Adviser LeadingAge New York Winter 2014 Winter 2014 | Page 38
Noteworthy
Member News
Awards & Achievements
Baptist Home Wins Business Excellence Award
The Baptist Home has been named the winner of the Dutchess County Economic Development Corps’
2014 Business Excellence Award – Nonprofit Category. The awards were presented at The Grandview in
Poughkeepsie on Nov. 13th. For access to an article and video from the preliminary event for the award
winners click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeD0_AwNzRQ&feature=player_embedded
Grant to Support New Spirituality Project at Beechwood
Daniel P. O’Neill, president and CEO of Beechwood Continuing Care, has announced that The
Beechwood/Blocher Foundation has received a $100,000 grant from The John R. Oishei Foundation to
support the development of Beechwood’s Spirituality Infusion Project for Long Term Care Professionals.
As part of the Spirituality Infusion Project, Beechwood is partnering with D’Youville College to create
a replicable culture of spirituality and spiritual care with Beechwood staff to build upon Beechwood’s
Welcome Home initiative. Welcome Home eliminates the institutional environment from the nursing
home and its assisted living residences to allow senior residents and their families to feel comfortable and
encouraged to experience life as it should be: with contentment, joy and purpose.
The Spirituality Project will create, implement, monitor and evaluate an initiative to promote and
maintain further innovation, specifically, to foster an environment to recognize, embrace and facilitate the
spiritual component of daily life for residents and staff across Beechwood’s continuum of care, benefiting
more than 500 people on an ongoing basis. The goal of this unique program will be to fill that void and
publish its findings so other facilities can implement the curriculum.
“By helping our staff have a better understanding of both spirituality and spiritual well-being, we help
them recognize the ways in which they not only can nurture their own spiritual well-being, but enhance
their ability to nurture it in our residents and their families,” says Beechwood Director of Spiritual Care/
Chaplain, Rev. Mary Ann Pula. “We believe this will also enhance the staff ’s work as caregivers and team
members. “Spirituality’s role in medical care, particularly in palliative and end-of-life care, is crucial,” says
Pula. “It is a major factor in medical decision making, especially in ‘to treat or not to treat’ situations. A
person’s sense of being spiritually ‘whole’ is a prime characteristic of those coming to a peaceful end of
life’s journey.” Faculty from D’Youville College will conduct research and develop survey instruments,
assist in developing the curriculum layout and teaching modules, and help collect and evaluate data and
final report editing. The Project is expected to take two years to complete.
News from Bon Secours
New Director of Medical Services
Bon Secours New York Health System is pleased to welcome Jeffrey Ni