Regional Medical Center in Paramus. Dr. Nevins served as Governor for New Jersey of the American College of Physicians from 1983-1987 and was a member of the New Jersey Bioethics Commission. He is an authority on Jewish medical history and has written four books related to the subject, including The Jewish Doctor and Jewish Medicine: What It Is and Why It Matters.
The exhibit will run from October 16 through mid-December and is free and open to the public. The Holocaust Museum and Study Center is handicap accessible.
BRMC's Dr. Williams Leads a Team of Medical Professionals Bringing Aid to Liberia
From left to right, Dr. Marcus L Williams, Lynette Williams, Dr. Elizabeth Ofili, Lauren Williams, and Sonia Williams.
September, 10, 2007 - Dr. Marcus Williams, a physician with Bergen Regional Medical Center, Paramus NJ and The Valley Hospital, Ridgewood NJ, led a team of medical professionals to Monrovia, Liberia this past August with an organization called HEARTT (Health, Education and Relief Through Teaching) that specifically targets underdeveloped countries for medical support.
Liberia, located on the west coast of Africa, has experienced 17 years of civil war. In the last three years there has been peace since the election of Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson, the first female president on the continent of Africa, but the civil war has devastated their health care system. The HEARTT volunteer teams are helping the country rebuild its major health center, JFK Memorial Hospital.
From left to right, Lynette Williams, Madame President Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson and Lauren Williams.
Liberia has an unemployment rate of 80%, with a very poor infrastructure. There is no reliable source of electricity or clean running water. The average lifespan of a Liberian male is 45 years. In addition to cardiovascular disease, there is a very high exposure rate to Malaria and other infectious diseases. What was once the premier hospital in the country is now operating several decades behind current medical technology.
Dr. Williams, a cardiologist, collaborated with Dr. Carol Gill, a board member for HEARTT and Chief of Cardiology at More House School of Medicine in Atlanta Georgia, to conduct a CME program on cardiovascular disease and initiated a hypertension clinic in the hospital. Dr. Williams was joined by his wife Sonia Williams, whose has a nursing background, and his daughters Lauren and Lynette Williams. Sonia Williams assisted with training the clinic nurses in cardiovascular triage. Lauren and Lynette assisted Dr. Beverly Delaney, a psychiatrist from East Orange VA Hospital, in collection of depression and post traumatic stress disorder surveys. Lauren has her undergraduate degree in Psychology from NYU, and Lynette is a music major at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
“For the Williams family this was a great trip and family adventure. We saw profound poverty and despair and witness profound inequalities in health care compared to developed countries. Yet, we were inspired by the resilience of the Liberian people. We saw the powerful daily struggle of survival for many and it reminded us that we are our brother’s keepers. It also gave us an appreciation for the things we often take for granted in the United States. “ said Dr. Williams.
The Williams’ saw tremendous needs in Liberia and would encourage any support. They had the pleasure of meeting with the president, Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson, who appealed for support to help rebuild JFK hospital. If you are interested please contact HEARTT on their website ( http://www.heartt.net/).
Bergen Regional Medical Center
Unveils State-of-the-Art CT Scan
Scott Lasser MD, Medical Director of Radiology: Dominik Krasinski, Director of Radiology and Heather Aaron, President and Chairperson of BRMC; review the new features of the 64-Slice CT Scanner
PARAMUS, N.J. — Monday, July 23, 2007 — In its ongoing effort to offer patients the highest quality medical care and the latest in diagnostic technology, Bergen Regional Medical Center (BRMC) unveiled a new, state-of-the-art 64-slice CT scanner in its radiology department.
Utilizing the next generation of hardware and software, the speed and precision of the new Philips scanner offers exceptional image quality that assists physicians in making a diagnosis.
CT Scan, also known as computerized tomography or CAT scan, uses X-rays to produce pictures of a patient’s internal organs that are more detailed than those of conventional X-rays. A CT Scan can be used to detect tumors, diagnose muscle and bone disorders, provide a guide for surgery or radiation, and to examine the heart or lungs.
Because of its ability to offer precise, detailed images as well as three-dimensional views of internal organs, BRMC’s new CT scanner will be an invaluable diagnostic tool in the areas of heart and lung disease. In addition, it can be used for virtual colonoscopy, a less invasive, increasingly common alternative in screening for colon cancer.
Heather Aaron, President and Chairperson of Bergen Regional Medical Center, said, “This latest acquisition represents our continued commitment to quality care and patient safety by offering our patients the best diagnostic technology available.”
Dominic Krasinski, Director of Radiology, said, “Staff have received training on the new scanner and are excited about the ultra-fast capabilities of the machine and the enhancements to patient comfort and convenience. A unique feature of our machine is a special table that can hold up to 650 lbs.”
Clinical Skills Lab & Learning Harbor Computer Lab
were a Big Success
PARAMUS, N.J. — Wednesday, June 26, 2007 — More than 233 BRMC employees participated in the Clinical Skills Lab and the mandatory education Learning Harbor Computer Lab event, organized by Magnetic HealthCare Strategies and the BRMC Nursing Education and MIS Departments.
The Clinical Skills Lab, held in the cafeteria, had eight stations where RNs and LPNs had the opportunity to learn the latest in equipment and techniques and to test their skills and knowledge.
A special thanks to all the staff members who manned the stations from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. They were: Kristin Gerasimov, Clair Muchado, and Kathleen Dennerlein from Infection Control; Danny Silva and Joe Martins from Respiratory Therapy; Pat Post, CPR updates; Barbara Rosen on pain management, pumps, and medication reconciliation; Denise Skok on wound care; Vincenne Deitsch, feeding tubes and new Foley catheters; Mary Wallach, psycho-tropic drugs; and members of the consulting company, Magnetic HealthCare Strategies – namely Mary Hudak and Joanne Affinito, who oversaw a booth on SBAR, the new Fall Prevention Program, and MAR Cycle Review Monitor.
With much-needed and appreciated help from Ron Li and his MIS team, the Learning Harbor Lab was up and running with five new computers, ready for employees to complete their education requirements. On hand in the computer lab were trained individuals who helped employees navigate the program and complete the requirements: Rishi Paraig, Nursing Education; Ginny Stemhagen from Learning Harbor; and Magnetic HealthCare Strategies’ consultants Marion Glinsman, Anne Ugrovics, and Ellen Walsh.
“These events were a wonderful opportunity for our staff to get much-needed new information to assist them in doing their jobs and to fulfill their mandatory education requirements,” says Susan Mendelowitz, chief operating officer. “I sincerely thank the efforts of the Nursing Education Department and our consultants, Magnetic HealthCare Strategies, for putting this event together. Our goal is excellent patient care and when we come together to do programs such as these, we show our commitment to excellence and our desire to improve.”
YWCA Bergen County Twin Awards Recognizes
BRMC's Mary Pestana and Linda Snyder
PARAMUS, NJ -- The YWCA of Bergen County recognized Mary H. Pestana and Linda Snyder of Bergen Regional Medical Center (BRMC) with the 2007 TWIN Honoree award. Established 33 years ago, the YWCA of Bergen County Tribute to Women and Industry (TWIN) award, is the largest awards program in Northern New Jersey, and it recognizes women who have made significant contributions to their companies in managerial, professional and executive roles.
Mary Pestana MBA, Director of Rehabilitation Services for BRMC, is responsible for direct oversight, clinical, and fiscal management of the center's acute inpatient and outpatient physical-rehabilitation services, as well as the behavioral health-forensic and adult intermediate units. Mary demonstrates team spirit and the ability to work with different internal and external customers, and is perceived as a role model by staff in customer service leadership. When leading project team, she demonstrates the ability to bring together different views and skills toward timely and effective completion of project objectives. Her decision-making reflects strong analytical skills and focus on quality, cost containment and impact of change. She ensures the staff is kept informed of priorities for the department and medical center. Mary communicates the BRMC vision statement and goals and demonstrates a commitment toward their achievement.
Linda Snyder MSW, Director of Social Services for BRMC, is a professional team manager and mentor. Since 1987 she has served as a liaison with Rutgers, Fordham, New York and Columbia Universities to provide MSW student training and mentorship in their graduate education. Through her additional partnerships with the Rutgers University Graduate School of Social Work, BRMC was granted the Hartford Foundation Geriatric Initiative and became the first Geriatric Fellowship Program site for students in Long Term Care studies. A mentor and supervisor for women in the graduate schools of Social Work at Rutgers University, Fordham, New York and Columbia Universities. Ms. Snyder initiated the Social Service Department in the 1070 bed healthcare complex.
Bergen Regional Medical Center — Best in Long Term Care
PARAMUS, NJ — November, 2006 — Bergen Regional Medical Center (BRMC) is recognized by the State of New Jersey as a leader among long-term care providers. The latest Annual Survey from the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services place BRMC in the top five percent of the state's 380 long-term care providers.
"Bergen Regional serves more long term care residents than any New Jersey hospital," said Joseph Gallagher, past BRMC President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our excellent standards of care are recognized over and over by independent review agencies, such as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and the State Health Department."
Long-term care is a conscientious decision family members make when their loved one requires skilled nursing care. Assistance may be needed for many of the basic necessities and activities that healthy, active people take for granted. The BRMC Long Term Care team has qualified professionals who are trained to work with the emotional, physical and psychosocial needs of residents.
The need for long-term care might be due to a terminal condition, disability, illness, injury or the infirmity of old age. A recent study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says that people who reach age 65 have a 40 percent chance of entering a long term care facility in their lifetime. About 10 percent of the patients who enter these facilities will stay there five years or more.
Privately managed since 1998, BRMC recently completed the N.J. Department of Health and Senior Services Standard Survey. The survey team was on site from Sept. 25 through Oct. 4, 2006.
The survey consisted of seven components, and a review of 31 residents and their medical records. The components are Life Safety, Residents Rights, Resident Behavior and Facility Practice, Quality of Life, Medication Pass, Resident Assessment and Care Plans, and Quality of Care.
The survey team noted that BRMC provided excellent activities geared to the specific needs of residents. Communication between staff and residents was also cited as excellent.
BRMC's 574-bed Long-Term Care Division, the largest in New Jersey, was also surveyed for the Advisory Standards under the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services Long Term Care Standards.
Bergen Regional was acknowledged for a remarkable 15 "Areas of Achievement" for resident services that exceeded standards. These areas included Access to Care, Resident Activities, Administration, Resident Assessment and Care Plan, Communication, Dental Services, Dietary Services, Infection Control and Sanitation, Medical Services, Nurse Staffing, Physical Environment, Quality Assessment, Medical Records, Rehabilitation and Respite Care Services. This is the best performance on any state review in the Long Term Care Division.
According to the state, compliance with Advisory Standards represents a commitment by a nursing home to exceed minimum requirements in the provision of services to its residents.
Bergen Regional has 13 different units in its Long Term Care Division,
including two secure units with 60 beds each for residents with
middle to late-stage Alzheimer's/Dementia, a 29-bed high medical acuity
unit providing ventilator, tracheostomy, Gastrostomy, and IV services, and
a Korean Long Term Care Unit.
Continually Improving Long-Term Care
"Providing the best long-term care for our residents calls for continued diligence on our part," said Mr. Gallagher. "It is simply not enough to reach one or two benchmarks and become content. We must continually strive to find improvements that will better serve our residents."
As a result of a lengthy and competitive process with the DOHSS, BRMC's Long Term Care Division was awarded four additional ventilator beds to complement their 12 existing beds, along with the approval to implement hemodialysis services on site. Both services will significantly improve the quality of life for residents of Bergen County.
The average number of BRMC residents receiving hemodialysis is fifteen, and are generally treated three times weekly. Once implemented, residents would no longer need to leave the facility to receive such services.
BRMC continually strives to enhance and maintain quality of life for the residents throughout Long Term Care. The LTC Division is extremely proud of the activity programming, particularly those programs designed to meet the needs of the cognitively impaired residents. Sensory stimulation promotes awareness, responsiveness, emotional expression, increases attention span and self-esteem while providing stimulation and solace. One of the newest additions to LTC and its already existing sensory programming is "The Serenity Room." The Serenity Room, the first of four that is funded by a grant from The Wallerstein Foundation for Geriatric Life, creates a multi-sensory environment utilizing a variety of equipment, techniques and modalities. Those interacting with "The Serenity Room" will be provided with stimulus from all five senses: visual, tactile, auditory, gustatory and olfactory in an attempt to provoke a response.
The Serenity Room has many benefits for those residents with behavioral, wandering, and restless behaviors. The room creates a relaxing and tranquil environment with one of the goals being to decrease agitated behavior, decrease the wandering cycle and other behaviors.
Aromatherapy, visual displays on the walls and the ceilings, relaxing music, and specially designed massage chairs are able to re-focus these residents and reduce their anxious behaviors. Residents with severe cognitive impairment also respond to these same things by opening their eyes, displaying body movement, and vocalization when they have not been able to do so in the past. The "Serenity Room" is a beautiful and unique place that offers many advantages and hope for those who enter and interact with it.
The Long Term Care Division was recognized and awarded a grant by the Healthcare Facility Preparedness Grant Program for Emergency Preparedness. This is the first year that a Long Term Care facility was eligible to receive this grant. The main criteria for this grant is for all Long Term Care to be National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) certified.
To learn more about BRMC's Long Term Care programs, please call us (201) 967-4000.
Bergen Regional
Medical Center Hosts
Disaster Preparedness Drill
PARAMUS, NJ — Sunday, October 1st, 2006 — Bergen Regional Medical Center administrators and staff joined
emergency personnel from throughout Bergen County in a disaster
preparedness drill on Sunday, Oct. 1 in back of the hospital.
The disaster drill simulated a boiler explosion. There were three evolutions of this disaster, including a tunnel filling with smoke and a building collapse.
Emergency personnel, including EMS, police and fire officials from throughout Bergen County, participated in the drill. The participants’ roles in the drill were assessed and critiqued so that any problems that occurred can be avoided during a real crisis.
Study Counts the Years, Asians Count the Reasons
By TINA KELLEY / New York Times
CLIFFSIDE PARK, N.J., Sept. 13, 2006 — Son Man Soon, 93, spends
her afternoons at the Long Life Adult Day Care Center watching a
handful of women her age learn line dances, or singing along, karaoke-style,
with Korean words on a large television screen. Some of her peers
play mah-jongg or pool, some knit, and later, they enjoy meals of
soybean sprout soup and kimchi.
“Around here, these people, they don’t die,”
Ms. Soon said, laughing. She lives by herself in a nearby apartment,
and, aside from occasional trouble with her legs, considers herself
healthy.
Around here, in Bergen County, Harvard researchers have found a surprising pocket of longevity. Asian women here live longer than any other ethnic subgroup of people in the nation, according to federal statistics. Their average lifespan is 91.1 years, compared with 77.5 for the general population, 86.7 for Asian women nationally, and about 80 years for Bergen County as a whole, a figure that places it first in the Northeast.
“I believe they got better medications and food, and they’re comfortable,” Ms. Soon said through a translator, referring to the Korean women in their 80’s and 90’s surrounding her. “Their kids are all well educated.”
In dozens of interviews here, at a nursing home in Paramus, a Japanese market in Edgewater and a center for the aged in Fort Lee, elderly women from Korea, China and Hong Kong attributed their longevity to a healthy diet, belief in God, and their close-knit communities in the well-off suburbs that hug the Hudson River and the New York State border. They also said the conveniences of life in these towns, and the proximity to top-notch medical care, helped ease the path to their next birthdays.
For the Korean population, however, the average might be slightly skewed, since some Koreans, at least, count their age from conception and base it on the lunar year, factors that may not have been accounted for in census figures, one of the study’s authors said. Pun Park, for example, was born in 1911 but gave her age as 97.
“I didn’t eat beef or meat, and I usually take my main dish as vegetables,” said Ms. Park, who energetically offered apples and oranges as she recounted a life so full of farming, raising four children and doing household chores that it allowed little time for sickness.
The average life expectancies were calculated by researchers who monitored slices of the population — say, 80- to 85-year-olds — to see how many survived over a period of time. The data provides insight into how long a typical person in a specific place or ethnic group who is born today can be expected to live.
The Harvard researchers found Asian women in other places to have even longer life expectancies, but their numbers were too small to be statistically significant. In Bergen County, according to the 2000 census, there are more than 48,000 Asian women. The study appears in the new issue of the journal PLoS Medicine.
Majid Ezzati, an associate professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and one of the study’s authors, said that Asians as a whole have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and liver disease. Some of the risk factors for those diseases, such as smoking, binge drinking, obesity and high cholesterol, are less prevalent in the Asian community. But exact causes of longevity remain a mystery.
“It’s always a lot harder to explain why somebody lives
long than why they don’t,” Dr. Ezzati said. But the
women, most of whom immigrated as adults, some when they were already
grandparents, were willing to guess why.
“I think it’s because their minds are comfortable,”
said Hwang Song Gi, 78, “because every day they have a schedule,
with lunch at the same time, and dinner, and exercise.” She
is a regular at the Long Life center and goes to church three times
a week, and said the government provides for her generously.
“If I’m sick, the health care is coming over and taking care of me,” she said. “We’ve got better quality health care than in other countries.”
Strong families also play a role, said Betty Lee of Franklin Lakes, who was taking her mother, Ching Lin, 88, to lunch at the food court of the Mitsuwa Marketplace, which sells trays of gelatinous Japanese sweets along with shelves full of vitamins, groceries, and appliances.
“They like to stay with the families,” she said. “With their kids, they could live longer. If they went to a nursing home they would be lonely to death.” Her mother, who is Chinese, has a fixed daily schedule, with tai chi at 5:30 a.m., and three visits from relatives throughout the day.
Hyun W. Lee, 77, of Palisades Park, said Asian women live longer in part because of their faith. “They forgive and trust and try not to do bad things,” said Ms. Lee, who goes to the True Light Presbyterian Church in Teaneck. “And they are thankful to God.”
And there are excellent parks in Bergen County, she pointed out. “Everything here is much better than in other countries,” said Ms. Lee, who has also lived in Korea and Europe and enjoys swimming and dancing several times a week.
Margaret Leung, 72, who is originally from Hong Kong and was painting with watercolors at the Richard A. Nest Senior Center in Fort Lee, said she suspected that Asian women may live longer because they are generally happy.
“I don’t think about my age,” she said, recounting
how she still enjoys golfing with her husband, and traveling to
her homeland. “I don’t feel old. I try to feel young
all the time.”
Yet many of the women said they had no burning desire to make it
to the century mark.
At the Korean Long Term Care Service at Bergen Regional Medical Center in Paramus, where the beds are low to the floor and the artwork on the wall tends toward watercolors and calligraphy, Myung Soon Kim, 93, said, “I’ve lived long enough, oh, my gosh.”
Ms. Kim’s only complaint — the only medical complaint, anyhow — is a little high blood pressure, and she attributes her impressive age to the way she eats a little at a time, “mainly fresh salads and vegetables.”
Back at the Long Life center, Ms. Soon said her children “go to church and pray for me to live a little more time.” But she would rather they not go to the trouble. “It’s about time to go to heaven,” she said.
The Jason Foundation
The Jason Foundation hosted a program at Bergen Regional Medical
Center on October 4th 2006, addressing youth suicide awareness and prevention
programs. The Jason Foundation (www.jasonfoundation.com) programs
are now used in 49 states and several foreign countries.
The Jason Foundation, along with Bergen Regional Medical Center,
NAMI of Bergen County and the Intensive Family Support Services
of Bergen County are pleased to offer services and support to the
community and professionals who are attempting to combat this unsettling
reality.
Between 1999 and 2001 more than 1,500 young people, ages 13 to 18,
made suicide attempts in New Jersey. When young people up to 24
years of age are added to the equation, the number of attempted
suicides rises to 3,000.