Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Preparing for the Change of Season

October 2, 2024

September brings many changes besides the leaves changing colors. Cabrini Immigrant Services (CIS), Dobbs Ferry, wanted to help our clients prepare for the Fall Season so we held two programs.

On September 13th, we held a Women’s Workshop entitled, “Si, Puedo.” (If I can.) Betsy Suarez, a licensed mental health counselor, presented the workshop. Betsy spoke about self-care and building healthy boundaries so that we do not get burned-out. September seems to be a hectic month as children return to school, some return to work, women have to prepare for the upcoming holidays, etc. Betsy shared ways of helping the women reduce stress and to not feel guilty about taking time for themselves.

On September 18th, a STARS (StoryTelling, Art, Reading and Socialization) Program was held for our children in Grades Kindergarten to 1st. Wendy Mages, Ed.D., a professor at Mercy University, Dobbs Ferry, NY and a trained storyteller, presented the book, First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg. The book is about students returning to school for a new school year. We discussed some of the ‘jitters’ that students feel when they go to a new school, like the Kindergarteners or when they return to school but are now in a new class. Some said that they were worried about making friends or if the other students would like them, etc. After the discussion, the students drew self-portraits and then wrote positive statements such as “I will be kind.” They also colored in a picture of a backpack. They wrote and drew their hopes and goals for the school year.

We are looking forward to the Fall season and all the beauty that it brings.

Joining Hearts in Prayer for Peace

July 17, 2024

On Wednesday July 10, residents and staff at Cabrini of Westchester welcomed a number of our local faith leaders and clergy to an Interfaith Prayer Service. Our

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intention was to gather to raise our voices in prayer in response to the divisiveness and lack of civility at times in our country and the lack of peace in our world. Various faith leaders offered prayers, meditations and readings as we responded to the call for us to come together and celebrate our wonderful diversity as well as our unity, as people of faith.

Since we gathered, the attempt on the life of former President Trump is another important reminder for us to do all we can to ensure our words, tone and actions emanate from a place of peace, civility and non-violence. We pray for an end to such terrible violence and for those injured or killed at the hands of violence. May our loving God encourage us and help us in our efforts.

Cabrini Lay Missionaries Renew Commitments

June 13, 2024

The Feast of the Sacred Heart was a very special day for the Cabrini Lay Missionaries (CLMs), in the Guadalupe Province. We started the day with a beautiful Mass at St. Cabrini Nursing Home in Dobbs Ferry, NY. During the Mass, Adela Jarquin, Marianne McGowan and Digna Merchan made their
recommitment to the CLMs for 3 years.

Later in the afternoon, we came together on Zoom for a prayer service and the recommitment of several CLMs. Due to distance, several of our CLMs were not able to join us at the Liturgy. However, via Zoom, Melanie Paccillo, Sheny Hernandez, Susan Pierson, Veronica Hernandez, Victoria Ortiz, Julia Attaway, Angela Campbell and Kaitlyn Franzone all made their commitments for either one or three years.

We were also blessed to welcome Stefany Fuentes Meza to the CLMs. Stefany lives in Nicaragua. Stefany made a one-year commitment as a CLM.

May we follow in the footprints of Mother Cabrini who lived by the words of St. Paul, “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:14)

Cabrini of Westchester Honors Long-Term Employees

June 13, 2024

On May 29, 2024, Cabrini of Westchester held the annual Employee Service Awards ceremony followed by a luncheon in honor of fifty-eight outstanding employees who were celebrating five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, thirty and even thirty-five years of service to the organization.

The ceremony was held in St. Cabrini’s Chapel. Rev. Ron Galt, Vice President of Pastoral Care and Mission, bestowed blessings on all of the honorees. In her remarks, Patricia Krasnausky, President and CEO, shared her experiences of working in a nursing home as a teen and beyond, doing many of the tasks that all the employees take on every day. She shared, “The circumstances and times may have been different, but I know how hard you work. That’s how I can honestly express the great respect and gratitude I have for all that you are and all that you do. Congratulations and thank you for your contributions over the many years and for making Cabrini of Westchester what it is today.”

Each of the awardees received a pin with a precious stone reflective of their years of service to Cabrini of Westchester.

Recipients were invited to participate in a luncheon in recognition of the hard work and dedication to the mission accomplished by all Cabrini of Westchester Employees each and every day of the year! Account continues on following page.

Congratulations to the 2024 Employee Service Award Recipients and thank you for being such a cherished part of the Cabrini family!

Cheers! To One Hundred Years!

May 30, 2024

On Friday, May 24th, Cabrini of Westchester held a festive celebration honoring its centenarians, 5 special women who are celebrating milestone birthdays this year. The esteemed honorees are: Anna Ciccone, 102; Sister Rose Golden, 100; Sister Margaret Hernandez, MSC, 100; Theresa Izzo, 100; and Helen Nathanson, 102.

Bonita Burke, Vice President of Operations and Administrator addressed the gathering of residents, staff members, family and friends: “On behalf of the Administration, Board of Trustees and Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we offer congratulations and well wishes to each of our centenarians as we celebrate a century of your utmost grace, strength and kindness. You’ve witnessed a lifetime of history, yet your spirit remains timeless. We celebrate your remarkable journey, honor your wisdom and anticipate more chapters in your extraordinary story.”

A blessing was offered by Pastoral Care Associate, Christina Tiesi, followed by a presentation from special guest, Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins. Senator Stewart-Cousins bestowed framed resolutions to each centenarian and said, “I am so happy to be here to say happy birthday to you all! I am proud to recognize each of you for having lived over 100 wonderful years and for allowing women like me to stand on your shoulders. We wish you God speed, continued good health and thank you for inspiring us with your strength, your stories and your wisdom.”

FOUNDATIONS of CATHOLIC HEALTH CARE LEADERSHIP

May 29, 2024

Spring 2024

Recently, five Cabrini Nursing Home Leadership staff successfully completed an eight-week formation course facilitated by the Catholic Health Association. The course was titled:

“Foundations of Catholic Health Care Leadership.”

The course was open to leaders in health care facilities throughout the United States. Cabrini Nursing Home has been participating in these courses over many years. We were delighted to have five Department Head Leaders participate in this year’s formation course from different areas of our Cabrini facility as follows:
• Kristen McCauley; Director of Therapeutic Recreation
• Mark Pohar; Director of Nursing
• Enrique Vargas; Director of Food Services
• Dr. Soodabeh Zolfaghari; Medical Director
• Cassidy Barnes; Director of Information Technology

Topics covered included:
• Leadership in Catholic Health Care
• Spirituality and Reflection
• Catholic Social Tradition
• Community Benefit; Catholic Social Tradition in Action
• Global Health
• Ethics and the Catholic Moral Tradition
• Culture and Identity
• Models of the Church
• Integration, Discernment and Human Flourishing

Our participants listened attentively and participated enthusiastically during each of these sessions. The subject matter was engaging, relevant and allowed each participant, no matter their background, experience or faith tradition the opportunity to learn and contribute in meaningful ways. Each session incorporated important opportunities for small group discussions. Cabrini leaders participated in our own small group, facilitated by Fr. Ron Galt from Mission Integration and Pastoral Care. These conversations proved to be very rich and meaningful. It was the hope and intention at the start of the course, to make clear to our participants that they would share their learnings and engagement with their teams and staff in their respective departments and areas of responsibility. The following contributions are from two of our leaders detailing just a few highlights of the learning:

“Understanding the essence of the human spirit is extremely important in the healthcare environment. Failing to acknowledge the unique needs of everyone may inadvertently harm their spirit. It is vital for healthcare workers to recognize and respect the diverse requirements of each person, as these needs play a significant role in shaping their spirit. The spirit, intrinsic to one’s identity, serves as a compass for happiness and well-being.” ~ Kristen McCauley, Director of Therapeutic Recreation

“This training matured me professionally and personally on so many levels. It allowed me to look around my everyday surroundings and ask myself; ‘How can I improve my everyday responsibilities and leadership of my staff?’ That motivated me and sparked a flame within me to motivate my staff as well. So, I decided to do a social experiment with my staff to see how I could motivate them. I told them about this course and mentioned a quote I saw that was meaningful to me; ‘Take a step to change a life.’
I asked them what they can do today to change a life at Cabrini. I gave them a task to come back and share how at the end of their shift, what they had done to change a life. To my surprise, they all came back with beautiful examples, from helping a resident to the elevator, to making sure that a resident was happy with their meal. Every day since, I have had staff coming to me to share their stories and to share with department colleagues to make sure our efforts are team centered in our seeking to change the life of a resident, visitor, volunteer or family member for the better.” ~ Enrique Vargas; Director of Food Services

It has been a joy to watch and encourage our department leaders to approach this learning opportunity with an open heart and a Mission and Values centered spirit. We look forward to more of our Cabrini leaders participating in the years to come.

Celebrating Our Nurses

May 16, 2024

“Caring is the Essence of Nursing” – Jean Watson

Cabrini of Westchester was proud to recognize the hard work and dedication of the nursing staff during Nurses’ Week which took place from May 6th through May 12th. The week was full of activities to honor the amazing nurses who take care of our residents each day! Special meals were provided, small tokens of gratitude were distributed, raffles were held and a “Blessing of Hands” ceremony took place.

During the blessing, a prayer of thanksgiving was shared by Fr. Ron Galt, Vice President of Mission and Pastoral Care followed by words of thanks from Bonnie Burke, Vice President of Operations and Administrator, who said, “A thank you seems so very little when it comes to what you do for the residents. Please know that you are appreciated beyond words. Doctors cure us with medicine, whereas nurses cure us with hope, care, and compassion. You are the glue that keeps us together. Happy Nurses Week to you – you all deserve this recognition.”

Afterward, each of the nurses that were present in the chapel received a special

blessing of their hands from Fr. Ron as well as resident priest, Fr. Bill Arlia. ~ submitted by Susan Herceg, Director of PR and Development, Cabrini of Westchester

A thank you to all nurses for their compassionate care!

A “Healthcare Hero” at Cabrini of Westchester

May 16, 2024

to Simone Faulkner-Smith, Vice President of Human Resources and Volunteers at Cabrini of Westchester, as she was included as an honoree in the Schneps Media annual “Healthcare Heroes” recognition list! On May 1st, Simone was one of 50 health care professionals from New York who were recognized for serving their patients and advancing their fields at Terrace on the Park in Queens, New York. The award, presented by The Carmelite System, celebrates the contributions and commitment of the healthcare community.

Simone was recognized for her remarkable efforts in working with 1199 SEIU and Westchester Community College to create a Nursing Assistant Apprentice Program at Cabrini of Westchester. This program was designed to positively impact staffing as the nation experiences shortages in nursing staff. Due to the success of the program, four separate groups received training and took the nursing assistant exam. Out of the 48 individuals who went through the program, over half have become Cabrini employees which significantly helps to ensure that we have the staff necessary to care for our resident population. ~

Exciting Dining Enhancements at Cabrini of Westchester

March 21, 2024

After almost a full year of construction, final approval of the renovations to all 7 unit kitchen pantries and dining rooms at Cabrini of Westchester was granted by a Dobbs Ferry engineer, resulting in a blessing ceremony and reception on February 12th. “It’s a much more personal experience,” said Sr. Damien Ciminera, MSC, when speaking about the renovated kitchens. “Everything is clean and the food is served much more efficiently and warmer.”

In 2010, Cabrini of Westchester completed a major modernization project that expanded and renovated the Home to add space and details required to provide enhanced privacy, dignity and respect for each patient and resident. Keeping this person-centered care philosophy in mind, country kitchens were included on every unit to serve home cooked meals in a restaurant style manner. Over the years, the kitchens were maintained, but it became clear that updates and replacements were needed.

In order to make these updates, all kitchens and dining rooms were closed to keep the residents safe and the Food Service Department worked tirelessly providing meals with traditional tray delivery service. “The new look of the kitchens is pleasing to the eye and the new equipment, including a steam table, refrigerator, and dish washer is so much more efficient. The staff is able to serve the residents in the dining room faster and provide them with delicious hot food,” said Enrique Vargas, Director of Food Services. “We are excited to start offering new items on the menu such as orange chicken, chicken parmesan sandwiches, garlic butter salmon filets and, during breakfast, Belgian waffles with turkey sausages. There are many more exciting menu updates that will be on-going.”

New dining tables, chairs, wall coverings, lighting and artwork are included in the dining room refurbishing.

During the blessing ceremony, Fr. Ron Galt, Vice President of Pastoral Care and Mission led scripture readings and prayers as he sprinkled the kitchens with Holy Water.

When addressing the residents, Bonnie Burke, Vice President of Operations and Administrator said, “Thank you for all of your patience and support during the construction. We hope these updates make your dining experience much more enjoyable and we look forward to serving you in these enhanced surroundings.”

Distinguished Honors at Cabrini of Westchester

January 25, 2024

Priteshkumar (Prit) Patel, Physical Therapist at Cabrini of Westchester, was presented with the 2023 Employee of Distinction Award from LeadingAge New York, part of a national association of 5,500 not-for-profit organizations. Mr. Patel graciously accepted the award from Karen Lipson, Executive Vice President of LeadingAge, on January 11, 2024 at a celebration held in his honor. This prestigious award is given to an employee who excels in their profession and who has served with distinction and made significant contributions to the betterment of services for the aged and infirmed.

While presenting the award, Ms. Lipson stated “I’m very pleased to present this award to Prit. I read the nominations for all the candidates and I was so moved by the letters of support recognizing Prit that I wanted to meet him in person and offer my sincere congratulations to him. I’m very inspired by your work, Prit, and I’m happy to be here.”

In his nomination letter, David Leyden, Director of Rehabilitation wrote the following: “Prit is one of the most talented physical therapists and human beings I have ever had the privilege of working with. His technical skills and competency as a therapist are outstanding and can only be matched by his unique vision and ability to see past any barriers or challenges a patient may present. He offers them hope and a chance at a better life than they are living. Prit meets his patients at their level and offers the just-right challenge every step of the way.”

At the reception, Bonita Burke, Vice President of Operations and Administrator stated, “Prit, you are loved by all and not a day goes by that I don’t receive positive feedback about you! You are a true inspiration!”