Westchester, NY – June 8, 2024 – CenterLight Healthcare Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) participants are natural artists! The Therapeutic Recreation Department holds art classes to help participants express themselves creatively. Here are some photos from this week's art event.
Westchester, NY – March 15, 2024 – Pup-Pup-Hooray! Our CenterLight Healthcare Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) participants were excited to meet Brody, a certified pet therapy dog. This type of interaction has been shown to improve physical, emotional, social, and cognitive well-being. It's clear that our participants enjoyed the special visit!
New Alternative Care Setting to provide more than 100 programs and activities per month designed especially for CenterLight Healthcare PACE participants within the South Asian community
Jamaica, Queens - December 13, 2023 – CenterLight Healthcare PACE announced the grand opening of its new South Asian Cultural Alternative Care Setting (ACS)* in Jamaica, Queens during an open-house event held on December 12. Attendees heard welcome remarks from CenterLight Healthcare PACE President/CEO Tara Buonocore-Rut and VP & Chief Strategy Officer Shaun Ruskin; toured the new facility; took part in cultural activities like dance; and dined on traditional South Asian menu offerings.
The new Alternative Care Setting (ACS), located at 97-35 Allendale St., is designed to meet the social and cultural needs of South Asian seniors in the community who participate with CenterLight Healthcare PACE, a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, serving adults 55+.
“We saw a distinct need to offer culturally sensitive services to the South Asian population and the opening of the new South Asian Cultural Center will offer our CenterLight PACE participants an opportunity to share in activities, meals and just be together and socialize,” said Tara Buonocore-Rut, President and CEO of CenterLight Healthcare PACE. “The addition of this Alternative Care Setting (ACS) will help us achieve our goal to improve the overall health and well-being of our participants who continue to live independently at home and in their communities.”
The facility will provide more than 100 programs and activities per month, including cultural celebrations such as Holi, Diwali, and Eid. Participants will have access to dedicated prayer, meditation, and Wudu rooms, as well as daily menu offerings featuring traditional South Asian food. Daily activities will include yoga, meditation, canvas painting, cooking classes, jewelry making, crafts, herbal teatime, sewing, crocheting, and English as a second language classes.
“Physicians usually talk about medications, doctor visits and tests but social interaction is so important for overall health and well-being. Our senior participants need a sense of purpose and a sense of being. And that’s what our centers are all about,” said CenterLight Healthcare PACE Chief Medical Officer Ziad Farah, MD. “This Alternative Care Setting caters to the diverse needs of the South Asian community.”
The new CenterLight Healthcare PACE South Asian Cultural Center will initially be open from 8am to 5pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, with a Monday through Friday schedule offering in the future.
About CenterLight Healthcare PACE
CenterLight Healthcare PACE, a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, serves adults 55+ throughout New York City, Westchester, Nassau, and Western Suffolk Counties. Designed for those with Medicare and/or Medicaid, the program empowers older adults to continue to live independently at home and in their communities. CenterLight’s PACE program is the largest nonprofit PACE in the country and operates 11 PACE centers and one Alternative Care Setting where participants can receive medical and personal care, rehabilitation, social interaction, meals, prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications, transportation and recreational activities. Providing culturally sensitive care to thousands of New Yorkers daily, the staff speaks over 25 languages and dialects. CenterLight’s dedicated interdisciplinary team (IDT) includes, but is not limited to, doctors, nurses, physical therapists, nutritionists, recreational therapists, and other professionals who work together to provide care as unique as the diverse participants enrolled in the plan. Learn more at www.centerlighthealthcare.org.
*About Alternative Care Settings
PACE Centers provide primary care, including physician and nursing services; social services; restorative therapies, including physical therapy and occupational therapy; personal care and supportive services; nutritional services; nutritional counseling; recreational therapy and meals.
**CenterLight PACE also has Alternative Care Settings, which are an option for participants who prefer a smaller, more intimate setting to receive on-site socialization, social services, personal care services, therapeutic recreation and meals. Other center-based services, such as primary care physician services, nursing and rehabilitation are offered at our PACE Centers.
Media contact:
FischTank PR for CenterLight Healthcare PACE
centerlight@fischtankpr.com
marketingcommunication@centerlight.org
Westchester, NY – August 21, 2023 – CenterLight Healthcare Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) held a special Senior Prom at its Westchester Center. Participants showed off their style and donned their prom attire. They even voted for a Prom King and Queen! Below are photos from this fun event.
Flushing, NY – May 15, 2023 – Juana & Santiago have been CenterLight PACE participants since 2011. At 82 and 102 years old respectively, they showed us all how they are seriously Keeping up with the PACE of Aging at yesterday's hopping 65th Wedding Anniversary at our Flushing (DHC) Day Health Center!
The couple have been CenterLight PACE Participants for almost 13 years. They got married in the Dominican Republic in 1952. After having 7 children, they immigrated to Queens in 1996. They now have 24 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren. Many family members joined their CenterLight family at our DHC for wedding games, traditional Dominican food and cake, live entertainment, and tons of dancing!
Juana and Santiago have made many friends at the DHC in their decade+ here. Juana lost her eyesight when she was 45, yet still learned to crochet at the DHC and has been creating hats, scarfs, and bags ever since. A woman of strong faith, Juana says that learning to crochet was a great blessing to her - she finds it’s therapeutic and relaxing.
CenterLight PACE Therapeutic Recreation Specialist Martha has developed a close relationship with them over the years and tells us that Juana is “very social, always happy, has a great sense of humor, and is a great dancer.” Likewise, she says that Santiago is also very social and is “always in good spirits, making friends” and loves music, dancing and playing dominoes.
In addition to many of CenterLight staff, President & CEO Tara Buonocore-Rut, and Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Shaun Ruskin, stopped by to offer their congratulations and take part in the merriment. Some press even came out to cover the Urena's story - one that is truly inspiring & beautiful!
Several local press outlets came to cover this incredible story! Check out the stories by clicking on the links below.
Couple Celebrates 65th Wedding Anniversary at Flushing Health Center
QNS, Flushing Post, May 19, 2023
Historias de inmigrantes: Juana y Santiago Ureña, 65 años de casados
NY1 Noticias, May 19, 2023
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State Department of Health (NYSDOH). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYSDOH. Participants may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services. Upon enrollment, the PACE program will be the participant’s sole service provider. Participants will have access to all services needed as identified by the Interdisciplinary Team, but not to a specific provider of these services. Please contact us for more information.
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