Boomers & Beyond – April 2018

Bensonhurst Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare

A Faith-Based Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare Serving Brooklyn for Over 30 Years

Dedicated priests from several parishes, like Father Anthony S. Chanan, center, back row, and Sister Anne, a Missionary Sister of Mary Immaculate, third from right, tend to the spiritual needs of residents at Bensonhurst Center, as well as staff and volunteers and residents. (Photos courtesy Bensonhurst Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare)

The Bensonhurst Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare is a faith-based facility that has been serving the Brooklyn community for over 30 years. The state-of-the-art, 200-bed center offers an array of healthcare services specializing in complex medical care, rehabilitation and long-term care in a hotel-like setting.

The medical, nursing and rehabilitation teams are highly trained and dedicated to ensure that patients receive the highest level of care in an environment that promotes healing and well-being.

Skilled Nursing Care

Offering include a wide variety of skilled nursing services such as: IV therapy, PICC line therapy, wound care/wound VAC, post-cardiac surgery care and more.

The center offers a combined approach of skilled care and physical rehabilitation, treating the medical condition while promoting independence through intense physical, occupational and speech therapies.

Bensonhurst’s nursing team, led by the medical staff, is highly trained in the care of persons with complex medical co-morbidities. A hotel-like setting allows patients time to recuperate in a beautiful environment that promotes healing and comfort.

A professionally licensed team of nurses and therapists in conjunction with the resident physicians design customized programs for medical care and rehabilitation based on each resident’s unique needs.

Individually tailored therapy and nutrition regimens focus on maximizing a resident’s ability to lead an independent life. Social work and case management teams provide continuous support to both residents and their families to ensure a safe and appropriate return to the community.

Improve Strength, Function

Staff members are dedicated to working with patients and helping them acquire or relearn the skills they will need to be active and live independently.

An experienced staff of physical therapists work one-on-one with each resident to improve strength and restore function through the use of therapeutic exercises.

In addition, the rehabilitation program puts special emphasis on “pain management” so that residents can maximize their potential in a comfortable and dignified manner.

Whether recuperating from an orthopedic procedure, a cardiac event, a stroke or a lengthy hospitalization, Bensonhurst Center’s team of therapists are well trained to ensure that patients reach their maximum level of independence.

Center staffers understand that residents want to get back on their feet so they can resume a self-sufficient way of life. The occupational therapy team works with the residents to help them improve their fine motor control, coordination and cognitive skills. The staff members teach patients various functional and self-care skills, commonly referred to as activities of daily living (ADL), which include feeding, dressing and grooming.

Trained speech and language pathologists help residents communicate more effectively by using advanced techniques in oral and pharyngeal sensorimotor training.

Long-Term Care

The focus of the center’s long-term care program is to help residents maximize their potential while receiving skilled nursing care in a warm, friendly and home-like atmosphere. A professional nursing staff is on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All nurses are professionally trained in geriatrics and long-term care.

The nurses are aided by certified nursing assistants, who are carefully screened – like all staff members – and trained by an in-house education department, which works to continuously assure that nursing staff functions are performed at the highest standards of care.

Staff members meet on an ongoing basis to ensure that each resident has a thorough and personalized care plan, developed in partnership with his or her family. This plan includes a wide range of health care and social services, recreational activities, rehabilitative therapies and nutritional counseling, as well as any other necessary components to guarantee that residents receive top quality care.

On the Spiritual Side

While recuperating or permanently living at Bensonhurst Center, the on-site chapel is open to all. Residents, staff and visitors have the opportunity to attend Mass, receive Holy Communion, pray privately and celebrate feast days and holidays.

Dedicated priests from local parishes, including Fathers Anthony S. Chanan, Guy Sbordone, Ilyas Gill and Clement Okoro, and Msgr. David Cassato, celebrate Masses regularly and come to the facility any time a resident is in need of a priest.

In recent weeks, residents donned green attire to celebrate St. Patrick, and honored Jesus’ foster father, St. Joseph, by wearing red and offering a St. Joseph’s Table with a variety of food and breads that the center community all gathered around in faith.

Holy Week was a special time at the center. Palm Sunday Mass began with the blessing and distribution of palms. In commemoration of the Last Supper, residents had their hands washed on Holy Thursday, and a traditional service followed on Good Friday.

Easter Sunday Mass started out with a loud cheer of “Jesus Is Alive!” by all family, friends and residents.
Call Bensonhurst Center at 718-885-8484 to learn more or schedule a visit. Or take a virtual tour at center84.com.


Cutting-Edge Technology Helps Clients Regain Independence

Ekso Bionics is a leading developer of exoskeleton solutions that amplify human potential by supporting or enhancing strength, endurance and mobility. It is the only exoskeleton company to offer technologies that range from helping those with paralysis to stand up and walk, to enhancing human capabilities.

Bensonhurst Center is proud to be leading the way as the area’s only rehabilitation facility to offer Ekso’s incredible robotic exoskeleton technology for spinal cord injury, gait disorder, stroke and lower body paralysis.

This resident of Bensonhurst Center, pictured at left, had a stroke and was not able to stand up or walk. Now with Ekso’s wearable robotic exoskeleton, he will shorten his recovery time and be able to regain his independence.

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