National Rehabilitation Awareness Week 2020

In honor of National Rehabilitation Awareness Week, we took the opportunity to ask our incredible Director of Rehabilitation, all about her job!

What is your job title?

Director of Rehabilitation Services, but by profession, I am an Occupational Therapist.

How many therapists are on the rehab team? (Full time and Per Diem)

Speech Therapists: Jennifer Boothe, Kristen McCormack, Kourtney Agugliaro
Physical Therapists: Michelle Wolff, Chandni Patel, Aayushi Boghra, Dominic Olivo, Ryan Minong, Juliet Waga-Castro
Physical Therapy Assistants: Susan Mazza, Lorraine Kimmelman, Edit Punk, Ana Garcia
Occupational Therapists: Asha George, Niki Ioannou, Snehal Shevade, Deepika Morjaria, Stephen Eisenhardt, Christopher Jovino, Mai Comeros, Lynn Fiore, Taylor Greco, Kathleen Jade Malasig, Nita Patel
Occupational Therapy Assistants: Jessica Bremy, Rasika Mahadik, Joshua McMinn, Dominick Cataudella,

What makes working at Morris View special?

What makes working at Morris View so special is the residents that we work with every day. Seeing them with a smile on their face when we pass by or stop to have a conversation with them, is the most rewarding part of the job. They make the job worthwhile and satisfying.

Has your work changed during Corona, and if so, how?

Since Covid began, there have been changes in the building, but one thing that is constant, is the residents in the building. Rehab has been focused on making sure there is no decline in the resident’s functional capabilities, since they have more restrictions within the unit and not being able to see their families in person. So what has changed is making sure we make more visits to the units and the patient’s rooms, which is more essential now, to ensure they are still able to do their functional tasks and have a social visit.

What is your favorite part of the job?

My favorite part of the job, is seeing the interactions between the staff and the residents, as we have to remember we are stepping into their “home”. From bringing them their favorite snacks to their favorite magazines, I see the staff in this building sitting with residents and playing their favorite music while conversing about their memories from their younger days. It is just great to see the gap between the generations close when they can find common ground.

Our staff ranges from experienced therapists to new graduates, which we are able to learn from one another. I have therapists here from before Select Rehab entered the building.

Happy National Rehabilitation Awareness Week!