St. Ann's Hires Two Nurses

Cori Averill, M.S.N., R.N. of Henrietta was recently hired as the Infection Control Nurse at St. Ann's Community. Averill is responsible for infection prevention and surveillance. She was previously employed at Monroe Community Hospital as the Infection Control Nurse and Employee Health Nurse.

Ly Ly Delles, R.N., M.S., G.N.P. of Greece was recently hired as the Fifth Floor Nurse Manager at St. Ann's Home. Delles is responsible for the 24-hour operation of the floor, including compassionate resident care and oversight of employees. Delles was previously employed by Rochester General Health as an R.N. Clinician.

St. Ann's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, a transitional care program, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area.

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St. Ann's Hires one Professional and Promotes Another

Kathy Hamlin, RN of Hilton was recently hired as Fourth Floor Manager for St. Ann 's Home. Hamlin will oversee the daily activities and staff on the floor. She previously worked as a Nurse Manager at Latta Road Nursing Home.

Rachel Holmes, RN, BSN of Webster was recently promoted from Nursing Supervisor to Sixth Floor Manager at St. Ann 's Home. Holmes will oversee the daily activities and staff on the floor. She has been employed with St. Ann 's Community since 1994.

St. Ann 's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, a transitional care program, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area.

For more information about St. Ann 's Community please call 585-697-6000

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St. Ann’s Foundation ads two new board members

Rachel Brody Bandych, Senior Counsel at Underberg, & Kessler, LLP, and Anthony J. DiBarnaba, Co-founder and President of Benefit Resource.

St. Ann’s Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann’s includes two licensed and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, a transitional care program, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area.

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Aquinas Freshmen Give Gifts to St. Ann's Adult Day Participants

On Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 10:30am, about five Adult Day Service participants from St. Ann’s Community will travel to Aquinas High School where they will meet many of the school’s ninth graders and receive 163 gifts that were purchased and wrapped by the students. The five participants will then take the gifts back to St. Ann’s Community, where Santa will distribute them to the approximately 130 adult day service participants at a later date.

Students provide these gifts of gloves, blankets, word searches and other small, unisex items, because the adult day participants “may not have loved ones to give them gifts or their families may not have money for presents,” said Vicki Bond, an adult day recreation therapist. “We take gifts for granted, but they’re happy to receive anything.”

Mary Kay Oberst, the freshman theology teacher at Aquinas who headed up the school’s project said, “Here at Aquinas we try instill the Basilian virtues of goodness, discipline and knowledge in all that we do. I feel that this small outreach to our senior community is just one example of living out the message of Jesus during this beautiful season.”

Most participants will receive their gifts during the Adult Day Service Holiday party on Thursday, December 17th. Santa will hand out the treasures to the participants of St. Ann’s three adult day programs: Home Connection, Home and Heart of Penfield and Home and Heart of Sacred Heart Cathedral.

This is the second year Aquinas has partnered with St. Ann’s Community for the gift exchange.

St. Ann’s outpatient adult day programs provide comprehensive health care and socialization to the elderly, chronically ill and disabled individuals in a group setting. Adult Day Services is an important, cost-effective part of the continuum at St. Ann’s Community. To find out more about Adult Day Services, call 697–6361 or find us on the web at www.stannscommunity.com.


St. Ann’s Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. These include: two licensed and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.
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ST. ANN’S AWARDED HEAL NY GRANT

Irondequoit & Webster, NY, September 25, 2009: The recent announcement that St. Ann’s has been awarded a HEAL NY grant is outstanding news for both our community and seniors in the greater Rochester area, in terms of the services and care we offer local families. It will also bring significant economic development benefits to this region.

This $17.5 million grant allows St. Ann’s to move forward with its long-term vision of enhancing our St. Ann’s and Cherry Ridge campuses, and expanding our full continuum of care we provide seniors. The grant money will address aging buildings and modernize our Irondequoit campus. When combined with an investment from St. Ann’s, the grant will allow us to begin moving forward with plans and approvals for construction projects to create:

· A new state-of-the-art Transitional Care Center and expanded Palliative Care Center on the St. Ann’s campus in Irondequoit, designed to meet the community need for more short-term rehabilitative stays and palliative care.

· A new skilled nursing and transitional care center on the Cherry Ridge campus in Webster to serve our Cherry Ridge residents and the surrounding area.

These projects are vital to the future of St. Ann’s and Cherry Ridge, because they will create state-of-the-art environments for us to efficiently deliver quality, personalized care to today’s seniors. These individuals are entering skilled nursing much later in life than those in previous generations, and therefore require more complex care. It will also provide our current residents with a choice of new residences, as well as access to a more specialized continuum of care.

“Receiving this award is a culmination of over two years of intensive planning as we respond to future needs of seniors in our community,” said Elizabeth Mullin-DiProsa, President & CEO, St. Ann’s Community. “We are honored and grateful for the confidence of Governor Patterson, along with our local delegation, in making this possible.”

The first step in the process is for us to meet with residents, family members, staff members and others closely associated with our Irondequoit and Webster campuses to share our strategic long-term plans for St. Ann’s and Cherry Ridge. We will be announcing more details once we have had a chance to discuss our vision with everyone on our campuses.

St. Ann’s Community, one of Rochester’s largest private employers, provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann’s includes: two licensed and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, a transitional care program, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care, a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency. For more information about St. Ann’s Community please call 585-697-6000 or visit www.stannscommunity.com.
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Sue Murty, LMSW is promoted and 2 new employees are hired

Sue Murty, LMSW of Rochester was recently promoted to Associate Administrator for St. Ann 's Home and The Heritage. Murty will oversee staff development and the Social Work, Pharmacy and Food Service departments. Murty previously worked as the Director of Social Work and has been employed by St. Ann 's Community for eight years.

Slawomir Prusakowski of Webster was recently promoted to Sous Chef at Cherry Ridge, a St. Ann 's Community. Prusakowski will oversee the menu and Cooks. He previously worked as a Cook and has been employed at Cherry Ridge for four years.

Valerie Hamann, RPAC of Rochester was recently hired as a Physician Assistant. Hamann will care for transitional care patients and long term care residents. She was previously employed by Rochester General Hospital as a Physician Assistant.

St. Ann 's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, a transitional care program, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric

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St. Ann's Promotes two and Hires an Executive Chef at Cherry Ridge

Elizabeth Tomaszczuk, RN, BS of Webster was recently promoted to Director of Nursing for The Heritage, a St. Ann 's Community. Tomaszczuk will oversee The Heritage's day to day operations and continue creating home for residents and a pleasant work environment for staff. Tomaszczuk previously worked as the Nurse Manager of the Special Care Unit and has been employed by St. Ann 's Community for 21 years.

Regina Maye, LPN of Rochester was recently promoted to a Senior LPN in The Heritage, a St. Ann 's Community. Maye's responsibilities include overseeing the care of 44 residents and the nursing staff who work closely with them. She was previously an LPN in  St. Ann 's Home.

David Festenstein of Brighton was recently hired as Executive Chef at Cherry Ridge, a St. Ann 's Community in Webster. Festenstein will be responsible for menu development, culinary development and cooking. He was previously employed by St. John Fisher College as Executive Chef.

St. Ann’s Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann’s includes two licensed and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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St. Ann 's Community promotes one and hires two

Kim Basta of West Irondequoit was recently promoted to Director of Transitional Care. Basta will oversee operations of the Transitional Care Unit, where patients receive short-term rehabilitation after a surgery or hospital stay. Formerly, Basta was a Nurse Practitioner on the Transitional Care Unit. She has been employed at St. Ann 's Community for over two years.

Mary McDowell of Penfield was recently hired as the Site Coordinator for Home and Heart of Penfield, a social day program run by St. Ann 's Community. In her new role, McDowell will oversee all the general day-to-day operations of the program including admissions, staffing and programming. McDowell was formerly employed by Generations Child and Elder Care as Site Director.

Regina Wise, RPA-C of Webster was recently hired as a Physician Assistant in St. Ann 's Transitional Care Unit where she will care for rehabilitation patients. Wise was previously employed by Rochester General Hospital as a Physician Assistant in the Department of Medicine.

St. Ann’s Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann’s includes two licensed and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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St. Ann's Announces 5 New Hires

Mary S. Boehm, RN, BSN of Irondequoit was recently hired as Nurse Manager. Boehm will oversee the nursing responsibilities of the Transitional Care Program on the second floor of St. Ann's Home. She was previously employed by Visiting Nurse Service in the Nurse Family Partnership program as a Public Health Nurse.

Jennifer Cole of Rochester was recently hired as the Dining Room Supervisor for The Heritage, a St. Ann's Community. Cole will oversee The Heritage dining room staff and accommodate residents during meal times. Cole was previously employed by Hyatt Regency as a Dining Room Manager.

Matt Evans, RN of Syracuse was recently hired as the 4 th Floor Nurse Manager for St. Ann's Home. Evans will oversee staff and resident care on the fourth floor. He was formerly employed by Travel Nurse Solutions as a Travel Nurse.

Latrisha Fox, RN of Rochester was recently hired as the Restorative Nurse Coordinator. In this new position, Fox will work with residents in St. Ann's Home and The Heritage after therapy to continue to increase their abilities. Fox will also oversee a staff of Restorative Nursing Aides. She was previously employed by Workfit Agency as a Travel Nurse.

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On Friday, June 26, 2009 from 1 to 3pm, Chapel Oaks will host an artist reception for the Irondequoit Art Club’s Summer Show. Over 20 original, fine art pieces of various styles and mediums are available for viewing and purchase in the Chapel Oaks lobby and community center, and the public is welcome to attend. The reception is handicap accessible and there is no admission charge.

Chapel Oaks, a St. Ann’s Community, provides spacious apartments for seniors that include: housekeeping, gourmet meals, licensed 24-hour security, transportation and activities and entertainment. Chapel Oaks is located on the St. Ann’s Irondequoit campus, at 1550 Portland Avenue, across the street from Rochester General Hospital.

The Irondequoit Art Club is celebrating its 51st anniversary this year. The monthly meetings provide speakers, demonstrations and an atmosphere where artists can learn from other artists both new and experienced. 
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St. Ann's Community to Honor Centenarians

St. Ann’s Community is hosting the Centenarian Salute on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 to honor 10 residents who have lived for more than 100 years. At the 2pm celebration held in the Bishop Kearney Auditorium, a video presentation will display photographs of the guests of honor throughout their lives, and each centenarian will have a family member, friend or staff member speak about him or her. The centenarians will also receive commemorative plaques from St. Ann’s President and CEO, Betty Mullin-DiProsa, and will enjoy a reception afterwards with punch, cookies and time with family.

Most of the Centenarians live in St. Ann’s Home or The Heritage on St. Ann’s Irondequoit campus, but one individual lives in Cherry Ridge in Webster. The oldest centenarian at St. Ann’s Community will turn 103 in November 2009.

Courtney Pierce, Recreation Therapist, said, “What an accomplishment! We want to honor them and show them how much we respect them as well.” She added that this is her favorite event each year.

St. Ann’s Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann’s includes two licensed and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.
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St. Ann's Community Promotes Michael Perrotta and Announces three new Employees

Michael Perrotta of East Rochester was recently promoted to Assistant Administrator for Life Enrichment. In his new role, Perrotta will champion culture change that prioritizes caring for the human spirit. He said, “I'm looking forward to creating an environment that allows residents to live as they choose and continue to grow as individuals.”

As a St. Ann 's employee for 14 years, Perrotta most recently worked as the Assistant Administrator on an interim basis, and prior to that, worked in St. Ann 's Human Resources. Perrotta received his Bachelors Degree from Le Moyne College in Syracuse and his Masters Degree from the University of Rochester . He received his Nursing Home Administrator's License in March 2008.

Martha Burnette, BSN of Fairport was recently hired as an Admissions Nurse, specializing in admissions for the Transitional Care Program and long-term care at St. Ann 's Home. Burnette meets with rehabilitation guests, potential residents and families, provides tours and collaborates with clinicians. Previously, Burnette worked at The Friendly Home as an Admissions Nurse.

Helena Keen, BSW of Irondequoit was recently hired as an Admissions Professional for The Heritage, one of St. Ann 's skilled nursing facilities. Keen meets with families, provides tours and collaborates with clinicians. She also provides assessments at Cherry Ridge in Webster, a St. Ann 's Community. Previously, Keen worked at Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield as a Medical Social Worker.

Carolyn Slack of Rochester was recently hired as Donor Relationship Manager. Slack is responsible for major and planned giving and grant writing. She was the former Major Gifts Associate at Planned Parenthood for the Rochester/Syracuse Region.

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Honor Flight Takes Cherry Ridge Residents to D.C.

Read the article by Sandy Baldwin from webstercommunity.com

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St. Ann's Community Goes Green

Residents, employees and volunteers at St. Ann’s Community have banded together to make St. Ann’s one of Monroe County’s largest recyclers. With teamwork and a conscious effort to conserve, St. Ann’s Community has recycled over 66 tons of cardboard, plastic and metal in 2008.

How? Many ways! Much of St. Ann’s Community—like Chapel Oaks and Cherry Ridge—were designed with recycling in mind. With easily accessible bottle and can recycling stations built into the housing, recycling is convenient for independent residents. St. Ann’s employees discard paper into blue bins and use a cart in each department to transport the paper to the main recycling receptacle. In the employee cafeteria at St. Ann’s Home, diners are encouraged to use provided silverware to reduce waste. And everywhere, the community is encouraged to conserve water, electricity and fuel.

These recycling efforts have resulted in the conservation of:
· 728 mature trees – That is enough timber to produce more than 8 million sheets of newspaper!
· 19,845 gallons of oil – That is enough oil to heat and cool 81 homes for one year!
· 1,027 gallons of gasoline – That is enough gasoline to drive 25,675 miles!
· 299,600 gallons of water – This is enough fresh water to meet the daily needs of more than 129 Americans!
· 249 cubic yards of landfill space – This is enough space to fulfill the waste needs for 316 Americans each year!
· 288,725-kilowatt hours of electricity – This is enough electricity to meet the needs of 21 homes for one year!

St. Ann’s Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann’s includes two licensed and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

For more information about St. Ann’s Community please call 585-697-6000

Conservation statistics provided by Waste Management of New York
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St. Ann 's Community welcomes John Coyle as Marketing Representative for Chapel Oaks. He will interact with prospective residents, provide tours and increase overall community awareness of Chapel Oaks' Independent Living Apartments in Irondequoit . Previously, Coyle was employed as a Senior Housing Specialist for Legacy and attended Roberts Wesleyan College for Organizational Management.

St. Ann 's Community has hired Diane Braselton of Ontario for the position of Community Relations Coordinator in the Marketing Department. Braselton is responsible for print advertising, promotional events and public relations efforts. Formerly a Writer/Producer for Crawford Broadcasting Company (WLGZ), Braselton provides award-winning writing, advertising and marketing talents. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Communication from The University at Buffalo .

St. Ann 's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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St. Ann 's Community hired Jerrold E. Blackmore of Cleveland, Ohio as new Senior Vice President/Administrator. He will oversee the day to day operations at St. Ann 's Home and The Heritage and help St. Ann 's achieve its missions and goals.

“I hope to make a positive impact on the quality of life for residents, provide opportunities for employees and be a supportive presence for those who need it,” he said.

For the past 12 years, Blackmore has been the Administrator and Chief Operating Officer of St. Augustine Manor in Cleveland where he helped develop a resident-centered care philosophy.

Betty Mullin-DiProsa, President and CEO of St. Ann's Community said, “Jerry brings with him a long and distinguished career working in non-profit senior housing and long term care organizations. It is with great pleasure that I announce [his] appointment.”

Blackmore obtained his Bachelor's Degree from Bowling Green State University and his Master's Degree from Miami University of Ohio. Blackmore is also an Army Veteran.

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St. Ann's Community is pleased to welcome William B. Wilson as Director of Quality Improvement. Bill is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Quality Management Department including policy development, review and auditing, along with providing leadership and direction in quality improvement, risk management and accreditation related activities. Bill has over 30 years of project management experience including 22 years at Eastman Kodak and most recently The Hartman Group.

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St. Ann's Community Announces Additions to Medical Department

Ashfaq Tapia, MD, joined the medical department in September of this year. He will be utilizing his clinical expertise in our Rehabilitation program. Dr. Tapia received his initial training in surgery and recently completed his training in Internal Medicine at Rochester General Hospital .

Cheryl Eddinger, GNP-BC, is a 2007 Master's graduate of Nazareth College School of Nursing and a Board Certified Gerontological Nurse Practitioner. She has both Orthopedic and Critical Care clinical experience.

Cathleen Jean-Joseph, FNP-BC, is a graduate of the Wegmans School of Nursing at St. John Fisher College and a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner. Previously Ms. Jean-Joseph was an Evening Nursing Supervisor at St. Ann 's Community.

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St. Ann 's Community welcomes John Jurik M.D. to the Medical Department. Dr Jurik received his medical degree from SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse , New York, and completed his residency at Genesee Hospital and the University of Rochester Medical Center. Dr. Jurik had a private practice for several years before coming to St. Ann's. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine.

St. Ann 's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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Murty Selected as Fellow in National Aging-Services Leadership Program

The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) recently selected Sue Murty, MSW, Director of Social Work at St. Ann 's Community as a member of AAHSA's Leadership AAHSA Fellowship program .

“Sue was an obvious choice for the fellowship program,” shared Betty Mullin-DiProsa, President and CEO of St. Ann's Community.  “Not only is Sue one of St. Ann's Community's emerging leaders but she has a true grasp on our mission and advocates for our community's aging population daily.”

 The Leadership AAHSA program is designed to augment the ranks of emerging leaders across the continuum of care and services for the aging and address the shortage of potential leaders nationwide. The year-long curriculum will be focused on advancing emerging leaders, encouraging innovation and focusing on person-centered approach for residents, clients and staff members. Leadership AAHSA is also focused on fostering diversity among aging-services leaders.

The Leadership AAHSA class will convene in October at AAHSA's Annual Meeting & Exposition in Philadelphia . Following the meeting, the Leadership AAHSA Class of 2009 will meet three times to learn about innovative programs and meet with leaders from the field. Class members will also be paired with experienced mentors to guide them and share their unique expertise.

“Leadership AAHSA is built on the power of collaboration and community to develop the innovative, person-centered programs our elders deserve,” AAHSA president and CEO Larry Minnix said.  “Together, these individuals will learn valuable leadership skills that will help their organizations offer seniors the services they need, when they need them, in a place they can call home.” 

To learn more about the Leadership AAHSA program, visit AAHSA's Web site at www.aahsa.org

St. Ann 's Community is pleased to welcome Katherine Streeter,RD, MBA , as the Chief Clinical Dietitian for St. Ann 's Home and The Heritage.

Ms. Streeter holds a Bachelors of Science in Nutrition from Cornell University, A Dietetics Certificate from the Sage Graduate School and a Master in Business Administration from SUNY Buffalo.

She currently resides in Irondequoit , NY .

St. Ann 's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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St. Ann 's Community is pleased to welcome Christopher Sherry as the Food Services Manager/Chef for Chapel Oaks.

Mr. Sherry holds an Associates Degree in Occupational Studies in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America and has held previous executive chef positions at Nazareth College, Holiday Retirement, and Strong Memorial Hospital

St. Ann 's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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“Often times, when we refer to the care provided in nursing homes we use words like service and quality, but nobody really defines quality except for those who work in the field everyday.  The people we are awarding, like Mary Theisen, are the heart and soul of our aging services and they define quality,” shared Carl Young, President of the New York Association of Homes & Services for the Aging (NYAHSA).  “Although we select an individual to receive this award, it is truly a reflection of the organization and the people that Mary works with here at St. Ann 's Community. More than 50 individuals were in attendance on Thursday, August 28, 2008 as Carl Young presented Mary Theisen, Social Work er for the Palliative Center for Caring, with the 8 th Annual Long Term Care Employee of Distinction Award and a Legislative Resolution.  Theisen was  honored for positively impacting the quality of life for patients/residents through her interactions with them and for having significantly improved programs and services during her 10 years of service to St. Ann 's Community.

“As Carl said, this really reflects the work of the entire team.  In health care you can not work in isolation, and I am grateful to all of the wonderful people that I have the privilege to work with everyday,” stated Mary Theisen.  “My Aunt Margaret, St. Ann's oldest resident (104 years old), was recently honored by St. Ann 's Community.  I reflect back to advice that she gave at that ceremony, be kind to everyone , and I believe that kindness and compassion are really what make our work meaningful.”

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Sheila Johnson, RN is Transitional Care Program Nurse Manager

St. Ann's Community is pleased to announce that Sheila Johnson, RN has been promoted from a Clinical Coordinator to the 9 th Floor Transitional Care Program Nurse Manager.

Ms. Johnson received her Associate Degree in Nursing from Monroe Community College in December 2005 and is currently pursuing her Bachelors Degree in Nursing from Roberts Wesleyan College. She has been employed with St. Ann's Community since 1999 and currently residents in the City of Rochester.

St. Ann 's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, and independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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St. Ann's Foundation Announces Board Officers 2008-2010 Term

Chairperson – Patrick Burke , Rochester Regional President, First Niagara Financial Group, Inc.

Chair Elect – Gary Henehan , Partner, Atlantic Development Group

Treasurer/Secretary – Martin K. Birmingham , President & CEO for Five Star Bank in Geneva

Immediate Past Chair – Jay Quinn , Director of Marketing and Client Services, Harter, Secrest and Emery, LLP

President/CEO – Betty Mullin-DiProsa , St. Ann 's Community

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St. Ann's of Greater Rochester Inc. Announces Board Officers for 2008 -2010 Term

Chairperson – Juan F. Villanueva , Financial Consultant

Chair Elect – Ann McCormick , Executive VP & General Counsel, Home Properties

Treasurer – Timothy White , Managing Partner of the Rochester office and Upstate New York Business Unit of KPMG, LLP

Secretary – Maggie Bringewatt , Senior Vice President, Rochester 's Cornerstone Group

Immediate Past Chair – Robert F. Ryan , Senior VP, Region Executive, JP Morgan Chase

President/CEO – Betty Mullin-DiProsa , St. Ann 's Community

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St. Ann's of Greater Rochester Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of Reverend Kevin E. McKenna to its' Board of Directors.

Fr. McKenna, currently is the Pastor and Canon Attorney of St. Cecilia's Parish in Irondequoit and also serves as an Ecclesiastical Judge for the Tribunal for the Diocese of Rochester.

Fr. McKenna was ordained in 1977 and received his Doctorate degree in Canon Law from St. Paul University in Ottawa in 1990. He is the past president of the Canon Law Society of America and served as Chancellor for the Diocese of Rochester. He is also the author of numerous article and books.

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St. Ann's of Greater Rochester Inc. is Pleased to Welcome New Foundation Board Members. Click here for pdf

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On Sunday, February 24, 2008 the Transfiguration Lutheran Church 's honored Sr. Livia Ruocco, SSM, St. Ann 's Community's Pastoral Care Coordinator with the Woman of Faith Award as part of their Bold Woman's Day Celebration.

“Sr. Livia lives out the charism of the Sisters of Mercy and embodies a person filled with mercy, compassion, faith, hope, and love. She is a true woman of faith daily living out the gospel of Christ,” shared Father Peter Bayer, Director of Pastoral Care at St. Ann 's Community. “We are so proud that Sr. Livia was chosen to receive this tremendous honor.”

The Celebration honored four women, including Sr. Livia, and the many diverse ways in which they act boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ.

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St. Ann 's Community is pleased to announce Kim Petrone, MD has been promoted to Associate Medical Director. Dr. Petrone is a graduate of Duke University Medical School and completed her Chief Residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Rochester , along with a Geriactric Fellowship. Dr. Petrone is Board Certified in Geriatric and Internal Medicine and has been with St. Ann 's Community since 2005.

Dr. Petrone currently resides in Penfield , NY .

St. Ann 's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, and independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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St. Ann's Community 1st in Nation to Receive Accreditation

St. Ann's Community is proud to be the FIRST IN THE NATION to achieve CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) Person Centered Long-Term Care Community (PCLTCC) Accreditation.

CARF International announced that St. Ann's Community has been accredited for a period of three years for its Adult Day Services (Dementia), Aging Services Network, Assisted Living (Dementia) and Person-Centered Long-Term Care Community (Dementia) programs.

This accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization's substantial conformance to the CARF standards. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on‑site visit that its programs and services are of the highest quality, measurable, and accountable.

St. Ann's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served. Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF, the accrediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services.

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2007 Adopt a Family for the Holidays

Our St. Ann's Family working together with the St. Joseph's Neighborhood Center has the opportunity to participate in the "Adopt a Family" program! We have four families we have "adopted" for the season.

Click here for the pdf flyer

November 3, 2007

22 finalists selected for Athena Award

Patrick Flanigan
Staff writer Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Twenty-two area women have been named finalists for this year's Athena Award, the Women's Council announced Friday.

The award recognizes a Rochester-area professional woman who has demonstrated "significant achievements in business, community service and the professional advancement of women." The Women's Council is an affiliate of the Rochester Business Alliance.

The finalists are: Mimi Bacilek, president, SuccessBuilders LLC; Iris Bannister, executive director, Wilson Commencement Park; Dawn Borgeest, chief marketing officer and senior vice president, United Way of Rochester; Maggie Bringewatt, senior vice president, Rochester's Cornerstone Group Ltd;

Alfreda Brown, chief diversity officer, Rochester Institute of Technology; Lisa Brubaker, executive vice president, Rochester and government programs, Preferred Care/MVP Health Care; Ann Burr, senior vice president and general manager, Frontier Rochester; Suzanne Nasipak Chapman, regional president, First Niagara Risk Management; Tamara Denysenko, chief executive officer, Ukrainian Federal Credit Union; Gail Donofrio, Monroe County Family Court judge; Hilda Rosario Escher, president, CEO, Ibero American Action League; Sandra Frankel, Brighton town supervisor; Sheila Gaddis, Volunteer Legal Service Project, executive director of counsel, Hiscock & Barclay LLP; Lori B. Green, partner, Nixon Peabody LLP; Cynthia Herriot, lieutenant — Patrol East Division, Rochester Police Department; Dr. Ruth A. Lawrence, professor of pediatrics, medical director of the Ruth A. Lawrence Poison & Drug Information Center, University of Rochester Medical Center; Laura Saxby Lynch, director of corporate communications, Paychex, Inc.; Rita D. Metras, principal, RDM Associates; Elizabeth Mullin-DiProsa, president and chief executive officer, St. Ann's Community; Lori VanDusen, director, wealth management, SmithBarney/Citigroup; Sophie Vandebroek, chief technology officer, president of Xerox Innovation Group, Xerox Corp.; Christine Wagner,SSJ, executive director, St. Joseph Neighborhood Center.

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St. Ann's Community is pleased to announce the following promotions.

Bernard J. Joswick Jr. has been promoted from theposition of Sous Chef at Chapel Oaks, a St. Ann's Community. Mr. Joswick holds an AAS in Hotel & Restaurant Management from Paul Smiths College of the Adirondacks and has held the position of Chef at Chapel Oaks for the last five years. Joswick currently resides in the City of Rochester.

Rola O'Meally has been promoted to Director of Adult Day and Dementia Services at St. Ann's Community. O'Meally has worked at St. Ann's Community for 21years, starting out as a Certified Nursing Assistant. O'Meally received her AA degree in Nursing from Monroe Community College, her BSN from Roberts Wesleyan College, and is currently enrolled in their Master's degree program. O'Meally currently resides in the Town of Gates.

St. Ann's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, and independent retirement housing,assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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St. Ann 's Community and Visiting Nurse Service are pleased toannounce the following nurses as part of the Palliative Center for Caring.

Mark V. Harmon , BSN, RN-BC, holds the position of Registered Nurse Team Leader. Mark has an Associate's Degree in Nursing from Fayetteville Technical Community College in Fayetteville , N.C. , and a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from Keuka College . He is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Nursing from Saint John Fisher College to become a clinical nurse specialist in hospice and palliative care.Mark currently resides in Greece , N.Y.

Cecelia Patterson-Norton , RN, is the Oncology Nurse (OCN) for The Center.

Patterson-Norton received holds an Associates Degree in Nursing from Monroe Community College . She also holds a National Oncology Certification and previously worked for 16 years in the Hematology/Oncology unit at Rochester General Hospital .

Patterson-Norton resides in Sodus , N.Y.

Denise McNulty , RN, is a Registered Nurse for The Center and has more than 19 years experience in hospice and oncology at St. Mary's and most recently at Highland Hospital .

McNulty received her Registered Nursing degree from Monroe Community College .

McNulty resides lives in Charlotte with her husband and son.

Deborah Sigrist , RN, BSN, is a Registered Nurse for The Center and has more than 18 years inpatient hospice care experience and author of Journey's End, a Guide to Understanding the Dying Process.

Sigrist received her Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education from Mundelein College , Chicago and then went onto to earn her Associates Degree in nursing from Monroe Community College and Bachelors of Science in Nursing from the SUNY Brockport.

Sigrist currently resides in the City of Rochester with her husband.

The Palliative Center for Caring is the first of its kind in Rochester located in a skilled nursing facility – and addresses a vital community need. Patients requiring specialized care are welcomed from the local community or area hospitals. The Center provides end-of-life services to address pain, symptom and crisis management for patients who would otherwise require hospitalization. Additionally, the specially trained staff will work to address psychosocial and spiritual issues, which may result during this difficult time for patients and families.

On Saturday, September 15 th , St. Ann 's Community employees, family and friends joined together to participate in the 2007 Memory Walk to benefit the Alzheimer's Association. The team's efforts were outstanding with 134 participants raising more than $11,000.00 to benefit Alzheimer's support programs and research.

"Participating in the Alzheimer's Memory Walk falls directly in line with our core values at St. Ann 's Community. We offer specialized programs for those with dementia and memory loss, so it is just a natural choice that we walk to help the hundreds of thousands of people living with Alzheimer's Disease across the country," shared Betty Mullin-DiProsa, President and CEO. “One of our core values is community service. Our employees are energized and engaged about the opportunity to participate and this is just one more opportunity to encourage team work among the organization."

St. Ann 's Community has participated in the Memory Walk for more than 10 years and has raised more than $31,000.00 to benefit Alzheimer's. Click to see a photo of the St. Ann's team

St. Ann 's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann 's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent

retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.For more information on St. Ann 's Community please call 585-697-6000

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Hawkins Named Chair of the New York Health Information Management Association

Melissa Hawkins, RHIT, Health Information Manager at St. Ann 's Community has been name the Chair of the New York Health Information Management Association Long-Term Care Component (NYHIMA).

Hawkins was officially sworn in on May 12, 2007 at the NYHIMA's yearly convention held at the Rochester Convention Center/Hyatt Hotel. She will work with her board members and a committee of eight other members throughout the state to update the New York State LTC ICD-9 Coding guidelines. Her other goal for 2007-2008 is to increase the number of LTC members of NYHIMA via the NYHIMA web site. Hawkins also holds the position of Long-Term Care Chair of the Rochester Regional Health Information Management Association.

  She is a member of the Health Information Technology Program Advisory Committee and is an active Professional Practice Supervisor of the Health Information Technology program at Monroe Community College .

St. Ann 's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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On Monday, August 13, 2007 , members of the Prayer Shawl Ministry at St. Mary's Church in Rochester , NY visited the Palliative Center for Caring at St. Ann 's Community to donate shawls to comfort patients staying in the center.

“The generosity of this gift is magnified by knowing the prayers and the warm intentions that went into each stitch,” shared Betty Mullin-DiProsa, President & CEO St. Ann's Community. “We are so pleased to be able to share these shawls with our patients and their families.”

Members of the St. Mary's Parish Prayer Shawl Ministry presented ten Knitted Shawls to Betty Mullin-DiProsa and Debbie Sigrist, Palliative Center for Caring Registered Nurse. (Photo Attached) Pictured from left to right are: Amy Voelkl, Rita Campbell, Anne-Marie Brogan, Mary Alyce Streb, Sr. Kay Heverin, SSJ, Debbie Sigrist, and Betty Mullin DiProsa.

For information on the Prayer Shawls visit www.shawlministry.com .

  The Palliative Center for Caring, a partnership between St. Ann 's Community and Visiting Nurse Service of Greater Rochester, is the first of its kind in Rochester - one located in a skilled nursing facility - and meets a vital community need. Patients requiring specialized care are welcomed from the local community or area hospitals. The Center provides short-term end-of-life services to address pain, symptom and crisis management for patients who would otherwise require hospitalization.

St. Ann 's Community & Rochester General Hospital to host

Community Care Health Fair

WHAT:    St. Ann 's Community and Rochester General Hospital will sponsor the 21 st Annual Community Care Health Fair. Over 30 organizations focusing on health care and community resources for seniors and their caretakers will be in attendance.

WHEN:     Thursday, September 13 th

       9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

WHERE:      1500 Portland Avenue

       Rochester , NY 14621

DETAILS:   This is a FREE event and is open to the Rochester community. Refreshments will be served.

Health screens will include: Blood Pressure, Cholesterol and Hearing.

St. Ann 's Community will host a booth for cooking demonstrations featuring easy to prepare healthy meals.

Information will be provided by a variety of community, state, and national organizations including the Alzheimer's Association, the American Cancer Society, ElderSource, and Office of the Attorney General of the State of New York .

 For more information on the Community Care Health Fair please call 585-697-6409

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Cherry Ridge Recognized as a Preferred Design in Aging

On June 18 th , Cherry Ridge was selected as one of only two projects for the International Design in Ageing Showcase of Affordable Housing. The showcase was part of the International Association of Homes and Services for the Ageing's (IAHSA) 7th International Conference, “ Quality Transcends Borders: Innovations in Leadership, Technology and Design” held this year in Malta.

The conference provides a unique opportunity for industry experts from around the world to gather and meet to focus on addressing the needs and concerns of elders. Betty Mullin-DiProsa, St. Ann's Community President & CEO was one of the featured speakers and highlighted how Cherry Ridge was specifically designed and created to provide affordable housing and healthcare options to Seniors in the Rochester area.

Cherry Ridge is owned and operated by St. Ann's Community, a dedicated not-for-profit provider of comprehensive health care and housing to area seniors for more than 130 years. Cherry Ridge, St. Ann's newest campus offers maintenance-free apartments and cottage homes, gracious hospitality services, amenities and quality health care – all at an exceptional value.

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St. Ann 's Community is pleased to welcome two new staff members.

Kimberly Basta has joined St. Ann's Community as Adult Nurse Practitioner for the Transitional Care Program, which offers short term/outpatient rehab for a number of complex medical conditions ranging from stroke rehabilitation to post operative orthopedic/cardiac surgery patients.Ms. Basta holds Bachelors Degrees in Nursing from Clemson University and SUNY Brockport and a Masters Degree and Adult Nurse Practitioner from the University of Buffalo . Ms. Basta previously worked at Rochester General Hospital in the Cardio Thoracic Surgery Unit, Cardiac Cath Lab, and for Wesley Gardens Nursing Home/Rehab. She currently resides in the Town of Irondequoit

Joe Posato has joined St. Ann 's Community in the position of Information Technology Services Manager. Mr. Posato holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Management Information Systems from St. John Fisher College and held previous positions as the Project Manager at Genesee Survey Services, Inc. and Director of MIS at the Urban League of Rochester.

Posato currently lives in Irondequoit .

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St. Ann's Community and Visiting Nurse Service Open Palliative Center for Caring

St. Ann’s Community and Visiting Nurse Service of Rochester and Monroe County, Inc. (VNS) announced the partnership to create the Palliative Center for Caring this past April. The Center is a 5-bed inpatient care center for patients needing short-term hospice and palliative care.

The Center is the first of its kind in Rochester - one located in a skilled nursing facility - and will meet a vital community need. Patients requiring specialized care will be welcomed from the local community or area hospitals. The Center provides end-of-life services to address pain, symptom and crisis management for patients who would otherwise require hospitalization. Additionally, the specially trained staff work to address psychosocial and spiritual issues, which may result during this difficult time for patients and families.

St. Ann’s Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann’s includes two licensed, certified and accredited skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency. For more information on St. Ann’s Community please call 585-697-6000 or visit www.stannscommunity.com <http://www.stannscommunity.com>.

Visiting Nurse Service of Rochester and Monroe County, Inc. (VNS) is a non-profit, Medicare-certified home health care and hospice agency. Licensed by the State of New York, the agency has provided quality care since 1919. As one of the largest full-service home health and hospice providers in the Rochester area, VNS conducts more than 600,000 visits to 13,000 patients annually. VNS is a member of the Home Care Association of New York State, Inc., and the National Association for Home Care. For more information, call 585-787-2233 or visit www.vnsnet.com

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St. Ann 's Community is very proud to announce that they are the winner of two prestigious Awards of Distinction for Print Media by The 13th Annual Communicator Awards . The awards were in the Business-to-Consumer Brochure and the Identity Manual/Style Guide Categories. The Award of Distinction is presented for projects that exceed industry standards in quality and excellence.

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Cherry Ridge, a St. Ann 's Community is hosting “Dancing with the Seniors” on Friday, June 8, 2007 from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. at Cherry Ridge, 900 Cherry Ridge Boulevard , Webster , NY 14580 .

  The event starts with a professional dance demonstration by USA Dance, which is followed by instructional dance lessons for more than 70 individuals from Cherry Ridge and the community.

  “Many of the residents are excited about this event because they remember dancing to many of the ballroom dances like the Waltz, Foxtrot and the Rumba and can't wait to kick up their heels again,” shared Mike Seelig, Cherry Ridge Vice President.

Cherry Ridge is owned and operated by St. Ann 's Community, a dedicated not-for-profit provider of comprehensive health care to area seniors for more than 130 years. Cherry Ridge offers maintenance-free apartments and cottage homes, gracious hospitality services, and amenities unsurpassed health care – all at an exceptional value.

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“Not many individuals can say that they rode in a Model T, saw the first silent movie or even were alive during the San Francisco earthquake,” stated Betty Mullin-DiProsa, President of St. Ann's Community. “But we are excited that we have 12 people living at St. Ann's that can attest to that, and we are going to celebrate their lives.”

On Wednesday, May 30th at 2:00 p.m ., St. Ann's Community will recognize all of our residents who are 100 years or older. This year we have 12 Centenarians ranging in age from 100 to104 and many of them will be attending the celebration. All are invited to come and hear some of their stories, while we honor these great individuals who have experienced so much in their lifetime. A video will be shown featuring early photos of all our honorees. We look forward to this as a great way to end National Older American's Month.

St. Ann's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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Mayor Robert Duffy Kicks Off Older American's Month Celebration

Each year since 1963, the month of May has been set aside for the purpose of honoring our country's older Americans. On Thursday, May 3rd at 2:00 p.m. , St. Ann 's Community is hosting an Older American's Month Celebration featuring Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy as the keynote speaker.

“This year's Older American's Month theme is, “Older Americans: Making Choices for a Healthier Future.” This theme encourages us to think differently about health and long-term care, and work together to rebalance and modernize our current systems so that we may adequately plan for and address the needs of current and future generations,” stated Betty Mullin-DiProsa, President and CEO of St. Ann's Community. “We are honored that Mayor Duffy has agreed to help us kick off our month long celebration to honor our residents.”

St. Ann 's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses, in Irondequoit and Webster, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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St. Ann's Home Goes Wireless

St. Ann's Community has installed wireless computer access, especially designed for their short-term Transitional Care patients.

“Many of our patients want or need to maintain contact with their family or businesses while they are receiving care at St. Ann's Home,” shared Betty Mullin-DiProsa, President and CEO of St. Ann's Community. “ Throughout our campuses, and at each of our facilities, St. Ann's Community has provided resident access to desktop computers and printers for a number of years. Recognizing the changing needs, especially of our Transitional Care patients, who may bring in their own laptop computers, we are now providing free wireless to ease their communications.”

St. Ann's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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St. Ann's Community and Visiting Nurse Service Partner to Form the Palliative Center for Caring

St. Ann 's Community and Visiting Nurse Service of Rochester and Monroe County, Inc. (VNS) are pleased to announce a partnership to create the Palliative Center for Caring, a 5-bed inpatient care center for patients needing short-term hospice and palliative care located at The Heritage, located on St. Ann 's Irondequoit campus.

The Center will be the first of its kind in Rochester – one located in a skilled nursing facility – and will meet a vital community need. Patients requiring specialized care will be welcomed from the local community or area hospitals. The Center will provide end-of-life services to address pain, symptom and crisis management for patients who would otherwise require hospitalization. Additionally, the specially trained staff will work to address psychosocial and spiritual issues, which may result during this difficult time for patients and families.

Renovation is scheduled to begin in April of 2007 with the Palliative Center for Caring opening in July of 2007.

“The partnership with St. Ann 's Community allows us the opportunity to offer patients and their families needed expert care and services in a place that will be warm, comforting and peaceful,” shared Vicky Hines, President and CEO of Visiting Nurse Service. “We especially appreciate and thank those individuals who have supported this idea and made the Center possible through their gifts of time, energy and donations.”

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St. Ann 's Community FIRST IN NATION to receive

St. Ann 's Community is proud to be the FIRST IN THE UNITED STATES to achieve CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) Person Centered Long Term Care Community (PCLTCC) Accreditation and the only organization to complete a blended survey for both Long Term Care and Transitional Care types of accreditation.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment and honor,” shared Betty Mullin-DiProsa, President and CEO of St. Ann's Community. “The staff and volunteers here at St. Ann 's Community are dedicated to serving our residents first and foremost and earning this accreditation is proof of a job well-done. We are also thrilled that we could be the first in the nation to achieve this recognition of excellence!"

In February, representatives from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) visited St. Ann 's Community to survey their Long Term Care Program and Transitional Care Program. A team of surveyors comprehensively investigated the programs to ensure conformance to the stringent standards established by CARF for person-centered care and medical rehabilitation.

The CARF standards are developed with input from consumers, aging services, health care and rehabilitation professionals, state and national organizations, and insurance company representatives. Every year the standards are reviewed and new ones are developed to keep pace with changing conditions and current consumer needs.

CARF accreditation is much more than a certificate on the wall. It is evidence that St. Ann 's Community strives to improve efficiency, fiscal health, and service delivery -- creating a foundation for continuous quality improvement and consumer satisfaction.

The benefits of accreditation to the consumer of services means that by choosing CARF-accredited programs and services they receive the assurance that:

• The programs or services actively involve consumers in selecting, planning, and using services.
• The organization's programs and services have met consumer-focused, state-of-the-art international standards of performance.
• These standards were developed with the involvement and input of consumers.
• The organization is focused on assisting each consumer in achieving his or her chosen goals and outcomes.

CARF is a private, not-for-profit organization that promotes quality rehabilitation and aging services. It does this by establishing standards of quality for organizations to use as guidelines in developing and offering their programs or services to consumers. CARF uses the standards to determine how well an organization is serving its consumers and how it can improve.

St. Ann 's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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Please Join us for the

Chapel Oaks Spring Open House

Sunday, March 25th 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

This is your opportunity to speak with current Chapel Oaks residents and discover why Chapel Oaks is the ideal retirement living option! Residents will also be providing tours of their apartments.

For more information, please contact Ellen Nolan at 697-6606.

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St. Ann's Home and The Heritage are teaming up with the National Honor Society Students from Bishop Kearney High School to host the 11 th Annual Senior to Senior Ball on Thursday, February 15, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. in the St. Ann's Community Bishop Kearney Auditorium.

Students and Residents dance to everything from the Big Band sounds of Glen Miller and his orchestra to the Electric Slide.

“We have such a wonderful time every year when the students come to visit,” shared Salvatore Villa, resident from The Heritage. “I really like to dance and being out on the dance floor with the young folks brings me back a few years.”

St. Ann's Community, located at 1500 Portland Avenue, across from Rochester General Hospital, provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

For more information on St. Ann's Community please call 585-697-6000

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St. Ann's Community Announces New Staff Members

St. Ann 's Community is pleased to welcome two new staff members.

Michael Garcia has been hired as Sous Chef for Chapel Oaks, a St. Ann 's Community. Michael holds a Bachelor's Degree in Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales University in Charleston , SC.Michael has more than 6 years of experience in the Food Service Industry and has worked at Tournedos Steakhouse and Bacco's Italian Restaurante here in Rochester. Michael resides in the City of Rochester.

Alfred Hamza has been hired as Executive Chef of Cherry Ridge, a St. Ann 's Community. Alfred holds an AOS Degree in Culinary Arts and also in Hospitality & Restaurant Management from Le Cordon Bleu. Alfred has previously held positions at Forest Park Retirement Community, Walt Disney World, and Daisy Flour Mill.He currentlyresides in Greece, NY.

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Karl Vanderstouw, Chief Information Officer & Corporate Compliance Officer for St. Ann's Community received a Graduate Certificate in Health Care Corporate Compliance from the George Washington University College of Professional Studies. In addition to his responsibilities as the Corporate Compliance Officer, Vanderstouw is the Chief Information Officer, and is responsible for the Information Technology, Medical Records and Telecommunications for all of St. Ann's Communities. This certification will further assist him in meeting the standards for corporate compliance set by the Office of the Inspector General.

Mr. Vanderstouw holds a Masters of Science in Health Systems Administration from the Rochester Institute of Technology and prior to joining St. Ann's Community he was a Vice President in a Health Care Consulting firm located in NYC.

St. Ann's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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Mary McCarthy, Director of Adult Day Services for St. Ann 's Community was the recipient of the 8th Annual Quality of Life Award presented by the Alzheimer's Association.

“This is a well deserved honor for Mary and for her commitment towards providing quality care to our residents and participants at St. Ann 's Community,” shared Jack Pease, Senior Vice President & Administrator for St. Ann 's Community.

McCarthy received the award at the Alzheimer's Association 25th Annual Luncheon at Oak Hill Country Club on Thursday, November 16th. The Quality of Life Award recognizes individuals whose lifetime or long term achievement, through their efforts in research, service and support, have made a major and direct positive impact on individuals with Alzheimer's disease and their families.

Mary holds a Masters of Science Degree in Nursing from the University of Rochester , has over twenty years experience in Dementia research, planning, teaching, and clinical practice. She is an Adjunct Professor for St. John Fisher College , and is currently the Director of St. Ann's Community's Three Adult Day Centers in Irondequoit , Penfield, and Rochester .

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St. Ann's Community is very pleased to, once again, be participating in the Pirate Toy Fund and assisting in providing new toys to children in need this holiday season.

Individuals interested in donating a new, unwrapped toy may deliver them to the Reception areas at St. Ann 's Home, 1500 Portland Avenue, Chapel Oaks, 1550 Portland Avenue , or the Cherry Ridge Community, 900 Cherry Ridge Boulevard in Webster.

The Pirate Toy Fund is  the only nonprofit organization in the  country dedicated to donating toys year round to children in need in our community. Located in Rochester, NY and founded by local children's entertainer, Gary The Happy Pirate, the Pirate Toy Fund has distributed 50,000 toys since the year 2000 and continues to actively pursue new avenues to expand its mission.

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St. Ann's Community is honoring veterans at a Veteran's Day Service, Friday, November 10, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. in the St. Ann's Chapel (1500 Portland Avenue).

  “We have male and female residents that have served in the Korean War, World War I, World War II, and staff members that were part of Vietnam, Dessert Storm and now Iraq and this service is a wonderful opportunity for St. Ann's Community as a whole to thank these individuals that have defended our right to be free,” shared Betty Mullin-DiProsa, President and CEO of St. Ann's Community.

  There are more than 64 names of residents, or family members of residents and staff that have been submitted for St. Ann's Community to recognize at the service from all different areas of the armed forces.

  Every year previously a St. Ann's Community employee, Nate Browning, participates in the service by reading a poem written by Kelly Strong (link to poem provided below) entitled “Freedom Is Not Free”. This year Nate is unable to attend the ceremony because he is serving in Camp Fallujah, Iraq as a United States Marine. Unbeknownst to the residents and the employees we do have video of Nate from Iraq reading this poem.

  Also, participating in the service are 30-35 Girl Scouts (Brownies through Cadets) and several Boy Scouts (mainly from troops who meet at St. John the Evangelist of Rochester church). Two of the Girl Scouts will be playing Echo Taps.

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St. Ann 's Community is pleased to welcome Kristan Tabacco as the Director of Admissions for St. Ann's Community. Kristan is a Registered Nurse and holds a Masters of Science Degree in Leadership in Health Care Systems from the University of Rochester and a Bachelors Degree in Nursing from the State University College at Brockport.

  Kristan will primarily be responsible for the oversight of admissions applications for St. Ann 's Home and The Heritage.

  Mrs. Tabacco has held positions with Strong Memorial Hospital and Continuing Developmental Services and previously worked at St. Ann 's Community in the early 1990's as a Certified Nursing Assistant while she was enrolled in school earning her LPN and BSN degrees.

  She and her husband (who recently returned from Iraq ) currently reside in the City of Rochester with their son Anthony.

St. Ann 's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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Betty Mullin-DiProsa, President & CEO of St. Ann 's Community has been appointed to serve as a member of the House of Delegates of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA). The 200-member House of Delegates is AAHSA's governing body and is made up of leaders in the long-term care and aging services field. Delegates select the members of the AAHSA board of directors and its officers, and also assist the AAHSA board of directors in clarifying association policy, long-range planning and governance of the association. Mullin-DiProsa will serve a three-year term.

“Betty Mullin-DiProsa is a valuable addition to our organization's House of Delegates,” said Dr. William L. Mannix, AAHSA's President and CEO. “Mullin-DiProsa's hard work and expertise will help ensure that America 's older adults receive the services they need, when they need them, in the place they call home.”

Mrs. Mullin-DiProsa is a registered nurse and healthcare executive with over 25 years experience providing and overseeing care and services for the elderly. As the CEO of St. Ann's Community, a large not-for-profit senior housing and long-term care system in Rochester , New York , the organization has grown in size and capabilities, serving nearly 3000 seniors annually. The St. Ann 's Community includes two licensed, and

 certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent

retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in a licensed Home Care agency. Her prior experience includes operating a Medicare certified Home Health agency and a Medicare certified Hospice agency, a skilled nursing facility and a geriatric medial practice in Washington State .

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Come and see what retirement life is really supposed to look like!

Cherry Ridge Open House

Sunday, September 24, 2006 2:00p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

This is your opportunity to reserve one of the final available cottages before winter!

Complimentary refreshments served

Preview three premier cottage floor plans

Win great prizes

Cherry Ridge

900 Cherry Ridge Boulevard

Webster, N.Y. 14580

(585) 697-6700

Located directly across from

Webster Schroder High School

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St. Ann's Community along with 100 community-residing seniors including almost 25 World War II and other Veterans, legislators, staff, and community agencies will celebrate National Adult Day Services Day on Monday, September 18, 2006 from 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. at St. Ann's Community (1500 Portland Avenue, Rochester , NY 14621 ).

“People don't understand the scope of loneliness,” shared Arlene Rice a St. Ann 's Community Home Connection participant. “At home, I would be totally alone, but here I have amazing friends and the activities and companionship are beneficial to your mind. I really enjoy being here.”

This year's theme is “Tell the Story of Caring” and family caregivers will talk about the important role that Adult Day Care has played in their lives. Various Adult Day Service programs and services will be highlighted and our seniors are providing some surprise entertainment followed by refreshments.

Attendees and dignitaries include: Senator Joseph E. Robach, Patty Larke representing Congresswomen Louise Slaughter, and Nina Mottern representing the Veteran's Administration.

St. Ann 's Community provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann 's includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in Traditions in Caring, a licensed Home Care agency.

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St. Ann's Community is pleased to announce Ronald Forgue as Executive Chef – Assistant Director of Food & Nutrition for St. Ann's Community. Ron holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Food Service Management from the State University of New York's Empire State College.

  Ron will primarily be responsible for the oversight of food service operation for St. Ann's Home and The Heritage for it's residents, catered events and the retail operations.

  Mr. Forgue has held positions with Aramark Corporation, Edward's Restaurant, and the Holidome and most recently was the General Manager of Sodexho Senior Services at The Episcopal Senior Life Communities.

 For more information on St. Ann's Community please call 585-697-6000

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St. Ann 's Community & Rochester General Hospital host

Community Care Health Fair

WHAT:      St. Ann 's Community and Rochester General Hospital will sponsor the 20 th Annual Community Care Health Fair. Over 30 organizations focusing on health care and community resources for seniors and their caretakers will

be in attendance.

WHEN:     Thursday, September 14 th

       9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

WHERE:      1500 Portland Avenue

       Rochester , NY 14621

DETAILS:   This is a FREE event and is open to the Rochester community. Refreshments and a complimentary box lunch will be served.

Health screens will include: Blood Pressure, Cholesterol and Hearing.

St. Ann 's Community will host a booth for Medication Review and cooking demonstrations featuring easy to prepare healthy meals.

Information will be provided by a variety of community, state, and national organizations including the Alzheimer's Association, the American Cancer Society, ElderSource, and Office of the Attorney General of the State of New York .

 For more information on the Community Care Health Fair please call 585-697-6409

St. Ann's of Greater Rochester Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of Margaret M. Bringewatt to its' Board of Directors.

Ms. Bringewatt, currently the Senior Vice President of Housing Development with the Rochester Cornerstone Group, brings extensive experience in the public and private sectors, as well as a vast knowledge in affordable housing. She is an active member of the Rochester Community, serving on several boards and committees.

St. Ann's of Greater Rochester Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of Donald Soule to its' Board of Directors.

Mr. Soule is co-founder of LPA Systems, a software company specializing in business intelligence and data analysis. He is an active board member of business and philanthropic organizations in the Rochester community. He has a B.A. from Earlham College , a CPA, and an M.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Rochester 's Simon School .

St. Ann's Community Foundation is pleased to announce the addition of Gary Henehan to its' Board of Directors.

Mr. Henehan is a founder, principal and currently serves as a Chairman for LECESSE Construction. He is active in a number of professional and community organizations.

LECESSE Construction has a long history with St. Ann's through their involvement with the renovations at St. Ann's, and the construction of Chapel Oaks and Cherry Ridge. LECESSE has been a pioneer in upstate New York in the provision of professional construction management services and specializes in building senior housing and healthcare facilities in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Massachusetts

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St. Ann's Community's employees have really “stepped up” by collectively taking more than 7 million steps within the past three weeks as part of the St. Ann's Community Wellness Team's 2006 Walking Program.

Liz Fetter, Julie Caluneo, Deb Gray
and Patti Grasso are the "Take it Offs."

"Our team has lost a total of 36 pounds,” shared Patti Grasso, Team Captain of the “Take it Off's”. “In addition to walking, we have changed our eating habits and are really proud of the progress that we have made. Now, instead of sharing chips and French fries at lunch, we share healthy snacks and recipes that will help us continue to lose weight and just feel better.”

A total of 20 teams of 80 employees are setting the pace by participating in the walking program. Each employee was given a pedometer and a “live well” bracelet and there are prizes and incentives throughout the program to keep the employees motivated. If the St. Ann's employees keep up at this pace they will collectively take more than 16 million steps towards a healthier lifestyle. That is equivalent to 8,000 miles.

“We started this program to provide information to our employees and their families about the values of a healthier lifestyle,” shared Edward Neal III, Director of Human Resources Operations at St. Ann's Community. “It is a benefit to them to understand the dangers of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, stress, and numerous other diseases that inactivity can cause. Our hope is that this program will result in our employees living longer more productive lives.”

St. Ann's provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. We offer several independent and retirement living options, short-term rehabilitation, transitional care, adult day services, assisted living, specialized memory care and 24-hour skilled nursing care.   

  For more information on St. Ann's Community please call

585-697-6000

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St. Ann 's Community is pleased to announce the following members of their Foundation Board as officers of the Board for the 2006 – 2008 Term:

Chairperson – Jay Quinn, Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Al Sigl Center

Chair Elect – Patrick Burke, Rochester Regional President, First Niagara Financial Group Inc.

Treasurer – Raymond D'Agostino, Managing Partner, Deloitte & Touche, LLP

Secretary – Patrick Simpson, Nixon Peabody, LLP

Immediate Past Chair – James Gould, President, Alesco Advisors, LLC

President/CEO – Betty Mullin-DiProsa, St. Ann's Community

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Rochester , NY – Betty Mullin-DiProsa, President & CEO of St. Ann 's Community has been named to the New York State Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21 st Century as a member of the Central Region Advisory Committee. Mullin-DiProsa was appointed by Senator Joseph Bruno on the recommendation of Senator James Alesi.

Mrs. Mullin-DiProsa is a registered nurse and healthcare executive with over 25 years experience providing and overseeing care and services for the elderly. As the CEO of St. Ann's Community, a large not-for-profit senior housing and long term care system in Rochester , New York , the organization has grown in size and capabilities, serving nearly 3000 seniors annually. The St. Ann's Community includes two licensed, and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, assisted living and specialized dementia care, hospice care and a geriatric outpatient primary care practice located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area, plus part ownership in a licensed Home Care agency. Her prior experience includes operating a Medicare certified Home Health agency and a Medicare certified Hospice agency, a skilled nursing facility and a geriatric medial practice in Washington State .

Gov. George Pataki and the state Legislature created the commission to develop a plan for reducing the number of hospital beds and skilled nursing facility beds in New

York . The body has 18 statewide members and 36 regional appointees.
    Each of the six regional groups is to make a non-binding recommendation on hospital and nursing home bed reductions in its area. Final recommendations from the statewide body are due in December.   

  For more information on St. Ann 's Community or this event please call 585-697-6000

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St. Ann 's of Greater Rochester Inc. is pleased to announce the following members of the Board of Directors as officers for the 2006 – 2008 Term:

Chairperson – Robert F. Ryan, Senior VP, Region Executive, JP Morgan Chase

Chair Elect – Juan F. Villanueva

Treasurer – Raymond D'Agostino, Managing Partner, Deloitte & Touche, LLP

Secretary – Jay Quinn, Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Al Sigl Center

Immediate Past Chair – Christopher A. DiPasquale, Attorney at Law, Harris Beach, LLP

President/CEO – Betty Mullin-DiProsa, St. Ann's Community

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Centenarians Celebrated

St. Ann's Home honors 15 Centenarians

Sheila Rayam Staff writer Democrat & Chronicle

(June 1, 2006) - IRONDEQUOIT - Florence Curran Johnson smiled broadly Wednesday as well wishers stopped by to shake her hand.

The resident of The Heritage senior living facility in Irondequoit was one of 15 honored during the St. Ann's Community Centenarian Salute at St. Ann's Home.

"It's very kind for people to recognize you," said Johnson, who is 102 years old.

St. Ann's Community has recognized its centenarian residents during National Older Americans Month in May for more than two decades. On Wednesday, residents from 100 to 105 years old - as well as residents who will turn 100 this year - were recognized.

"We feel really fortunate that we have the number of residents that we do who have reached the age of 100," said Betty Mullin-DiProsa, president and CEO of St. Ann's Community, the umbrella organization of St. Ann's Home, The Heritage and Chapel Oaks on its Irondequoit campus and Cherry Ridge in Webster.

"We need to pay attention to older Americans, older adults. Our seniors are our past; they are our heritage, our traditions," said Mullin-DiProsa.

The guests of honor sat with star-shaped balloons tied to their chairs.

A video montage with photos provided by family members was shown on a large screen.

After the video presentation, staff and family offered a short biography and fun facts about each of the 13 honorees on hand.

Diane Christian of Buffalo spoke briefly about her aunt, Florence Johnson.

"She said to me, 'Just see that mine is short, 25 words or less,'" said Christian.

She is a SUNY distinguished professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

"She's a great lady, and I like her attitude toward it all."

Gale Toman of Irondequoit was among the family in attendance to support her grandmother Marie Andre, who turned 101 on April 16.

"She's always trying new things, loves to be at parties," Toman said about her grandmother.

Marie Andre and her husband, Roger Andre, who is deceased, were part of the French Resistance in World War II. The couple aided French and British soldiers.

When asked for the secret of a happy and long life, Andre nodded at her granddaughter and offered a one-word response in her French accent: "Wine."

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West Irondequoit Tri-M Society to Perform for St. Ann's Community Residents

Each year since 1963, the month of May has been set aside for the purpose of honoring our country's older Americans.

This year's Older Americans Month theme is, "Celebrate Long-Term Living." It is a month to celebrate the many contributions older persons have made and continue to make to our society.St. Ann's Community has many events planned for the residents and their families to celebrate Older American's Month one of which is a special performance from the West Irondequoit High School Tri-M Society on Saturday, May 20 th at 2:00 p.m.

Tri-M is the musical equivalent of the National Honor Society. It is a service organization/honor society for talented and driven high school musicians. Sponsored by the National Association for Music Education, its' purpose is two-fold: to provide students with a way to give back to the community that has helped them foster their musical gifts and to provide a way for the students to share their talents with others through a variety of music-oriented service activities.

St. Ann 's provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. We offer several independent and retirement living options, short-term rehabilitation, transitional care, adult day services, assisted living, specialized memory care and 24-hour skilled nursing care.   

For more information on St. Ann 's Community or this event please call 585-697-6000

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Nationally Recognized Alzheimer's Expert to Speak at St. Ann's Community

Jolene Brackey, author of the top selling book "Creating Moments of Joy" will present a series of seminars on Alzheimer's Disease at St. Ann's on Monday and Tuesday, April 24th and 25th, and at Cherry Ridge on Wednesday, April 26. Ms. Brackey presents a heartwarming and inspirational program that focuses on practical ways for family, loved ones and caregivers to make everyday life much more pleasant and enjoyable. Among the many topics covered, Brackey will show how loved ones and caregivers can create positive moments that ease the daily struggles and look beyond the challenges of the disease. Join us for this extraordinary presentation sponsored by St. Ann's Foundation. For reservations or more information call 697-6513.

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Diane Kane Receives Max M. Farash Award for Excellence in Aging & long Term Care Services
St. Ann's Community Medical Director Dr. Diane Kane received the Max M. Farash Award for Excellence in Aging & Long Term Care Services at the Celebration of Aging Annual Luncheon. This prestigious award, instituted by Lifespan, annually recognizes a professional who works in the field of aging services and/or long term care.

Diane Kane, MD, CMD, was nominated by Steven Smith, VP of Foundation and Resource Development and Jack Pease, Senior VP/Administrator, both of St. Ann's. In the nomination Mr. Smith and Mr. Pease wrote, "As a member of St. Ann 's care team, Dr. Kane has been a leader in elevating the quality of St. Ann 's care. Dr. Kane's credentials as well as her leadership as Medical Director has contributed greatly to St. Ann's being the only Skilled Nursing facility in the region to be accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Dr. Kane's understanding of senior's unique needs and her management skills were guiding forces in the creation of a new medical practice to serve St. Ann 's Independent Living Residents.

Dr. Kane received this award at Lifespan's annual Celebration of Aging Luncheon in March.

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The 10th Annual Senior to Senior Ball

On Thursday, February 16, at 2:00 P.M. St. Ann 's Community will host students from Bishop Kearney High School 's Honor Society at our tenth annual Senior to Senior Ball. The twelfth graders will arrive in formal attire and decorate the auditorium with balloons and streamers and transform it into an elegant ballroom. Residents and students will dance together to music that spans the generations. This has become an annual favorite for our residents and they look forward to showing off their dancing moves once again this year.

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Cherry Ridge, a St. Ann's Community Announces New Staff Members

Kevin Toole, CEC has been hired as Director of Food Services for Cherry Ridge. Educated at the CulinaryInstitute of America, and a Certified Executive Chef, Kevin was nominated Chef of the Year in 2004 and 2005 with the Professional Chefs Association. He is a recipient of the American Culinary Federations Bronze Medal and brings 20 years of experience to Cherry Ridge. Prior to Cherry Ridge he was Executive Chef at The Rochester Riverside Convention Center, The Thruway Marriott , The Strathallen Hotel and Chapels.

Laura Hollenbeck, BSW is Director of Assisted Livingfor Cherry Ridge. Ms. Hollenbeck has a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Nazareth College and over 20 years of experience in the geriatric field. Previous work experience includes Director of Social work at Maplewood Nursing Home, Coordinator of Adult Day Care at St John's Home and Director of Memory Care at Sage Harbor. Laura is also a volunteer group leader with the Alzheimer's Association.

Jeanne Mulley, LPN has been hired as Dementia Care Manager at Cherry Ridge. She received her Gerontology Certificate from St John Fisher and has been in the health care field for 25 years. Her previous work experience includes Shift Supervisor at St Ann 's home, Manager of the Seniors First day program at Valley Manor and Nurse Case Manager for Baywinde.

Cherry Rige, a St. Ann 's Community is a senior living community in Webster offering independent living, assisted living and memory care. Cherry Ridge residents receive priority access to a full continuum of health care services through St. Ann's.

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See memory loss in loved one over the holidays? Don't ignore it.

This time of year, many of us are visiting friends and family members who are 75- plus years old. The holidays bring us together and create joy. But at times, they create stress as well.

One stressor is to see the mental abilities of your parent or neighbor begin to slip. Many of us keep in touch but often fail to recognize the subtle changes. It's not until you spend time over the holidays with them that you discover something you don't want to see.

I know a woman who, when going out to a restaurant with her son, would cover up her lapses by saying, “surprise me!” when asked what she wanted. She couldn't remember her favorites. At first you don't think anything of it. When you do pay attention, you see more and more evidence of the dreaded decline.

Here are some key things I'd like you to think about and observe when you spend that next concentrated time with the older person you know and love. Forgetting is pretty normal; it happens to all of us. However, significant memory loss is different than occasional lapses in memory. In some, the losses of memory increase in frequency to the point of continuous cycles of forgetfulness.

There are many causes of memory loss, and a wide range of symptoms. It varies from mild confusion to the persons total lack of recognition of who he or she is, and total inability to care for oneself.

On the positive side, some memory loss is temporary and reversible, due to an imbalance in medication, depression or poor diet.

On the other side, some memory losses are permanent, progressive and incurable. The most common causes are Alzheimer's disease and small strokes. The general term used to classify these disorders is dementia. Dementia is not inevitable for everyone who ages, but it occurs with increasing frequency as we age. That is why we all need to be alert and recognize these sometime subtle changes in our loved ones.

Dementia results in faulty thinking, reasoning and memory. Dementia is one of the most common reasons why some older adults are no longer able to live alone. Often the stress of caring for them becomes too much for the family. There is constant worry about their judgment. Will they wander off and get lost? Will they become incapable of driving safely? Do they remember to eat? How do they deal with their medications?

Mom may look the same, and may at times have periods of lucidity, so you are not sure if you are worrying unnecessarily. Maybe she is starting to see the changes in herself and becomes depressed at the thought of losing her independence or control. Or she may reject vehemently any question or challenge of her abilities, making it very hard for family or friends to take needed actions.

It is imperative to face facts, as unpleasant or frightening as they may be. First, a doctor must diagnose the problem because it may be treatable. If it is dementia, there are important actions, and information to be gathered, while the person is still competent.

Medications may help manage some of the symptoms but not cure the disease. As part of facing the facts, you will need to develop plans for the short and long term. Do you need to arrange for grocery shopping, housekeeping, meal preparation, bill paying or residential care in the later stages of the disease? There are facilities that provide specialized programs and residential care for persons with dementia.

Lastly, seek help and counsel. Talk to your doctor. Contact our local Alzheimer's Association. They are a vast resource of information, support and training. Much needless stress and suffering can occur if people reach out too late and fail to make necessary plans

Betty Mullin-DiProsa is President & CEO, St. Ann 's Community and

Chairwoman, Senior Health Alliance of Greater Rochester, Inc.

Published in the Speaking Out section of the Democrat and Chronicle December 28, 2005

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Another Successful Toy Drive

St. Ann's Community played a key role in the success of the Pirate Toy Fund this year by collecting over 100 new toys for area children in need. "We have exceeeded our goal of 6000 toys and are very happy to have done so. Thanks to all in the community who donated, we are very appreciative," said Melissa Swald Camman, Executive Director of the Pirate Toy Fund. This is the 4th year that St. Ann's has collected toys and monetary donations for the charity. St. Ann's will accept new, unwrapped toys through December 21st.

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St. Ann's Community Wins Rochester's Choice Award 3rd Year in a Row

St. Ann's Community is the recipient of a 2005 Rochester's Choice award in both the Senior Living Community category and the Skilled Nursing Facility category. Rochester's Choice Awards are a promotion of the Democrat and Chronicle newspaper. Rochester's Choice represents the preferred business by popular vote in each category. Winners are determined by over thirty thousand hand-tabulated official ballots received from readers.

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St. Ann's of Greater Rochester Inc. Announces 3 new Board Members

Ann McCormick, Executive Vice President & General Council, Home Properties. Mrs. McCormick is a graduate of Colgate University and Cornell University Law School. She is a member of several community boards including the Alzheimer's Association, Greater Rochester Housing Partnership, Monroe Title Insurance Corporation and Flower City Habitat for Humanity.

Robert Bergin, Director of Public Affairs, Rochester Gas & Electric. Mr Bergin's previous board positions include the Epilepsy Foundation of Rochester, Syracuse and Binghamton, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Ronald McDonald House. Currently he is on the board of the Al Sigl Foundation and the Veterans Outreach Center.

Thomas Mitchell, PE, President & CEO, Bergman Associates, PC. Mr. Mitchell's career focus is the engineering/design/start-up of electric power generating facilities. He received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Clarkson University. In addition to engineer related activities he serves as a counselor for the H.O.P.E House, a community outreach program serving disadvantaged families in the Webster, N.Y. area. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the American Heart Association.

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St. Ann 's Community President & CEO Elizabeth (Betty) Mullin-DiProsa Appointed Delegate-At-Large for White House Conference on Aging

Betty Mullin-Di Prosa, has been named a delegate-at-large to the 2005 White House Conference on Aging (WHCoA) to be held December 11 - 14, in Washington, D.C. Mrs. Mullin-DiProsa is one of 74 delegates selected in New York State to participate in the historic conference, and one of only three from the Rochester area. Delegates are chosen, after an extensive appl icat ion process, and selected for their overall ded icat ion and expertise, as well as diversity and experience.

The 2005 WHCoA is the fifth WHCoA in history. Its purpose is to make recommendations to the President of the United States and Congress to help guide national aging policies for the next 10 years and beyond. The conference will focus on the aging of today and tomorrow, including 78 million babyboomers who will begin to turn 60 in January 2006.

Mrs. Mullin-DiProsa is a registered nurse and healthcare executive with over 25 years experience providing and overseeing care and services for the elderly. Currently Betty is the President & CEO of St. Ann 's Community, a large not-for-profit senior housing and long term care system in Rochester , New York , serving over 2000 seniors annually. She is a resident of Rochester .

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Heritage Residents Win GRAPE Art Show Awards

Heritage Residents Jean Escott and Rose Sherman were awarded 1st prize ribbons in the GRAPE Art Show (Greater Rochester Area Partnership for the Elderly) held in September at Rural Opportunities on East Avenue. As 1st Prize winners, their art will be featured in the GRAPE 2006 wall calendar and they will also have their art displayed at the Dome Arena Health Fair on October 6th. Our Other 2 Finalists, Heritage Residents Carmella Panenpento and Catherine Schantz were awarded 2nd prize ribbons and proudly represented St. Ann's Community at this formal event. The calendar will be available throughout the Rochester area.

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19th Annual Community Care Health Fair

St. Ann 's Community and Rochester General Hospital will sponsor the 19th Annual Community Care Health Fair on Thursday, September 15 th from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at St. Ann 's Community, 1500 Portland Avenue . Over 30 organizations focusing on health care and community resources for the elderly and their caretakers will participate. Free refreshments and a complimentary bag lunch will be served.

Health screens will include Blood Pressure and Cholesterol. In addition, St. Ann 's Community will host a booth for Medication Review and cooking demonstrations featuring easy to prepare healthy meals. Information will be provided by a variety of community, state, and national organizations including the Alzheimer's Association, the American Cancer Society, ElderSource, and the Office of the Attorney General of the State of New York .

St. Ann 's Community is located at 1500 Portland Avenue , across the street from Rochester General Hospital .

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Grand Opening Celebration for Cherry Ridge a St. Ann's Community Announced

Be our special guest as we unveil our newest Senior Living Community- Cherry Ridge. Join us for a personal tour, drinks, hors d'oeuvres and meet our residents. Celebrate the Grand Opening of Cherry Ridge on Thursday, November 3, 2005 1:30 p.m. Cherry Ridge a St Ann's Community is located at 900 Cherry Ridge Boulevard in Webster.

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St. Ann's Community Welcomes Kim Petrone MD to the Medical Department

St. Ann's Community is pleased to announce Kim Petrone MD has joined the Medical Department. Dr. Petrone is a graduate of Duke University Medical School and completed her Chief Residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Rochester, along with a Geriactric Fellowship. Dr. Petrone is Board Certified in Geriatric and Internal Medicine.

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Cherry Ridge, a St. Ann's Community, Honored With National Award

Rochester , N.Y. : Cherry Ridge, a St. Ann 's Community, is pleased to announce that it is a recipient of the 2005 National Mature Media Awards. The senior living community received two Gold and a Bronze award in the Direct Mail Advertising category.

A panel of industry experts from across the United States reviewed nearly 1,200 marketing commun icat ions materials produced in 2004 and honored the top submissions in 32 categories for excellence in marketing to senior adults.

“We are honored to be among those recognized for our commun icat ions programs to the senior market,” said Eileen P. Ryan, Vice-President, Marketing of Cherry Ridge. “We are ded icat ed to providing our senior customers with accurate information in a creative format, to assist them in planning the most exciting part of their lives so that they may continue enjoying the active, independent lifestyle to which they have grown accustomed.”

The National Mature Media Awards are sponsored each year by the Mature Market Resource Center of Libertyville, Ill.

Cherry Ridge, a St. Ann 's Community, is a premier senior living community ded icat ed to today's seniors who welcome an active and engaged way of life. Cherry Ridge features secure, maintenance-free residential living, an opportunity-rich lifestyle and the assurance of access to long-term health care.

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Foundation Board Welcomes New Members

Martin K. Birmingham was appointed President and Chief Executive of the National Bank of Geneva this spring. His long career in banking includes serving as Bank of America's Rochester market president as well as Fleet's regional president for Rochester . Active in the community, Marty also serves as a trustee or board member of St. John Fisher College , Seneca Park Zoo Society, YMCA Of Greater Rochester, United Way of Greater Rochester and the Bishop's Stewardship Council for the Diocese of Rochester

Patrick Burke is President and CEO of Burke Group, Inc, the largest employee benefits and executive compensation consulting firm in Western New York . Mr. Burke is a frequent speaker to professional organizations and is active with several Rochester charity organizations. Pat recently finished a term as Chair for the Lifetime Assistance Foundation Board.

Patrick Simpson is an attorney with Nixon Peabody where he concentrates his practice in trust and estate planning and administration, immigration matters for businesses and individuals, and related international tax issues. Patrick is a member of the Trusts and Estates sections of the New York State and Monroe County Bar Associations and volunteers his time as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Norman Howard School and of the Norman Howard School Foundation, and chairs the Board of Directors of EnCompass: Resources for Learning, an affiliate of the Norman Howard School.

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St. Ann's Community Announces Assistant Directors of Nursing for St. Ann's Home and the Heritage

Ann E. Nemirovsky, RN, MBA has been hired as Assistant Director of Nursing for the Heritage. Ann was most recently employed at Wesley Gardens in Rochester . She is a graduate of the University of Rochester School of Nursing with a BS in Nursing and a graduate of the Simon School of Business Administration with an MBA.

Michelle DeLisio, RN, MPA, LNC has been hired as Assistant Director of Nursing for St. Ann 's Home. Her most recent employment was at The Highlands Living Center in Pittsford as a Nurse Manager. She has a Bachelors of Science in Nursing and a Masters in Public Administration and is a Legal Nurse Consultant.

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FINANCING SECURED FOR CHERRY RIDGE
$49 Million Planned Community Under Construction

Cherry Ridge, a St. Ann’s Community, is pleased to announce the closing on a $38 million dollar financing completed with the sale of tax-exempt bonds issued through the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency (COMIDA). The investment banking firm, Herbert J. Sims, assisted St. Ann’s in obtaining the financing. The not-for-profit senior living retirement community in Western New York is well underway with an estimated completion date of November 2005.

This new $49 million full-service retirement community, located on 41 acres, 900 Ridge Road in Webster, will offer the ultimate in retirement living featuring a host of unparalleled services and amenities. In addition, residents will receive access to a full continuum of care that includes assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care services, if ever needed.

“With the financing secured for this exceptional new retirement community, Cherry Ridge is well on the way to making the retirement dreams of our future residents a reality,” said William Remizowski, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, St. Ann’s Community. “This vibrant new community will provide active, independent seniors with the comfort and security they expect in their retirement. It will be a most remarkable lifestyle.”

Residents will have independent and maintenance-free housing options ranging from spacious one- and two-bedroom apartments to two-bedroom, two bath cottage homes. Some apartments and cottages will feature a den, and cottages will also offer covered porches and attached garages.

All residents will have access to numerous resort-style services such as weekly housekeeping, concierge services, 24-hour emergency response system and full-time security, to name a few. The amenities at Cherry Ridge will include a library, fitness center, country store, café, beauty salon/barbershop, private dining room and community center/Chapel.

“Cherry Ridge is the result of determining what today’s seniors want in a retirement community and then making it happen,” added Betty Mullin-DiProsa, President & CEO of St. Ann’s Community. “We pulled together a team of experts to create the ultimate living environment with nothing but the very best for our future residents.”

Members of the development team include St. Ann’s Senior Housing, Inc., Rochester, New York; project developer, Cochran Stephenson and Donkervoet, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland; project architect, SWBR Associate Architects; LeCesse Construction, Inc., Rochester, New York; general contractor; GlynnDevins, Overland Park, Kansas, marketing consultants; and interior designers, Merlino Design Partnership, Inc., Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania.

St. Ann’s Community hires Paul Bartlett as Director of Chapel Oaks

St. Ann’s Community is pleased to announce Paul R. Bartlett as Director of Chapel Oaks. Mr. Bartlett has more than 33 years of experience in the Hospitality industry with 25 of those years at the Marriott Corporation. Paul has held positions at ARAMARK Corporation, The Village at Park Ridge, The Highlands at Pittsford and most recently, served as operations manager at Ferris Hills/Clark Meadows retirement community in Canandaigua. Paul will oversee a staff of 35 employees and all day to day operations at Chapel Oaks which offers 120 one and two bedroom independent living apartments on the St. Ann’s campus.

Bob Bourg has been promoted to the role of VP/Administrator for The Heritage, one of the two skilled nursing facilities at St. Ann's Community.  Bob has been with St. Ann's Community since 1999, most recently as the VP of Governance & Administration.

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For several months, a group of residents have been working with Nate Browning (Painting and Carpentry Leader), Mark Simpelaar and Chris Benson (Therapeutic Recreation) in the Men at Work Group. These men have been meeting regularly and creating some very special projects in this woodworking program and the St. Joseph's Neighborhood Center was the recipient of some of their finished products. The group presented Sister Christine Wagner, SSJ, Director of the Neighborhood Center with several handmade wooden toy buses and children's bookshelves to the center as part of a Christmas partnership.

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Chapel Oaks Charity Craft Club is Positively Rochester

On Friday, December 3rd, members of the Chapel Oaks Charity Craft Club were featured on WHEC's Positively Rochester Segment. These 14 ladies spend ten months of the year knitting and crocheting hats, gloves, scarves, mittens, sweaters and blankets for the Salvation Army. The group meets every Thursday night and has produced hundreds of handcrafted items for local Rochester Charities throughout the years. Chapel Oaks offers one and two bedroom luxury apartments for independent seniors and is a part of St. Ann's Community.

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St. Ann's Community is pleased to announce that we have pledged to support and be part of Quality First, an initiative led by the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA). The initiative was formally adopted at the September 15^th meeting of the Board of Directors, and signed by Board Chair Christopher DiPasquale and President & CEO Betty Mullin-DiProsa.

The mission of Quality First is to achieve excellence in aging services and to earn public trust. By endorsing the Quality First principles, St. Ann's Community pledges to continue to work in partnership with consumers, providers and the government to create an environment in which consumers can feel confident that they are receiving the high quality care and service they deserve. Those principles include continuous quality improvement, public disclosure and accountability, workforce excellence, ethical practices, and financial stewardship. The Quality First principles encompass all areas of the operation, and fit in well with St. Ann's commitment to provide high quality, cost-effective services to Seniors in the Rochester community.

Prior to adopting the Quality First initiative, St. Ann's Community undertook an extensive self-study to determine the current status of its quality efforts in all areas of the operation. The results of the study were shared with management and the Board of Directors, and the decision was then made to elevate our Quality Programs even further and proceed with adopting Quality First. Betty Mullin-DiProsa was one of the leaders in introducing Quality First to the organization. "By adopting this initiative, we are truly making quality the centerpiece of our efforts. We are an organization that believes very strongly in providing the highest quality care and service to our Residents. We are looking forward to working with AAHSA and its members to make Quality First a huge success."

For more information on St. Ann's participation in Quality First or any of our Senior Services, please contact Taylor Wellman, Multi-Media Coordinator at 697-6407.

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St. Ann's of Greater Rochester Inc. Announces 3 New Board Members

Judy A. Toyer Serves as Counsel, Employment Law and Personnel Relations Staff for Eastman Kodak Company.

Timothy G. White, Partner KPMG, LLP

Stephen J. Meloni, M.D., Primary Care Internist at Elmwood Medical Associates.

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  St. Ann 's Community and Rochester General Hospital will sponsor the 18^th Annual Community Care Health Fair on Thursday, September 16^th from 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at St. Ann 's Community, 1500 Portland Avenue . Over 30 organizations focusing on health care and community resources for the elderly and their caretakers will participate. Free refreshments and a complimentary bag lunch will be served. Health screenings will include Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, hearing and medication review. There will also be cooking demonstrations featuring easy to prepare healthy meals. Information will be provided by a variety of community, state, and national organizations including the Alzheimer's Association, the American Cancer Society, ElderSource, and Office of the Attorney General of the State of New York . Educational Seminars this year will include "What's New in Nutrition" presented by the St. Ann 's Clinical Nutrition  department. Call 697-6406 for more information.

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Construction on the model is progressing nicely. Work on the three unit patio home model is well under way and on schedule. Most of the siding has been completed and crews have already finished painting the interior of the first unit.  The groundbreaking ceremony will take place on August twenty fourth with construction moving at full speed after that. Please visit this page soon for more details.

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St. Ann's Foundation Inc. Announces Newly Elected Slate of Officers

Chair- James G. Gould Allesco Advisors, LLC

Vice-Chair-Jeanne B. Hutchins

Treasurer- Raymond D'Agostino Deloitte & Touche, LLP

Secretary- Carol Riccardi

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St. Ann's of Greater Rochester Inc. Announces Board Officers for the 2004-2006 Term

Chair- Christopher  DiPasquale 1st Vice Chair- Robert F. Ryan 2nd Vice Chair- Juan F. Villanueva Treasurer- Raymond D'Agostino Secretary- Jay Quinn Immediate Past Chair- John Doyle President and CEO- Elizabeth Mullin-DiProsa return to top of page

St. Ann's Community to Host Statewide Art Exhibit NYAHSA Officials with St. Ann's Community have announced that they will soon host a unique, traveling art exhibit with pieces created by residents at New York's not-for-profit, mission-driven and public long term care facilities. Known as the NYAHSA Art Exhibit, the show will visit St. Ann's Community from Monday, May 17, 2004 to Wednesday June 2. The public is invited to tour the exhibit between the hours of 9:00AM and 8:00 PM at St. Ann's Community, 1500 Portland Avenue, Rochester, NY 14621. A project of the New York Association of Homes & Services for the Aging (NYAHSA), which represents New York's not-for-profit, mission-driven and public long term care providers, the exhibit is sponsored by NYAHSA Services, Inc., which gives health care providers opportunities to save on insurance, telecommunications and energy programs. For the 2004 art exhibit, more than 200 pieces were submitted by 214 different artists from facilities throughout the state. This year the art exhibit travels across the state to ten locations. The exhibit begins in the Capital Region and visits the Western, Rochester, Southern Tier, Central, Northern and Hudson Valley regions concluding in the Long Island area. Visit www.nyahsa.org for the schedule. Professional artists serve as jurists and select the works for the show from two categories, Resident/Client or Staff/Volunteer. Over the course of 14 shows, the program has received well over 3,000 art works of all media. All entries are submitted by individuals having a connection with the New York Association of Homes & Services for the Aging. St. Ann's Community is a multi level long term care facility with a 130 year tradition. We are located at 1500 Portland Avenue directly across the street from Rochester General Hospital. Founded in 1961, the New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging is the only statewide organization representing the entire continuum of not-for-profit, mission-driven and public continuing care, including nursing homes, senior housing, adult care facilities, continuing care retirement communities, assisted living providers, and community service providers. NYAHSA's more than 560 members serve an estimated 500,000 New Yorkers of all ages annually. return to top of page

St. Ann's Community in U.S. News and World Report President and CEO, Betty Mullin-DiProsa and Tibett Maxey a Licensed Practical Nurse on the third floor of St. Ann 's Home were interviewed for a 5 page feature story in U.S. News and World Report. The story, titled "Help Wanted", was published in the March 8th edition of the weekly news magazine and focuses on the resurgence of the job market and the changes and flexibility needed for people to benefit from it.    Ms. Mullin-DiProsa a member of TEC (The Executive Committee), a national CEO group was contacted by U.S. News and World Report to give some statistics on how the ever-changing job market affects St. Ann 's and the Senior Living industry as a whole. St. Ann 's Community has a labor force of about 850 people and on any given day has 30 to 40 full time openings, a number that will rise as St. Ann 's breaks ground on our new Senior Living Community, Cherry Ridge. While the majority of openings are in the Nursing Department, there are other areas as well. St. Ann 's also needs housekeepers, laundry staff and pharmacists, among others. "We're in a growth industry, no question," says Betty Mullin-DiProsa. " Everyone 's getting older, and over time everyone is going to need care."    To meet the needs and demands of the rapidly growing Senior Care industry, St. Ann 's offers retraining programs. Along with the other four members of the Senior Health Alliance, St. Ann 's employees can take advantage of the TANF grant which is what Tibett Maxey did. Ms. Maxey, a single mother, had been a Unit Secretary at St. Ann 's Home for three years when she saw a posting for the Nurse Training Program.  She signed up, and received her full-time salary for the next 11 months while splitting a 40 hour work week between classes and St. Ann 's. "I wouldn't have been able to do it otherwise," said Tibett who is now a Licensed Practical Nurse. The retraining program also covers the cost of books and tuition. return to top of page

The 7th Annual Senior Senior Ball On Tuesday, February 24 at 2:00 P.M., St. Ann's Community will host students from Bishop Kearney High School's Honor Society at our seventh annual Senior / Senior Ball. The twelfth graders will arrive in formal attire and decorate the auditorium with balloons and streamers and transform it into an elegant ballroom. Residents and students will dance together to music from Big Band to Bruce Springsteen. This has become an annual favorite for our residents and they look forward to showing off their dancing moves once again this year. return to top of page

St. Ann 's Community and ViaHealth to Present Compassionate Care workshops On Thursday, November 13th, St. Ann 's Community  and ViaHealth are pleased to present two "Community Conversations on Compassionate Care" workshops.  The goal of the workshops is to educate the public on advance care planning and updating your health care proxy form.  The morning session will be held from 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. , and the evening session from 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.   The sessions are identical, so choose the time that fits best into your schedule.  The workshops will be held at St. Ann 's Community, 1500 Portland Avenue .  For more information, or to register to attend, please contact Bob Bourg at 697-6300.   return to top of page

St. Ann 's Foundation is pleased to welcome the following three new members to its Board of Directors.  Mark Keogh retired from Energy East Corporation as Treasurer and Secretary in 2003.  His twenty plus years of service at Rochester Gas & Electric (now part of Energy East) included positions managing and directing the finances of RG&E.  Mark is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Veteran Outreach Center and the Financial Executive Institute.   Raymond D'Agostino is a CPA with Deloitte & Touche where he serves as the Assurance and Advisory Director.  His twenty plus years of experience include auditing for higher education, governmental and non-for-profit entities.  Ray is a Board member of Bishop Kearny High School and Lifespan and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.     Dennis Mullen is Chairman, President and CEO for Birds Eye Foods, Inc. a Rochester based processor of frozen foods. Dennis has served in senior leadership positions with Birds Eye and its subsidiaries companies for over 12 years. He is a member of the Board of Directors for St. Leo University, Junior Achievement of Rochester and the National Food Processors Association. St. Ann 's Community has a 125 year tradition of being Rochester 's premier provider of healthcare and housing for seniors. St. Ann 's Home, The Heritage, Chapel Oaks, Transitional Care Center and Adult Day Programs Provide services to more than 900 seniors. return to top of page

St. Ann's Community & Rochester General Hospital Present The 17th Annual Community Care Health Fair St. Ann's Community and Rochester General Hospital will sponsor the 17th Annual Community Care Health Fair on Thursday, September 18th from 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at St. Ann's Community, 1500 Portland Avenue. Over 35 organizations focusing on health care and community resources for the elderly and their caretakers will participate. Free refreshments and a complimentary box lunch will be served. Health screens will include Blood Pressure and Cholesterol. In addition, St. Ann's Community will host a booth for Medication Review and a cooking demonstration featuring easy to prepare healthy meals. Information will be provided by a variety of community, state, and national organizations including the Alzheimer's Association, the American Cancer Society, ElderSource, and Office of the Attorney General of the State of New York. Educational Seminars this year will include "Safety for Seniors" presented by Ed Schoepfel Jr., Senior Security Consultant at Doyle Security Systems, "Computers Don't Byte" presented by Chris Winslow, Telecommunications Coordinator at St. Ann's, and "Getting a Lift from Lifting" presented by Mary E. McCarthy, RN, MS.   return to top of page

June Weltzer Promoted to Director of Therapeutic Recreation June Weltzer, CTRS has recently been promoted to Director of Therapeutic Recreation. Ms. Weltzer, a St. Ann's employee since 1985, was originally hired as a Recreation Therapist and was made Recreation Manager in 2001. In her role as Director, June will oversee all TR services for both St. Ann's and the Heritage. She is responsible for all clinical and program functions of the TR department, with a focus on maximizing the quality of life for our residents through recreation and leisure. June holds a B.S. in Gerontology from the University of Buffalo, and will soon be completing her Masters of Science in Therapeutic Recreation from SUNY Brockport. June is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist through the National Council of Therapeutic Recreation Certification.     return to top of page

Steven Smith is New V.P. of Foundation and Resource Development Steven Smith has joined the St. Ann 's Community staff as the new Vice-President of Foundation & Resource Development. Steve brings with him over 22 years experience working in not-for-profit organizations, 16 of those years spent in fundraising. Before joining  St. Ann 's Community, Steve was the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the Hillside and Crestwood Children's Foundation. In his role as Vice-President of Foundation & Resource Development, Steve will lead the fundraising program for St. Ann 's Community to secure philanthropic support for its programs   and projects. Steve holds a B.S. in Business Economics from SUNY Oneonta, and is a Certified Fund Raising Executive. In addition, he is the President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Genesee Valley Chapter. When asked what plans he has as Vice-President of Foundation & Resource Development Steve said, "My vision is that the St. Ann 's Foundation becomes the preferred charity for those who support and care about the quality of life for our Residents. Our philanthropic efforts will match the exceptional care that we deliver to our Residents". Please join us in welcoming Steve to St. Ann 's Community. If you would like to contact the Foundation & Resource Development   office, please call 697-6321. return to top of page

St. Ann 's Community Awarded Accreditation from Joint Commission   St. Ann 's Community, in Rochester , NY , has achieved the Gold Seal of Approval for health care quality Long Term Care Accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). The Gold Seal of Approval for Joint Commission accreditation means St. Ann's Community demonstrated Full Standards Compliance with national standards for patient safety and quality of care.   "We seek accreditation because we want to make evident to our residents, their families and the Rochester community at large, our commitment to achieving the highest standards of care, not just the minimums required by state licensure, and federal certification," says Betty Mullin-DiProsa, President and CEO.  "JCAHO Accreditation is fully voluntary, and is sought only by a few organizations, those seeking to stand out and visibly demonstrate exceptional care and service.  We view obtaining Joint Commission accreditation as another step toward achieving excellence.  St. Ann's Home and The Heritage, our two skilled nursing facilities, achieved a perfect score in this recent survey from the Joint Commission, a rare accomplishment for any organization." The award of accreditation is for the three-year period ending March 28, 2006.   Founded in 1951, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards setting and accrediting body in health care. return to top of page

ST. ANN'S COMMUNITY PRIVACY NOTICE THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION.   PLEASE REVIEW THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY.  St. Ann's Community ("SAC") is committed to maintaining the privacy of your protected health information ("PHI"), which includes information about your medical condition and the care and treatment you receive from SAC and other health care providers.  This Notice details how your PHI may be used and disclosed to third parties for purposes of your care, payment for your care, health care operations of SAC, and for other purposes permitted or required by law.  This Notice also details your rights regarding your PHI.  USE OR DISCLOSURE OF PHI   SAC may use and/or disclose your PHI for purposes related to your care, payment for your care, and health care operations of the facility.  The following are examples of the types of uses and/or disclosures of your PHI that may occur.  These examples are not meant to include all possible types of use and/or disclosure.  (a)   Care - In order to care for you, SAC will provide your PHI to those health care professionals, whether on SAC's staff or not, directly involved in your care so that they may understand your medical condition and needs and provide advice or treatment.  For example, a physician treating you for a condition such as arthritis may need to know what medications have been prescribed for you by SAC's physicians. (b)   Payment - In order to get paid for some or all of the health care provided by the SAC, the facility may provide your PHI, directly or through a billing service, to appropriate third party payors.  For example, SAC may need to provide the Medicare program with information about health care services that you receive from SAC so that SAC can be properly reimbursed.       (c)   Health Care Operations - In order for SAC to operate in accordance with applicable law and in order for SAC to provide quality and efficient care, it may be necessary for SAC to compile, use and/or disclose your PHI.  For example, SAC may use your PHI in order to evaluate the performance of SAC's personnel.  AUTHORIZATION NOT REQUIRED  SAC may use and/or disclose your PHI, without a written Authorization from you, in the following instances:  (a)   De-identified Information - Your PHI is altered so that it does not identify you and, even without your name, cannot be used to identify you. (b)   Business Associate - To a business associate, which is someone who SAC contracts with to provide a service necessary for your treatment, payment for your treatment and health care operations (e.g., billing service).  SAC will obtain satisfactory written assurance, in accordance with applicable law, that the business associate will appropriately safeguard your PHI. (c)   Personal Representative - To a person who, under applicable law, has the authority to represent you in making decisions related to your health care. (d)   Public Health Activities - Such activities include, for example, information collected by a public health authority, as authorized by law, to prevent or control disease, injury or disability. (e)   Federal Drug Administration - If required by the Food and Drug Administration to report adverse events, product defects or problems or biological product deviations, or to track products, or to enable product recalls, repairs or replacements, or to conduct post marketing surveillance. (f)   Abuse, Neglect or Domestic Violence - To a government authority if SAC is required by law to make such disclosure.  If SAC is authorized by law to make such a disclosure, it will do so if it believes that the disclosure is necessary to prevent serious harm or if SAC believes that you have been the victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence.  Any such disclosure will be made in accordance with the requirements of law, which may also involve notice to you of the disclosure. (g)   Health Oversight Activities - Such activities, which must be required by law, involve government agencies involved in oversight activities that relate to the health care system, government benefit programs, government regulatory programs and civil rights law.  Those activities include, for example, criminal investigations, audits, disciplinary actions, or general oversight activities relating to the community's health care system. (h)   Judicial and Administrative Proceeding - For example, SAC may be required to disclose your PHI in response to a court order or a lawfully issued subpoena.  (i)   Law Enforcement Purposes - In certain instances, your PHI may have to be disclosed to a law enforcement official for law enforcement purposes.   Law enforcement purposes include: (1) complying with a legal process (i.e., subpoena) or as required by law; (2) information for identification and location purposes (e.g., suspect or missing person); (3) information regarding a person who is or is suspected to be a crime victim; (4) in situations where the death of an individual may have resulted from criminal conduct; (5) in the event of a crime occurring on the premises of SAC; and (6) a medical emergency (not on SAC's premises) has occurred, and it appears that a crime has occurred. (j)   Coroner or Medical Examiner - SAC may disclose your PHI to a coroner or medical examiner for the purpose of identifying you or determining your cause of death, or to a funeral director as permitted by law and as necessary to carry out its duties.  (k)   Organ, Eye or Tissue Donation - If you are an organ donor, SAC may disclose your PHI to the entity to whom you have agreed to donate your organs. (l)   Research - If SAC is involved in research activities, your PHI may be used, but such use is subject to numerous governmental requirements intended to protect the privacy of your PHI such as approval of the research by an institutional review board and the requirement that protocols must be followed. (m)   Avert a Threat to Health or Safety - SAC may disclose your PHI if it believes that such disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public and the disclosure is to an individual who is reasonably able to prevent or lessen the threat. (n)   Specialized Government Functions - When the appropriate conditions apply, SAC may use PHI of individuals who are Armed Forces personnel: (1) for activities deemed necessary by appropriate military command authorities; (2) for the purpose of a determination by the Department of Veteran Affairs of eligibility for benefits; or  (3) to a foreign military authority if you are a member of that foreign military service.  SAC may also disclose your PHI to authorized federal officials for conducting national security and intelligence activities including the provision of protective services to the President or others legally authorized. (o)   Inmates - SAC may disclose your PHI to a correctional institution or law enforcement official if you are an inmate of that correctional facility and your PHI is necessary to provide care and treatment to you or is necessary for the health and safety of other individuals or inmates.  (p)   Workers' Compensation - If you are involved in a Workers' Compensation claim, SAC may be required to disclose your PHI to an individual or entity that is part of the Workers' Compensation system. (q)   Disaster Relief Efforts - SAC may use or disclose your PHI to a public or private entity authorized to assist in disaster relief efforts. (r)   Required by Law - If otherwise required by law, but such use or disclosure will be made in compliance with the law and limited to the requirements of the law.  AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED  Uses and/or disclosures, other than those described above will be made only with your written Authorization, which you may revoke at any time.  MARKETING SAC may only use and/or disclose your PHI for marketing activities if we obtain from you a prior written Authorization.  "Marketing" activities include communications to you that encourage you to purchase or use a product or service, and the communication is not made for your care or treatment.  However, marketing does not include, for example, sending you a newsletter about SAC.  Marketing also includes the receipt by SAC of remuneration, directly or indirectly, from a third party whose product or service is being marketed.  SAC will inform you if it engages in marketing and will obtain your prior Authorization.  FAMILY MEMBER/FRIEND  SAC may disclose to your family member, other relative, a close personal friend, or any other person identified by you, your PHI directly relevant to such person's involvement with your care or the payment for your care.  SAC may also use or disclose your PHI to notify or assist in the notification (including identifying or locating) a family member, a personal representative, or another person responsible for your care, of your location, general condition or death.  However, in both cases, the following conditions will apply:  (a) SAC may use or disclose your PHI if you agree, or if SAC provides you with opportunity to object and you do not object, or if SAC can reasonably infer from the circumstances, based on the exercise of its judgment, that you do not object to the use or disclosure. (b) If you are not present, SAC will, in the exercise of its judgment, determine whether the use or disclosure is in your best interests and, if so, disclose only the PHI that is directly relevant to the person's involvement with your care.  FACILITY DIRECTORY SAC will maintain a Directory of individuals who reside in SAC.  You will be included in that Directory, which will indicate your name and your room number.  Your information will also be provided to any person who asks for you by name.  However, you have the right to object to the use of your information in the Directory, and you have the right to request that some or all of that information not be used or disclosed as described herein.  If, because of your condition or an emergency situation, you cannot exercise your right to object, SAC will use or disclose your information in the Directory if that is consistent with your prior expressed preference and SAC determines that such use or disclosure is in your best interest.  ROOM LOCATION SAC posts, either on the door of your room or on the wall adjacent to the door, your name.  This is done for your safety and to promote efficient, quality care.  GOVERNMENT REGULATION SAC is subject to various rules and regulations of New York State and the federal government.  As a result of those rules and regulations, periodically representatives from federal or state agencies will audit the operations of SAC and, in the process of that audit, will review medical records, some of which may contain your PHI.  In addition you, as a recipient of Medicare benefits, may have agreed to allow representatives from the federal or state governments to review your medical records as a result of an audit being conducted of SAC.  Access by a federal or state agency to your PHI for audit purposes does not require your prior authorization.  YOUR RIGHTS         You have the right to: (a)   Revoke any Authorization, in writing, at any time.  To request a revocation, you must submit a written request to SAC's Privacy Officer. (b)   Request restrictions on certain use and/or disclosure of your PHI as provided by law.  To request restrictions, you must submit a written request to SAC's Privacy Officer. (c)   Receive confidential communications of PHI by alternative means or at alternative locations.  You must make your request in writing to SAC's Privacy Officer.  SAC will accommodate all reasonable requests. (d)   Inspect and copy your PHI as provided by law.  To inspect and copy your PHI, you must submit a request (oral or written) to SAC's Privacy Officer.  In certain situations that are defined by law, SAC may deny your request, but you will have the right to have the denial reviewed. (e)   Amend your PHI as provided by law.  To request an amendment, you must submit a written request to SAC's Privacy Officer.  You must provide a reason that supports your request.  SAC may for various reasons deny your request.  If you disagree with SAC's denial, you will have the right to submit a written statement of disagreement. (f)   Receive an accounting of disclosures of your PHI as provided by law.  To request an accounting, you must submit a written request to SAC's Privacy Officer. (g)   Receive a paper copy of this Privacy Notice from SAC upon request to SAC's Privacy Officer. (h)   Complain to SAC, or to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Office of Civil Rights, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, S. W., Room 509F HHH Building, Washington, D.C. 20201.  Or you may contact a regional office of the Office of Civil Rights, which can be found at www.hhs.gov/ocr/regmail.html.  To file a complaint with SAC, you must contact SAC's Privacy Officer.  All complaints must be in writing. (i)   To obtain more information on, or have your questions about your rights answered, you may contact SAC's Privacy Officer at:        Chief Information Officer        St. Ann's Community        1500 Portland Avenue        Rochester, NY 14621        Telephone: (585) 697-6000        Fax: (585) 336-1780   PrivacyOfficer@stannscommunity.com  ST. ANNS REQUIREMENTS        St. Ann's Community: (a)   Is required by law to maintain the privacy of your PHI and to provide you with this Privacy Notice of SAC's legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your PHI. (b)         Is required to abide by the terms of this Privacy Notice. (c)   Reserves the right to change the terms of this Privacy Notice and to make the new Privacy Notice provisions effective for all of your PHI that it maintains. (d)  Will not retaliate against you for making a complaint. (e)   Must make a good faith effort to obtain from you an acknowledgement of receipt of this Notice. (f)  Will post this Privacy Notice on SAC's web site, if SAC maintains a web site. (g)   Will provide this Privacy Notice to you by e-mail if you so request.  However, you also have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Privacy Notice. EFFECTIVE DATE        This Notice is in effect as of 04/14/2003 Return to Top of Page