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Jefferson’s Ferry

From left, Jefferson’s Ferry’s President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Caulfield, Director of Admissions Dawn Flowers-Leib, Director of Housekeeping Patti Gallagher, Culinary Manager Heidi Vargas, Assistant Director of Nursing Kathy Koutouvidis, Director of Nursing Richelle Rugolo, and Vice President of Health Services Anthony Comerford. Photo courtesy of Jefferson's Ferry

Resident survey scores Jefferson’s Ferry in top 15% nationwide in skilled nursing care

For the sixth year running, the Vincent Bove Health Center at Jefferson’s Ferry Life Plan Community in South Setauket has received the Pinnacle Quality Insight Customer Experience Award for outstanding resident satisfaction and overall achievement in skilled nursing care. 

The Pinnacle Award process examines “Best in Class” service in skilled nursing over a 12-month period of study by surveying residents and their families about the quality of 14 target areas: Nursing care, activities, dining services/food quality, cleanliness, laundry services, therapy services, response to problems, dignity and respect, individual needs, would they recommend to others, the overall customer experience and satisfaction by residents or family members. The survey placed the health center in the top 15% of skilled nursing facilities nationwide. 

“For more than 20 years, Jefferson’s Ferry, Long Island’s first Life Plan Retirement Community, has set a high bar for extraordinary care,” said Jefferson’s Ferry President and CEO Bob Caulfield. “We strive every day to provide the highest quality care experience in a community setting that respects individuality and promotes dignity, privacy, and independence for every resident. The Pinnacle Award is a direct reflection of our families’ recognition of the outstanding work that our staff performs on a daily basis and a vote of confidence that all of us take very seriously.” 

The survey sampling of Vincent Bove Health Center residents and their families takes place over the course of a year with monthly telephone interviews that ask the participants open-ended questions to rate their experiences in the specific categories. Jefferson’s Ferry staff receive that feedback each month to gain a better understanding of emerging resident needs and make improvements when necessary. 

“The Pinnacle Award is especially meaningful to our caregivers and other staff, as the results come directly from the people they help on a daily basis,” explained Anthony Comerford, Vice President of Health Service at Jefferson’s Ferry. 

“It is important to know that we are consistently hitting the mark, meeting or exceeding the best standards or practices within our industry. Our goal is always to provide residents with the peace of mind to live their best life here. The staff and residents form close relationships based on mutual respect, trust, and quality care,” he said.

METRO photo

By Elissa Gargone

Elissa Gargone

One of the great pleasures of life is spending time with a beloved family member or friend. But what happens to that quality time when that special person develops dementia? While its inescapable that a certain level of conversation will be lost, by reorienting your expectations it’s still possible for both of you to have a meaningful visit.  

The first step is to adjust to your loved one’s experience and enter their world. Focus not on what they have lost, but what still remains — their personality, their sense of humor, appreciation of their surroundings, or a connection to music. Start your visit with a smile, eye contact and a simple touch — a pat on the shoulder or back, a squeeze of their hand. These simple gestures help bring focus and connection to the interaction. Bringing something tangible with you that can act as an icebreaker — books, toys, photos or a tasty treat — are often helpful. 

Conversations may become less about ideas and storytelling and more about sharing feelings and emotions. If necessary, redirect challenging conversations in gentle, positive and creative ways, commenting on objects in the room, or outside the window. 

Asking your companion for their advice or opinion can make them feel valued and competent. Intellect is often perfectly intact, even if memory is fading. And please remember, you don’t need to correct your loved one’s recollections or assumptions. Empathize and spare their feelings.  

Jefferson’s Ferry’s memory support neighborhood has been designed to help residents and their loved ones enjoy a range of activities and opportunities for connection in a secure environment. While you may not have all of these options available to you, you can adapt some of these ideas to help you  to connect with your special person.  

The memory support neighborhood is set up to allow residents to safely meander through the hallways and visit “lifestyle stations.” These lifestyle stations replicate environments familiar to our residents that provide comfort and a sense of belonging.  Examples of lifestyle stations include a workbench with tools, a desk with computer station and phone, a nursery with baby doll, a sports room with pennants and hats, or a simple kitchen set up for coffee and conversation.

Our common rooms and visiting spaces include plenty of color, art, and textiles on the walls to stimulate the senses. We also have secure outdoor garden spaces.  

And then there’s music. Music is a pathway that can trigger a flood of long term memories and emotions. A body of evidence suggests that music prompts the secretion of dopamine, which spurs the brain to produce feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. Bringing a playlist of greatest hits enjoyed over a person’s lifetime along with a willingness to sing along or dance is a great way to enhance a visit. Playing familiar and well-loved music can also help to settle someone in an anxious or agitated state.

Despite a variety of tools and techniques, there are times when a visit doesn’t go smoothly for reasons beyond your control. Don’t judge yourself too harshly when this happens. 

Few of us are prepared for the challenges that arise when trying to connect to a loved one with dementia. Unless you’re a professional, it’s not as if you’ve been to school to study this. The most you can do is accept the challenges that come with someone in need of memory support and do your best. There will be good times and the not so good times, but you may be surprised at how fulfilling your visits can be. 

Elissa Gargone is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Jefferson’s Ferry Lifecare Retirement Community in South Setauket.

This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Prime Times senior supplement on 01/25/24.

Jefferson's Ferry

Jefferson’s Ferry, a Life Plan community located in South Setauket, was recently named among the top nursing homes in New York State by U.S. News and World report. Jefferson’s Ferry received a 5 out of 5 rating overall, also achieving the top (3 out of 3) high performance rating in multiple categories including short term rehabilitation and long term care.

The rigorous U.S. News & World Report standards for Best Nursing Homes in New York is determined by state-conducted health inspections, nursing staffing and medical quality measures. They evaluate more than 15,000 nursing homes on care, safety, infection rates, staffing and health inspections. Of the more than 600 nursing homes in New York, Jefferson’s Ferry stood out as one of the best in the state and one of only 10 recognized for excellence on Long Island.

“Being named among the Best Nursing Homes in New York is a great honor and a testament to the outstanding care our exceptional staff provides each day to every resident,” said Bob Caulfield, President and Chief Executive Officer of Jefferson’s Ferry. “We take great pride in cultivating and recognizing the exceptional talent and compassion demonstrated by our staff, which has a direct impact on the superior care we provide to our residents. This is what is at the heart of Jefferson’s Ferry.”

Anthony Comerford, Vice President of Health Services at Jefferson’s Ferry concurred and added, “This prestigious acknowledgement not only showcases Jefferson’s Ferry commitment to providing outstanding care and service to its residents, it is especially gratifying to our staff and management to have their commitment and professionalism documented by such a well recognized outside authority.” For more information visit www.jeffersonsferry.org

Artist Ann Pols. Photo courtesy of Jefferson's Ferry
Artist Ann Pols with one of her paintings.
Photo courtesy of Jefferson’s Ferry

Jefferson’s Ferry’s resident and avid painter Ann Pols was recently recognized among the winners of LeadingAge New York’s annual art competition. Her “Seaside Fourth” is one of 70 paintings that was selected out of 218 entries for a traveling exhibit that will be displayed at LeadingAge NY’s annual conference and in the advocacy group’s headquarters outside of Albany. 

LeadingAge represents not-for-profit, mission-driven and public continuing care providers, including nursing homes, senior housing, adult care facilities, continuing care retirement communities, assisted living and community service providers. 

A 19-year resident of Jefferson’s Ferry, a Life Plan Community in South Setauket, Ann recalls dabbling in art as a child but didn’t think she had any talent for it. 

At the age of 86, despite being blind in one eye and relying on her non-dominant hand due to a stroke, Ann joined an art class at Jefferson’s Ferry Bove Health Center, and felt that something was awoken inside of her. She rediscovered painting and regularly joins her fellow residents in painting classes and studio time. 

When asked what her artistic process is, Ann says that she chooses her subjects by looking at pictures and first sketches, then paints the subject. Her award-winning painting is one of approximately 30 drawings she has done over the past five years.

The lobby of Jefferson’s Ferry community center was abuzz on June 5 as residents, employees and guests packed in to witness the ceremonial ribbon cutting of the Life Plan community’s new commons building. The mood was buoyant as residents and friends prepared to embark on tours of the spaces.

The audience joined in on the countdown as scissors wielded by Jefferson’s Ferry’s President and CEO Bob Caulfield; Board of Directors Chair Gloria Snyder; Vice Chair James Danowski and Treasurer John Sini; Resident Council Chair Pat Boone and Construction Project Manager Matthew Moroney cut the ribbon to enthusiastic applause. 

Addressing the crowd, Bob Caulfield thanked the residents and staff for their patience and support during the renovation process, dubbed Journey Toward Renewal, which has taken place in stages over the past several years. Additional renovations and expansions are currently underway in Jefferson’s Ferry’s Vincent Bove Health Center, including a new Memory Care Unit which is expected to open in the fall.  

“This is a landmark day for us, as our new commons building adds beautiful new spaces to our community center, the heart of Jefferson’s Ferry,” said Caulfield. “We’ve all been patiently awaiting this day, and I thank every one of you who has been as eager as I have been to celebrate this major milestone. This includes the Board of Trustees, who had the strategic foresight and financial oversight of the ambitious project, our construction team, who labored to complete this phase of the project, and of course, our residents and staff.”

Among the latest updates and additions to the social and recreational aspects of the community center are a variety of new gathering spaces, including a larger and redesigned creative arts center, expanded card rooms for the popular bridge and gin rummy tournaments, and a game room with billiards, ping pong, shuffle boards and large screen television.  Another bright open space is dedicated to puzzling, newspaper reading and socializing.  The fitness center, which can be accessed 24-7 through a separate keypad operated entrance includes a full complement of exercise machines, a dance/yoga studio and separate locker rooms with showers for men and women.  Right down the hall, a salon offers hair cuts and styling, manicure and pedicures by appointment.  

Earlier this year, six new dining venues opened, each one offering a distinct menu to suit a variety of tastes and preferences. Options range from grab and go to casual, and from pub dining to a more formal dining room.

Adjacent to the workout rooms is a new physical therapy and rehabilitation suite that includes a replica of a Jefferson’s Ferry apartment that enables residents to easily transfer what they’ve learned during rehabilitation to their own home.  The rehabilitation suite also features an outdoor therapy courtyard with different surface areas and slopes to help residents fare better in a variety of indoor and outdoor environments post rehab.   

The addition of the commons building has made room for an expansion of the Health and Wellness Program.  Residents can now schedule in-house physician visits with doctors and a nurse practitioner who offer office hours at Jefferson’s Ferry.

“Since its opening in 2001 as the first not for profit Life Plan community on Long Island, Jefferson’s Ferry has set the standard for continuing care for older adults, providing a vibrant, caring community and peace of mind to its residents,” concluded Caulfield. “Over our more than 20 years in operation, Jefferson’s Ferry has continued to evolve to meet the changing needs of the people who have made Jefferson’s Ferry their home. Journey Toward Renewal is evidence of our commitment to excellence.”

Jefferson’s Ferry, a not-for-profit Life Plan Community for active adults aged 62 and above, is located at One Jefferson’s Ferry Drive in South Setauket. For more information, call 631-650-2600 or visit www.jeffersonsferry.org

Pictured from left, Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich; Dr. Nikhil Palekar; Brad Straub, Executive Vice President at Greystone; Jefferson’s Ferry President and CEO Bob Caulfield; and Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine. Photo from Jefferson's Ferry

The Jefferson’s Ferry’s Foundation’s annual gala this spring marked 18 years of generous support for the Foundation. Jefferson’s Ferry residents and their families, supporters and vendors joined Jefferson’s Ferry management, staff and board members for “Springtime in Paris” to salute the singular lifestyle, vibrant community and peace of mind that are the hallmarks of Jefferson’s Ferry. 

The proceeds from the evening will benefit the Foundation’s “Making Memories Fund,” which will provide supplemental programming for residents of Jefferson’s Ferry’s new Memory Care Wing to include exercise classes, massage therapy, day trips, entertainment and more. The programs will be geared to participants’ interests and capabilities rather than their limitations. The Fund will also support continuing education for staff of the Memory Care Wing, which is set to open later this year.

This year Jefferson’s Ferry honored Greystone, which has served as the chief consultant for Jefferson’s Ferry’s ambitious expansion project. To accept the award on behalf of Greystone, Brad Straub, Executive Vice President at Greystone, joined the party from Texas.

“Brad has been an invaluable resource and played a leading role in defining how Jefferson’s Ferry can best develop its physical plant, programs and resources to fulfill the current and future needs and desires of our residents,” said Jefferson’s Ferry President and CEO Bob Caulfield. 

“Brad’s expertise and oversight has enabled us to conceptualize and execute a significant expansion and renovation within a reasonable time frame and with the least disruption to our community.”

This year’s keynote speaker was Dr. Nikhil Palekar, Director of the Stony Brook University Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease. Dr. Palekar, an expert in the treatment and research of cognitive and mood disorders in older adults, spoke of promising medical advances in the study of cognitive impairment and mood disorders. For more information visit www.jeffersonsferry.org.

From left, Anthony Comerford, VP Health Services; Kathy Koutouvidis, RN, Assistant Director, Nursing; Patti Gallagher, Director, Environmental Services; Dawn Flowers-Leib, Director, Admissions; Richelle Rugolo, RN, Director, Nursing; and Bob Caulfield, President and CEO, Jefferson’s Ferry Life Plan Community.

For the fifth year in a row, Jefferson’s Ferry Life Plan Community of South Setauket has earned Pinnacle Quality Insight’s Customer Experience Award for outstanding resident satisfaction and overall achievement in the health care industry.  

This award recognizes the dedication of the staff of The Vincent Bove Health Center at Jefferson’s Ferry in providing “Best in Class” service in Skilled Nursing.  Jefferson’s Ferry’s health center scored in the top 15% of skilled nursing facilities nationwide over a 12-month period of study, excelling in  Nursing Care, Cleanliness, Individual Needs, Recommendation to Others, Activities, Admission Process, Safety & Security, and Overall Customer Experience.

“Since our founding more than 20 years ago as Long Island’s first Continuing Care Retirement Community, Jefferson’s Ferry has been committed to providing the highest quality experience in a community setting that promotes dignity, privacy, individuality and independence for every resident,” said Jefferson’s Ferry President and CEO Bob Caulfield. “The Pinnacle Award is a direct reflection of the outstanding work that our employees perform every day. It’s always gratifying to know that our residents recognize our dedication with this vote of confidence.” 

Over the course of 2022, a sampling of residents of the Vincent Bove Health Center and their families participated in monthly telephone interviews that asked open-ended questions to rate their experiences in specific categories.    

Every month, Jefferson’s Ferry staff evaluated the results from the interviews to gain a better understanding of resident needs and make improvements when necessary. 

“In addition to the high marks our residents and their families give us in the Pinnacle survey, they also recommend Jefferson’s Ferry to their friends and family,” added Anthony Comerford, Vice President of Health Service. “Our staff and residents form close relationships based on mutual respect, trust, and quality care.” 

“While we don’t come to work looking to win awards, we always do our very best for our residents and families,” concluded Caulfield. “Our goal is always to provide the people who call Jefferson’s Ferry  home with the means and peace of mind to live their best life here.  It is especially meaningful to know that we are consistently hitting the mark, meeting or exceeding the best standards or practices within our industry.  It’s the people who live and work here that make Jefferson’s Ferry the truly special and vibrant community we know so well.”  

For more information visit www.jeffersonsferry.org

Jefferson's Ferry

Part two of three

Over its 20 years in existence, Jefferson’s Ferry has been home to a significant number of accomplished and creative older adults who have been groundbreakers, innovators, educators and artists. All were original thinkers with a desire to do something that hadn’t been done before, and many of these residents wrote books about their work, which can be found in the Jefferson’s Ferry library collection.

Lee Koppelman: visionary of open space preservation

Lee Koppelman

The Suffolk County landscape would look markedly different if not for Lee Koppelman. He was the first regional planning board director for Suffolk County. An early advocate for the preservation of open space, Koppelman drew up Suffolk’s first comprehensive master plan in 1970 and dominated planning on Long Island from the 1960s until he stepped aside in 2006. A leading professor emeritus at Stony Brook University who still teaches, Koppelman was appointed the director of the Center for Regional Policy Studies there. He is also chairman emeritus of the Town of Brookhaven Open Space and Farmland Acquisition Advisory Committee. The Lee Koppelman Preserve, a parcel of land on the Stony Brook campus, commemorates his stewardship of open space in the county.

The Town of East Hampton has also commemorated his contributions to Long Island’s open space, designating about 800 acres contiguous to and adjacent to Hither Hills State Park as the Lee Koppelman Nature Preserve. Koppelman is the author of 22 books, which include “The Fire Island National Seashore” and “The Urban Sea: Long Island Sound.” He and his wife, Constance, reside in an independent living apartment at Jefferson’s Ferry.

Carol Fenter holding her husband’s book ‘Sex, Drugs and Rock ’n Roll: The Legacy of the Counter-Cultural Revolution.’ Photo from Jefferson’s Ferry

Fred and Carol Fenter; author and wife

As a high school social studies teacher, Fred Fenter had a front-row-center season ticket on the cultural revolution that marked the 1960s and ’70s. From that perspective, in 2008, he penned “Sex, Drugs and Rock ’n Roll: The Legacy of the Counter-Cultural Revolution.” What made his experience particularly radical was the transformation of the ultraconservative Bay Shore High School, a place of separate faculty rooms for men and women, strict dress codes, zero tolerance for even a muttered “hell” or “damn.”

Quite suddenly, to Fenter’s eye, the school swerved to embrace the anti-establishment fervor of the ’60s. Faculty rooms were converted to student space, the dress code disintegrated to rags and teachers had to find new ways to engage the more willful students. 

All of this was anathema to Fenter, who had to drop out of high school and join the U.S. Navy at age 17 to support his family. Upon his return, he finished high school at night while holding a variety of day jobs that included bank teller, shelf stocker at the supermarket and elevator operator. He earned his master’s degree while teaching at Delehanty High School in Queens and Division Avenue High School in Levittown, where he met his future wife Carol. Fred Fenter ultimately taught advanced history honors for 20 years at Bay Shore High School. 

“Fred always wanted to write,” Carol Fenter said. “But with a family of four children to support, he had to put that dream on hold. He worked two jobs, which left little time for writing.” 

After his retirement from teaching, Fred and Carol became among the first residents at Jefferson’s Ferry. They moved in during fall 2001 seeking a lifestyle that suited Carol’s active social life and Fred’s desire to write. “Sex, Drugs and Rock ’n Roll” was written in its entirety at Jefferson’s Ferry.

“He came from nothing,” his wife said. “His father died when he was 14 and life became all work and no play. That made the cultural revolution of the ’60s and ’70s into a particular challenge. During World War II, the U.S. Navy took over control of cargo ships from various importers and shippers to augment its supply fleet. Assigned as a signalman on one of the so-called ‘banana boats,’ Fred never could understand how he survived the war. He didn’t have the youth that his future students would have.”

“He didn’t put himself into the book at all,” she added. “It’s all philosophical. He hits the movements of the times — anti-war, free love, civil rights, feminism — from all different aspects. He had it in his head and wanted to get it out.”

Fred Fenter passed in 2008, but Carol finds plenty to do at Jefferson’s Ferry. She is chair of the residents council, former chair of the Jefferson’s Ferry Foundation, has taught countless residents in her popular computer classes and has installed more than 100 modems in residents’ apartments. While she’s not a writer like her late husband, she is a voracious reader, consuming multiple books each week.

Joan Watson: ‘My Turning Points’

Joan Watson holding her book ‘My Turning Points.’

Dec. 1, 1952, was the last day 12-year-old Joan Watson was tucked into bed feeling safe and secure. Today, as clearly as the day in which it happened, Watson remembers waking up the morning of Dec. 2 to her mother’s suicide. This tragedy was the first “turning point” in Watson’s young life, the day her life changed forever. Gone was the affection of her mother, the family memories and the sense of stability. Unlike her mother, her father wasn’t affectionate. He was very strict and determined that his three children would learn responsibility. Frightened about what her life would be without that special love of her mother, she prayed for God to send someone to love her.

Her challenges didn’t end when years later, she left the family home to marry her high school sweetheart. After three years of marriage, her husband left and moved out of state, leaving her and their two daughters. Watson’s next turning point occurred when she lost her youngest daughter to illness at barely 2 years of age. Watson and her surviving daughter lived with the help of public assistance and Joan’s jobs as a school bus driver and waitress.   

But her story doesn’t end there — it begins anew. Through therapy and her faith in God, she tapped the inner strength and talents that allowed her to begin to take control of her life and start initiating her own turning points. She furthered her education with secretarial school and got a job typing medical records at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Smithtown. Watson began to achieve a modicum of stability and happiness.

A second marriage was full of love and support, giving her the freedom to be her best self. She achieved positions of increased responsibility and reward at work.

Then came another turning point, totally unexpected and serendipitous. While attending a party, Watson learned of a 60-minute program — a company, Mary Kay, was giving away diamonds and minks to reward its salespeople. While still working at the hospital, she started selling Mary Kay products and quickly reached the director level, making real money. Watson excelled at bringing successful consultants into the company by adhering to Mary Kay’s wisdom, “Help enough people get what they want, and you’ll get what you want,” Watson said. What determined her success was the ability to lift her consultants and teach them to do what she did. Mary Kay also taught her about investing. The recognition she received surpassed money as Watson’s motivator. In her eyes, God had sent her the love of many.

Watson wrote “My Turning Points” to make a difference in other peoples’ lives, to help them find their own turning point and make a difference in their lives. “My Turning Points” is among the most popular books in the Jefferson’s Ferry library. Reading the book has also spurred people to open up to her about challenges in their own lives. 

A Jefferson’s Ferry resident for six years, Watson values the community and the ease of her days. When she was widowed after 40 years of marriage 14 years ago, she knew that she’d have to find a continued sense of place and security. She reviewed her expenses and investments, sold her house and found a new home and friends while remaining close to her family. She is retired from Mary Kay, but still mentors and coaches women who have followed in her footsteps at the company. Watson’s pink Cadillac, parked outside her apartment, continues to be a conversation piece.

Linda Kolakowski is vice president of Residential Life at Jefferson’s Ferry Life Plan Community in South Setauket.

The Jefferson’s Ferry Foundation in South Setauket hosts a virtual Paint Night fundraiser on Tuesday, May 18 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Create the above painting from the comfort of your own home. No painting skills necessary. All supplies will be available for pick up at Jefferson’s Ferry. Cost is $25 per person. Go to www.jeffersonsferry.org and choose the “Giving” tab. Deadline to register is May 11. For more information, call 631-675-5507.

From left, Richelle Rugolo and Debbie Loggia (Photo from Jefferson's Ferry)
Jefferson’s Ferry in South Setauket recognized two employees for their outstanding commitment and exceptional care and leadership at the award-winning life plan community located at One Jefferson Ferry Drive. Director of Nursing Richelle Rugolo was named Manager of the Year and Certified Nursing Assistant Debbie Loggia was named Employee of the Year. The announcement was made by Jefferson’s Ferry CEO Bob Caulfield.

“2020, though one of the most challenging we’ve faced due to COVID-19, showcased the caliber, dedication, and heart of our employees,” said Caulfield. “Individuals like Richelle and Debbie protect and care for our residents, inspire our teams, and exceed the high standards we set for ourselves as a premier life plan community.”

Rugolo has served as the director of nursing at Jefferson’s Ferry for six years. Under her leadership, Jefferson’s Ferry has resulted in an overall 5 Star Rating by ​The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and was named a “Best Of” nursing home by U.S. News & World Report.

“Richelle consistently strives for exceptional outcomes and manages performance to the highest standards which are reflected in the results of our third-party satisfaction surveys and NY State Department of Health surveys,” said Caulfield. “She’s a respected professional whose sound leadership created a safe haven for both residents and staff.”

Loggia joined Jefferson’s Ferry as a certified nursing assistant in 2011. “Debbie is a dedicated and respected member of the nursing team, who cares for residents with a smile and a positive attitude,” said Caulfield.

Residents and families express their respect and appreciation for Debbie through surveys and positive messages, and recognize her as an advocate, always trying to better accommodate residents’ needs.