December 2020
Welcome to the Weinberg Campus newsletter, dedicated to sharing news
and information with employees, residents, families and special friends.
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Message From The President |
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December is the month of three widely celebrated holidays: Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas. One thing that ties these holidays together is a focus on lights, especially meaningful in the month that includes the shortest, darkest day of the year, December 21, the Winter Solstice.
The Jewish holiday Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, at the time of the Maccabean Revolt. Also known as the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah includes the lighting of the nine candles of the menorah.
First celebrated in 1966, Kwanzaa is celebrated December 26 - January 1. The holiday honors African-American culture and its name derives from a Swahili phrase that means “first fruits of the harvest.” Like Hanukkah, Kwanzaa involves lighting candles; in this case the seven candles of the kinara.
Christmas, celebrating for Christians the coming of the Messiah, abounds with lights, whether on Christmas trees or on people’s homes; a joyful sight as we drive around our neighborhoods on cold, dark December nights.
In a year like 2020, the year of the pandemic, we need as much brightness and light as we can muster! That’s why I find it especially meaningful that this year, on the Winter Solstice, we will experience a phenomenon that astronomers refer to as the Christmas Star: Jupiter and Saturn will be aligned so closely that they appear to be one bright star. Many astronomers theorize that this phenomenon explains the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem, over 2,000 years ago. It has been since 1623 that these two planets have appeared to be so close to each other, and it will be another 60 years before they appear as bright as they will later this month. Let’s hope for a clear night on the Winter Solstice, so we can experience the bright light in the western sky. I think it can serve as a sign of hope that we will soon be putting the worst of the pandemic behind us—especially with the COVID-19 vaccine becoming available and reports that it is highly effective. We are actively involved in planning for the rollout of this vaccine, and monitor new information daily from the CDC and the Department of Health. We will share more details as plans progress.
I once again want to thank the employees of Weinberg Campus, who have been true stars in serving our residents during these difficult months. They have worked tirelessly to keep our residents healthy, safe, and engaged. They deserve our heartful thanks and gratitude.
Best wishes for a joyous holiday season.
If you have questions or comments, I encourage you to reach out to any member of our leadership team, or contact me directly at (716) 639-3311 ext. 2468 or [email protected].
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COVID-19 continues to be prevalent in Erie County and across the country. While news of vaccines has been positive, until they are available to us, we need to continue to remain vigilant to keep our residents, ourselves, and our families safe and healthy.
At Weinberg Campus, our environmental services staff has been working diligently for months to keep our campus safe and clean for residents and staff. We continue to use a comprehensive, science-based disinfection program. We are extremely lucky to have a pulsed UV disinfection system proven to eliminate pathogens such as coronavirus from surfaces in seconds, a technology that is also used in many hospitals. In addition, we continue to use our Storm 2 Pro Dual Pressure sprayer to help with sanitizing here on campus. The pressure sprayer can penetrate difficult areas beyond just surface cleaning. Our 7-step cleaning process follows CDC infection control guidance using hospital-grade disinfectants.
In addition to a rigorous disinfection process, all Weinberg Campus staff wear personal protective equipment required by the Department of Health (DOH), including N95 masks and eye protection throughout all units and resident areas (face shields or goggles) within our assisted living, enriched housing, and skilled nursing facilities. Staff training on best practices has been ongoing as we strive to provide the best possible care. We continue to follow DOH guidelines to test staff for COVID-19.
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Update: Transition to Elderwood |
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Our transition to Elderwood is still underway. We have experienced a delay in the final Department of Health approval needed due to COVID-19. We will keep you updated as the process moves forward. |
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Getting to Know the Weinberg Campus Food Services Team |
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The Weinberg Campus Food Services team includes 60 dedicated staff members who ensure that residents are served three delicious meals a day. The team takes special care to ensure every person's dietary needs are met, while providing delicious and nutritious meals! We caught up with Clinical Nutrition Manager, Emilie Schachtner, MS, RD, and AJ Paesani, Food Services Manager, to learn more about the important role of the Food Services team.
How many meals does the Food Service team prepare?
We prepare approximately:
- 1,100-1,200 meals per day
- 34,500 meals per month
- 414,000 meals per year
Residents across our various Weinberg Campus communities have different dietary needs. How does the food service team ensure that every resident’s dietary needs are met?
The Clinical Nutrition Manager (Emilie Schachtner MS, RD) reviews each menu and therapeutic diet extensions to ensure they meet each resident's needs for kilocalories (kcal), protein, carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, fluids, etc.
Food is often part of celebrations, and provides something to look forward to. What kinds of fun things do you offer around the holidays for residents?
We usually change the menu in order to provide a special meal for each holiday. The holiday menus are created to reflect what the residents might traditionally have if they were celebrating at home so that they can feel as 'at home' as possible.
How does your team work to put a smile on residents' faces?
Due to the ongoing pandemic, activities for the residents have changed quite a bit. The residents used to get together to enjoy different themed activities, often including food (ex. happy hour, nutrition in the news, etc.) Until it's safe to resume group activities, we have teamed up with the activities department to provide a variety of fun snacks for residents. Over the summer we went room to room providing ice cream sundaes, and this fall we provided apple pie/apple crisp a la mode. The residents really seemed to enjoy the "room service," and we are planning a similar surprise for the winter season.
What is your favorite part about your role?
Emilie: As the leader of the Clinical Nutrition team I take pride in knowing that we do our best each day to work with the interdisciplinary clinical team and with food service to ensure that each resident's nutritional needs are being met to the best of our ability.
AJ: I enjoy being able to bring a little happiness to the residents through food and put a smile on their faces.
This has been a challenging year. What can you share with families regarding the level of dedication and commitment of the Food Services team throughout the pandemic?
The pandemic has changed things for a lot of people, including our residents and the way our team serves their meals. We continue to adapt as we find new ways to best serve each resident's needs. The food service team has really had to work together and make the best out of each day despite all of the changes. Each meal provided is equally important as a way to show the residents how much their health and wellbeing means to us.
We hold all of the residents at Weinberg Campus in the highest regard and will continue to do our best to serve them every day.
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Please join us in giving a shoutout to our Food Services team.
Thank you for all you do!
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...from a family member of a Rosa Coplon resident |
We wanted to wish you and all of your families a happy and blessed Thanksgiving. Thank you for all of your help and guidance over the past year. What a year it has been for Weinberg Campus and families. We feel blessed that dad is at Weinberg and thankful for all that the staff has done for him...not having families help out puts such an extra burden on the team. Praying that this virus gets under control soon so we can get back in and see dad and so you guys can get some relief.
Please give Jan this message as well. She has been so good with dad, we appreciate her so much! Also the 3rd floor team! We can’t wait to meet everyone in person.
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...from a family member of a Garden House resident |
I can’t say thank you enough to the Garden House Staff. They have been so caring and loving to the residents and families. Everyone goes above and beyond to make this difficult time of family separation more bearable. I am used to frequent visits and without the Skype time and staff updates I don’t know what I would do.
Please let them know how much they are appreciated. They are all heroes.
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...from a family member of a Dosberg Manor resident |
Can't really find the words to express how grateful we are to have you in our mom's life over the past crazy months! You have filled a spot that we couldn't for our mom, and she really thinks of you as part of the family. Your love and concern and care for her have meant so much, especially since we couldn't be there for her. She loves you for loving her! We are SO THANKFUL you are in her life, for her and for us! |
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Did you know that Rosa Coplon Living Center has an inpatient therapy rehabilitation center? We offer physical, speech and occupational therapy services. Our Director of Therapy, Leah Samsel, offers some fast facts about our services, safety tips for the winter season, and important information about therapy throughout the upcoming holidays.
Four Fast Facts About Inpatient Therapy
Here's a few things you may not know about our inpatient therapy services.
1) We offer wound care therapy through the use of effective treatments such as electrical stimulation, diathermy, and ultrasound in conjunction with nursing treatment wounds. We have had good success in decreasing wound size and healing wounds through collaborative treatment combining nursing and therapy.
2) Our Speech Therapists focus on much more than a patient's speech. They also concentrate on the volume in which someone talks, how a person swallows - including safe consistency of foods, improving memory, improving safety in the environment, and daily tasks, like paying bills.
3) Two people with similar medical conditions do not have the same road to recovery. Each person’s recovery is different. The therapy team focuses on each person’s personal road to recovery.
4) How long to patient's stay with us? An individual's length of stay in our rehabilitation center is based on many factors, such as:
- Daily/weekly progress
- Independence goals
- Support system at home
- Home environment
The therapy team considers all of these aspects of each person’s care when developing their discharge plan.
Winter Safety Tips
Read below to heed advice from our therapy experts on staying safe during cold weather.
1) Wear appropriate footwear, including non-skid soles, especially in snow and ice. You can always change your footwear at your destination into something more festive.
2) Watch out for potential icy patches. Be sure to be aware of your environment.
3) Dress for the colder weather.
4) If you should be utilizing an assistive device, a cane or a walker, use it. Make sure it is in good condition.
Therapy & The Holidays
Therapy services will continue on the normal schedule with the exception of Christmas day and New Year's Day.
If you have any questions about Weinberg Campus' inpatient therapy services, please contact Leah Samsel at [email protected].
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Our activities directors take great pride in keeping residents active with a variety of safe activities that incorporate social distancing and individual participation. Here are some snapshots from the past month! As always, you can check out our activities calendars online. Click the links below or visit: www.weinbergcampus.org/News-Events/Activities-Calendar.aspx.
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Pictured Above: Weinberg Campus residents have spent the last month enjoying hot cocoa, spending sunny days outside, sharing what they are thankful for, participating in socially distant virtual exercise classes, celebrating birthday surprises from loved ones, marveling at beautiful flowers, and more!
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Residents Use Technology to Explore! |
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...Watching the sea otters play on the live cam at the Georgia Zoo! |
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...Watching the live zoo cams of penguins and sea lions at the Houston Zoo. "It reminds me of the zoo in the Bronx I often visited with my kids!"
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...Enjoying a virtual tour of Our Lady of Victory National Shrine and Basilica in Lackawanna. "Being Catholic, I really appreciate seeing the artwork and reading facts about the building. It brings back memories of my visit."
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New Employees November 2020 |
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Kiara Cole, CNA, Rosa Coplon Living Center
Kendra Coleman, PCA, Dosberg Manor
Jayani Cosmas, Occupational Therapy Coordinator, Rosa Coplon Living Center
Quanitazja Daughtry, CNA, Rosa Coplon Living Center
Brittany Eldridge, PCA, Dosberg Manor
Laurane Gouchie, CNA, Rosa Coplon Living Center
Andrea Hunt, RN Supervisor, Rosa Coplon Living Center
Briah Jefferson, Food Service Worker, Dietary Services
JayJuan Johnson, Food Service Worker, Dietary Services
Ragine Lawson-Thomas, Food Service Worker, Dietary Services
George Miller, Housekeeper, Environmental Services
Anija Peterson, Food Service Worker, Dietary Services
Krista Sadowski, CNA, Rosa Coplon Living Center
Jayzhana Tillman, CNA, Rosa Coplon Living Center
Elizabeth Tzetzo, Occupational Therapy Coordinator, Rosa Coplon Living Center
Kenneth Wallace, Housekeeper, Environmental Services
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We love seeing our staff pursue their passions at Weinberg Campus. Here's a shout-out to a few of our health care heroes who have moved up the ladder on campus! |
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Latrina Harris, RN, Rosa Coplon Living Center |
Latrina Harris started her career journey at Weinberg Campus in September 2011 as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). She worked as a CNA for many years, as she always had a passion for working in health care. In August 2013 she pursued her dreams and enrolled in the LPN program at Trocaire College, where she graduated in May 2016. In August 2017, she enrolled in the RN program, where she graduated in December 2019. She now has her RN license! She is very proud that in her nine years at Weinberg Campus she was able to receive her RN degree. |
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Brennan Costello, Activities Coordinator, Garden House |
Originally from Syracuse, Brennan Costello graduated from the University of Buffalo this year with a Bachelor of Science in psychology, and began her journey at Weinberg Campus a few months ago as a part-time activities assistant. She decided to call Buffalo home, and we are excited to now welcome her as our full-time activities coordinator! Brennan is most excited about getting to know all the residents and families better in this new position. Getting to know the residents has been her favorite part of the job! |
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Tamara Garrett, Activities Assistant, Garden House |
Tamara Garrett has been working at Weinberg Campus for six years, where she began her career journey as a Home Health Aide. In her new role as Activities Assistant, Tamara is most looking forward to keeping Garden House residents busy with creative things to do throughout the day! She says her favorite part about working at Weinberg Campus is seeing the residents happy, and getting to work with all the amazing staff. |
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Happy Holidays to all our friends and families!
Chaunukah Dec. 10-18
Christmas Dec. 25
Kwanzaa Dec. 26-Jan. 1
New Year's Day Jan. 1
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