May 26, 2016

Welcome New Hires



Management Company
Kelly Ward - Office Tech

Maplewood
Richelle Paul - CNA

Behavioral Health Clinic
Ginette LeClair - Office Manager 

Basta's
Frederick Kinch - Laborer
Dylan LaFleur - Laborer

Cherry Street IRA
Heather Jackson - DSP

High Street IRA
Bailey Gilmour - DSP

Spruce Street IRA
Sara Badlam - DSP
Jessica Hockey - DSP

Lisbon IRA
Isabelle Broughton - APM
Kaitlin Abbrid - DSP
Sherry Friot - DSP

May 16, 2016

Two Men With the Same Goal Take Different Paths to Rehab Success


OGDENSBURG – Ron Schofell and Jim Weirich both came to United Helpers unsure of whether they would ever be able to walk again, but after several months of therapy both men are back on their feet with very different tales to tell.
Mr. Schofell came to United Helpers following the amputation of his right leg, while Mr. Weirich was injured in a motorcycle accident when a truck pulled out in front of him.
“I broke both my ankles and my wrist,” Mr. Weirich said. “When I got here I was pretty much unable to do anything.”
Mr. Weirich with Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Becky McCormick.
Following his surgery Mr. Schofell said he was in the hospital for 49 days, actually coming to RiverLedge Health Care and Rehabilitation Center in Ogdensburg before even receiving his prosthetic leg.
Mr. Weirich, who rehabbed at Maplewood Health Care and Rehabilitation Center in Canton, came to Maplewood following a week in the hospital that saw him undergo three different surgeries.
Mr. Schofell said he went into therapy knowing he was going to have to work hard, but looking forward to the challenge.
PTA Bailey Stickney with Ron Schofell
“You can’t have a defeatist attitude and you have to set goals. I told the therapy staff my goals and they helped me get there, pretty quick actually,” he said. “I was afraid I would never be able to walk again and do the things I wanted to do.”
Mr. Weirich, on the other hand, said when he first arrived at Maplewood his outlook on life wasn’t as peachy.
“I was not in a good place when I got here. Mentally you start our trying to tell yourself that some day things will be back to normal, but I wanted that some day to be now and that’s what upset me the most,” he said. “The emotional and mental therapy was just as worthwhile and really picked me up.”
When he was initially asked what his goals were Mr. Weirich said he was having a hard time thinking long term and was frustrated because he literally couldn’t do anything for himself.
“I told them I just wanted to be able to go to the commode by myself,” he said, adding he was prepared to “check his dignity at the door.”
“It wasn’t really like that though,” he said. “Every person who dealt with me and helped me did it in a manner that made you feel like it was normal. The CNAs, the nurses and everyone really helped me get over those feelings.”
And that’s something that Mr. Schofell said he would like to do, adding he’s thinking seriously about volunteering at area medical facilities to share his story with others and let them know that such an injury isn’t the end.
“I met a kid at lunch the other day who had prosthesis and he was buzzing around like nothing,” he said. “I know I’m not as young as he was, but it made me think if I kept working I could do that too.”
Mr. Schofell, who was discharged last month, said he was still considering whether or not to continue with outpatient therapy, although he said that was something he would likely do once he received his permanent prosthesis.
Mr. Weirich spent the two months following his accident doing inpatient therapy, and has continued with outpatient therapy. He said he’s looking forward to this summer and returning to the activities that he loves to do, although he did miss a winter on the slopes.
“It was a good winter to not be able to ski,” he said, adding he’s looking most forward to hiking and kayaking again. “I’m sure I’ll be able to do most everything I did before. It was a horrible experience, but also a great experience. If you ever have to go through something like that this is the place to be.”
Mr. Schofell said the thing he enjoyed most about his therapy, is the fact that it was something different almost every day.
“They have you do a little bit of everything which is nice,” he said.
For further information on United Helpers Therapy Services, contact our Maplewood Campus in Canton at (315) 386- 4541 or our RiverLedge Campus in Ogdensburg at (315) 393-0730.

On the web:

May 11, 2016

Welcome New Hires


 

RiverLedge
Lesley Weldon - CNA

Maplewood
Justin Casey - Admissions Coordinator
Nicole Palmer - LPN
Alibria Ryan - CNA
Katrina Stephenson - CNA
Katelyn Foster - Task Aide
Ira Thomas - Task Aide
Christopher Axtell - Food Service Attendant

Pleasant Valley IRA
Caitlin Westcott -  DSP

Cherry Street IRA
Brenna Doman - DSP

Rensselaer Falls IRA
Krystina Stillwell -DSP

Flackville Road IRA
Deandra Dublin - Assistant Program Manager

May 10, 2016

Lollapolosers Claim Choose to Lose Crown

Rae Hesseltine, Carmen Paone, Michelle Matthews & Wellness Committee Member Tammy Lazaro. Absent from photo, Robin Logan

A team made up of employees from United Helpers Management Company claimed this year's Choose to Lose title dropping 5.56 percent of their total body weight during the three month contest.

The Lollapolosers included Rae Hesseltine, Robin Logan, Carmen Paone and the contest's overall biggest loser, Michelle Matthews.

Since the contest began in February, Ms. Matthews has lost more than 20 pounds, a total that was good for an impressive 11.82 percent of her body weight.

May 9, 2016

SeaComm Federal Credit Union Makes Spring Fling Donation


OGDENSBURG –SeaComm Federal Credit Union recently contributed to the Society of the United Helpers Spring Fling fundraiser. Pictured from left to right are: United Helpers Management Company Board of Directors Past President Wayne N. Ladouceur, SeaComm Ogdensburg Branch Manager Amy Hartford, United Helpers Development Director Lori A. Smithers and SeaComm Ogdensburg Indirect Lender Nicole Smith.
 The Society of the United Helpers recently hosted its annual Spring Fling Dinner at the Gran View in Ogdensburg.  To make a gift to the Society or for more information, please call the Society of United Helpers Development Office at 393-3074, visit www.unitedhelpers.org or search United Helpers on Facebook. 

Community Bank N.A. Makes Spring Fling Donation


OGDENSBURG –Community Bank, N.A. recently contributed to the Society of the United Helpers Spring Fling fundraiser. Pictured from left to right are: Community Bank employees Kristen O’Dell and Kari Blair, United Helpers Management Company Board of Directors Past President Wayne N. Ladouceur, Local President and State Street Branch Manager Robert L. Seymour and Society of the United Helpers Development Director Lori Smithers.
The Society of the United Helpers hosted its annual Spring Fling Dinner earlier this month at the Gran View in Ogdensburg. A live and silent auction were also held. All proceeds will benefit the residents of United Helpers.
To make a gift to the Society or for more information, please call the Society of United Helpers Development Office at 393-3074, visit www.unitedhelpers.org or search United Helpers on Facebook. 

May 6, 2016

NBT Bank Makes Spring Fling Donation


OGDENSBURG – NBT Bank recently contributed to the Society of the United Helpers Spring Fling fundraiser. Pictured from left to right are: Spring Fling committee member Francine Naccarato, NBT Bank Ogdensburg Branch Manager Craig Chevalier, United Helpers Management Company Board of Directors Past President Wayne N. Ladouceur, United Helpers Development Director Lori A. Smithers, United Helpers Management Company Board of Directors Past President Martha K. MacArthur, and NBT Bank Market Manager Dallas Sutton.

 The Society of the United Helpers hosted it's annual Spring Fling at the Gran View in Ogdensburg earlier this month. To make a gift to the Society or for more information, please call the Society of United Helpers Development Office at 393-3074, visit www.unitedhelpers.org or search United Helpers on Facebook. 

Richville Furniture Makes Donation to Spring Fling


OGDENSBURG – Richville Furniture recently contributed to the Society of the United Helpers Spring Fling fundraiser. Pictured from left to right are: United Helpers Management Company Board of Directors Past President Martha K. MacArthur, Spring Fling committee member Francine Naccarato, United Helpers Development Director Lori A. Smithers, Richville Furniture Co-owner Ann Adams, United Helpers Management Company Board of Directors Past President Wayne N. Ladouceur and Richville Furniture Co-owner Ron Bovay.  

This year's Spring Fling was held at the Gran View in Ogdensburg. To make a gift to the Society or for more information, please call the Society of United Helpers Development Office at 393-3074, visit www.unitedhelpers.org or search United Helpers on Facebook. 

May 5, 2016

Blevins Bros. Donate to Spring Fling


OGDENSBURG – Blevins Brothers recently contributed to the Society of the United Helpers Spring Fling fundraiser. Pictured from left to right are:  Society of the United Helpers Development Director Lori Smithers, Blevins Brothers Vice President Lynn Blevins and United Helpers Management Company Board of Directors Past President Wayne N. Ladouceur.
The Society of the United Helpers hosted its annual Spring Fling Dinner at the Gran View in Ogdensburg on Tuesday. A live and silent auction was also held. All proceeds benefit the residents of United Helpers.

To make a gift to the Society please call the Society of United Helpers Development Office at 393-3074, visit www.unitedhelpers.org or search United Helpers on Facebook. 

St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union Donates to Spring Fling


OGDENSBURG – St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union recently made a donation to the Society of the United Helpers Spring Fling. 
The Spring Fling was held on Tuesday, May 2 at The Gran View in Ogdensburg. A live and silent auction was also held. 
To make a gift to the Society or for more information, please call the Development Office at the Society of the United Helpers at 393-3074 ext. 4271, visit www.unitedhelpers.org, or like United Helpers on Facebook. 
From left, Spring Fling Committee member Darlene Liscum, St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union CEO Todd R. Mashaw and United Helpers Management Company Board of Directors Past President Wayne N. Ladouceur.