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Director or Respiratory Therapy: Jean Labidou, RRT/NPS

This week as part of our Getting-to-Know-You series, we would like to introduce you to Jean Labidou, RRT/NPS, Adira’s Director of Respiratory Therapy. Jean is the lead clinician on our critically acclaimed Vent Unit and he brings three decades of healthcare experience with him.
Prior to joining this facility three years ago, Jean worked as the Assistant Director of Respiratory Care at St. John’s Hospital and has experience with all across the spectrum, from infants to the elderly. He then moved on to become the Assistant Director of Respiratory Care at this facility when it was called Michel Molotz. However, once the new owners took over, and it became Adira at Riverside, Jean was promoted to Director of Respiratory Care.
Many changes have taken place since the new owners took over in 2016, not the least of which is the 5 Star status from CMS.GOV. When I asked Jean what improvements he’s noticed first hand, he said, “There’s been more volume, more residents with ventilators and those using non-invasive ventilation. We also are much better equipped. The supplies are very accessible now. We get everything we need for patient care.”
Jean went on to say, “The care that respiratory therapy provides here is second to none. I would also say that we have a lot of professionals working here. Clinically we are all astute and there’s a lot of experience here…a tremendous amount of experience.”
When asked what he enjoys best about working at Adira, he responded, “I enjoy relating to the residents and the family members and staff members of course.”
As for why he has chosen to work in senior care….” Well, we’re all going that way!”
When you come to Adira, be sure to come by and say hello to Jean.

 

March Employee of the Month: Dan Maloney

Each month at Adira, we select one of our hard working individuals to be recognized as Employee of the Month. We are lucky in that all of our staff is wonderful but we like to take the time to recognize those who go above and beyond.

This month we’ve selected Recreation Leader, Dan Maloney.

Dan has been working with our recreation department for eight months but has been working with seniors for over thirty years. His favorite activity is active games and he always carries activities in his trunk–we love a man who is prepared!

Helen O’Brien, the Director of Volunteer & Recreation services, said it best, ” Dan was chosen because, although he works part time, his presence is felt throughout the facility. He has a warm smile and a positive attitude that puts everyone at ease. Dan is a genuinely nice person, an exemplary employee and we are lucky to have him.”

Thank you, Dan for being a part of the Adira family!

 

Retirement Outside the Box

If you were to walk the halls of Adira at Riverside Rehabilitation on any given Tuesday, you would likely see the smiling face of Tony Martelli. Given the pep in his step and the warm welcome, you might mistake him for the family member of a patient, an administrator or even a member of the nursing staff. It would be an understandable assumption given his friendly, welcome to our home demeanor but he falls into none of those categories.

 

Tony is Adira’s most dedicated volunteer.

 

Adira may not be Tony’s home but he considers it a home away from home and has volunteered here every week for the past several years. When I asked why he chose to dedicate so much of his precious retirement time to volunteering, his answer was rooted in personal experience. Both of Tony’s parents spent their last days in nursing homes and, to put it simply, Tony wanted to give back.

 

A Yonkers resident for 42 of his 64 years, Tony is a retired Teamster and Labor Supervisor with the Yonkers Sanitation Department. Although, calling him ‘retired’ seems like a misnomer. In addition to volunteering at Adira, he works at Costco three days a week and is heavily involved with the Holy Name Men’s Society at St. Bartholomew’s church, his local parish. No moss grows here. Tony is more active than many non-retired individuals.

 

When asked what he enjoys the most when volunteering at Adira, he said, “Spending time one on one with the residents…. In fact, there are four people I have to call when I go on vacation. I get the international plan!”

 

If he’s not giving his friends one on one attention or making them laugh with his stories, he participates in many of the activities that Adira provides our residents. In addition to music, the balloon/ball toss is his favorite because sometimes he likes to sneak in a second balloon to keep things interesting. “I like to go outside the box.”

 

The positive impact Tony has at Adira is evident in the warm welcome he receives from the residents, patients, and staff. His energy, smile, and dedication are infectious. However, Tony admits that it benefits him too and he’s not alone. According to a report from the Corporation for National Community Service, older Americans who volunteer, frequently live longer and report less disability.

 

Tony sees his time spent with the patients as not only helpful for them but also for their families. Many people are unable to visit their loved ones as often as they would like and knowing that people like Tony spend time with them is a priceless comfort. A staunch Catholic, Tony makes it a point to attend the wake of any resident he has befriended and the hugs he gives out at Adira, are shared there as well.

 

When Tony isn’t engaged in one of his many “retirement” activities, he enjoys traveling the world with his wife of 39 years, Ann Marie, and his beautiful daughter, Laura Ann.

 

 

While Tony has received many honors and recognitions during his career, his is most proud of the Home Town Hero Award which was given to him by the City of Yonkers, naming August 3rd Tony Martelli Day.

 

Tony may be a City of Yonkers Home Town Hero but he is a hero to many at Adira as well.

 

If you’d like to join Tony and volunteer at Adira or at our sister facility, Sprain Brook Manor Rehab, please email Sara Humphreys, Director of Marketing and Communications at shumphreys.sprainbrook@gmail.com or call 914-721-3954.

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