We had an absolutely spooktacular time this Halloween season. Festivities included a community Trunk or Treat and creative pumpkin painting, not to mention some truly fabulous Halloween treats! Our staff and residents also all had a fantastic time showing off their terrific costumes in our Halloween costume parade – big congratulations to all the winners!
In honor of Veterans Day, we celebrated and expressed our gratitude to our 28 residents who previously served in the United States Military. We thank you all so much for your bravery and your service to this country; it will never be forgotten.
In October, our Activities Director brought in her very own adorable dogs, Saucalita and Zayda. The two furry friends were a joy for our residents, and it was an absolutely gorgeous day for some always-welcome fur baby therapy.
As a Dietary Aide Debbie does a little bit of everything; she makes desserts, prepares snacks, and interviews residents to discover their dietary preferences. She enjoys getting to know the residents and their stories, and she loves her wonderful coworkers and having a great boss in Choi, our Food Service Director.
Debbie, who resides in nearby Bayville, has been an invaluable part of our team here at Concord for many years, and we are so appreciative for her skills and all that she does for the Center. She works hard so that our residents receive the highest level of care, and for that, we are eternally grateful. Thank you, Debbie!
Starting her career at Concord as a Staff Coordinator, Tish was promoted to Human Resources Manager and eventually Human Resources Director where her duties include, but are not limited to, payroll, employee scheduling, conducting background checks, reporting annually to OSHA, and ensuring our facility is in compliance with staffing ratios 24/7.
Tish is a born and bred Lakewood gal and still lives in the area just minutes from our center. She has a business degree and has worked as a CMA (Certified Medication Assistant) in a number of long term care and assisted living facilities prior to coming to Concord. “I’ve always been drawn to these settings,” she says. “I have a passion for wanting to care for the staff, residents and patients here.”
Tish is the proud grandmother of four grandchildren. In her leisure time she enjoys shopping and reading.Thank you, Tish for going above and beyond in supporting our staff so they can give our patients and residents the best possible care.
A special thank you to the fifth and sixth grade students at Stafford School for the letters they send to our Veterans thanking them for their service to our country, and to their teacher Mary Ruiz, a ten-year army veteran, for arranging this! The veterans really appreciated it.
Concord Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center is the only VA contracted nursing home serving Ocean and Monmouth Counties.
We understand that some of you may be concerned about the safety of these new vaccines, as they have been developed and tested far more quickly than those in the past. We want to assure you that the speed with which these vaccines were developed is not due to skipping important safety steps, but rather the result of focused, collaborative work performed by experts across the globe. Vaccines approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have undergone the same level of rigorous testing for safety and efficacy as other vaccines and have been tested in tens of thousands of people, including older adults. Two independent advisory committees of experts from academic institutions also monitor vaccines to ensure their safety.
Most of the COVID-19 vaccines require two separate doses given about three or four weeks apart, depending on the vaccine. Participants of clinical trials have reported experiencing short-term side effects after being vaccinated, with more pronounced discomfort after the second dose. These possible side effects include headache, muscle pains, fatigue, chills, fever, and pain at the injection site. Sometimes there is a misunderstanding about the cause of these reactions, as you may have heard someone say a vaccine has “made them sick” or given them the disease that the vaccine was intended to prevent. We want to be clear that this is not the case. The COVID-19 vaccine cannot give you a COVID-19 infection. The vaccine works by helping the body create antibodies to fight off the virus. Feeling discomfort after getting the vaccine means that the vaccine is doing its job and your body is making antibodies.
We, along with thousands of other long term care facilities, are participating in a program with the Centers for Disease Control to help us most efficiently distribute these vaccines to our residents free of charge once they are available. We will keep you informed of this process as we move forward. Our staff will also have the opportunity to get vaccinated through this program if they have not been vaccinated previously.
I encourage you to reach out to us if you have any questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, its possible side effects, and what to expect after you or a loved one receives it. As we have been saying over the course of this difficult year, we are all in this together. Please know that the safety and wellbeing of our staff and residents have been and remain our top priority. We are confident that the worldwide, unprecedented scientific achievement of the COVID-19 vaccines will eventually enable us to enjoy life with our loved ones again. We look forward to doing our part in this effort by getting the COVID-19 vaccine, and hope will join us.
Sincerely,
Jay Kramer
Here are some simple self-care tips to help you stay healthy and relaxed:
We have loved watching her flourish at Concord. She has made friends, enjoyed the activities and most of all, been well cared for. Then, welcome 2020 and COVID-19. Much like many families in America, we were so worried for Grandma catching this virus. One day in April, we got the call. She was positive. No one could have predicted how our spunky girl would react and we braced ourselves for the unthinkable.
Through God’s grace and the amazing staff at Concord, she was able to come through (relatively unscathed) to the other side. We realize she is one of the lucky ones and cherish every day we have with her. As many families suffered great loss, we were able to climb the mountain.
We would like to praise and thank the staff at Concord for their continued, round the clock care of our precious Lucy.
We look forward to another amazing century with our Grandma. If you see Lucy in the halls, give her a shout!”
– Peter Bolognese
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