Q & A for your health

Q:I am interested in a career in nursing and would like to start out as a Certified Nursing Assistant. Where can I go to get my certification?

A:McHarrie Life offers free, in-house, paid nurse aide training classes. Our nursing students complete their classroom and clinical hours in our beautiful skilled nursing facility. Once you successfully complete our training program, you are qualified to take the certification exam to become a Certified Nursing Assistant.

EARN AS YOU LEARN: McHarrie Life covers tuition costs, state exam fees, offers a training wage while you attend your classes, and guarantees employment upon NYS certification, in less than four weeks!

Full attendance is required. Classes run Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. during designated months. Required qualities of a successful Nurse Aide Trainee:

● Minimum of High School Degree or GED.

● Must be 18 or older.

We also have many benefits to working at our organization including:

● Above-average staff hours per resident ratios.

● All employee meals and beverages are provided free-of-charge.

● Free parking.

● Starting rate based on experience.

● Annual merit increases (up to 5%).

● Flexible schedules (full-time, part-time).

● Earning the community’s trust since 1851— That’s more than 172 years of providing healthcare programs and services to our community.

● Best Nursing Home Designation five years in a row (2019-2023) by U.S. News and World Report for both long-term and short-term care.

● Opportunities for growth and advancement.

● Longevity and consistency of management and staff.

● Clean, home-like environment.

Other benefits include Health/Dental/Life insurance, direct deposit, paid time off and holidays (including floating and birthday), 401k with generous employer contribution, Employee Assistance Program, service, and attendance awards.

To join our team, call Laurie Longyear, Human Resources Director, at 315-638-2521.

Syracuse Home resident Bill Piseczny takes his morning walk with Jessica Kessler, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at Syracuse Home. Jessica spent the past 17 years as a CNA caring for hundreds of residents throughout her career. When asked what she loves the most about her job, she says without hesitation, “I love my one-on-one time with the residents. It’s such a pleasure getting to know them. The relationships that I have with them really makes my day.”

Q:What criteria do you use to determine eligibility for your memory care program?

A:This is one of our most frequently asked questions. In response, I ask families several questions.

1. Is your loved one at risk for elopement or leaving the house unattended? 2. Are they self-directing?

Both questions are instrumental in determining safety and supervision. When a vulnerable person leaves the house unattended, they are at risk of becoming disoriented and lost, dehydrated, or exposed to hot or cold-related illnesses. Living in a secure, supervised setting minimizes these risks.

When a person is considered “self-directing,” they can navigate their day independently. After learning their routine, they will know where their room is, when meals are served, what activities to join, and what to do during their free time. When they cannot navigate independently, this is often a sign that they might require more supervision and direction to stay on track.

For eligibility in memory care at our Special Needs Assisted Living Residence, we also need to determine the severity of their memory impairment. We evaluate their stage of impairment beyond the diagnosis of dementia or cognitive impairment. Someone who is in the earlier stages of dementia is most appropriate for an Assisted Living Memory Care Unit. As a resident starts to become fully dependent with their activities of daily living, i.e., transfers, ambulation, toileting, feeding, bathing, and dressing, they are more likely to require a skilled nursing facility.

If you would like to know more about memory care at McHarrie Pointe, please contact Maggie Reap, Director of Residential Services, at 315-638-2525.

Q:My wife is moving to Syracuse Home skilled nursing care next week, and we wondered what the best way is for her to pay for her personal services like cable, phone, day trips, hair care, gift shop, etc.

A:We will set up a personal account for your wife and pay her expenses for her. Credit payments are accepted in person or by phone. She may also add money to her account as needed or withdraw cash. Family members may also add money to the account and/or oversee it if their loved one cannot do it themselves. We will also provide a quarterly statement to her.

Our accounting department in the business office provides this service free-of-charge to our residents.

—Julie Knapp, Office Manager/Accounts Receivable