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Phoebe Ministries is Recognized as a Top Workplace in the Lehigh Valley

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Category: Phoebe Ministries

Created on Friday, 01 March 2013 15:13

Allentown, PA - Phoebe Ministries has been recognized as a Top Workplace in the Lehigh Valley in a contest facilitated by The Morning Call and WorkplaceDynamics, a Philadelphia-based research company, through Phoebe’s Marketing and Human Resources offices.

The winners were unveiled at a reception hosted by The Morning Call on Wednesday, February 27. Phoebe was awarded the Top Workplace distinction in the Large Employers category. Other companies in the category include Northampton Community College, Muhlenberg College, Country Meadows Retirement Community and Just Born, Inc.

“Phoebe’s employees remain the backbone of our organization. Their opinions of Phoebe’s culture, values, and management style placed us among other leaders in the Valley to be named a Top Workplace,” says Scott Stevenson, President and CEO, Phoebe Ministries.

To determine the recognition, a random group of Phoebe employees at the Allentown, Richland, and Berks communities were surveyed. The Phoebe Wyncote community did not fall in the Lehigh Valley region, so those employees were not included in the sample of employees surveyed.

“Phoebe’s core purpose is to deliver the highest quality care to our residents, and it is our employees who make this possible every day.  Being recognized as a Top Workplace, based on our employees’ feedback, confirms that Phoebe is investing in and caring for our employees so they can focus on our residents’ care and wellbeing,” says Glenn Stine, Director of Human Resources, Phoebe Ministries.

WorkplaceDynamics surveyed companies employing a total of 18,869 workers in the Lehigh Valley and more than 7,000 surveys were completed. The Morning Call is running a special Top Workplaces section on Sunday, March 3rd. The publication will feature more information about the process and the award winners.

“I am extremely thankful and pleased with the feedback. Our employees also provided comments on how Phoebe can continue to grow and improve as an organization, which is invaluable information for Phoebe’s continued success,” adds Stevenson.

To read more about Phoebe Ministries' award of the Top Workplace distinction, see The Morning Call's article HERE.

Kelly O'Shea Carney, PH.D., CMC, Executive Director of the Phoebe Center for Excellence in Dementia Care, Authors Article on Understanding Dementia

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Category: Phoebe Ministries

Created on Thursday, 28 February 2013 14:30

Allentown, PA- Phoebe Ministries and Morningstar Senior Living have joined forces to host a series of information sessions featuring Kelly O’Shea Carney, PH.D., CMC, Executive Director of the Phoebe Center for Excellence in Dementia Care. The programs serve to educate caregivers, professionals and community members who are affected by dementia-related diseases. Dr. O’Shea Carney has authored an article entitled Understanding Dementia: Why They Do What They Do, in support of this programming.

An excerpt reads:
Family caregivers for individuals with dementia often struggle to understand the many changes they see in their loved one.  An individual who was once gentle, considerate of the feelings of others and very careful about their appearance may become difficult to get along with, insulting and unaware of their hygiene.  Moreover, as the family member attempts to be helpful by keeping their loved one safe, clean and well cared for, the caregiver may become the target of anger, insults and even aggression in the process.  These changes can be extremely difficult to comprehend in a person that the caregiver has known and loved for many years.  In fact, the unfamiliar behaviors may be better understood and accepted by people who did not know the individual before he or she became ill, leaving the caregiver feeling even more confused and discouraged.  Why do people with Alzheimer’s do the things they do?  And what is a family caregiver to do in response?

The entire article is available for download here: Understanding Dementia: Why They Do What They Do

Phoebe Berks Premiers Virtual Reality Rehab System

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Category: Phoebe Berks

Created on Wednesday, 27 February 2013 10:35

Wernersville, PA- Phoebe Berks offers comprehensive short-term rehabilitation services including physical, speech, occupational, and aquatic therapy.  At a rehab open house in October, Phoebe Berks introduced OmniVR™, a virtual reality augmented therapy system known as the world’s first virtual rehabilitation system for senior adults.

OmniVR™ operates by using a 3D camera that captures the patient’s actual movement and does not require extra materials like a mat or remote while performing an exercise. According to Chris Kwiatkowski, a Physical Therapist Assistant at Phoebe Berks, The OmniVR™ system benefits therapists by keeping the staff up-to-date with new treatment strategies.
 
Kwiatkowski adds, “It has been a motivating factor for patients in that they feel immersed in an activity which may relate to one of their normal activities of daily living. Sometimes it is something they have been unable to do and are now able to enjoy this activity in virtual reality.” 

The system has six multi-disciplinary exercise programs and three assessment tools that concentrate and identify different areas of recovery and their progression in treatment. Patients can perform these exercises at different levels based on their performance ability.   

The OmniVR™ at Phoebe Berks has provided Phoebe therapists a new, innovative way of making therapy easier and more effective for patients, and helps patients understand their level of strength and development through their recuperating process. The six multi-disciplinary exercise programs include:
• Seated Exercises: Patients are required to move arms, legs, and lean in various directions while seated.
• Wheelchair Control: Patients who are dependent on wheelchairs are able to partake in exercises that require moving in various directions with the use  of their wheelchair.
• Walking Exercises: In these exercises, patients are required to avoid obstacles by walking in place with the option of moving left, right, or stepping-up to get over objects.
• Balance Exercises: Patients are challenged to use their ankle, hip and foot to step during balance exercises.
• Upper Extremity Exercises: Patients are required to complete these exercises by extending their upper body to its maximum limit.
• Cognitive exercises: This exercise allows patients to practice and train cognitive skills and memory.

To learn more about services offered at Phoebe Berks and coming soon to other Phoebe communities, please visit www.phoebe.org/berks or call 610.927.8200.

Phoebe Services Pharmacy Enters Affiliation With University of the Sciences, Philadelphia

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Category: Phoebe Ministries

Created on Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:57

Allentown, PA- Phoebe Services Pharmacy is pleased to announce it has entered into an educational affiliation agreement with the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (USP) effective May 2013.
 
Phoebe will serve as an advanced pharmacy practice elective rotation site for pharmacy students seeking experience in long-term care during their final year of training. During the five week rotation, students are exposed to all aspects of long-term care pharmacy, both in the pharmacy and in skilled nursing facilities.
 
Shane Lawrence, PharmD, Director of Clinical Pharmacy Services, will serve as preceptor and supervise students while engaged in clinical and consulting pharmacy activities. Cindy Richart, RPh, Director of Pharmacy Operations, will supervise students while participating in medication dispensing. Phoebe Services Pharmacy also has similar educational affiliation agreements with Wilkes University and the University of Pittsburgh.
   
Phoebe Services Pharmacy, a division of Phoebe Ministries, provides a complete line of pharmaceutical dispensing and consulting services to all Phoebe communities and other long term care organizations. The goal of Phoebe Services Pharmacy is to ensure efficient, consistent and quality services to the residents in our care.