Sarah Neuman Center’s Rehabilitation Team Pulls Out All Stops to Return a Patient to his Own Home…A Rehab success story, thanks to Telehealth technology

Westchester, NY, June 17, 2013 –  Kira Capowski, Nurse Manager at Sarah Neuman Center is actually beaming when she talks about her recently discharged patient, 87-year-old NYC resident Leonard Miniowitz. “To see the smile on his face when he left to go home was worth millions.”

Mr. Minowitz’s care team at Sarah Neuman was determined to work out the laborious details to make sure all measures were in place for him to live safely and comfortably upon returning to his own apartment after eight arduous months of numerous hospitalizations and rehabilitation stays.

Mr. Minowitz has multiple myeloma with a secondary diagnosis of congestive heart failure (CHF). He’s been out of his home since last October, bouncing from one hospital to another, including an admission to hospice care at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx. The end-of-life care specialists realized Mr. Minowitz was actually well enough to go to rehabilitation!

Upon his arrival at Sarah Neuman Center, the staff observed that Mr. Minowitz didn’t smile much, if ever. Despite his depressed state, he was making good progress physically, walking with more strength and meeting his rehabilitation goals. Because of his CHF condition, Sarah Neuman’s Telehealth Kiosk program became an important part of his health care monitoring. Using the electronic monitoring device, Mr. Minowitz answered questions about his health, three times a week by pressing the appropriate button on the unit’s digital display. The easy-to-use device allowed him to feel in control of his chronic issue, while alerting the nursing staff when any of the responses detected changes in his condition.

The Sarah Neuman team of case managers, social workers, and medical staff knew its patient’s unwavering desire to return to his own home. They team wanted to give him a fighting chance to achieve that goal and after many meetings with him and his family, Mr. Minowitz was told he’d be able to celebrate his May birthday in his own apartment.

Upon getting the good news, Mr. Minowitz’s demeanor brightened and his engagement with life was nothing short of remarkable. “You would have never guessed it was the same man from the time he came in here,” reports his nurse.

 Minowitz is managing well in his own environment. He was sent home with all the supportive services in place including a visiting nurse, a compact teleheath in-home unit, which enables him to chat electronically with nurses on a daily basis to share his diagnostic information, along with other private help.

 Kiera recognizes that a heightened quality of life has been restored to this gentle man. She remarks,

“Working with Mr Minowtiz is one of those cases that really moves you. You can’t imagine the difference it has made for him to go home.” She adds, “I think he’s going to do just fine.”

Background

 Sarah Neuman Center is the Westchester campus of Jewish Home Lifecare. It is a 300-bed, long-term skilled nursing care facility in Mamaroneck, NY, that offers nursing home care, a full range of post-surgical, disease recovery and short-stay rehabilitation, an adult day program and respite care. In addition to a highly trained staff, Sarah Neuman features private rooms, dining options, beautiful gardens and lounges, Internet-equipped computers, concerts and art programs and even award-winning pet therapy to enhance any stay. Sarah Neuman is a key provider in the Westchester area and a partner of UJA Federation, serving over 1,000 individuals annually with 400 staff and over 360 volunteers from the community.

 Jewish Home Lifecare has been meeting the needs of New York’s elders for over 165 years. It provides a network of care that includes long term skilled nursing, post acute care,  Alzheimer’s/Dementia special care communities, respite care, senior housing and community programs, such as home care and adult day care along with other specialized services.

 Jewish Home Lifecare has campuses in the Bronx, Manhattan and the Sarah Neuman Center in Westchester. It also serves clients where they live using innovative technology such as the award-winning HealthMonitor® program. Best practice programs are provided in fall management, wound care, pain management, mental health and wellness, diabetes and congestive heart failure.