November 20, 2018
Contact: Alexandra Zendrian
Director of Public Relations
Northwell Health
(516) 350-3014
azendrian@northwell.edu
RIVERHEAD, NY – Thanks to a donation from local philanthropist and cultural pioneer Judith A. Jedlicka, Peconic Bay Medical Center will open its new Caregivers Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, November 20, 2018, at 9:30 am. One of Long Island’s first hospital-based resource centers expressly dedicated to providing support services for patients’ family members, the caregivers’ support program recognizes the vital but often stressful role of family caregivers in providing the best care for loved ones, not just during a hospital stay, but during the recovery period that follows when loved ones return home.
“The need for support for family caregivers was dramatized for me when I was in that role caring for my father,” said Ms. Jedlicka, who is well-known for her support for Long Island cultural and civic organizations, including as a member of Peconic Bay Medical Center’s Patient & Family Advisory Council and the Foundation Board. “I spent long hours with him in hospitals during his battle with lung cancer, and during his periods at home I had to figure out how to find portable oxygen devices and other medical equipment for him. Those were daunting tasks for someone not familiar with healthcare organizations and without a ready-made support system.”
The new Caregivers Center will be located right off the main lobby of Peconic Bay Medical Center and will provide a comforting place for caregivers to take a break between visits with family members who are in the hospital. In addition to light snacks and beverages, the center will also be the home for the team of volunteer coaches who provide coaching and counseling for caregivers who are seeking more strategic support. The center will also serve as a referral for community-based resources that could be helpful for caregivers and patients returning home from the hospital.
“We are tremendously grateful to our great friend, Judi Jedlicka, for supporting this worthy project,” said Andrew J. Mitchell, President and CEO of Peconic Bay Medical Center. “The Caregivers Center helps us fulfill our mission to provide compassionate care for the entire family. It also helps us provide recognition to the family caregivers who for too long have been the unsung heroes of healthcare. The future of healthcare is not just about the latest technology. It’s also about providing the best possible support for the entire healthcare delivery team, which includes the patients and their families.”
“Resources like this were unheard of when I was caring for my father,” said Ms. Jedlicka. “Many of my friends have shared similar stories with me about their experiences. When the opportunity to support this initiative was presented to me by the Peconic Bay Medical Center Foundation, I was excited to be part of it.”
“My father helped and cared for others throughout his life,” said Ms. Jedlicka. “He hired and supported young people with disabilities. He coached several of their sports teams. He volunteered in food banks and in food kitchens and provided transportation and other services for senior and Alzheimer’s patients. He was the ultimate caregiver. I know he would be thrilled and appreciate this gift in his name.”
Community members interested in learning more about how they can support the center should call the PBMC Foundation at (631) 548-6080.
Patients and families can reach the Caregivers Center at (631) 548-6259.
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About Peconic Bay Medical Center
Located in Riverhead, NY, Peconic Bay Medical Center is a non-profit hospital committed to providing exceptional care and improving the health of the communities it serves. Peconic Bay Medical Center offers wide-ranging, full-scope services and programs along with state-of-art technology. Peconic Bay Medical Center joined Northwell Health in 2016. For more information, visit PBMCHealth.org.
About Northwell Health
Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, 665 outpatient facilities and more than 18,500 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 66,000 employees – 16,000-plus nurses and 4,000 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu.
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Photo #1 caption:
Judith A. Jedlicka (center, holding scissors) with various Peconic Bay Medical Center Board members, Executive Staff and Peconic Bay Medical Center, Andrew J. Mitchell (back row) cutting ribbon for brand new Caregivers Center at Peconic Bay Medical Center
Photo #2 caption: (from left to right):
Tara Anglim, Director of Patient & Family Centered Care, Peconic Bay Medical Center, Andrew J. Mitchell, President & CEO, Peconic Bay Medical Center, Judith A. Jedlicka, Board Member, Peconic Bay Medical Center & Founding Donor of Caregivers Center, Dr. Maria Carney, Medical Director, Geriatric Medicine, Northwell Health