Shu Jing, PharmD, MS, is the Senior Director of Pharmacy at CenterLight Healthcare Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). In this video, Shu speaks about the role of the Pharmacy Team in providing care to our participants.
Video approved on HPMS: H3329 CL_ShuTestimonial Approved 12172025
Last Updated December 17, 2025
Michelle Van Etten, Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (TRS) at CenterLight Healthcare Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), is celebrating 25 years at the organization in 2025. We spoke to Michelle about her commitment to CenterLight participants and to making a difference in their lives.
Growing up, I was always interested in recreation, crafts, and being creative. As a teenager, I worked as a camp counselor and later with an organization which supported people with disabilities. I loved taking them on trips and engaging them in activities. I originally planned on going to college for occupational therapy before I discovered Therapeutic Recreation.
After working in assisted living and nursing homes, I realized I wanted something different. In those settings, I often felt unfulfilled leaving at the end of the day because the patients stayed behind.
Then I came across CenterLight in 2000, I had only been out of school about a year. I immediately loved the concept and mission: keeping participants in their homes while still offering a place where they could socialize, eat meals, and take part in activities. It reminded me of a school for older adults, with a day full of programs and then the comfort of returning home afterward.
That’s also when I started the painting group. A few participants were looking for something new, and since I’ve always loved art, I introduced it. They quickly embraced it, and it’s grown into a central part of my work ever since.
I like to greet every participant individually. It’s important to me to connect personally. After breakfast, we begin morning activities. Sometimes that’s the painting group in our dedicated art room, which makes participants feel special, like true artists with their own studio.
Afternoons might include entertainment, adaptive sports, trivia, bingo, or word games. We make sure there’s variety so everyone has something they enjoy. Beyond activities, we’re also part of the care team. Participants often come to us with concerns, and since we spend so much time with them, we help triage and connect them with the right support.
Seeing participants build confidence. So many came in saying, “I can’t paint,” and then they surprise themselves. I’d start simple like holding a brush, dabbing paint, drawing a heart and watch their skills grow. The joy and pride they feel in their work is the most rewarding part.
Some participants even shared that when they were younger, opportunities like this weren’t available to them, especially for women. So being able to give them this chance now means a lot.
During COVID, I started virtual painting sessions. I FaceTimed with participants and we had supplies sent to their homes. Even though we were apart, we could still paint together. That experience reminded me how important creativity and connection are, and it’s one of my favorite memories.
The appreciation, kindness, and thoughtfulness of the participants when I see them. They make me happy--they've become like part of my family.
I also have had so much support from my managers and my department. Anytime I've had an idea or wanted to try something new for the participants, they work with me to make it happen.
I want to help each participant reach their full capability with their creativity and art skills. I want to bring everybody up, from being a beginner to where they could say, "I'm really an artist!" It is my goal to do this for as many participants as possible.
H3329 Blog_NoPOInfo_Michelle
Last updated October 15, 2025
Arianna Corretjer, Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, is celebrating her 35th year at CenterLight in 2025. Arianna considers participants part of her family. In her own words:
H3329 AriannaVideo_NoPOInfo
Last Updated June 5, 2025
Tatyana Brisman, PT, is celebrating her 20th year of working at CenterLight Healthcare Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) in 2025. We spoke with Tatyana to learn more about her journey as a physical therapy and rehabilitation professional.
I began my journey with CenterLight Healthcare PACE in July 2005 as a Senior Physical Therapist. Just one year into my role, I was honored to be promoted to Rehabilitation Manager—a position that allowed me to grow both professionally and personally.
Over the years, my responsibilities have evolved, but my mission has remained the same: to ensure our participants are safe in their communities by providing high quality care and being a supportive, collaborative member of the care team.
Working in healthcare and rehabilitation is incredibly rewarding. The greatest joy comes from helping participants reach their maximum level of function and seeing their quality of life improve. Whether it’s helping someone walk again after orthopedic surgery, supporting stroke recovery, or reducing pain and restoring mobility—every success story is a powerful reminder of why I chose this career.
Some of the most meaningful moments come from simple yet impactful interventions, like conducting a Home Safety Evaluation that helps someone remain safely in their home. Seeing a participant regain independence, walk more confidently, or even cry tears of joy after recovery—those are the moments that make this work truly worthwhile.
My advice to anyone in this field: always put participants first. Be compassionate, be a team player, and strive to create a family-like environment. Embrace change, be willing to learn, and grow with the fast-paced nature of healthcare.
Being a Physical Therapist is more than just a job—it’s a calling. And I’m grateful every day to be part of a field that makes such a difference in people's lives.
Tatyana Brisman, Physical Therapist and Regional Rehabilitation Manager at CenterLight Healthcare PACE.
H3329 Tatyana NoPOInfo
Updated 05162025
Social Workers are important members of the CenterLight Healthcare Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Interdisciplinary Team (IDT). Every day, our social work professionals collaborate with the rest of the care team to help our participants continue to live safely and independently in their own homes and communities. In this blog post, Kim Sodano, LCSW, LNHA, Director of Social Work at CenterLight Healthcare PACE, discusses the role of social workers in the IDT.
Social workers provide counseling, emotional support, referrals, entitlement assistance, and more. CenterLight PACE participants know that social workers are part of their care team, and that they can come to us if they have a question, need assistance, or if they received a bill that they don't understand. We're here to guide them and be there for them as they keep up with the pace of aging.
As part of the IDT, social workers are involved in the discussion of effective treatment and any other issues that may affect our participants' care. We make sure that all aspects of the their situation is taken into consideration in their plan of care and addressed accordingly.
CenterLight Healthcare PACE participants are assigned a social worker who gets to know them--not only their medical diagnoses, but also their social, behavioral, emotional, and basic needs. Since we are based at the PACE centers, we are always available if they need assistance. Our participants can also call us, and we meet with them at the PACE centers or in their own homes.
I became a social worker to make a positive impact toward social change. Being an advocate for individuals and communities while witnessing resilience and transformation is extremely rewarding.
Kim Sodano, LCSW, LNHA, is the Director of Social Work at CenterLight Healthcare PACE.
H3329_SocialWork2025Blog Approved 02202025
Last updated January 15, 2025
What do you see first when you enter a building? What makes you feel at home? What makes a place feel warm and inviting, aside from the people in it?
Walk into one of CenterLight Healthcare Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly’s (PACE) eleven centers, and you will be welcomed by colorful, beautiful photography at the lobby, courtesy of Angie Lavigat, Assistant Vice President of Network and Vendor Contracting.
We spoke with Angie about what it’s like sharing the gift of photography with CenterLight PACE participants and staff. Here are some of the highlights from our conversation.
I have always taken photos, even when I was young. I started taking photos professionally about 10 years ago. It’s a privilege being involved in special events in people’s lives. And now that my photographs are mostly of nature, I love capturing the beauty around us.
Photography is a way of freezing time. I love remembering moments captured in a single frame, those special memories and feelings evoked by pictures.
I was working with colleagues on a special beautification project. The centers are full of life and warmth from the people in them. Our participants and staff make the sites a beautiful place to be just with who they are as people. But when you look around, the space was missing something. That is when the idea of putting up photos that our participants, staff, and visitors would enjoy and love to look at came about.
I feel honored that the pictures I took were chosen to be displayed at the sites. CenterLight is very special to me, as I have been working here for 30 years. I started taking more photos of gardens and flowers especially for this project on my own time, including ones that I took at a trip to the Desert Botanical Garden in Arizona and some from the Orange County Arboretum. It was a labor of love. I wanted to make sure that the photos are perfect, because our participants and staff deserve nothing less.
At CenterLight PACE, our mission is to help enrich the lives of those we serve. I am thankful that I can be even a small part of fulfilling it every day, and that when our participants come into our PACE centers, they will see the photos I’ve taken. It’s the best feeling when I hear that the displays brought smiles to people’s faces. I even heard that someone cried after seeing the pictures. I feel emotional and very humbled knowing that I am able to share beauty through my photography, and that it has made a difference in someone’s day.
I am very rooted at CenterLight. It is like a second home to me, just like it’s a second home to our participants who attend the centers and to my coworkers. I could not think of a better place for my photography to be in, than in a place that holds such deep meaning for so many.
When participants, staff, and visitors look at my photos, I want them to look at the beauty of nature and remember that no matter what, life is beautiful.
Enjoy a few of Angie's photos below!
(Please click on the photo to view high resolution versions.)
Art is a big part of life at CenterLight Healthcare PACE Centers. Look out for announcements regarding our Participant Art Exhibit, coming soon!
H3329 Blog_NoPOInfo_Angie
Last updated March 17, 2025
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.
H3329 CLPACEWebsite Approved 10222024
Last Updated on December 22, 2025© 2025 CenterLight Healthcare. All rights reserved. Site Map | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | HIPAA Privacy Notice | Notice of Non-Discrimination
