Bergen Magazine May 2020

VOLUME 20 ISSUE 5 | $3.95 | BERGENMAG.COM

VOLUME 20 ISSUE 5 | MAY 2020

HEALTH & LIFE | FOOD & FASHION | HOME & HAPPENINGS

CELEBRATING HEROES

DUTY CALLS VIEWS FROM THE FRONT LINES VIRTUAL CLASSROOM 6 TEACHERS MAKE THE GRADE HOME COOKING 3 LOCAL CHEFS SHARE RECIPES

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SPECIAL REPORT: ACTS OF KINDNESS AMID THE CRISIS

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CONTENTS

{ MAY 2020 }

OUR PROTECTORS

While most of us cherish the safety of home, Bergen’s first responders stay in harm’s way— because it’s their job.

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Features Spring Ahead of Seasonal Allergies | 28

There are plenty of ways to enjoy a breath of fresh air without the worry.

School’s Out, But Teaching Is In | 34

When classrooms suddenly emptied, it was the county’s educators who faced a test. These six passed with flying colors.

Faces on the Front Line | 38

Four nurses tell what it’s like to work in a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Poolside Party Place | 46

When it’s time to gather again, this Ridgewood home has the perfect setup.

The Giving Impulse | 50

In a tough time, some Bergen residents find that helping others can be the best tonic for their own distress.

BERGENMAG.COM

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MAY 2020

IN EVERY ISSUE 8 Editor’s Note 26 Health News

30

WE SALUTE OUR NURSES As they respond to the nation’s COVID-19 outbreak, our nurses and all care team members display a strength that is nothing short of heroic. And while we always recognize their brave dedication, it’s never meant more than at this difficult moment. So this National Nurse’s Week, as our health care heroes courageously risk their own safety to protect ours, we say thank you.

KEEP GETTING BETTER HMH-2253-Nurses-Week-9x10.875-BM-20.indd 1

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CONTENTS

Departments Bergen Buzz | 17 Our guide to new ideas, tips, trends and things we love in the county.

Jewelry Box | 24

It’s easy to spoil Mom with one of these baubles from her soon-to-be favorite child.

Tastes | 54

Looks like we’ll all be having dinner on our own turf for a while, but it needn’t be humdrum—not with these tasty recipes from three Bergen restaurant chefs!

A Bergen Moment | 64

A Ridgewood photographer captures the unbridled joy on a mother’s face when she looks down at her newborn daughter.

54 46

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Left to Right: EVAN BAIRD, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Mount Sinai Medical Center; RAFAEL LEVIN, M.D., M.S.C., Chief of Spine, HackensackUMC at Pascack Valley; JONATHAN LESTER, M.D., Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; NOMAAN ASHRAF, M.D., M.B.A., Assistant Clinical Professor, Mount Sinai Medical Center

WHERE OUR TEAM BELIEVES IN CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT FIRST. BOARD CERTIFIED SPINE SURGEONS AND PHYSIATRY SERVICES

WESTWOOD | CLIFTON | BRIDGEWATER EAST BRUNSWICK 201.634.1811 | COMPSPINECARE.COM

NJ TOP DOCS 2014-2020

Ginger STORES Women, Children & Home

Hello Spring!

We can’t wait to welcome you back.

We missed seeing your lovely smiles, listening to your stories, and connecting with all of you!

Hope that you are all healthy and safe, and see you soon with open arms.

XOXO, Ginger Stores

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Doctors and nurses suit up for long shifts. Firefighters and EMTs prepare to answer the call. Teachers assemble virtual lessons. Business owners donate goods and services. And the list goes on. While most of us do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19 by staying home, these members of the community do more. And how we depend on them!

Our May issue was originally slated to feature celebrations, as it has in past years. It was to highlight milestone gatherings such as weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs and “sweet 16” and quinceañera parties. Well, parties are postponed for now— but celebration needn’t be. I decided to celebrate instead the hometown heroes who safeguard our lives and help us carry on.

Hearing their stories filled me with awe. In this issue, you’ll find messages of positivity galore, learning about the caregivers and volunteers who have become beacons of hope during the pandemic. In “Faces on the Front Lines” on page 38, you’ll meet four Bergen County nurses—all of whom have worked round the clock—and find out how they’ve stayed strong on the job and at home. Then turn to “Our Protectors” on page 30 and hear from five first responders whose job is to face different types of danger. You’ll see that they wouldn’t have it any other way, as helping people is second nature to them.

We also celebrate our schools’ educators who entered the world of virtual learning. “School’s Out, But Teaching Is ‘In’” on page 34 spotlights six Bergen teachers who have made the adjustment to online instruction with extraordinary ingenuity and success. This month’s special report underscores the importance of giving back, especially when others are going through tough times. For “The Giving Impulse” on page 50, BERGEN spoke with several “ordinary” residents and business owners who found unique ways to put smiles on the faces of those who needed them the most.

Lastly, we shine a light on three local chefs whose restaurants were affected by the pandemic. In the spirit of their eateries, they share the recipes for their favorite easy-to-make dishes so that every at-home chef can cook like a pro. Turn to “Dining Out at Home” on page 54 and get started!

As we isolate as much as possible, practice safe distancing and wear our masks, this is our small way to say “thank you” to our neighbors. Next month, look for coverage of additional heroes: mail carriers, delivery people, bus drivers, grocery and drug store employees. Meanwhile, sign up for our weekly newsletter for practical tips for you and your family during the pandemic. Included among our offerings are advice on starting a vegetable garden even if there are no seed packets left in the store and links to videos that help you understand your child’s “new” maths.

For hugging each other freely, another time will have to do. But for appreciating one another, this is surely the moment. Stay safe!

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APPAREL  ACCESSORIES  SHOES  GIFTS  HOME

{ EDITOR’S NOTE }

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GingerNCream.com @GingerNCream, @GingerNCreamKids

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Mom devoted her life to my well-being.

Now, it’s my turn to look out for hers.

She was always there for you. Now it’s up to you to ensure her well-being. When it’s time for a new living arrangement, such as a senior care facility, how can you be sure you’re making the right call?

Ask questions, lots of them.

• Is the staff experienced? How long has this facility been serving our community?

• Is it designed and equipped to meet my loved one’s needs, today, and into the future?

• Is there a presence of medical professionals offering proficient and responsive care?

• Will they work with us, creating a plan that gives my loved one a family community they can call home, today and always?

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A new weekly e-newsletter from the editors of BERGEN magazine!

An exclusive weekly peek into the people who are helping to shape the county and the things that residents from Allendale to Alpine are talking about.

BUZZ

Our guide to new ideas and people, tips, trends and things we love in the county.

DON’T MISS IT! Omm for the Holidays Looking to unwind this holiday season? Check out a sound healing and mediation session at the Graf Center for Integrative Medicine at Englewood Health.

Learn more about the event here.

5 WAYS TO...

Dress your Family for Holiday Photos Plaid shirts and red cable knit V-neck sweaters not exactly your family’s style? Ours either. But we still want an adorable photo for a holiday card that rivals the year’s best Instagram post. Read on for five creative ways to dress your brood for this year’s holiday pictures.

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By Hackensack University Medical Center

SEEN & HEARD All Revved Up in Woodcliff Lake Find out where this outrageous orange race car was headed. For more of what’s been Seen & Heard around the county, click here.

Chairman CARROLL V. DOWDEN President & CEO MARK DOWDEN Senior Vice Presidents SHAE MARCUS CARL OLSEN Vice Presidents NIGEL EDELSHAIN THOMAS FLANNERY RITA GUARNA DIANE VOJCANIN

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{ BERGEN BUZZ } OUR GUIDE TO NEW IDEAS, TIPS, TRENDS AND THINGS WE LOVE IN OUR COUNTY.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF Social media and news outlets tend to report on our physical health amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s easy to forget that our mental health is important too.

Sitting cooped up at home with limited social interaction can take a toll on our emotional well-being. So BERGEN asked Susan Devlin, a licensed professional counselor and executive director at CBH (Comprehensive Behavioral Healthcare) Care in Hackensack, for tips on how to reduce anxious or depressed thoughts until this uncertain period ends. She suggests these five: LIMIT YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA INTAKE. Watching too much of the news or spending too much time on Facebook and Instagram increases our anxiety, Devlin says. She recommends that you “designate a specific time each day for news and/or social media.”

BUT USE TECHNOLOGY TO YOUR ADVANTAGE. Though many of us have been logging into Zoom or other video platforms for work purposes, aim to use them on a personal level too to catch up with family and friends. “Whether it’s FaceTime, a virtual meeting or a phone call, maintaining that connection is very valuable,” Devlin says. “This is especially important for elderly people who may be more isolated than ever.”

MAINTAIN A ROUTINE. Just as it was before the quarantine began, establishing a schedule for everyone in your household—for instance, having a designated lunchtime and a specific time of day to go outside—is imperative for mental well-being. “This will allow you to put your work aside and better manage the boundary between work and your personal life,” Devlin says. “It also allows your children to have some stability and structure.”

TAKE A BREATH. If your mind just won’t stop, try this breathing exercise: Inhale to the count of four through your nose and exhale to the count of four through your mouth.

Focus on your breathing. After four or five breaths, try to concentrate on the sounds around you, whether it’s the birds chirping or a car driving by outside. “There are also many free apps that can assist you with mindfulness, meditation, relaxation and visualization,” Devlin says.

GET MOVING. Devlin and other experts advise getting at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, ideally with a walk outside for fresh air.

But if the weather is inclement or you can’t get outside, YouTube is a great resource for at-home workouts intended for people of all levels and abilities.

If you think you need an expert’s help, though, you won’t have to wait until COVID-19 has departed. Many providers, including CBH Care, are offering teletherapy appointments for patients, including adult partial care and kids’ after-school programs. “We want to ensure that this fragile population is connected and served,” says Devlin. Call CBH Care at 201.646.0333 for more info.

DID YOU KNOW? Kitten season is underway (when new litters are typically born), and Bergen County animal shelters like RamapoBergen Animal Refuge Inc. in Oakland have many feline friends (as well as puppies!) looking for new homes. RBARI remains open during the pandemic for adoption appointments—all visitors must wear proper face coverings and practice social distancing.

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{ BERGEN BUZZ }

THE NUMBERS ARE IN… Governor Murphy’s pleas over the past few weeks to “just stay home” haven’t been in vain.

Turns out Bergen County has been abiding by shelter-in-place recommendations to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. According to a “social distancing scoreboard” released by Unacast, which collects and analyzes GPS cellphone location data, at press time Bergen gets an “A–” when residents’ social distancing activity is compared with their activity prior to COVID-19.

That’s much-needed positive news, but the truth is we’re not in the clear yet. Bergen still remains the epicenter of the outbreak in the Garden State, outnumbering all other New Jersey counties in total confirmed cases and coronavirus-related deaths. With continued social distancing, however, health and government officials hope to flatten the curve. Go to unacast.com/covid19/ social-distancing-scoreboard for updates.

PIZZA TAKES ON AN ESSENTIAL ROLL

BYE FOR NOW, BIEBER Is it too late now to say “Sorry?” That’s what pop singing sensation Justin Bieber is likely asking his New Jersey fans after he postponed the final show of his Changes tour due to the virus pandemic. Biebs was set to rock the house at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford at 7 p.m. on Sept. 26, with opening acts Kehlani and Jaden Smith. As of presstime, the show has yet to be rescheduled. Canadianborn Bieber has some personal ties to North Jersey—in 2014 he temporarily lived with his pastor, Carl Lentz, in nearby Upper Montclair. When will he be back to entertain his Bergen County Beliebers? We’ll just have to wait and see!

The comedic pizzaiolos at Hold My Knots in Hillsdale have poked fun at the whole toilet-paper shortage thing that’s been going on during the pandemic. They offer their own “Toilet Paper Pizza” creation— a plain pie topped with ricotta and olives in the shape of one of those coveted rolls.

And if you order the pie it’s a two-for-one deal: The preorder-only pie, which sells for $24.95 plus tax, comes with a real roll of toilet paper you can add to your stash.

• Hold My Knots, 134 Broadway, Hillsdale, 201.666.0706; holdmyknots.com

KUDOS FOR KAPLEN Throughout the pandemic, local communities and individuals have been showing their support for healthcare workers on the front lines as much as possible, whether by donating supplies or dropping off food.

And Maggie Kaplen, president of The Kaplen Foundation, has demonstrated her appreciation to nurses in a major way: by donating $10 million to Englewood Health.

Kaplen, a retired nurse, has a longstanding relationship with Englewood, having volunteered there as a teen and made other generous donations in more recent years. But this gift is the largest in the hospital’s history, establishing The Kaplen Institute for Nursing Excellence at Englewood Health, which will help develop and nurture the careers of future nurses within the health system.

“I know the importance of access in healthcare, and to have the reassurance that patients and families in our community do not have to go far from home for world-class care is paramount,” Kaplen says in a press release. “It is incredibly rewarding to be part of what Englewood delivers to our greater community.” For more on Englewood Health and the RNs around the county who are risking their lives for COVID-19 patients, turn to “Faces of the Front Lines” on page 38.

BERGENMAG.COM

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RE-DEFINING THE ART OF OUTDOOR LIVING L ANDSCA P E M ASON RY | OUT D OO R L I VI NG S PAC E S | CUS TO M S WI M M I N G P O O LS

award -wi nni ng re si de nti al de si gn- bui l d fi r m 201.327.5162 / THOMASFLINT.COM HIC# 13VH02422300

{ BERGEN BUZZ }

YOU’RE STILL BEING SERVED There’s no denying that the news these days is bleak, with near-constant reports of the negative effects of COVID-19: mandated closures, skyrocketing unemployment and companies with an uncertain future. Thousands of entrepreneurs and their employees are helping us all keep safe—at great economic sacrifice—by staying home. But a few have had the opportunity to keep on serving us—safely—and they’ve stepped right up. Here are four such businesses based in Bergen, and one more not too far away: Westwood Cycle Shop, Westwood Spring is always a busy time of year for bicycle shops, but now that quarantined folk are looking for more ways to get outside—and get exercise—many are getting back on their bikes. This 70+-year-old shop, which typically does most of its business in-store, is changing its model by offering online sales and curbside services.

You can pick up your new bicycle curbside—or drop off

Courtyard by Marriott, Montvale Weddings, corporate events and parties are cancelled for the foreseeable future, so occupancy at this hotel is, unsurprisingly, way down. So it’s transformed itself into a shelter of sorts, providing rooms for a reduced rate of $65 a night to healthcare workers on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19 at local hospitals— workers who may fear that going home could risk spreading the virus to their families. Of course, besides the usual hygiene and sanitization practices, the hotel abides by social distancing rules, having everyone stand at least 6 feet apart. Plus, communal areas such as stairwells and elevators are sanitized four times an hour.

• Courtyard by Marriott, 100 Chestnut Ridge Rd., Montvale, 201.391.7700

your old one for repairs—without close personal contact.

• Westwood Cycle Shop, 182 3rd Ave., Westwood, 201.664.1688; westwoodcycle.com

Secor Farms, Mahwah Is there any better time to make your yard look pristine? This Pascack Valley farm is getting an influx of customers who want to take up a new hobby or reignite an old one: gardening. Though its baked goods and most of its fresh produce won’t be available until summer, it’s capitalizing on locals’ desire to plant and garden while they’re quarantined at home by offering a large selection of seasonal flowers and shrubs that changes weekly. Spring cleanup must-haves such as mulch, fertilizers and gardening gloves are sold here too. Oh, and Secor Farms is open only for curbside pickup.

• Secor Farms, 85 Airmont Ave., Mahwah, 201.529.2595; secorfarms.com

Biagio’s, Paramus Back in mid-March, when Governor Murphy restricted all New Jersey restaurants to takeout and delivery only, many Bergen County eateries closed entirely, including the upscale Biagio’s. But its customers were not happy, so it “reopened” for curbside pickup and delivery mid-pandemic due to popular demand (though the catering hall remains closed, of course). Its current takeout menu is an abridged version of the in-house one, featuring appetizers, pastas, salads and even family-style dinners for four. Biagio’s also offers “happy hour” specials all day on beers and mixed cocktails.

• Biagio’s, 299 Paramus Rd., 201.652.0201; biagios.com

Ani Ramen, Jersey City Luck Sarabhayavanija, owner of the Ani Ramen franchise, closed all four North Jersey locations when COVID-19 hit in March and had to lay off hundreds of employees in the process. But now he’s reopening the eateries and transforming them one at time into nonprofit restaurants called Rock City Pizza Co. Here, patrons will find not ramen or bao buns, but Chicago-style pizza and Thaispiced rotisserie chicken at lower-thanusual prices in the hope that customers will buy meals for themselves and others in need.

• Ani Ramen, 218 Newark Ave., Jersey City, 201.408.9811; aniramen.com

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KITTY LO♥E Cat: The Chief, 14-year-old domestic shorthair Owner: Jodi Weinberger, New Milford The Chief (Instagram: @the.chief_squeaks) joined the Weinberger household about five years ago when a friend’s family situation changed and he needed to be re-homed. “Our first few days together were spent eyeing each other cautiously,” owner Jodi recalls, “until one day he jumped on my bed for a nap. The rest is history.”

As an older cat, The Chief spends most of his time sleeping belly-up on the floor or snuggled in a blanket on the couch or bed. He makes the most of his waking hours by watching squirrels and birds, playing with catnip toys and scattering bits of cardboard all over the house from his beloved scratch pad. He weighs in at a husky 19 pounds, which several veterinarians have said won’t be changing because of his age, despite dieting attempts.

“We love all the same foods: fancy meat and cheeses, crunchy snacks and treats from friends,” his owner says. Though he enjoys (supervised!) sitting outside in the sun munching on grass and smelling the flowers, his fears include men walking with heavy boots and children riding bicycles. The Chief’s sweet disposition earns him hours of chin scratches from anyone deemed worthy of his presence.

#DISTRACTIBAKING AT ITS FINEST Have you hopped on the scale at all since the quarantine began? Um, yeah, it might be time to start making healthier choices in regard to baked goods. That’s why Tenafly resident Michele Rosen’s paleo cookbook couldn’t come at a better time.

Known as @paleorunningmomma on social media and in the blogosphere, the mom of three has just released Paleo Baking at Home, which features 60 paleo recipes—recipes that are free of gluten and grains and higher in protein than usual treats—for yummy cakes, brownies, tarts, cupcakes, cookies and more. And since Rosen’s tried-and-true recipes will keep you fuller longer and without the typical sugar crash, you won’t want to snack as much and will feel less blah overall, two things we all want while social distancing (and, well, always).

LEADING WITH A TO NEXT-LEVEL NURSING

The Englewood Health Foundation is thrilled to announce a transformational $10 million gift made by The Kaplen Foundation and its president, philanthropic changemaker Maggie Kaplen. The largest grant awarded in Englewood Health's history will establish The Kaplen Institute for Nursing Excellence to invest in the future of the health system's nurses, indispensable caregivers who serve our community selflessly around the clock.

350 Engle Street, Englewood, NJ 07631 | Tel 201.894.3725 foundation@ehmchealth.org | EnglewoodHealthFoundation.org

{ BERGEN BUZZ }

BEST FOOT FORWARD

DELIVERING FUN A round of applause and lots of treats are in order for service dog Ladd and his owner Allen DePeña of North Arlington for helping keep kids occupied while they’re cooped up at home. DePeña, owner of Zentai Martial Arts in North Arlington (and an instructor there), has been preparing goodie bags of fun materials including crayons and slime for his youngest students to enjoy when they’re not partaking in online school classes. And Ladd is the perfect delivery partner for DePeña; he’s been dropping off the bags at clients’ doorsteps while his human owner maintains an appropriate social distance of 6 feet. Thanks, you two!

Of the many perks that come with working from home, one of our favorites is wearing comfy clothes all day— cozy slippers, for example. But we all have to go fetch the mail, right? Enter Muvez, makers of the 3:AM indoor slipper with a detachable outdoor sneaker sole.

It’s the idea of Wood-Ridge native brothers Ryan and Eric Cruz and their childhood friend Kevin Zamora of Carlstadt.

“The vision is comfort on the move,” Zamora says. “We combined the comfort we all love in our slippers with the functionality of a sneaker. The removable soles are how we help keep germs out of homes.” The trio pitched their fashion-forward footwear during an April episode of ABC’s Shark Tank, receiving a $250,000 offer from panelist Daymond John.

“The massive belief we have in our product is the main reason we persevered and kept confident in the Shark Tank,” says Ryan Cruz, glad to have found someone to foot the bill.

REALLY, THEIR ‘DAY’ IS EVERY DAY There’s no good time for a worldwide pandemic, but it’s grimly fitting that this one extends into May. Why? Because May 5 is National Teacher Day and May 6 is National Nurses Day. These occasions celebrate roles in our society that deserve our profoundest thanks even in normal times. As for right now? Turn to pages 34 and 38 to hear from Bergenites in these two professions about the special challenges they’re facing and how they’re coping. And don’t forget to show the teachers and nurses in your life a little extra appreciation. They deserve it!

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Remote Clinical Services Now Being Provided in the Privacy of Your Own Home Through Telehealth.

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If you, or someone you care about, are experiencing feelings of sadness, loss, anxiety or depression related to the pandemic, we can provide you with the support and treatment necessary to get through this stressful time. The fear and anxiety around COVID-19 can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in both adults and children. At Agresta Psychotherapy Group we are here to help you cope with these feelings providing support and treatment without judgement. We are now happy to be offering sessions via telehealth. Call for an appointment today.

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{ JEWELRY BOX }

ROBERTO COIN DIAMONDS-BY-THEINCH NECKLACE Neiman Marcus, Paramus, 201.291.1920 neimanmarcus.com

OMEGA CONSTELLATION QUARTZ 25MM WATCH Omega, Hackensack, 201.343.0057 omegawatches.com

MOTHER AND INFANT DIAMOND PENDANT NECKLACE Macy’s, Paramus, 201.843.9100 macys.com

For Mom, With Love It’s easy to spoil her with one of these baubles from her soon-to-be favorite child.

CULTURED PINK FRESHWATER PEARL TIN CUP BRACELET Bloomingdale’s, Paramus, 201.457.2000 bloomingdales.com

DEVON FASHION TRIPLET EARRINGS Devon Fine Jewelry, Wyckoff, 201.848.8489 devonfinejewelry.com

FIREFLY DIAMOND BEAD STRING BRACELET F. Silverman Jewelers, Woodcliff Lake, 201.930.8883 fsilverman.com

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SIMON G. DIAMOND BUTTERFLY EARRINGS Sidney Thomas, Paramus, 201.226.9666 sidneythomas.com

MAY 2020

{ HEALTH NEWS }

6.5

The percentage of children from newborn to age 17 who had a food allergy in the past year.

That’s up from 4 percent 10 years ago.

—Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

EARLY MENOPAUSE WOES Women who hit menopause before age 50 are more likely to develop heart disease, according to research that included 300,000 women. Talk to your doctor about reducing the risk of heart problems if you reach menopause early.

RUN AND SMILE

Runners who smiled used less oxygen and ran more efficiently than runners who frowned or didn’t focus on their facial expressions. After all, they don’t call it a “runner’s high” for nothing.

—Psychology of Sport and Exercise

—The Lancet

VOLUNTEER FOR BETTER PAY

Sure, you know it makes you feel good, but research has found that people who volunteer earn more money than those who don’t give their time and talent.

—Social Science Research

USE FREE TIME WISELY

1 IN 3

The number of Americans who are chronically sleep deprived. Even 16 minutes of lost sleep nightly makes you more prone to being distracted and less able to concentrate.

—Sleep Health

To ensure you give your mind a rest, refrain from checking a news app and scrolling through Instagram because those activities rev up your nervous system and keep you from feeling relaxed. Instead, consider taking a walk, reading a chapter in a book or even daydreaming.

—National Academy of Science

GET OUTSIDE

GO AHEAD, FAIL

A new study found that failing 15 percent of the time means you’re challenging yourself enough to not only learn new things but to learn from your mistakes. That’s how we learn best.

Spending just 20 minutes in a park boosts your well-being by decreasing the production of stress hormones. Trails and paths closed? Even walking in a residential neighborhood will do.

—University of Alabama at Birmingham

—Nature Communications

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—Compiled by Paul Rance Jr.

GIVING HOPE, SAVING LIVES. Donald A. McCain, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.

Dipliomate of the American Board of Surgery • American Cancer Society 39th Annual Diamond Ball, Medical Honoree, 2018 • Jersey Choice Top Doctor 2019, New Jersey Monthly Magazine • Castle Connolly Top Doctors Award 2019 New York Metro Area • Inside NJ Top Doctors Award 2019 • 2016 Nobility in Science Award from National Pancreas Foundation • Vice Chairman of the John Theurer Cancer Center • Chief, Division of Surgical Oncology and Executive Vice Chair, Dept of Surgery, Hackensack Meridian Health University Medical Center • Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery, Seton Hall Medical School We provide comprehensive surgical care for: Gastrointestinal Tract Tumors Colorectal Cancer Liver Tumors Pancreatic Cancer

Breast Tumors Sarcomas Skin Cancers Esophageal Cancer

Dr. McCain currently holds an academic appointment at Seton Hall NJ Medical School.

Dr. McCain is extensively trained in the latest most effective resection techniques, including robotic resections for gastric and colorectal cancer, and minimally invasive resections for pancreatic and liver cancer.

Dr. McCain works alongside specifically certified APNs and nursing staff, and works collaboratively with medical and radiation oncologists at the John Theurer Cancer center to develop a treatment plan for each patient.

Donald A. McCain, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.

20 Prospect Avenue, Suite 603, Hackensack, NJ 07601 • 201-342-1010 • DrDonaldMcCain.com Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

{ HEALTH }

SPRING AHEAD OF

SEASONAL ALLERGIES There are plenty of ways to enjoy a breath of fresh air without the worry.

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A daily walk has become part of many routines these days—the exercise and fresh air is a welcome break for those following the stay-at-home mandate.

But for more than 50 million Americans, the reprieve from the indoors can bring itchy eyes, runny noses, congestion and fatigue. These are the symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis (also known as hay fever, rose fever or pollinosis), caused by allergic reactions to airborne substances such as pollen that affect the upper respiratory tract and eyes.

For some, it also means itchy skin or worsened asthma.

According to Debora Geller, M.D., a pediatric and adult asthma, allergy and immunology specialist at Vanguard Medical Group in Emerson, tree pollen and certain molds will affect allergy sufferers through June. Grass pollen booms during the summer, then ragweed hits its peak from August through October.

The tendency to have allergies is genetic, and symptoms typically show up during childhood, but that doesn’t mean individuals can’t develop them later in life. “I’ve seen people develop allergies in their 20s,” Dr. Geller says.

Adults who experience symptoms for the first time usually treat themselves with an over-the-counter medication.

“If that first line of defense isn’t working, then it’s time to seek advice from a physician or allergist,” she says.

“It’s a scary thing to do with all that’s going on in the world right now, but they don’t need to suffer and be miserable. Allergies can trigger asthma and sinus infections, so it’s best to have them treated.

With telehealth, I can ‘meet’ with patients who might be nervous because of COVID-19.”

Under normal circumstances, a good time to make an appointment with your physician is February to begin preventive measures, if necessary.

Your doctor can evaluate symptoms, the organs involved and whether ongoing treatment is needed.

SYMPTOM SOLUTIONS It’s important to individualize treatment for each patient. An experienced specialist can get a good

feel quickly for what combination of medications might work best, but the patient’s specific symptoms and medical history must also be considered.

For those with occasional symptoms, solutions can be as simple as changing clothes after spending time outdoors and washing your hands and face. “I know people might have cabin fever right now so I feel badly saying this, but staying indoors and minimizing exposure is ideal too,” Dr. Geller says.

Over-the-counter medications such as Claritin and Zyrtec work well for sufferers with moderate symptoms, she adds. These antihistamines will reduce overall allergic response and provide symptomatic relief. For those who need more relief from stuffiness and congestion, doctors might add an intranasal corticosteroid spray or an intranasal antihistamine spray. These can take a few days to start working, but are more effective than over-thecounter sprays.

Prescription eye drops with vasoconstrictors that eliminate redness by shrinking blood vessels may also create a dependence. Prescription eye drops with either antihistamines or mast cell stabilizers can be used for longer periods and are better for persistently itchy eyes.

For allergy-induced asthma, there are a variety of prescription inhalers, both quick-acting “rescue” inhalers and long-acting anti-inflammatory products that can reduce the frequency of attacks. While these medications can provide excellent symptom control, their use must be individualized.

If those don’t work, or if a patient is having adverse side effects, your doctor might suggest immunotherapy, or allergy shots. This treatment aims to reduce sensitivity to triggers.

“Allergy shots don’t work immediately and take a commitment of time,” Dr. Geller says, adding that shots are administered on a weekly basis. “Before going this route, I have a discussion with my patients about the severity of their symptoms and how they are affecting their lives.”

Because of social distancing and concerns over the coronavirus, many allergists are not taking new immunotherapy patients. “But as soon as the pandemic eases,” Dr. Geller says. “we will start it again.”

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WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU CHOOSE ALLERGY SHOTS

To determine a patient’s allergies, doctors perform skin-scratch or prick tests, placing tiny quantities of suspected allergens on the skin to measure a reaction. From those tests and blood tests, a regimen of customized injections is developed.

The therapy has two phases: buildup, which involves shots once or twice a week over a period of several months, and maintenance, after an effective therapeutic dose has been reached. From there, intervals between shots usually range from two to four weeks for a course of three to five years.

Immunotherapy can be a good option for treating persistent allergy symptoms in people who have reactions that persist for more than several months, and who haven’t responded to other forms of treatment.

Immunotherapy has been reported to have approximately an 85 percent success rate, but it does involve a significant time commitment on the part of the patient.

6 TIPS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH ALLERGIES

• Avoid exposure to tobacco smoke. It not only triggers symptoms, but can also increase allergic sensitivity.

• When traveling in a car, keep the windows closed and the air-conditioning on.

• Do not hang laundry out to dry (pollen will collect on linens or clothing).

• Do not let an allergic individual mow the lawn or rake the leaves without a filter mask.

• Wash bedding weekly in hot water.

• Shower and shampoo hair after spending time outdoors.

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{ FIRST RESPONDERS }

OUR PROTECTORS

While most of us cherish the safety of home, Bergen’s first responders stay in harm’s way—because it’s their job. Here, five of them speak.

It’s a human instinct to flee and seek safety when danger approaches. There is a breed of people, however, who do quite the opposite. First responders, time and again, risk their own wellbeing to protect the welfare of others. As we remain secure in our homes, Bergen County’s police officers, firefighters and medical professionals continue their 24-hour watch over the community— even as the threat of COVID-19 looms over each of them. Read how five emergency workers have adjusted to the new (though hopefully temporary) normal.

Stephen Brunnquell, M.D. President, Englewood Health Physician Network Internist, Park Medical Group BERGEN: How has your daily routine changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began?

Brunnquell: “All of our jobs are different now. Our routines bear no resemblance to what they were a month ago.

Before, we would have follow-up appointments and visit with sick patients. We also had podiatry and ENT [ear, nose and throat] visits. Now our physicians and staff rotate in our sick office, which sees patients with fever and respiratory issues, anything suspicious for coronavirus.

People who need annual physicals or other routine visits have to wait. Most people like rhythm and routine, both in and out of work.

That’s all gone now. Maybe you and your significant other had date night—you can’t do that anymore.”

Being on the front line is round-the-clock work.

How much of a toll is this taking?

“Everyone’s hours have increased, and some haven’t had a day off since the pandemic broke. It

takes a physical and emotional toll on everyone.

It’s sad when we lose someone who is at the endof-life stage, but it hits at quite another level to take care of critically ill people who are in mid-life and were previously healthy.”

You’re caring for everyone else, but how much are you concerned for your own safety?

“Our staff is trained to decontaminate, but many are afraid of taking this home, so they self-isolate from the rest of their family. We draw strength from loved ones, but people are scared of making their families sick. The anxieties, fears and worries—it’s all emotionally draining.”

What happens when the helpers need help?

“I’ve been trying to coach my colleagues and staff to remember to take care of themselves, get rest and eat well. We launched a program for physicians to get mental and emotional support if they need it, and there are therapists who have been volunteering and donating their time. If you think about the numbers, we’ll all feel scared at some point. But it’s OK to be afraid. Your feelings and emotions are never wrong. When you talk about it, you realize the vast majority of those with COVID-19 experience mild symptoms. It’s important to stay up-to-date, but the constant diet of news is tough for all of us. Instead, try to read, watch an old movie and catch some Seinfeld reruns.”

“We draw strength from loved ones, but people are scared of making their families sick.”

—Stephen Brunnquell, M.D.

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{ FIRST RESPONDERS } And how do you stay positive?

“I’m doing OK. I don’t have little children anymore, and I use FaceTime to talk to my grandkids. I know we have a great staff, and seeing the outpouring of support and volunteerism keeps me going.”

It might be too early to look at positives, but is there anything we can learn from this?

“This has forced us to do things differently and take new approaches. For example, under normal circumstances it could have taken us a while to get our telemedicine program running, but it took us just 72 hours to get all the doctors on board. It’s not the same as seeing patients in person, but using smartphones we can connect with COVID-19 patients every day while they are isolated.”

Is it frustrating to see residents not following the mandatory health guidelines?

“My advice is to carefully follow all instructions from the CDC and the federal, state and local governments. Most of all, remember that social distancing and remaining safe in your own home are the best ways to flatten the curve and give our hospitals a fighting chance in battling this horrific disease.”

Is there anything residents should remember when calling EMTs for help?

“It’s important to know that local first responders, many of whom are unpaid, are there for you in your time of need. But we need as much information as possible to respond quickly and efficiently. That means making sure house numbers are clearly visible and remaining on the phone with the 911 operator if you call.”

Brian Corcoran Emergency medical technician, President, Anthony Cureton Hackensack Bergen County Sheriff Volunteer BERGEN: How has your Ambulance routine changed since the Corps pandemic began?

BERGEN: Cureton: “We’ve How has always been your routine attentive to details, changed since but we’re more so the pandemic now. began?

You Corcoran: “Our staff have has been required to to be wear personal protective conscious equipment (PPE) on of the each call. This consists environment, not of eye protection, an only paying attention to who N95 respirator mask, a and what’s around you, but gown or a Tyvek suit now also giving extra attention and a double layer to things you’re touching and of latex gloves. All of will be touching. There’s a this takes time to put responsibility to make sure your on, is restrictive in —Brian Corcoran immediate work area is clean movement of the EMT and disinfected for your own and is quite costly to the safety and for the next person who takes organization.” your spot.”

Hackensack is one of the busiest ambulance You put yourself at risk every corps in the county. Can you estimate day you go to work. How do you how many calls have been related to the mentally prepare for that? coronavirus?

“I’ve been in this for 30 years. As a first “For the past three weeks, approximately responder, this is what my job is—all the 85 percent of our dispatches are COVID-19 officers have the same mentality. We have to pandemic-related, whether patients are acutely make sacrifices in order to keep others safe, ill or scared that they have the disease and because all we want to do is help people.” requesting transport to the hospital for testing.”

Does potential exposure to COVID-19 worry What has been the most challenging part of you and your staff? the job throughout this time?

“One of the things that we’ve been dealing “The most difficult part is asking our volunteers with is anxiety. That’s something none of us and staff to keep reporting to work to take care has been accustomed to. Being concerned for of the sick and injured, when each day the our health is something new to officers—our guidance from the CDC is that in order to stay health is something many of us, in general, safe, people need to remain in their own homes. have taken for granted. This virus has no The dedication of our staff is second to none, defining elements, and there was no guide and I appreciate each and every one of them for to study or practice. We’re all thinking about doing what they do in these uncertain times.”

it, but we take every precaution. We’ve had to lock down the jail, decontaminate and suspend some of the services. Officers in the courts interact with all sorts of people, so they have to be extra-cautious too. Practicing social distancing is critical right now. Many of us are relearning how to communicate and work with one another, now while maintaining a safe distance.”

What has been most challenging?

“The nationwide issue is outfitting officers with protective equipment. There are some supplies available, but some is not enough.

Every officer in a car gets a PPE package with mask, gloves and wipes, which were donated by the Policemen’s Benevolent Association locals 49 and 135. It’s been challenging policing some of the new rules and regulations, but we take the community policing approach and open dialogue.

“We have to make sacrifices in order to keep others safe, because all we want to do is help people.”

“The dedication of our staff is second to none, and I appreciate what they do in these uncertain times.”

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—Anthony Cureton

Whether it’s putting the jail on lockdown or keeping visitors out of Van Saun and the county parks, everyone understands what’s happening.”

Do you worry about keeping the virus out of your home?

“I made a promise to myself and others not to bring this home. I change in the garage before entering the house. This relieves some of the anxiety. In normal circumstances, I meet a lot of people and shake their hands.

With everything happening in the world right now, everyone understands that a simple handshake isn’t the best thing to do.”

Is there anything we can learn from this crisis?

“One thing I do see is that we are capable of altering lifestyles when necessary. And it’s been great to see the synergy and people coming together to support each other, especially the medical community, which has been carrying us throughout the pandemic.”

Bryan Drumgoole Coordinator, Fort Lee Office of Emergency Management Detective, Fort Lee Police Department Deputy chief, Fort Lee Fire Department BERGEN: How has your routine changed since the pandemic began?

Drumgoole: “Each department has implemented many changes in the way it operates. From shift changes to practicing social distancing while responding to calls to disinfecting vehicles and apparatus after calls, procedures have been put in place that we now perform regularly. The one common

denominator is that all changes were done to protect the responders while still maintaining the highest level of service possible.”

Many people are finding it difficult to remain indoors all day. Has enforcement of new regulations been a challenge?

“It has been difficult, but the community is a strong one that has come together to follow all of the guidelines put into place.”

Unlike many others, you don’t have the option of working from home. What keeps you going out when others stay in?

“The residents rely on government, emergency services, volunteers, borough employees and many others to be there for them. The community has always been there for

“It has been difficult, but the community is a strong one that has come together to follow all of the guidelines and procedures put into place.”

—Bryan Drumgoole us, so it is our obligation to be there for them.

When you do something you love, it also makes it that much easier. I love our town and will always be there for its people.”

With the added anxiety the pandemic brings, how do you stay positive?

“When I get home, my two young children usually come running toward me. No matter how bad or good a day I’ve had, just them running toward me puts everything into perspective.”

Jordan Zaretsky Chief, Teaneck Fire Department BERGEN: How has your routine changed since the pandemic began?

Zaretsky: “We knew in the beginning that Teaneck was going to be the epicenter in Bergen County, so the town’s administrators all met face-to-face early on. But as things got worse, we were told to work remotely when possible. So now I’ve been talking to the guys, other administrators and other chiefs on Zoom. It’s been an odd situation because chiefs are part of the administration staff but we are usually in

the office, walking around and interacting with the guys.”

What necessary changes did the department make because of the pandemic?

“We had to look at the resources we needed. Staff can only do inspections on a limited basis, but now we have a safety officer on every shift and one going out on every response. These officers are another set of eyes for the command person, another set of eyes to be sure we follow all safety and inspection protocols. Even if we end up paying a lot of overtime, we can’t afford not to do this. Every touch surface is decontaminated twice a day, and we do the same to the apparatus at least once a day. The idea is that if the virus comes into our space, we’re going to kill it immediately.”

What about changes in the field?

“As a department, we’ve changed and have three types of response.

First is our fire response, when there is a structure on fire. Our members know how to deal with these. They have personal protective equipment that encapsulates them, separate breathing apparatus and decontamination at the end. We know that fire is going to demolish the virus, so in a way, these calls present less hazard in terms of COVID-19. Our second type of response is to non-fire emergencies, such as carbon monoxide. For these, our instruction is ‘three steps slower’—we respond but take every measure for us to be safe. We won’t send a lot of companies. Instead, one person will knock on the door and ask a series of questions. Depending on the triage, then we’ll ask all the occupants to exit the home and our teams will go in wearing their protective equipment. This slows down response in a non-fire situation.

Our third response is the EMS call. This protocol has changed so that any patient we interact with is protected. We try to keep track of the COVID-19-positive

[which are disposed of], but these protocols slow our response.”

What challenges has the department faced?

“Initially there was a communications hurdle. Protocols were mandated but there was some righteous indignation—people heard us say it, but they didn’t hear us.

And we saw early on that residents had a slow emotional understanding of what’s going on; COVID-positive residents would ask us for help in situations where the fire department ordinarily wouldn’t get involved. We want to be professional and helpful, but I can’t expose my guys to risk if they’re not trying to save lives or property.”

Firefighters are considered ‘the bravest,’ but are there fears of this virus?

“Our members are absolutely afraid of this.

We have two guys who tested positive and another 17 in quarantine because of exposure or their families have been exposed. Our department has a lot of young guys, but we also have members who are in the at-risk age range with preexisting medical conditions.

Our command staff agreed to do everything it could to make work safer than home, and that’s why we slowed some of our response.”

Are the concerns and extra work wearing down the department?

“It’s an unprecedented time, and the anxiety is certainly taking its toll. But this is why we’re here. If we don’t respond to emergencies, then why are we here? Our guys personalize that message. They understand their responsibility.

Social distancing is also getting to them.

They can’t do training exercises right now and they say they’re bored. I’m pleased as punch that they want to train, but I’d rather them be bored and safe than sick. I want ‘#makeitboring’ to be a trend.”

You mentioned Teaneck is the epicenter.

How can anyone prepare for a pandemic?

“During the Ebola crisis, we talked about ‘when’ things would happen, not ‘if.’

We spent money on backup equipment during Ebola, and we were able to come up with protective devices when Holy

“This is why we’re here. If we don’t respond to emergencies, then why are we here? Our guys personalize that message.”

—Jordan Zaretsky

occupancies—police and fire departments know this information for our protection— and we know the number is a lot bigger than what’s reported [because testing isn’t available for everyone]. But we just assume everyone is positive so the rules don’t change. When a person needs medical care, everyone puts on a mask and a big white plastic suit. Afterward, we clean and decontaminate everything except the masks BERGENMAG.COM

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Name Medical Center needed them. For this pandemic, we were able to donate N95 masks to Holy Name and the New Jersey Firemen’s Home in Boonton. We were ready, and we’re looking for ways we can support other first responders. First responders are expected to be prepared, so sometimes we have to think outside the box when planning.”

—as told to Darius Amos

{ VIRTUAL LEARNING }

SCHOOL’S OUT, BUT TEACHING IS ‘IN’ When classrooms suddenly emptied, it was the county’s educators who faced a test. These six passed with flying colors.

By Gianna Barone

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On Friday, March 13, an executive order was issued for all of Bergen County’s 75 school districts to cease holding in-person classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For our county’s teachers, that brought a new challenge. They hit the books (e-books, that is) to learn the ins and outs of virtual learning via telecommunication programs such as Zoom, Skype and Google Classroom. Even in normal times, their career requires knowledge, patience, dedication and ingenuity; today, as teachers fight to keep the momentum of the classroom going with remote technology, it demands all of these qualities in extra measure.

On the following pages, you’ll read about a half-dozen teachers who have gone beyond duty’s call during this unprecedented transition to tech in our schools to keep your kids connected—and learning.

From left: Lauren Sciarra, Gina Getrajdman, Glen Coleman, Jennifer Rupprecht, Christine Kenney, Elena Spathis

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{ VIRTUAL LEARNING }

TUTORING TAG TEAM Lauren Sciarra and Gina Getrajdman, Lodi High School, Lodi These best friends and fellow English teachers were in their 11th and eighth years at their school, respectively, when suddenly they had just a few days to hatch plans to teach their students remotely. “I’ve never taught online before, so it was kind of intimidating,” says Getrajdman. After teaching virtually for a week, the two literary ladies received some feedback from their students that was mixed, but featured one recurring theme.

“We heard that they were very bored,” says Sciarra.

That wasn’t a “thumbs-down” on the pair’s online instruction, but a comment on the students’ lives as a whole. “The kids who are usually very busy, especially, have nothing to do in their free time, and some students rely heavily on those activities for support,” Sciarra adds.

Bothered by this and looking for a purposeful project to take on while at home, Sciarra and Getrajdman had an early morning brainstorming session to find ways they could help their students beyond assigning homework. They ultimately decided to launch their own website: Homebound Helpers. The site provides tutoring services, “storytime” videos, home workout routines and mindfulness and meditation tips for students near and far who are looking to spend their time constructively while schools are closed.

“At the end of the day, people miss feeling connected,” says Getrajdman, “and we want to make sure that our kids still feel ‘tapped in’ when they’re home learning on their own.” Homebound Helpers offers free tutoring for students at the elementary, middle and high school levels, provided throughout the week by volunteer seniors who are looking to lend a hand in their spare time while social distancing at home.

“Being a teacher is about being a support system, after all,” says Sciarra. And in just a few weeks, the site has already reached bored students on the other side of the nation. “We just found out someone in California is using it!” she says. For more information, go to sites.google.com/prod/view/homebound-helpers-lodi/home.

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TECHY TEACHER Glen Coleman, River Dell High School, Oradell This 22-year social studies teaching veteran reports that he felt “pretty confident” about the abrupt switch to virtual classes in March. Such optimism is understandable, as Coleman is also a teaching fellow in HP’s (formerly Hewlett-Packard) nationwide Digital Promise initiative, which helps instructors of all grade levels directly integrate technology into their classrooms.

“Interaction is always the goal in the classroom, and this experience proves that you don’t have to be face-to-face for that interaction to make sense,” says Coleman. He believes every nowonline teacher can benefit from some sort of text-based chat room where students can post questions and see what others are asking to spark an authentic conversation online among classmates. “In this medium, it’s all about how a person writes—and that’s an advantage for teachers because you can draw attention to good writing skills,” says Coleman. “After all, good writing brings its own audience.”

Coleman has also found success in modifying his tests in what he has dubbed a “90 or nothing” model, where students socialize by working together to complete an exam with an unlimited amount of time to take it until they score a 90 or higher. “You’re encouraging teamwork [in these circumstances] instead of competition, and it sets the tone for a discussion during the rest of our online class,” says Coleman. Above all, he says he’s had luck in keeping a structure to his classes and not being afraid to ask “larger” questions of his students that they can elaborate and comment on via a chat room, an essay or the “Facebook-esque” platform Flipgrid.

“Teachers who are new to this should expect failure,” Coleman warns. “But it’s important to own it, enjoy it and then move forward from it.”

VIRTUAL TOUR GUIDE Jennifer Rupprecht, Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield The switch to online classes was especially daunting for this 26year Ridgefield High School teacher, who offers a variety of courses,

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including a life skills class for special education students.

“I was honestly pretty nervous, and wasn’t sure if my students would be able to access the online class,” says Rupprecht. In normal times her classroom often has a handful of paraprofessionals in it who are a resource for her and for some of her students. Today things are different—she is alone, in front of a screen, with no additional guidance in the room. “Some of my kids have had to submit their work later in the evening because that’s when a parent is available to help them, and that’s fine with me,” she says.

To keep her students engaged, Rupprecht has cleverly utilized free virtual tours of interesting places near and far to provide a “field trip” of sorts during class time. The outdoor locales Rupprecht’s students have been able to “visit” during their quarantine include local gems like the Meadowlands Environmental Center in East Rutherford and far-away wonders such as the national parks.

“It’s amazing how supportive companies and organizations have been in offering free access to lessons and tours for teachers,” she says. As a mother of four, Rupprecht sees the other side of the coin as well; she feels that teachers and parents are “really pulling together and sharing resources” to keep kids entertained and educated. In fact, Rupprecht finds one plus in the midst of this crisis: collaboration. “We’re all in this together, and we’re all in the same boat right now,” she explains. “I’ve been able to work with my department more than ever before, and after 26 years, that’s really refreshing.”

LEADER OF THE ‘HUNT’ Christine Kenney, Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County, New Milford “It’s a work in progress,” this teacher says of adjusting her seventh- and eighthgrade language arts and literature classes to an online regimen. “But you have to be as creative, inventive and engaging as you would be in an in-person class because you don’t want to do these amazing kids a disservice.”

Student response to the new tech has been mixed, says Kenney. Some kids have told her it is fun and innovative, while others have reported struggling with the impersonal nature of screen-sharing and online learning.

To keep her kids’ spirits up, Kenney decided to infuse some fun into her lessons by challenging her classes to a daily “scavenger hunt” writing prompt, in which each student’s assignment must be accompanied by a photo of a

family member, a certain object or a location inside his or her home. Kenney says this has the extra benefit of giving her students a little movement break throughout the school day.

“On the surface it seems silly, but it requires students to move around and engage in a way that excites them,” says Kenney. She feels it’s important as an instructor to learn how your students are feeling and responding to this unprecedented process, and her creative in-class activities help her do just that.

“I had a student tell me that the scavenger hunt really changed the mood of the class,” Kenney says. “Those are the moments we live for as teachers.”

SOCIAL-SAVVY SEÑORITA Elena Spathis, Pascack Valley High School, Hillsdale For this Spanish teacher, online classes were nothing new. “I completed my entire master’s degree online, so I wasn’t panicked [about the technology], but I was worried about effectively teaching a foreign language this way,” she says.

“Our struggles would be very different from other classes.”

Spathis, who is in her fifth year of teaching, says this experience has allowed her to get creative and keep things interesting for her students.

To ensure that her students are actively speaking Spanish at home and practicing conversational skills, Spathis began scheduling a weekly Spanishonly chat-room session she’s dubbed “videoconferencia viernes”—that’s videoconference Friday—in which her students can informally discuss their feelings and what’s going on in their lives.

“This is a crazy change for everyone involved, so any of my students are free to just drop in and chat about how they’re doing,” explains Spathis. “It’s a very interactive way to connect with them, and I want them to know I’m genuinely here and thinking about them.”

Spathis has also harnessed the power of social media in her lesson plans, often taking to Twitter to gather resources and reading material derived from predominantly Spanishspeaking countries for her students.

She recommends that foreign language teachers look up posts using the hashtag #LangChat, where they can start a conversation or join a discussion with native-speaking people they wouldn’t normally get to collaborate with.

“Ultimately, the best part of being a teacher—especially a foreign-language teacher—is making connections with your students,” says Spathis. “I’d like to inspire my students to form connections with new people.”

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A PARENT’S PERSPECTIVE: ‘I’M IMPRESSED’ “I was skeptical at first, but I actually couldn’t be more impressed by how my fifth-grade son’s online schooling has been going at Richard E. Byrd Elementary School. The principal, Jodie Craft, comes on via videoconference every morning, gives her morning announcements and leads the pledge of allegiance. My son is ready to work at 8:30 a.m., just as he’d be for school if he were there in person. His teacher, Jennifer Burke, is amazing. She goes live at 9 a.m. to do her announcements, answer questions and provide whatever else the kids need. Then she is available for emailed questions and help all day. Both Mrs. Craft and Mrs. Burke have kept kids motivated and on track for doing what they need to do. I am so thankful for them, the district, the administrators, the principals, the other teachers and everyone else who has made this transition as seamless as it could possibly be. It’s a terrible, awful, unprecedented situation, but at least we can feel confident that our kids are being taken care of academically in the best way possible.”

—Tara Diamond-Kule, Glen Rock

Christine Kenney, a middle school language and literature teacher at Solomon Schecter Day School, a private pre-k-through-8th-grade school in New Milford, makes online learning more engaging by challenging her students to submit a photo from a “scavenger hunt” along with their daily writing assignments.

{ CAREGIVERS OF COVID }

FACES ON THE

FRONT LINES

Four nurses tell what it’s like to work in a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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on everybody, write orders, keep up with changes, put lines in patients. Usually the doctor sees the patient, so my role is to follow up. It’s ongoing follow-up with repeat labs to see how patients are doing, and calls to the families if needed.”

Right, because visitation has been suspended during the pandemic. How has that changed things?

“Somebody takes on the role of making the calls. Sometimes doctors call the families of their patients, and after that I provide updates if there are any changes.”

Set the scene for us visually. Is the hospital completely overcrowded?

“There are critical patients everywhere. We have patients hanging out in the PACU, and the patients who are crashing [deteriorating rapidly] on the regular floors have to be moved to the ICU or the ER. I’ve been in this ICU 30 years and I’ve seen Geraldine Bowe, A.P.N. a lot, but I have never ever gone home scared to Nurse practitioner, death like I go home now. It’s very frightening. I Critical Care go home now and try not to have a panic attack.

Holy Name Medical You’re seeing young people come in doing fine for Center, Teaneck a couple days and then suddenly they’re literally BERGEN: How has crashing. You’re not seeing a lot of patients do your job in the really well. The younger ones are the sicker ones. intensive care unit Our very first three COVID patients were all young changed since the patients with no history; they were obese, but pandemic began? with no real medical history. It’s mind-boggling Bowe: “Before COVID, why the young are getting so sick.”

I was stationed in the You sound OK on the phone, though—like you’re 19-bed mixed ICU. As a keeping it all together. nurse practitioner, my role is to assess patients, “I’m fine at work. I’m totally fine. It’s when I go write orders, put in central lines and intubate, home. I think the fact that I live alone and don’t all in collaboration with our critical care doctors. have anyone to talk to when I go home [makes it Now it’s basically the same role other than that worse]. You start thinking about what you saw NPs don’t intubate; the anesthesiologists are all day and, like, it could be me tomorrow. In our intubating because they have special isolation department nobody has been diagnosed, but gear. But now it’s also just a constant flow of throughout the hospital we’ve had a couple of patients—now we could be managing more than cases. When you see that there’s an employee with 30 patients per nurse practitioner in collaboration COVID-19 it makes it real. None of us is immune with the critical care doctors. And we are to this. I think if I didn’t have my two little cats I constantly moving patients to and from other wouldn’t be able to turn things off. I go home and units. Obviously, there are more patients with my one cat jumps on my lap and de-stresses me.”

COVID than our unit can handle, so we sometimes Do you have any family here for moral support? have to assess them in the ER as well. Other “I’m from Ireland. My mom and dad have passed, critical care patients are now housed in the PACU but I have two sisters and one is a nurse’s aide in [post-anesthesia care unit].”

Ireland. They have their own situation with COVID What time is your shift? there, so we worry about each “I work four days a week, 10 other. We try to check on each a.m. to 8 p.m., but during this other on the phone but there is crisis I’ve come in an extra day a five-hour time difference so I or come in later or earlier.” usually only talk to her on my What’s an average day like days off. But my colleagues and I now? support each other; we take time “We come in, speak with to just talk and ask “How are you the critical care doctors, doing?” and “Are you OK?” It’s decide who’s going to see a camaraderie supporting each which patient, get a quick other. That helps.” rundown on what went down overnight and then —Geraldine Bowe, A.P.N. We know area hospitals have limited supplies of masks and proceed to see the patients safety gear for staff. How has in the ICU. We typically have this affected Holy Name? two different groups of three to four critical care “Luckily, the hospital has been good in getting us doctors, but right now they’re all coming in in the supplies and making sure we are protected, but morning and splitting up: one to the ER, one to the we’re trying to do our best to help out. We all carry floors, one to the ICU. I stay in the ICU, do rounds Many of us, including the BERGEN staff, are working from home these days because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But not everyone has that luxury. Still trooping off to workplaces daily are employees of “essential businesses” such as grocery stores and package delivery services. Most critically, many of Bergen County’s healthcare workers have been reporting for onsite duty for at least their normal hours—sometimes many more. Battling to save the lives of an influx of patients, they inevitably put their own lives at some degree of risk.

BERGEN interviewed four nurses who are on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, each working in a different department at one of our local hospitals. We wanted to find out not just what they’re doing, but also how they’re coping.

Here’s what they had to say:

“I’ve been in this ICU 30 years and I’ve seen a lot, but I have never ever gone home scared to death like I go home now.”

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{ CAREGIVERS OF COVID } what we call a ‘doggy bag’ pinned onto us and reuse the mask and one pair of goggles throughout the day and discard them at the end of the day. We clean them with bleach and wash them in between patients. It’s making the best of what we have.”

What do you wear during your shift?

“We are given scrubs that we take off at night and discard here at the hospital. We wear an isolation gown over that, as well as masks, gloves, a hat, booties and face shields. We only have a couple of shields each so we’re pretty diligent about bleaching them in between patients and keeping them clean. We don’t have the whole hazmat gear; those are reserved for the anesthesiologists when they’re intubating.”

Do you get a break for lunch?

“It is nonstop, but we run back to the break room whenever we have five, 10 minutes to take a bite in between patients. We spread out our breaks so that there are always enough people with patients.”

What do you want Bergen County residents to know during this scary time?

“The public needs to understand the importance of social distancing and staying inside. Sometimes young people think they’re safe, but we’re seeing a lot of young patients with COVID-19. Just stay inside and do all the things you’re being told to do; wash your hands, don’t hang out in big groups.”

Shada Ricafort, R.N. Administrative Supervisor, Emergency Trauma Center Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack BERGEN: How has your role in the hospital changed since the pandemic began?

Ricafort: “I supervise the daily operations of the Emergency Trauma Center (ETC) and ensure that our team has the resources necessary to provide the quality of care that is expected of Hackensack University Medical Center. I provide administrative or clinical support to our physicians. If a nurse is needed to fill a critical role, we fill that position to support the needs of the department, but I have remained in the ETC during the pandemic.”

How long have you been a nurse, and how long have you worked at Hackensack?

“I’ve been a nurse for 13 years, and I have been working in Hackensack’s ETC for more than eight.”

What are the biggest changes HUMC has made in the past few weeks in response to COVID-19?

“We now place masks on 100 percent of

our patients in the ETC. We have instituted a rapid assessment process to quickly triage, evaluate and treat our patients presenting with symptoms of COVID-19.

And the organization has deployed nurses to different areas of the hospital to support the COVID-19 units. We have also added more designated multiple patient care units as COVID units to meet the increased volume of these patients.”

When a patient tests positive, how does HUMC handle his/her treatment?

“Once a patient presents with symptoms related to COVID-19, we immediately place that patient in isolation. Team members must put on proper personal protective

Are you taking any precautions when you get home to ensure that people you live with aren’t at risk?

“Upon arriving home—I live in Bogota with my mom and my shih tzu, Elvis—I make sure to remove my shoes and leave them outside the house. I then go directly to the laundry room and wash my clothes immediately. Then I’m off to take a shower. I have avoided hugging or kissing my family, and I make sure that I always keep a safe distance from them. My mom and I make it a point to be in different rooms in the house as much as possible. Most importantly, we are constantly washing our hands!”

“Doing chores helps take my mind off the stress.

My house has never been so organized!”

—Shada Ricafort, R.N. equipment (PPE) to enter the isolation rooms. We plan the patients’ care and anticipate their needs prior to entering the room so that we can perform our tasks efficiently [once we’re in the room].”

How is your hospital handling the limited supply of PPE? “We have team huddles multiple times a day where we discuss the importance of conserving our resources. We ensure that we follow instructions provided by the infection control team on proper usage of the appropriate PPE for every type of setting.

Our PPEs are located in a locked cart in the nurses’ station, and we store the rest in the ETC administrative office.”

What is another one of the biggest challenges you’re facing?

“Ensuring that we have adequate resources for the influx of patients, whether it is appropriate staffing, sufficient PPE and equipment or even sufficient rooms to isolate COVID-19 patients.”

Can you describe the range of emotions you feel in any given day?

“I am first and foremost proud to be working on the front lines alongside some of the most dedicated, skilled and passionate healthcare workers in the field. But mostly I feel worry.

I worry for our patients who come in very sick, many of them requiring critical care shortly after arriving at our ER. I feel sad for their families who cannot be with them through this scary and isolating experience.

I worry about how much worse it will get and how we can meet the demands of the pandemic when our resources are already spread thin as it is. I worry about my coworkers, some of whom have become ill themselves. They are truly heroes. Even when they are sick, all they can think about is how soon they can come back so they can continue fighting beside us.”

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How are you balancing your work life with your personal life right now?

“In the days prior to the pandemic, I would continue to work even on my days off. Now I make it a point to take advantage of my days off. I find that doing chores around the house helps take my mind off the stress related to work. My house has never been so organized! I also stay connected with friends and family by phone and FaceTime.”

What else should readers know about healthcare workers in the time of COVID-19?

“Healthcare workers are no different from everybody else; they have the same concerns and fear. What sets them apart is the sense of duty that they have to the community. This is what gets them out of bed to put on their scrubs and head out the door, ready to care for the patients who need them the most. They voluntarily leave their homes and families to take care of others. They work in the most stressful and challenging environments, but they keep coming back every day with a smile on their face, ready to do it all over again.”

Kathy Kaminsky, R.N. Senior Vice President, Patient Care Services; Chief Nursing Officer Englewood Health, Englewood BERGEN: How long have you been a nurse, and how long have you worked at Englewood?

Kaminsky: “I was born at Englewood Hospital, as were my mother and my daughter, so it’s a long history. I

grew up in Englewood, and I started here as a unit secretary in 1985 while I was obtaining my bachelor’s degree in nursing at William Paterson. I’ve worked my way up over the course of 35 years.”

What’s an average day at work like right now?

“From the management perspective, we start with seeing the activity in the hospital.

Then we have calls with our leadership team, addressing things like staffing concerns, making sure operationally we have the supplies needed, collaborating with other team members, making rounds and getting out to a couple of units each day to talk to the staff and ask how they and their families are doing.”

What big changes has Englewood made internally in response to the pandemic?

“We have been meeting since January to respond to this COVID-19 situation. We have redeployed staff from units that have had procedures and surgeries [rescheduled] to educate them to take care of patients on inpatient units. Our staff is stepping up and learning new skills. I am rounding each day and checking in on the staff and making sure they’re trained and well-protected. The No. 1 priority is the safety of the staff.”

Where are most of your critical patients stationed right now?

“These folks are in our critical care unit, and we’ve expanded the number of beds in the critical care unit to meet the need. We also have specific clinical multidisciplinary teams and, as I said, staff members who are receiving critical care training.”

Once a patient tests positive, how is the hospital handling his/her treatment?

“First, not every patient who [tests] positive winds up in the hospital. We have a lot of people who are showing symptoms who come in through the ER or through our practices. Once they have symptoms we treat them as though they’re positive. We provide them with a mask and they are given private rooms. We also educate the folks who are recovering from COVID-19 on self-quarantine for themselves and their family.”

Do you work a typical nurse’s shift?

“I’m in management, so I work from probably before 8 a.m. until 6 or 7 at night, depending on the day. Sometimes I could be working 16 hours a day. Hospitals are 365, 24/7.”

How is your hospital handling the limited supply of PPE?

“We have redeployed staff from units that have had procedures and surgeries [rescheduled] to educate them to take care of patients on COVID-19 units.”

—Kathy Kaminsky, R.N.

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“It’s a fluid situation. We’re looking to conserve supplies. We have donations, we have our purchasing team working on things, and we’re working with the other Bergen County hospitals. We have a daily call with the other hospitals; if Valley needs something, we’re going to loan it to them and vice versa. We’re also working with the New Jersey Hospital Association and the Department of Health. We’re holding our own right now.”

Can you talk about the range of emotions you feel in any given day?

“One thing is that our staff are lighting the way for the community. They certainly are heroes. On a daily basis folks are anxious, but at the same time they’ve stepped it up in unimaginable ways. I can tell you that I have a dear friend who I’ve known since childhood who was one of the early cases that was diagnosed with COVID-19, so I’ve been talking with him, supporting him. His daughter subsequently was ill too, but they’re both recovering and doing well, so there are definitely positive stories. We want people to know that there are a lot of folks that are recovering. When you’re on that front line, it’s hard to see that. I think

{ CAREGIVERS OF COVID } that’s an important message for our team.”

How are you keeping your team sane and motivated during this time?

“That’s a great question. We’ve been talking about how this is a marathon; it’s not a sprint. We all need to take care of ourselves physically and emotionally, so our integrative medicine team has been offering meditation, diet and overall mental health support. We’re letting our team members have one-on-one emotional conversations with members of our behavioral health staff.”

Since visitors are restricted, who in the hospital is in charge of communicating with the patients’ families?

“We developed a patient advocacy program very early on with our first patient, and we have a team member call the patients daily; they work to meet their individual needs. They make sure they can FaceTime or connect with their family members.

Maybe they have certain cultural dietary needs or want magazines, books, things to occupy their time. We also have folks calling someone who was seen in the Emergency Department and tested positive, as well as clinical providers.”

Speaking of families, how are you balancing your work life with your personal life right now?

“It’s harder than usual. There’s a lot going on, and I’m working later in the evening on certain days, but we do what we have to do to take care. I have a daughter who’s homeschooling and a husband who’s working remotely, so we’re adapting to this new normal. Well, new normal for now. It’s certainly challenging. These are unprecedented times that none of us have ever faced, but everybody is rising to do the best that we can and to adapt and look out for each other. I try to find the bright spot in every day.”

What are some bright spots?

“Getting to meet with the staff, hearing how they’re doing, seeing discharges and knowing people are going home. And of course, seeing my family.”

Nancy Barrett-Fajardo, R.N. Director, Medical-Surgical Services The Valley Hospital, Ridgewood BERGEN: How long have you been a nurse, and for how long at Valley?

BarrettFajardo: “I’ve been a nurse for 28 years, and I’ve been at Valley for 10.”

How has your role changed amid the COVID-19 pandemic?

“I’m still director. I am guiding the staff in another pop-up unit [for critical patients], but

essentially my role has stayed the same.”

Have your shifts stayed the same too?

“I typically work five eight-hour shifts, Monday through Friday, but now I’m doing 10-hour days—I partner with another director and we cover the weekend. So, we’re shifting it so we’re there for the front line staff.”

What changes has Valley made in the past few weeks in response to COVID-19?

“We opened a new unit and put all the positive COVID patients there. We also created an area where the nurses were trained to bring the family members in if they needed to say goodbye to patients if they were going to pass away. We’ve cross-trained a ton of our staff— such as our OR nurses, our perioperative nurses and the ones whose areas aren’t in

assistants, environmental services workers, respiratory specialists and others have come together to help us through this horrible ordeal.”

How do you keep your team motivated during such a difficult time?

“One thing we started doing we saw Lenox Hill Hospital do, and it’s called the Hope Huddle [a quick meeting between arriving and departing nurses at shift changes to assure a smooth transition of care for all patients]. We’re adding positive affirmations and feedback to the staff and giving them positive messaging at the beginning of shifts to boost morale and encourage them. For example: ‘Hey, six patients got discharged!’

They’re scared because they’re here and their

“The staff has stepped up and picked up that extra shift and volunteered to rotate to different shifts that they don’t normally work to give us more support in the off hours.”

—Nancy Barrett-Fajardo, R.N. full operation—and reallocated them to help the frontline staff and to treat patients at the bedside. I have to say our staff has been amazing. They’ve stepped up and picked up that extra shift and volunteered to rotate to different shifts that they don’t normally work to give us more support in the off hours.”

How is your hospital handling the limited supply of PPE? “Our infection prevention director works closely with us and gives us guidance.

She told us that we can wear our personal protective equipment (PPE) up to five times, or eight hours if we’re with one patient for that long. That’s our standard. The nurses are wearing surgical masks when they’re not in with COVID patients, and N95 masks when they are. A lot of community donations have really helped us maintain our supplies, but we’re being extremely frugal. We’re doing close checks and balances.”

What is another one of your biggest challenges?

“Probably staffing. With changing [clothes] and putting on the PPE and how acute these patients are, we really want a better staffing ratio in nursing. Well, that and the PPE. We’re nowhere near hitting the peak, so we need to make sure we still have the supplies we need.”

Can you talk about the range of emotions you feel in any given day?

“It’s hard. You’re having difficult conversations with patients, and families can’t be there. We’ve always been very patient- and family-centric, so now all of a sudden the families aren’t here and we’re giving them information about their loved ones on the phone. It’s challenging. But what I’ve seen that is amazing is the dedication and camaraderie of the staff. It’s been humbling to watch how nurses, patient care BERGENMAG.COM

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family members are home. We’re trying to keep it positive and upbeat and address their needs. There has also been a lot of pastoral care on the floors supporting the teams too.”

How is Valley helping out the other hospitals in Bergen County, and vice versa?

“Our vice president is on calls with the other hospitals. We are working very closely together to see what they have, what we have and how we can work together—and providing feedback on what’s been working.

We’ve borrowed ventilators from each other and have been trying to reallocate resources when we can.”

Is it harder than usual now to balance your work life with your personal life?

“It is. At home I find myself checking emails and jumping on the computer just to tie up stuff I couldn’t get done because I was up on the floor trying to facilitate something. But I also watch TV, exercise in my room and just try to decompress as much as possible. As a director it’s more challenging because I have that 24/7 responsibility.”

What else is important for Bergen County residents to know?

“I want people to understand that we’re in this for a bit now. And people don’t understand that you really can’t get together in groups of five or six because you just never know if you might be carrying [the virus]. Just utilize the technology we have and FaceTime with people [instead]. I Zoom [video chat] with my sister, whom I haven’t seen in a few weeks. You can still get that face-to-face interaction, and it’s still talking and seeing each other. But we will be able to hug each other again at some point! People miss that.”

—as told to Haley Longman

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Can hearing loss impact your independence?

Feeling safe is crucial to independence. Awareness of your surroundings and environment provides much needed comfort and a sense of security as you continue to go about your daily life. Often times older adults are living alone; it is vital to ensure you are able to hear what is going on around you in case of an emergency. Missing an alert such as a fire alarm or a doorbell could potentially have disastrous life altering effects. Two of the main safety issues our patients wish us to address FIRST are falls and safe driving as both are key in maintaining independence and overall psychosocial well-being.

Falls are not a normal part of the aging process. Many factors can contribute to falls; hearing loss has been linked to an increase in fall rates in older adults and is one of the main reasons we are committed to our continuing community education series on hearing loss in and around

the county. Having an annual hearing assessment is key to identifying the potential issue and intervening before a problem arises.

Safe driving is an integral part of maintaining independence. It is imperative that you are aware of your surroundings while driving being confident in not only your vision, but your hearing as well. In order to properly operate a vehicle and prevent a potential issue you must be able to see and hear other drivers and pedestrians surrounding you. Outings we feel often are a nuisance are missed once removed and we no longer have the ability to drive. People tend to feel more isolated and often become disheartened by having to depend on loved ones. Maintaining independence through hearing help is a primary focus of our practice.

Let us help you on your journey to a lifetime of better hearing!

Mark Salvesen, BC-HIS*

N.J. Hearing Aid Dispenser Supervising License #535

Peggy Stanlick, BC-HIS*

N.J. Hearing Aid Dispenser Supervising License #1086 HEARING EVALUATION: • Free complete audiometric evaluation and consultation • Video otoscopy for detailed viewing of your ear canal • Free second opinion of your current hearing aids • Experience the clarity immediately in our office with your loved one HEARING AIDS: • Full line of state-of-the-art digital, programmable hearing aids • Invisible solutions to fit any budget • Comprehensive follow-up program for optimum results HEARING ACCESSORIES: • Premium hearing aid batteries • Custom earmolds for hearing aids, headphones, and swim plugs • Bragi wireless custom earbuds • Custom ear protection for musicians and sportsmen ADDITIONAL SERVICES: • Hearing aid cleaning and repair services on all makes and models • Tinnitus solutions • Educational seminars for groups and organizations including support groups *Certified by the National Board of Certification in Hearing Instrument Science.

PROFESSIONAL HEARING AID CENTER

681 Main St., Hackensack, NJ 07601 | 201.343.1980 | professionalhearingaids.com

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{ OUTDOOR SPACES }

POOLSIDE PARTY PLACE

When it’s time to gather again, this Ridgewood home has the perfect setup.

By Donna Rolando

Design by B&B Pool and Spa Center

Photography by Adam Pass

There are those who simply like to entertain, and those who truly mean business about it. You can put this Ridgewood family—a professional couple and their children—in the latter group. They decided to take their passion for parties to the max with a Vegas-style backyard reno that would rival many resorts.

“They lived there for years before deciding to invest in this project,” says Derek Bagin, who, along with his father, Craig, operates B&B Pool and Spa Center in Chestnut Ridge, N.Y. “Their main purpose was to provide a space for entertaining guests. The yard was pretty much flat and had a lot of space.” Indeed, there was almost a quarter-acre canvas for Bagin to transform into a real staycation paradise. He worked as part of a team that also included architect Jim O’Brien and landscape architect Joshua Hampton.

If you’re lucky enough to be on the guest list for a pool party at this Bergen home, you need never be without a drink in your hand, even if you’re in the water. The bar cantilevers over the pool, so there’s no Did someone say “pool party?” A Ridgewood backyard became Entertainment Central with a reno that includes a pro-caliber sunken bar, a “play” pool with a maximum depth of 4 feet, a 12-person spa with hydrotherapy and a cozy seating area with a firepit for chilly nights. One of the greatest challenges, says Bagin, was coordinating efforts with the other experts, each with his or her role in this pool paradise.

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{ OUTDOOR SPACES }

Streams go wherever some pizzazz and continuity are needed, says Bagin—such as at the perimeter of the pool. And with an automatic covering for both pool and spa, the design offers four-season fun, meeting one of the family’s special requests. “They wanted to be able to run the pool year-round, and there’s a large [10-by-10-foot] spa inside the pool,” he says.

Not only is the spa large enough for 10 to 12 guests, but it also promises to be the ultimate in relaxation, with clusters of hydrotherapy jets in a serene setting where water cascades over the glass tile and into the pool. On either side of the spa are sun benches where you can plant your chaise longue and stay partially submerged. Burn easily? Built-in umbrella sleeves have you covered as you recline.

If there’s any question that this backyard is meant for play, the pool puts it to rest. With a maximum depth of 4 feet, there’s no need to tread water to hang out with friends or compete in a game of volleyball.

Bagin recommends play pools for those serious about good times, and the popular trend fit this family’s lifestyle to a T. Skid-resistant bluestone coping around the pool and artificial turf on the grounds make maintenance a snap.

Add to the backyard mix a barn converted into an indoor bar and four blue-and-white-striped cabanas fully equipped with ACs, TVs, bars and fridges—great for socializing in small groups—and you’ll say, “Aloha, Ridgewood—hello, fun!”

need to grab a towel. Just park yourself on one of the sunken bar stools fetchingly adorned in steel-blue-glass tile and get your brewski from one of multiple taps. No kidding around, it’s all high-end, commercial grade, and the seating is surprisingly comfy. (Bagin put his design chops to work making sure comfort wasn’t sacrificed to style.)

Do the palm trees and the luxurious draped cabanas, in blue and white like the bar’s roof and awning, have you thinking of a piña colada? No problem! “There’s everything you see in a normal bar,” says Bagin—right down to the stainless-steel appliances for making your drink like the pros, and a dishwasher for cleaning up after the gang’s gone home. Prefer your cocktail dry? You don’t have to enter the pool to say “Cheers!” at the custom bar with rich wood tones and a glass tile countertop.

“Where you’re standing at the bar is lower than the top of the pool, so it’s like a sunken area with the pool walls exposed,” Bagin says. Those walls show off a split-rock veneer in harmony with the home’s exterior and landscaping.

There’s also a cozy cluster of cushioned wicker where friends can relax around a firepit, and an army of bright-blue daybeds to soak in the sun.

But you’ll never miss your connection with the real star of the show: the 30-by-50-foot Gunite pool, which B&B designed with a Hydrazzo finish in Mediterranean blue.

Two-inch glass tile squares in iridescent steel blue by Light BERGENMAG.COM

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This page, top right: Because you’ll have to come out of the water sometime, there’s a firepit filled with glass beads, providing an eye-catching alternative to lava rock. A bevy of plump cushions lines the wicker sectional—who says the outdoors can’t be comfortable? Bottom: Twoinch square tiles in steel blue unite the bar top, submerged stools and other design elements in this pool paradise. Although the backyard started out flat, Bagin had to introduce elevations to get the sunken bar feature just right. Opposite page: Sunny island drinks with umbrellas say “good times,” as do the daybeds and four striped cabanas fully equipped for more intimate gatherings, each with its own AC, TV, bar and fridge. The homeowners “loved the project,” says Bagin. “It all tied in beautifully with the existing landscape and home.”

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{ SPECIAL REPORT }

THE GIVING IMPULSE

In a tough time, some Bergen residents find that helping others can be the best tonic for their own distress. By Leslie Garisto Pfaff As the illness known as COVID-19 spread across the world and into our homes, stories of suffering and fear took hold of the news cycle. But as time went on, other reports began to surface: tales of self-sacrifice on the part of healthcare workers and others on the front lines, and accounts of acts of kindness performed by people we think of as ordinary—but whose actions prove they’re anything but. This was as true in Bergen County as it was in San Francisco or Seoul. Witnessing neighbors and communities in pain, residents reached out in ways large and small to offer aid and comfort.

Some organized networks to feed hospital workers; others shared the gift of art-making or gave families a special keepsake photograph. All helped us get through a time unparalleled in memory.

We celebrate a few of them here; they truly are Bergen’s best.

HELPING THE HELPERS In 2002, Daniel Rothner, a former educator, founded Areyvut, a Bergenfield-based nonprofit devoted to helping Jewish young people contribute to their communities. Recently, when the husband of a healthcare worker contacted him and his staff with a simple suggestion, the organization broadened its focus. The suggestion: Find a way to show support of the frontline workers at the county’s hospitals, while helping kosher restaurants in Bergen that were struggling to stay afloat during the days and

weeks of sheltering in place.

Rothner reached out to a contact at Teaneck’s Holy Name Medical Center—at the time, the hardest-hit hospital in the state, if not the entire country—and got a green light for his plan. The following day, he delivered 60 meals to feed the hospital’s overstressed workers. When BERGEN spoke with him in early April, Areyvut had already provided 800 meals to Holy Name, as well as Englewood Health, Hackensack University Medical Center and Teaneck’s volunteer ambulance corps, and he was preparing to deliver meals to workers keeping kosher at Englewood Health during Passover.

Similar efforts have bloomed across the county. In March, looking for a way to give back to healthcare workers who were putting their lives on the line, Wyckoff resident Tina O’Shea created the Facebook group “Wyckoff Helping Healthcare Workers.” She’s been “awed,” she says, by the response. By early April the group had raised $35,000 in donations, enlisted 21 local restaurants and contributed nearly $13,000 in the form of orders to those restaurants.

“It’s totally exceeded my expectations,” O’Shea says. She attributes the group’s success to a drive in people to help. “Everyone’s feeling so helpless,” she says, “This is something they can do to feed healthcare workers and give themselves a morale boost.”

Certainly the urge to comfort oneself while

From top: Bergen County residents Tina O’Shea, Suzanne Andora Barron, Judy Cohen and Colleen Theresa are donating their time and resources to provide aid and comfort to those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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{ SPECIAL REPORT } She put out a call on Facebook and received $1,100 in donations, which has allowed her to order some 200 boxes of art supplies from the Michaels crafts chain, which are sent directly from the company’s warehouse to those in need. The process, she says, is helping her feel connected at a time when “we’re all locked up.” And the lessons, she says, “give my students something to look forward to, just as they do me.”

comforting others helps to explain the success of a Bergen County program to collect personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers that began on March 26. The county asked residents and businesses to donate respirators, surgical masks, medical face shields and goggles, protective medical gowns and latex gloves. In his announcement of the program, Bergen County Executive James Tedesco said: “We are a family in Bergen County, and we are strong.”

“Crisis always involves a lack of control, a feeling of powerlessness,” notes Stephen Oreski, a Paramus-based psychotherapist who specializes in trauma. “Reaching out and helping others allows us to gain some control over a situation that feels uncontrollable.” Rothner notes that “everyone is scared right now,” and giving back helps to quell some of those fears.

OFFERING UPLIFT A widespread need to manage the anxiety created by the pandemic helps to explain why Suzanne Andora Barron’s “mini-meditations” have been received so enthusiastically. The Glen Rock resident is a yoga instructor and a practitioner of the Japanese healing modality known as Jin Shin Jyutsu. To help those dealing with anxiety—and, in this time of panic and pandemic, that’s just about everyone—she instituted a program she calls “Monday Motivation to Stay Strong.” At the beginning of every week, she leads a short video meditation to help her followers find a calm spot within themselves. Additionally, once or twice a week she posts a one-minute video offering tips about ways to calm fear.

Barron has learned a lot about fear and how to assuage it. “I’ve had anxiety since I was a little kid,” she explains, “and my oldest son was on chemotherapy from the ages of 3 to 5 and 8 to

9.” Her videos grew out of the desire to use the coping skills she’s learned to help those who may not possess them. For instance, a recent video, she says, drew on “a teaching that every four hours we need to recalibrate our center.” It offered suggestions for doing that via focused breathing, napping and creating art.

Barron’s outreach is something Oreski calls “adding context to a situation that seems meaningless.” Not only is she helping make sense of an apparently senseless situation, she’s also building emotional bridges. “We’ve all had our coping skills ripped away from us,” Oreski observes, noting that something as simple as hugging a loved one has become, for many, an impossibility. Helping others can be, in many ways, a stand-in for the physical comfort we all crave.

ART FOR HEART’S SAKE Barron’s suggestion that art can help ease anxiety is well founded. “Many studies have proven reductions in levels of cortisol”—the socalled stress hormone—“following art-making,” says Marie Caruso-Teresi, an art therapist practicing in Ridgewood. The need, she says, to make choices in the process of creating art— whether about medium, color, shape, etc.—“may give the individual a sense of control and accomplishment.”

When Judy Cohen, who owns The Paint Box Art Studio in Oradell, decided to move her art classes online, she realized she might have hit on a way to help those most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cohen has a son whose heart condition makes it too dangerous for him to venture outside the house, as well as older parents who’d become virtual shutins. So she decided to offer free classes to children with health conditions and to older people, either at home or in nursing facilities.

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PORTRAITS ON THE PORCH Like Cohen, photographer Colleen Theresa was moved during the pandemic to share the most valuable thing she possesses: her talent. She’d heard about a Boston-based photographer who’d offered to take portraits of families on their porches in exchange for charitable contributions, and she thought it was the perfect way for her to help lift spirits while caring for the greater community. So one evening in March she posted a notice on her Facebook page announcing that she would take “porch portraits” for those willing to contribute to Mahwah’s Center for Food Action. When she went to bed, there were no responses and she was feeling “a little depressed.” Then, in the morning, she woke to find 35 families begging to be included.

She ended up taking portraits of 45 families, some dressed to the nines and others chilling in their bathrobes and slippers. In the end, she was as elated as her subjects. “My sister-in-law is a nurse, and I don’t have skills like that, but I want to help too,” she says. “I could soak in the negativity, but I have to stay positive, and doing something for others is how I bring myself joy and pull myself out of my dark space.”

In fact, experiences like Theresa’s may do more than just help people through the pandemic. Oreski believes that “this is going to bring everyone back to a place where we’re all just human beings.”

“We’ve been such a polarized country,” he says. “Making meaning out of this experience is a step in the direction toward bridging our divides. And I see people doing that all the time.”

IF YOU’RE MOVED TO HELP

Contact these organizations for ideas on putting your energies to use helping others—and thereby feeling better yourself: Bergen County PPE (Donate for COVID-19) co.bergen.nj.us/component/rseventspro/ event/641-bergen-county-ppe-donatefor-covid-2019 The Paint Box Art Studio thepaintbox921.com Wyckoff Helping Healthcare Workers facebook.com/groups/531842784395098

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ADVANCING CARE. HERE. 4/29/19 11:08 AM

DINING ‘OUT’—AT HOME

Looks like we’ll all be having dinner on our own turf for a while, but it needn’t be humdrum—not with these tasty recipes from Bergen restaurant chefs!

Want a special dining experience? There’s a charming little eatery we’d like to recommend that may be perfect for you in these harried times. You can’t beat it for convenience, and it’s sure to have a table with no waiting. It’s called home.

Yes, your dinners are likely to be on your own premises for a time, as COVID-19 and social distancing have forced many restaurateurs into a hiatus. But that doesn’t mean there can’t be a scrumptious surprise or two on your plate. BERGEN asked local culinary pros to show us the recipe cards for some of their most popular dishes, each made with ingredients many of us already have in our crispers and cupboards. Get cooking!

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{ TASTES }

CACIO E PEPE

By Adolfo Marisi, executive chef, De Novo European Pub, Edgewater Yields 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. spaghetti 2 Tbs. plus ¾ tsp. black pepper 100 grams plus 10 grams Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated 50 grams Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, finely grated 1/ cup extra virgin 3 olive oil ¾ to 1 cup starchy pasta water

DIRECTIONS

Cook the spaghetti in unsalted water.

While the pasta cooks, begin the sauce. In a deep mixing bowl, combine the 100 grams of Pecorino Romano, the Parmigiano Reggiano and the olive oil until a cheese paste is formed.

After the pasta has cooked, ladle 1 cup of the cooking water into a measuring cup, then slowly drizzle ¾ cup into the cheese paste and mix until smooth. Drain the pasta slightly al dente and add it to the bowl containing the cheese paste.

In a hot pan, toast the two Tbs. of freshly ground pepper. Empty the bowl of pasta into the hot pan and stir vigorously. The pasta will continue to release starch, and the sauce will emulsify. In one to two minutes, the cheesy mixture will transform into a proper sauce. If it’s dry or clumpy, add more starchy water.

Serve and top with the reserved Pecorino Romano and black pepper.

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SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP

By John Vitale, executive chef, Caffe Anello, Westwood Yields 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 14-oz. can artichokes 1 box frozen spinach, chopped 1 cup Parmigiano or Romano cheese 1 cup mayonnaise 1 tsp. garlic powder ½ tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F. Drain artichokes and microwave spinach, squeezing out as much liquid as possible.

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

Transfer mixture into an oven-proof baking dish and heat in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.

After baking, remove dip from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Serve warm with your favorite crackers, chips or bread.

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{ TASTES }

CONFIT BERKSHIRE PORK BELLY WITH ROMANESCO CAULIFLOWER, ROMESCO SAUCE AND SALSA VERDE

By Anthony Bucco, executive chef, Felina, Ridgewood Yields 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

For the pork belly: 2 lbs. pork belly ½ cup salt ¼ cup sugar 1 tsp. fennel pollen 1 tsp. smoked paprika 1 tsp. ground black pepper 1 tsp. nutmeg 4 qts. duck fat, for cooking For the salsa verde: Yields 1 pint 4 oz. parsley 2 oz. tarragon 2 oz. oregano 1 Tbs. chili flakes 1 oz. anchovy fillet 1 oz. capers 1 cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup sherry vinegar 5 cloves garlic salt, to taste For the romesco sauce: Yields 1 quart 6 plum tomatoes, quartered and seeded 1 red pepper, seeded ½ cup piquillo peppers 1 white onion, sliced 4 cloves garlic, crushed 1 thick slice white bread ¼ cup almonds ¼ cup hazelnuts 24 oz. olive oil 1 cup sherry vinegar 1 tsp. Espelette pepper salt, to taste For the Romanesco: 1 head Romanesco cauliflower, cut into florets 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

To make the pork: Mix all seasonings together and aggressively season the pork belly. Allow 24 hours to cure.

Preheat oven to 300°F and render duck fat. In a roasting pan, add pork belly and cover with the fat. Wrap in aluminum foil and cook for six hours.

After cooking, remove from oven and allow pork belly to cool in the fat for 24 hours. Remove belly from fat and apportion into 4 oz. pieces.

To serve, gently reheat the pork in a 350°F oven for 12 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 150°F. To make the salsa verde: Chop garlic with salt to help grind the garlic as fine as possible. Chop the capers, chili flakes and anchovies together until they form a paste. Chop all herbs until fine. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

To make the romesco sauce: Arrange onions and garlic on a sheet tray in a flat layer, then top with peppers and tomatoes and roast at 350°F until caramelized. Meanwhile, toast the nuts and bread. When all ingredients are heated, purée them together, emulsifying with the olive oil. Add salt to taste, then pass sauce through a chinois.

To make the Romanesco: Preheat oven to 400°F. Season Romanesco, drizzle with oil and place on a baking sheet in the oven for seven minutes or until Romanesco starts to lightly brown.

To plate: Center pork belly on a serving plate and top with Romanesco. Using a squeeze bottle, add multiple drops of romesco. Top with salsa verde. Serve.

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{ TASTES }

TIRAMISU

By Adolfo Marisi, executive chef, De Novo European Pub, Edgewater Yields 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

500 grams mascarpone 1 cup heavy cream (36 percent milk fat works best to incorporate whisked air) 1 cup plus 1 Tbs. sugar 6 egg yolks 1 Tbs. of Marsala wine 2 Tbs. of vanilla extract 4 cups coffee, freshly brewed and chilled 50 ladyfingers cocoa powder, unsweetened

DIRECTIONS

Using a stand mixer with whip attachment at medium speed, mix the egg yolks and sugar until white and frothy. Add Marsala wine and continue mixing. (Optional: To pasteurize, bring internal temperature of egg, sugar and Marsala mix to approximately 180°F over a bain-marie, then cool.) Add mascarpone and vanilla extract and continue blending to make a homogeneous cream. Set aside.

Pour the chilled coffee into a bowl. Dip the ladyfingers in the coffee and soak each biscuit about three-fourths of the way up.

Place one layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers in a rectangular baking dish adjacent to one another and cover with a layer of cream. Repeat the process until all ingredients are used.

Refrigerate and chill for one hour.

Before serving, sprinkle the top with a layer of sifted cocoa powder.

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CATERING PRIVATE PARTIES BAR • DINING LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

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We have the perfect venue to house your guests, complete with ample space for music, dancing, special moments, and a day to remember!

Perfect for Corporate & Family Events, Showers, Rehearsal Dinners, Birthday Parties, Communions, Confirmations and more.

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84 Broadway, Hillsdale, NJ

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Join Us for the 2nd Annual Bergen Wine & Food Experience October 1, 2020

PRESENTED BY

Edgewood Country Club, River Vale, NJ

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE NOW! Enjoy incredible visibility before, during and after the county’s premier event.

For sponsorships and exhibition space, contact Thomas Flannery, Publisher: 201.571.2252 | thomas.flannery@wainscotmedia.com Check us out at facebook.com/BergenWineandFoodExperience

MAGAZINE

2020 SPONSORS

OUTDOOR LIVING SECTION

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

B&B POOL AND SPA CENTER

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“This image from an at-home newborn photo session is ordinary, yet so special. You can see pure joy on the mom’s face as she looks at her baby girl. Family is one constant that’s always there through the good times and the bad. We are living in unprecedented times, and I think it’s so important to find joy in the simplest things like looking at your baby and your baby looking back at you.”

—Lena Antaramian, Live Love Laugh Photos, Ridgewood

*

BERGEN Magazine Volume 20, Issue 5 (ISSN# 2573-8151 and USPS 025-351) is published 12 times a year by Wainscot Media, One Maynard Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656. Postmaster: Send address changes to Subscription Department, Wainscot Media, One Maynard Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656. Periodicals postage paid at Mahwah, N.J., and additional mailing offices.

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Send us your Bergen Moment! Email your photo and a short description to editor@wainscotmedia.com.

Photo courtesy of Lena Antaramian, Instagram: @livelovelaughphotosnj

{ A BERGEN MOMENT }

Serving seniors and families throughout Bergen County, Rockland County & the region

Since 1 9 7 5 , M ichael A. M anna & Associates has offered legal assistance to thousands of families in regard to their estate p lanning and Elder Law needs. Our Team of lawyers is p rep ared to assist you in the following areas:

Elder Law | M edicaid | Estate Planning | Asset Preserv ation | Liv ing Trusts Powers of Attorney | Prob ate & Estate Administration | Guardianship s M edicaid Planning & Long-Term Care | F amily Law | Estate Litigation | R eal Estate The practice of estate planning and elder law can involve complex interactions that affect your entire life.

Having helped clients make these important decisions for over forty years, the legal team at Michael A. Manna & Associates understands the full implications of asset transfers and restructuring. We take a multidisciplinary approach that takes into account all of the factors that affect your estate, your family and your future, including income and capital gains tax consequences, Medicaid repercussions, estate or inheritance tax, and other estate planning considerations.

Our Ridgewood, New Jersey attorneys will develop a solution designed to accomplish your goals and protect your family. The challenges of retirement and old age are significant. With the help of Michael A. Manna & Associates, you can achieve your goals, protect your assets and provide for your loved ones.

We offer F R EE CONSULTATIONS to comfortab ly assess your needs and what we can do for you.

Michael A. Manna & Associates, P.C. Counsellors at Law 201.447.2800 mamannalaw.com 66 South Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450

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