The Terrace Earns National ‘Excellence in Care Dementia Care Program of Distinction’
The Terrace, Menorah Park’s dementia care unit, has earned the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) “Excellence in Care (EIC) Dementia Care Program of Distinction.” Dementia care settings are eligible to achieve this national recognition after successfully undergoing an extensive evaluation of staff, procedures, and environment, ensuring best practices in dementia care.
“The Jewish Home of Central New York at Menorah Park has demonstrated an ability to raise the bar on dementia care,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer of AFA. “We are proud to recognize them with the Excellence in Care distinction and look forward to their continued commitment to serving their community.”
To earn this distinction, EIC sites must meet certain standards set forth by AFA focusing on the following three areas: facilitating meaningful living, promoting safety and security in the environment, and overall health and wellness of the care community being serviced. Assisted living residences, skilled nursing facilities, continuing care residential communities, adult day programs, group homes, and senior centers that provide care to individuals living with dementia are eligible to participate in AFA’s Excellence in Care Dementia Care Program of Distinction.
Currently, The Terrace is the only memory care facility in upstate New York to be awarded this distinction.
Mike Svendsen, Nursing Home Administrator for the Jewish Home of Central New York at Menorah Park, which includes The Terrace, said, “We are honored to receive this national certification of excellence. It is the culmination of two years of extensive and rigorous on-site training, program development, education and evaluations for our staff. As the only facility in upstate New York to be awarded this care distinction, we are demonstrating our ongoing commitment to ensuring excellent, holistic care for our residents. Our staff should be commended for their efforts.”
When a group of skilled nurses established the Chai Unit in 1990, it was the beginning of the Jewish home’s commitment to memory care by offering specialized care focusing on our residents with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Our memory care facility, The Terrace, was dedicated in 2002.
The Terrace unit is specifically designed to meet the needs of residents with more advanced Alzheimer’s and dementia. Our professional team has received the Positive Approach™ to Care (PAC) certification by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, which follows the GEMS™ model of brain and brain change ability recognition. This certification enables our team to provide the best memory care for our residents as well as provide our team the support they need to provide personalized care.
Molly Fisher, LCSW, AFA’s Director of Educational and Social Services, said “Menorah Park exemplifies the qualities AFA looks for in awarding EIC distinction: an educated staff, safe environment, and ability to focus on the unique and individualized needs of each individual living with the illness.”
For more information about the Excellence in Care program, visit www.alzfdn.org.