June 2008 - Change is a word that many people fear.  However, as has been proven numerous times throughout history, change is necessary and can also be very beneficial.  Such has been the case in recent months at Heritage Green Rehab & Skilled Nursing.

Heritage Green is a 151-bed, short-term rehabilitative and long-term skilled nursing care facility located just minutes from Jamestown in Greenhurst, New York. Heritage Green is nestled in a beautiful area of Chautauqua County and is only a short walk from scenic Chautauqua Lake.

The team approach at Heritage Green enables staff to offer residents the best professional care in a loving, home-like environment. The primary focus of all staff members is meeting the holistic needs of each individual resident.  Additionally, each and every employee strives to pursue Heritage Ministries’ mission of promoting hope, dignity, and purposeful living.

 

The Changing Face of Heritage Green   

Some changes are difficult to notice at first.  Others, however, are more apparent.  Since 2007, Heritage Green has undergone some significant facility renovations, the most recognizable being the remodeling of the Great Room.  This spacious area, right near the main entrance, serves as the central dining and activities area at Heritage Green.  New ceramic tile and carpeting were installed in the Great Room to replace flooring which had become difficult to keep odor-free.  Other facility improvements include the on-going remodeling of resident rooms and the purchase of flat screen televisions for resident lounges throughout the facility.

This year, Heritage Green will implement Answers On Demand (AOD), a state-of-the-art software system that will integrate all aspects of the facility’s management system, from billing to clinical.  This will streamline the entire process of dignified, resident-centered care.  In conjunction with Answers On Demand (AOD), Heritage Green will also be utilizing the AccuNurseâ system.  AccuNurseâ is a voice-activated, hands-free documentation and communication system that dramatically improves staff efficiency and resident care by blending cutting-edge voice-recognition technology with access to resident care plan information.

Another significant improvement to Heritage Green is the addition of “Connections”, a multi-faceted, person-centered dementia care program designed to engage skilled nursing residents in purposeful activities.  Connections will include an in-patient day center, which focuses on and validates a resident’s remaining cognitive, emotional, physical, and social abilities, rather than their losses.  Connections began at Heritage Park Rehab & Skilled Nursing (Jamestown) in December of 2007.  This unique program has shown dramatic results for those afflicted by Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related conditions.  These dramatic changes demonstrate how Heritage Green is striving to be recognized as one of the premier rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities in the region both now and well into the future.

A New Leader

In March of 2008, Monica Choperena officially began her duties as the Administrator of Heritage Green Rehab & Skilled Nursing.  With over twenty years of experience in the skilled nursing industry, Monica brings Heritage Green a wealth of valuable knowledge.

“We are pleased and honored to welcome Monica to our family.  Her vast background and experience as a long-term care administrator will be a definite asset to our organization.  What really impresses me about Monica is her focus on providing the very best possible care to our residents.  She truly puts the residents first in every situation.  We are blessed to have her as a member of our team,” states David Smeltzer, Executive Director for Heritage Ministries Management Company. 

A native of Dunkirk, New York and one of eight children, Monica knew at an early age she wanted to pursue a career in nursing.  When she graduated from Cardinal Mindszenty High School, the only job available was a nursing assistant position at the Chautauqua County Home.  After high school, Monica attended SUNY Fredonia where she began her pursuit of an Education degree.  While attending college, she continued working as a nursing assistant in order to help pay for college.  However, she soon discovered that caring for residents in a nursing home was exactly what she wanted to do and the career she wanted to pursue.  “I enjoyed the nursing assistant position very much,” explains Monica. “I immediately took to people with a dementia diagnosis.  I knew this is where I belonged, these were the people I wanted to serve, and where I wanted my career path to lead.”

After a brief stint at a nursing school in New Jersey and while working as a nursing assistant for Jesuit Priests in New York City, Monica felt a higher calling to serve as a nursing home administrator.  In 1981, she moved to California and in 1988, received her degree in Health Services Administration from St. Mary’s College of California, becoming a licensed nursing home administrator.  For nineteen years, she worked for Golden Living (formerly Beverly Healthcare), which eventually transferred her to Erie, Pennsylvania, close to her roots.  After several years working in the for-profit sector, Monica was ready for a change to the not-for-profit world.   “At times, working for a profit-oriented nursing home can become more about numbers than about the residents,” states Monica.  “I wasn’t comfortable with this philosophy and decided that in order for me to continue on my career path, I needed to make a wholesale change.” 

Monica explains, “My first exposure to Heritage was through cable television commercials.  When watching those advertisements, I found myself thinking that might be a nice organization to work for.  It looks like they have a different way of doing things.  So, after a little research, I decided to apply for the open Administrator position at Heritage Green.  I was interviewed, offered the position, and, as they say, the rest is history!”  

Monica has always been proud of being a “hands-on” administrator.  “I learned early that the best way to get people motivated is by being out on the floors, understanding day-to-day issues, and getting to know employees on a personal basis,” states Monica.  “I do not differentiate myself from anyone else.  I will never ask anyone to do anything that I am not willing to do myself.  Honestly, I am not happy sitting in my office.  I need to get out and visit our employees and our residents several times a day.  This position allows me to accomplish that and I am forever grateful for the opportunity.”

A Vision for the Future

Monica’s vision for the future of Heritage Green Rehab & Skilled Nursing is pretty simple.  She wants Heritage Green to become a facility where people want to come to work and where family members want to place their loved ones.  “If our employees are happy when they come to work, our residents benefit.  It’s a simple formula,” states Monica.  “Don’t get me wrong, there will always be challenges in this position, from getting to know everyone and maintaining my personal relationship management style, to facing issues on a daily basis.” 
“The reason I come to work every day is the residents,” explains Monica. “I wake up every morning and enjoy coming to work.  I don’t have a pit in my stomach anymore dreading the workday.  I enjoy each and every day I spend with the Heritage Green employees and residents because the Heritage organization focuses both on the residents we serve and the employees who serve them.  I would encourage anyone working in the for-profit sector to explore the non-profit side of the business.  There is a big difference.  I am experiencing this on a daily basis.”
 
Monica lives in Dunkirk, her birthplace, with her dog, Sorgina.  Her interests outside of work include traveling (especially to Spain where she owns a second home), hiking, reading, and listening to good music.