Summer 2009

Affinity Days
Copious Notes and Golden Throats
An adventurous and educational event was held in February 2009 in order to recognize and convene our exceptional collection of facility leadership.  This year’s educational component included risk management, strategic planning and management of diverse personalities.  As usual, the event was a resounding success.

On the fun side, a new competition – though all were winners – was held among the Affinity-managed facilities.  A karaoke extravaganza featured a wealth of hidden talent.  Don Pote, Administrator of the Williamsport Home, and his back up singers, Dennie and Ken, sang a Don Ho favorite, “Tiny Bubbles.” Always a crowd pleaser, Kelly Pidgeon, Administrator for Beacon Ridge,  sang  “Redneck Women” by Gretchen Wilson.  Maria Fisher, Administrator for The Patriot, graced the stage as Carmen Miranda dressed in a fruit basket hat along with her Cuban entourage singing their rendition of, “Copa-Cabana”.  Mary McDermott, Administrator for The Atrium, along with her team showed their team spirit with the first-ever Atrium theme song using the music from, “Here We Go”.  Send fifty cents in a self addressed stamped envelope for your autographed picture today!

Affinity was not aware of all this hidden creativity.  All the facility performers sang the Affinity Corporate Team under the table – and then some.  So we're practicing hard for Round Two.

WELCOME
Walnut Ridge
Greensburg, Pennsylvania

We are pleased and excited to announce Walnut Ridge Memory Care located in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Walnut Ridge is our newest Management contract, is quite unique and offers a needed service. 
This Assisted Living facility was designed to be a State of the Art Memory Care Unit.  There is availability for 98 clients.  There is no other facility totally dedicated to the care of Alzheimer's and Dementia at an Assisted Living level of care in Western Pennsylvania.  This beautiful facility is owned by Lawrence J. Anlauf and Frank D. Aiello.

The co-owners are dedicated to the care of the Alzheimer's and Dementia patient and their loved ones.  The staff at Walnut Ridge has adopted the owner's mission and has an enormous commitment to this specialized care.  Please join us in welcoming Walnut Ridge to our family of dedicated professionals and direct care workers. 

Coaching Supervision Training ONGOING 

Coaching Supervision is a relational approach to supervision that enhances retention of employees, improves problem solving and increases the likelihood that both the needs of the worker and the resident/consumer will be met. The program was developed by the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute (PHI) from the Bronx, New York and has been used in both residential and home care settings. It is a program that is supported by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and many nursing homes across Pennsylvania.

Many Affinity facilities have received the intensive 2-day Coaching Supervision workshop/training since 2006 through Affinity corporate staff, Paula Bracken or Candace McMullen.  Facilities that have participated in this program have begun to see the positive effects that coaching supervision can have on their supervisors and their front line staff.  The Williamsport Home, Beacon Ridge, Indian Haven, The Patriot, Claremont Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Valley View Home and The Atrium have all had their administrators, directors of nursing and other managers trained in coaching supervision. The Williamsport Home recently had a lunch-n-learn update session that reviewed how to “present the problem” and dealt with using coaching skills to improve communication between managers as well as with front line workers.

Although the program is designed for mainly nurse supervisors, various other managers have participated in the training to gain new communication and supervisory skills. Most of the feedback from the program has been outstandingly positive. Reluctant participants have been observed to become transformed in the process and emerge happy and enlightened; having experienced the fun the group interaction and role plays bring to the training. What can be better than to give your management staff the opportunity to acquire new listening and supervisory skills in a light and entertaining atmosphere?

Grand Opening Celebration
Parkview Terrace
Altoona, Pennsylvania

Valley View Home under the direction of Administrator Chris Dear and his team have opened 14 apartments of Independent Living Suites.  This $2 million renovation was funded through the rightsizing grant opportunities funded by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania via grants from the Department of Public Welfare.

The accommodations are quite pleasing to the eye and conveniently  located next to Valley View Home and the scenic pathways of Valley View Park in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Free of mowing, shoveling and the relentless cost of utilities and property taxes

The suites were completed in February 2009 and achieved a very impressive occupancy rate prior to the open house held May 20th and then subsequent to the celebration achieved 100 percent of the units being rented. With the support of the County Commissioners and the hard work of the marketing and admissions team, these apartments have been a demanded product for the elderly in need of affordable Independent Living.

The open house celebration was a huge success with participation from the Blair County Antique Automobile Club, the Canoe Creek Petting Zoo, Sodexo Senior Services, Affinity Health Services, the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP), the Pennsylvania Association of County Affiliated Homes (PACAH), the Chamber of  Commerce of  Blair County,   Home   Nursing Agency, Karla Davis of Soldiers’ Angels, Balloon Animals by Tony, SunDance Rehabilitation Company.  Radio stations WALY and FROGGY 98 conducted live broadcasts during the event.

Pictured at left, left to right:  Commissioners Terry Tomassetti, Diane Meling and Donna Gority.  Also in attendance were State Senator John H. Eichelberger, Joe Hurd, Chamber of Commerce of Blair County, Stephanie Zwietzig, PACAH and Dr. Brett Scharf, DO, Medical Director at Valley View Home and the residents of Parkview Terrace. 

Congratulations to Valley View Home for offering this needed service in the Greater Altoona area.

Denise Gooden!

We are pleased to announce that Denise Gooden will be joining the Affinity corporate team as a Billing Specialist.  This is a new position within our corporate structure.  Denise will be working with our managed homes as well as assisting new consulting clients with accounts receivable management, interim billing services, and training of billing and business office staff.  

For the past 15 years Denise has worked at The Patriot and managed the Medicare, Medicaid, and third party billing and collections.  She has experience with corporate compliance and HIPAA regulations.  She serves as a tremendous asset to The Patriot's finance department and is an integral part of the resident admissions process.  Denise has experience in assisting nursing homes with billing services and teaching and training business office staff on proper billing procedures. 

Denise has a BS in History and Geography from Brigham Young University, a Master's degree in Statistical Analysis and Accounting from Ashwood University, and a doctorate degree in Social Reform from Ashwood University. 

Denise will be transitioning into her new role during the next few months.

Denise's email address is:  dgooden@affinityhealthservices.net. 

Please join us in welcoming her!

UPCOMING EVENTS and NOTEWORTHY NEWS

Mary McDermott, Administrator, The Atrium has been appointed to the Board ofDirectors for the Association of Personal Care Administrators. 
 
Paula Bracken, MHA, Clinical Consultant, will be presenting on the Quality Indicator Survey during the Kairos conference on October 1, 2009 in Lancaster, PA.

Claremont Nursing and Rehabilitation Center’s Dietary Department – managed by Sodexo’s Paul Stouffer, recently passed a vigorous inspection by the National Safety Foundation (NSF) and received an overall score of 98 percent in Food Safety and 100 percent in the Occupational Health and Safety Audits. Great Job!!

Kelly Pidgeon, Administrator, Beacon Ridge, is shown at right accepting an award for Indiana County’s Best Practice and Model Community for its disaster and pandemic preparation efforts.   Kelly served as the Vice Chair of The Health and Human Services Committee of the county’s Disaster and Terrorism Task Force and helped to secure a $100,000 grant from the Commonwealth to continue planning efforts for Indiana County.