Medical Professionals
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Weaving A Strong Safety Net For Seniors Whiting Health Care Center demonstrates the importance of forging connections among businesses and nonprofits to support people in our communities as they age.
Does health care seem a circus to you sometimes? There’s information coming at you from every direction, so much to keep track of, and a world of choices to make. But for you and the people you care about, it shouldn’t be a highwire act. You should never feel like you’ve been pushed out onto the tightrope to make your Pam Montemurno way across alone, without a net. Especially when you’re Regional Director of Cenus getting older, you should have as many hands as possible Development for Revera holding you up and helping you through. That’s why Nursing and Rehab the staff at Whiting Health Care Center is committed to reaching out to local healthcare providers, hospitals, businesses and nonprofit service organizations across Ocean County and beyond. By helping to build a local network of caring, they help to ensure that you and your loved ones can navigate each stage of aging securely, with a safety net beneath you. “Often, when people come to us following a hospital stay for rehabilitation or nursing care, what happens next is an important question,” says Jennifer Causer, Executive Director at Whiting Health Care Center, a 200-bed skilled nursing center in Whiting, New Jersey that is part of the Revera Nursing and Rehab family. “When our patients leave here to go home, we believe they should have more than a packet of information and well wishes.”
Reaching Out To Businesses And Nonprofits To help support older people as they make the transition to home and independent living, Whiting Health Care has reached out to area businesses and nonprofits. Pam Montemurno, Regional Director of Cenus Development for Revera Nursing and Rehab, has been instrumental in helping centers like Whiting build bridges with local volunteer service organizations such as the interfaith Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey. “We care about the continued well-being of the people we serve, even after they’re no longer here,” says Montemurno. “We consider it part of our mission. When people get home following hospital and rehab or nursing care, they often need an advocate to make sure they’re not lost in the system, and they need assistance with the activities that make daily living possible.” Montemurno calls Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey “a lifeline for people over 60 who need extra help with shopping, getting to doctors’ appointments, engaging in fun activities, or who just need a friendly person to talk to and some joy in their lives. We’re proud to support their efforts.”
about us.” Montemurno says that recent events at Whiting to support Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey have included a Women of Distinction “Hollywood Glam” Fashion Show & Gift Auction featuring PIX11 News anchor Kaity Tong and other women who have made a difference; a Caregiver Canines variety show to support a special program in which volunteers visit clients weekly with therapy dogs; and most recently an “Antiques Roadshow” held at the center on June 17th. Open to the public, the event featured estate liquidation expert Mark Csik of North River Antiques evaluating family heirlooms and other items in return for a suggested donation to Volunteer Caregivers of Central Jersey.
Important Connections
The Antiques Roadshow event was made possible by another important community connection forged by Montemurno, this time with the Senior Resource Alliance, (SRA) a network of local enterprises dedicated to providing older people with high quality services. The SRA was founded in 2006 by Liz Dorick, Business Director for Van Dyke Hospital, and Robert Novy, Esquire of Novy & Associates, a Manchester-based elder-focused law firm specializing in estate planning, explains Novy & Associates Director of Marketing Jake Mason. “Serving people in Ocean and Monmouth counties, the Senior Resourse Alliance is comprised of elite organizations each representing the best in their fields,” says Mason, “from financial planning to realty, hospice services, physical therapy, reverse mortgage services, and in Whiting Health Care Center’s case, skilled nursing and rehab.” Montemurno calls her nomination to the group among the highest honors of her career, and adds, “It’s a privilege and responsibility to be part of such a powerful referral network, dedicated to providing the highest level of service for the people we serve. We work together as much as possible to connect resources for best practice—the Antiques Roadshow event is a perfect example of our collborative spirit. And we all recognize the importance of Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey to our communitiies and to the quality of life for the people in our care.” Working together with a common purpose, the people of Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey, the Senior Resource Alliance, and member organizations like Whiting Health Care Center have woven a strong safety net to support elders as they strive to maintain independent, joyful lives.
Spreading The Word
That ongoing support comes in the form of regular events designed to raise awareness of the volunteer organization, and to raise funds, says Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey Executive Director Lynette Whiteman. “We currently serve more than 1,000 local people. We need to recruit up to 250 new volunteers each year to meet demand for our services, and those recruits require orientation, background checks, and special training for those who work with people who experience the symptoms of dementia. Those things cost money, and we’re delighted that Whiting Health Care is looking out for those we serve by getting the word out
Whiting Healthcare Center 3000 Hilltop Road, Whiting, NJ 08759
The County Woman Magazine
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For more information about the extraordinary care at Whiting Health Care Center, call 732-849-4400 or visit them online at reverawhiting.com. To learn more about supporting Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey as a volunteer or with a donation, visit caregivervolunteers.org. Whiting Healthcare Center is part of Revera Health Systems, which has an outstanding network of skilled nursing facilities across New Jersey, including Bey Lea Village in Toms River, Hamilton Plaza in Passaic, Laurelton Village in Brick, Linwood in Linwood, Meadow View in Williamstown, Neptune in Neptune, Oak Ridge in Wayne, and Willow Creek in Somerset. July/August 2014