Northern Lights Experiences Second Baby Boom in as Many Years

It was déjà vu all over again for the staff at Northern Lights in Canton with the home health care agency experiencing its second baby boom in as many years. During the spring and summer of 2018, six Northern Lights employees welcomed babies. This time around, five employees welcomed new babies into their families, with a sixth welcoming twins into her family as a grandmother. All of the babies range in age from three to seven months old. From left, Physical Therapist Assistant Chelsea Reed and her four-month-old daughter Briar, Registered Nurse Kim Salton with her six-month-old grandchildren, Quinn and Dalton, Registered Nurse Tiffany Mitchell with her seven-month-old daughter Madelyn, Registered Nurse Courtney Perry with her six-month-old son Wyatt, and Licensed Practical Nurse Alexis Porter with her three-month-old daughter Rory. Absent from photo, Registered Nurse Jaclyn Pernice and her son Declan, who is five-months-old. 

Woman Returns to United Helpers for Physical Therapy

CANTON – When Roxann Koch’s husband David was receiving skilled nursing care he lived at what was then known as Maplewood Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Canton.

“The care my husband received was great,” she said. “All of the staff were very nice to him and very understanding.” 

Physical Therapist Assistant Jena Cryderman w/ Roxann Koch

​So when the time came for Mrs. Koch to decide where she would like to spend a brief inpatient stay after knee-replacement surgery, the choice was a simple one.

Three days after her surgery she was discharged to United Helpers Rehabilitation & Senior Care in Canton.

“I spent ten days here and everything was very good,” she said. “I received my pain medication when I asked for it and all of my needs were taken care of by the staff. I was very pleased.”

When Mrs. Koch first came to United Helpers following her surgery, she was using a walker all of the time. However, after a ten-day stay, she was able to switch to using a cane, at least most of the time.

“I still do sometimes use my walker in the house, but when I go get the newspaper I use my cane,” she said, explaining that to get the paper, she must walk down her driveway, across the street and back.

Physical Therapist Assistant
Jena Cryderman w/ Roxann Koch

Physical therapy now consists of outpatient appointments three times a week, and if all goes well, Mrs. Koch said she is hoping to once again walk without the assistance of a cane or walker, although for her own peace of mind, she said she is not planning to get rid of her cane.

“I will always have my cane, just for the comfort of knowing it’s there if I need it,” she said.

Physical Therapist Assistant Jena Cryderman, who has been working with Mrs. Koch, said walking without a cane is a good goal to have. 

“That’s certainly reasonable and a goal we’re working towards,” Ms. Cryderman said.

When asked if she would recommend United Helpers to others, Mrs. Koch said it did not matter what the service was, whether it be skilled nursing, inpatient therapy services or outpatient therapy services, she would, and she has recommended United Helpers to “anyone and everyone.”

For more information on therapy services in Canton, please call (315) 386-4541 ext. 3217. For information on therapy services in Ogdensburg, please call (315) 393-0730 ext. 2156. You may also like United Helpers on Facebook or visit www.unitedhelpers.org.

Welcome New Hires

Please welcome the following new employees to the United Helpers family.

United Helpers Rehabilitation & Senior Care in Ogdensburg

Austin Brooks - Task Aide
Danielle St. Dennis - Task Aide
Chelsy Corrice - Food Service Attendant

United Helpers Rehabilitation & Senior Care in Canton

Shelbi VanOrnum - Task Aide
Jessica Moore - Task Aide
Tracey Coffey - Food Service Attendant

McIntyre Road IRA

Sandi Jo Foster - DSP

Riverwood Acres
Kaitlyn Wison - DSP

Rensselaer Falls IRA
Bailey Coffey - DSP

Lisbon IRA
Savannah St. Pier - DSP

Welcome New Hires

Please welcome the following new employees to the United Helpers family.

United Helpers Rehabilitation & Senior Care in Ogdensburg

Kelsey Feeney - Task Aide
Keegan LaFlair - Task Aide
Jamie McDonald - LPN

United Helpers Rehabilitation & Senior Care in Canton

Tara Adams - RN
Erica LeGrow- LPN
Alexis Porter - LPN
Brittany Ward - CNA
Joanna Denesha - Task Aide
Karlee Donahue - Task Aide
Brittney Dority - Task Aide
Danielle Jackson - Task Aide
Gaynor McCollum - Task Aide
Christa Charland - Food Service Attendant

United Helpers Management Co.

Scott Fuller - Maintenance II (housing)

United Helpers Behavioral Health & Life Skills
Joanne Carkner - Director of Nursing

 A.C.T. Team
Nurse Manager - Sarah Driscoll

Centennial Manor
Crystal Cole - DSP

Behavioral Health Clinic (Ogdensburg)
April Loffler - Office Tech

 Basta's Landscaping
Joshua Morrow - Laborer

Pleasant Valley IRA
Krista Bickford - DSP

Rensselaer Falls IRA
Michael Azzarone - Maintenance II

Lisbon IRA
Jacequelynn Caskinett - DSP
Cheryl Grant - Nurse Manager

Assisted Living Makes Life a Whole New Ballgame

CANTON – Each night during the course of the Major League Baseball season, Hilda Smith sits in her recliner and watches her beloved New York Yankees on television.

That routine has gone on for years, first from her home in Hannawa Falls and then from apartments in Madrid and Canton. Today, she watches the games from the comfort of her room in the Assisted Living wing at United Helpers Rehabilitation and Senior Care.

Hilda Smith enjoys the game.

While Ms. Smith is largely independent, there were a couple of areas of her life, where she could use a little bit of help. Enter United Helpers. 

“I’m 93 years old and I’ve reached the age where I wanted someone to clean my apartment for me. I like to keep things tidy. I’m kind of fussy like that,” she said.

Last year Ms. Smith gave up her driver’s license, and while she says her son was more than happy to help her out and take her shopping or to appointments, she hated feeling like she was a burden on him or other members of her family.

Ms. Smith also said she really enjoys having someone cook for her.

“If it wasn’t for the microwave and TV dinners, I wouldn’t have survived,” she said, explaining that since she’s moved to Assisted Living, where breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even nutritious snacks are served throughout the day, her diet had improved dramatically.

Ms. Smith is also utilizing another service available to her, outpatient physical therapy, for pain and stiffness in her neck, a result, she jokes comes from “watching too many ballgames.”

“If I was still in my apartment I would have needed a driver to take me to and from my therapy appointments. It would have been a giant inconvenience,” she said. “In fact, I don’t think I would even be doing therapy, if it wasn’t here.”

Now instead of having to rely on a driver to get her to and from therapy​ appointments, Ms. Smith simply takes a ride on the elevator and walks down the hall. “The convenience of everything is amazing,” she said. “This is a great place, I couldn’t ask for anything more. I’m glad I made this choice.”

For more information on Assisted Living or any of United Helpers other senior living options contact our Navigator at (315) 714-3117. 

You may also like United Helpers on Facebook or visit www.unitedhelpers.org.

Welcome New Hires

Please welcome the following new employees to the United Helpers family.

United Helpers Rehabilitation & Senior Care in Ogdensburg

Natalie Apple - Task Aide
Jennifer McNamara - LPN
Andrea Schaefer - RN

United Helpers Management Co.

Brian Ervay - Maintenance II (housing)

Flackville Road IRA

Emily Geer - DSP
Donna Sharpe - DSP

Health Home Care Coordination

Jeanette Spicer - Case Manager
Donnellda Todd - Case Manager

Welcome New Hires

Please welcome the following new employees to the United Helpers family.

United Helpers Rehabilitation & Senior Care in Ogdensburg

Joshua Clothier - Food Service Attendant
Hunter Hamilton - Food Service Attendant
Erik Lamay - Food Service Attendant
Jordyn Tupper - Food Service Attendant
Rhian Dunham - Task Aide
Jeremy Dutton - Director of Facility Operations

United Helpers Rehabilitation & Senior Care in Canton

Kevin Capito - Task Aide
Annaliese DeZalia - Task Aide
Destiny Durham - Task Aide
Jonnilyn Pierce - Task Aide
Pamela Thompson - Task Aide
Hali Walrath - Task Aide
Selena Swinyer - Food Service Attendant
Jacey Phelps - CNA

Pleasant Valley IRA

Garrett Griffin - DSP

Irish Settlement Road IRA

Michael LaMere - DSP