Services & Care

Social workers assist residents and their family members with adjustment to Our Lady of Consolation Nursing & Rehabilitation. We understand that becoming comfortable in a new environment takes time and our certified social workers are experienced in providing counseling to individuals and families.

Social workers advocate for each individual resident’s needs and preferences. Our comprehensive knowledge of community resources enable us to provide discharge planning as needed for residents returning to the community. After rehabilitation care, patients will be assisted with discharge plans and connected with home care as necessary.

Rehabilitative services are provided by a team of knowledgeable therapists who apply excellent clinical skills in a professional and respectful manner. Individual plans of care are focused on improving all aspects of our resident's and patient's physical, emotional and psychosocial well-being while restoring an optimal level of independence. Patient and family training is provided to facilitate the recovery process.

Types of Therapy:

• Cognitive
• Occupational
• Physical
• Restorative Swallowing/Feeding
• Speech
• Orthopedic
• Neurologic

Pathway to Home

Pathway to Home is a unique and innovative pathway that consists of seven common outdoor surfaces, including paving stones, patio blocks, flag stone, wooden decking, cobble stone, concrete, and grass. These surfaces provide a comprehensive spectrum of most surfaces found at the homes of our residents and patients. This is a way to give them an opportunity to practice “in-home” environmental challenges while under the watchful eyes and skillful care of the rehabilitation staff.

Our Lady of Consolation Nursing & Rehabilitation is the first on Long Island to use this technique in therapy. It is our belief that residents who come to us for their short-term rehabilitation therapy are on a pathway back into their own home. This program enables them to achieve their goals with peace of mind and security.

Our Lady of Consolation developed a Special Care Dementia Community to address the overwhelming needs of community members who are suffering from difficult care problems and complex secondary symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. The forty-bed secured community, consisting of private and semi-private rooms, follows a psychosocial model of caring for residents. All rooms are furnished with dressers, end tables, electric hospital beds, and bathrooms and shower rooms. Televisions and telephones are also available if family members and/or residents prefer.

The physical environment of the community has been modified to create a comfortable, less clinical atmosphere. The corridor hallways have been painted in two different colors and with murals to depict neighborhood streets, complete with trees, flowers, lampposts, wrought iron fences and street signs like Main Street and Elm Street.

The names of the streets were specifically chosen to have no more than four letters because people suffering from dementia have difficulty retaining new information and language skills. Most residents are able to read the signs, promoting a positive self image and experience. In addition, the names of the streets are common and familiar to most people, which creates a more comfortable, less frightening environment.

The day room/dining room is painted with a tranquil park scene mural. This room is used for dining and therapeutic activities. Curtains, park benches, a kitchen table and chairs, and a mural of a kitchen cabinet aid in the enhancement of a homey, familiar touch to dining and recreation. There is an activity schedule in the day room, in addition to an orientation board, so residents and their families can see or ask questions regarding what and when the next activity will begin.

The community is also equipped with an active lounge to provide activities for residents to participate with both staff and family members. The quiet lounge is used for residents who do not feel they are able to participate in group activities and want/ need to have one-on-one activities or interventions to support or redirect behavior. Family members visiting residents can choose to visit in the quiet lounge if they do not want to participate with the resident in activities.

The goal of the Special Care Dementia Community is to maintain the resident’s present level of functioning through cognitive, physical and social stimulation in hopes of having a fuller, more independent quality of life.

Each resident’s cognitive abilities, functional status and Activities of Daily Living (ADL) are monitored monthly for the first 90 days. Then, on a quarterly basis. The resident’s cognitive abilities are monitored through a Mini Mental Status Exam. Functional status is calculated through daily participation in Therapeutic Recreational Programs. ADL is monitored for each resident.

Family involvement is very important to the success of this community. Because the residents recall their past more readily than the present, their family members provide the resident with a sense of self or being. Families are invited to participate in any or all programs on or off the community. Family members are always welcome to meet with their loved one's interdisciplinary team.

Our staff was selected and trained specifically for this community. The emphasis on a team approach is stressed throughout the community. All housekeeping staff, recreational therapists, nurses and social workers have experience working with dementia patients.

Our Lady of Consolation Nursing & Rehabilitation has an Alzheimer's disease/dementia educator on staff, certified by the National Certification Board for Alzheimer Care, to offer knowledge and assist in understanding the special needs and circumstances of persons with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

At Our Lady of Consolation Nursing & Rehabilitation, we believe it is extremely important to provide a faith community where our residents can continue to worship in ways they are accustomed. Our priest-chaplain offers Mass during the week, including Sundays, and provides for all the sacramental needs of our residents. Rosary, Novena and Divine Mercy services are also available for residents and patients as well as choir practice.

Protestant services take place on Thursday mornings with an afternoon fellowship hour. Four interfaith small Christian communities (including on the Alzheimer's disease/Dementia Unit) meet weekly to discuss the scripture readings for the upcoming Sunday and to offer prayer, hymns and thanks. The first Friday of the month we offer benediction and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament as well as a monthly resident/staff memorial mass.

Our Lady of Consolation Nursing & Rehabilitation celebrates all Christian holidays by both the Catholic and Protestant communities. Chaplains, eucharistic ministers and spiritual care companions visit residents and bring communion on a daily basis. We welcome residents of all faiths to participate in our pastoral care activities, especially our prayer groups. In addition we make every effort to encourage our residents and rehabilitation patients to remain connected to their home faith communities. Bereavement groups help our residents’ families, and the local community as well, to deal with their feelings of grief and loss.

Our therapeutic recreation department strives to promote joy and hope through meaningful and therapeutic leisure programs that re-create the spirit of all our residents and patients. The comprehensive, individualized programs are comprised of cognitive, physical, intellectual, creative, social and solitary recreational pursuits. Our goals are to educate, rehabilitate and encourage resident and patient participation in programs of their choice. Our highly experienced and specialized staff hold a minimum of a two or four-year degree in recreation or in a closely related field. Our Lady of Consolation Nursing & Rehabilitation is unique in that most of the recreational therapy staff have earned their professional national and state certifications.

Therapeutic recreation services are provided daily, including weekends, holidays and evenings. Therapeutic resident and patient-specific programs can take place in a variety of settings such as our spacious auditorium, dining rooms, dayrooms, lounges, recreational therapy office, room bound and the outside grounds. Community contacts and outings, special events, intergenerational and pet therapy, computer access and education, art therapy, happy hour, and other cultural, age-appropriate programs round out our dynamic recreational therapy services. Resident and patient-driven interests and programs are highly encouraged.

An in-house, closed circuit television system allows each resident to access movies and sensory DVDs. Family members and friends are encouraged to join their loved one in participating in any of our scheduled programs.

Our culinary and nutritional service department provides a wide array of restaurant-style menus. Every effort is taken to provide a nutritious meal that is satisfactory to our resident/patient. We use locally grown produce to ensure that we provide the freshest seasonal fruit and vegetable options available. Some of our produce is grown in our own vegetable gardens that are tended by our culinary staff and our residents.

Dietitians meet with our residents/patients as well as family members to ensure that we have a good understanding of their loved ones likes and dislikes.

We accommodate and ensure that residents/patients who have special culinary needs are addressed. We have been known to go out to the local supermarket when we are not able to get these items from our vendors.

Some of our specials for our resident/patient family include:

• Weekly summer barbecues in our gazebo area, including live entertainment.
• Monthly dinner theater
• Monthly birthday breakfast celebrations
• Special meals for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve

Our Founders Cafe is a coffee shop for patients and families that provides an additional area for pleasant relaxation and friendly conversation.

Residents and families can also gather at our beautifully landscaped stroll garden and pavilion area.