Welcome New Hires

 

United Helpers Rehabilitation and Senior Care

Christa Charland - Food Service Supervisor

United Helpers Management Co.

Brandy MaCaulay - Housing Assistant

United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills

Behavioral Health Clinics

Lisa Wood - Licensed Mental Health Counselor

United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills

Riverwood Acres IRA

 Rachel Ramie - DSP

United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills

Kendrew IRA

Katelyn Link - DSP

United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills

Pleasant Valley IRA

Megan Poste - DSP

Marsha Prashaw

United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills

Spruce Street IRA

Zayden Grenier - DSP

Ariel Perea-McDonald - DSP

United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills

Flackville IRA

Kilee McCluskey - DSP

FREE Defensive Driving Class Offered for United Helpers Employees, Public May Also Attend

OGDENSBURG – United Helpers will be hosting a New York DMV approved National Safety Council Defensive Driving Courses in the large staff development classroom at the former United Helpers Rehabilitation and Senior Care (RiverLedge), 8101 State Highway 68, Ogdensburg.

The class will be held on Saturday, March 25 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This class is open to employees of United Helpers, who can attend for free, as well as members of the general public. The cost for non-employees is $35. 

The class serves as a refresher course for drivers of all ages and includes safe driving tips and an overview of today’s vehicle and traffic laws.

Successful completion of the class makes attendees eligible for a mandatory insurance premium reduction of up to 10% for three years on the base rate for their automobile or motorcycle insurance premiums, provided you are listed as the principal operator. Participants may also be eligible to have up to a four points reduction with the NYS DMV. The class may be taken once every 18 months for point reduction.

Registration fees may be paid with cash, check or money order made out to United Helpers Care, Inc. Classes may be paid for on the day of the class.

Please bring your driver’s license with you to class.  It is a requirement that you have it with you for documentation purposes.

Advanced registration is required. To register please contact Mark Darou at (315) 393-3072 ext. 5303 or madarou@unitedhelpers.org.

Welcome New Hires

 

United Helpers Rehabilitation and Senior Care

Nicole Bishop - RN

Cameron Boprey - Food Service Attendant

Michelle Morehouse - Housekeeper

United Helpers Management Co.

Maureen Farina - Grant Writer

Gary Matteson - Maintenance II

Sparx

Kinderly Dafoe - Office Manager

Brigette Lucas - Business Office Assistant

United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills

Riverwood Acres IRA

 Jaedyn Awan - DSP

United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills

Rensselaer Falls IRA

Abigail Arquitt - DSP

United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills

Lisbon IRA

Donald Gardner - Cook

Gary Matteson - Maintenance II

Sharpe Honored with Ladouceur Award

OGDENSBURG – One of United Helpers’ longest tenured employees was also recognized recently as one of its best, with the presentation of the annual Wayne N. Ladouceur Award to Sheri L. Sharpe.

Mrs. Sharpe, of Richville, has been an LPN with the organization for 43 years, earning a reputation, not only as one of United Helpers’ best nurses, but as one of the best nurses in the area.

United Helpers Management Company Board of Directors member Nancy Rehse submitted the nomination, which also contained a letter of support from Program Leader Paul A. Linden, written on behalf of the staff at the Rensselaer Falls IRA.

Ms. Rehse knows firsthand the impact Mrs. Sharpe has on the lives of program members and their families. Her son, Jason resides at the Pleasant Valley IRA.

“Sheri stays at the hospital with us long past her work hours. She has given me her phone number and assures she is always available to talk, and she always has been. She has never failed to answer a call or text, even in the evening or on weekends when she is not on duty.” Ms. Rehse said. “She certainly does all of this on her own. She seems to be everywhere, helping everyone. She is a Godsend.”

The Ladouceur family chose the criteria for the award, picking traits exhibited by Mr. Ladouceur and things he was known for, not just in the United Helpers family, but also across the entire city of Ogdensburg. That criteria includes giving generously of oneself, the ability to see beyond one’s own needs, a strong personal drive to provide the utmost in care, the ability to feel and express empathy, and exuding a love for life.

Those are all areas where Mrs. Sharpe excels.

Citing a specific example, Mr. Linden recalled an evening from two years ago when Mrs. Sharpe was on vacation.

“I received a phone call at 2 a.m. while covering a midnight shift. The call was from another IRA letting me know they were sending a program member to the hospital. Already short staffed, I placed a dreaded middle of the night phone call to Sheri,” he said. “I wasn’t dreading it, because I was afraid of waking her up, nor was I worried about bothering her while she was on vacation. I was worried because I knew if I called her, she would get up and proceed directly to the hospital, which is exactly what she did. She went to help that night because that’s who she is and that’s what she does.”

The Wayne N. Ladouceur Award was created in memory of and in honor of Mr. Ladouceur, a longtime United Helpers volunteer, board member and former board president. The award is funded through an endowment with the Northern New York Community Foundation created by Mrs. Ladouceur and more than 80 of the Ladouceurs’ friends and family.

Sheri L. Sharpe, a 43-year United Helpers employee was honored with this year’s Wayne N. Ladouceur Award. The award is presented annually to an employee who exemplifies traits exhibited by Mr. Ladouceur, including, giving generously of one’s self, the ability to see beyond one’s own needs, a strong personal drive to provide the utmost in care, the ability to feel and express empathy, and exuding a love for life. From left, Vice President of Human Resources Michelle Matthews, Program Leader Paul Linden, Mrs. Sharpe, Director of Residential Services Kim George, Chief Operations Officer Stacey Cannizzo, and Management Company Board of Directors member Nancy Rehse.

Welcome New Hires

 

United Helpers Management Co.

Brenda George - Housing Assistant

Theodore Travis - Maintenance II

United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills

Spruce Street IRA

Ryan Brooks - DSP

United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills

Rensselaer Falls IRA

 Misty Lovely - DSP

United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills

Lisbon IRA

Emmalee Hitsman - DSP

United Helpers Now Accepting Crypto Currency Donations

OGDENSBURG – Much the same way donors can gift cash, stocks, bonds, real estate or other assets, those looking to support the United Helpers mission can now contribute to the organization using cryptocurrency. 

United Helpers Vice President of Development Christa Carroll said donations in the form of Bitcoin, Dogecoin, or dozens of other popular cryptocurrencies can be made online at www.unitedhelpers.org/crypto.

Once on the crypto giving page, Ms. Carroll said donors will complete a simple online form, much the same way they would if they were making a traditional gift with their debit or credit card.

“If you happen to be one of the millions of people who have invested in cryptocurrencies, we wanted to make it as simple as possible for you to contribute to our cause,” Ms. Carroll said, citing a report from CNBC that states one in in five Americans has invested in, traded, or used cryptocurrency.

“We are excited to become one of the first non-profits in our area to have this capability,” she said.

This screenshot shows the form potential donors would see upon visiting www.unitedhelpers.org/crypto. Visitors to the page from a desktop will find this form in the middle of their screen, while those visiting the page from a phone or other mobile device may have to scroll down to find the form.

Home Health Care Administrator: Nursing Homes Deserve Funding Too!

CANTON – For the past 15 years skilled nursing facilities across New York State have not seen an increase in their Medicaid reimbursement rates, leading to the creation of a coalition that is bringing the fight to Albany with the intent of receiving a 20% increase in the state’s 2023-2024 budget.

Local media coverage of the coalition and its efforts recently prompted newly elected Assemblyman Scott Gray (R-Watertown) to state he would like to see the state’s efforts focused on home health care, and allowing people to “age in place.”

Northern Lights Home Health Care Vice President of Operations Katherine A. Race said that while home health care is important, it’s not for everyone, making skilled nursing care an important part of the health care continuum.

“In order to be signed on for home health care there are federal guidelines you have to meet,” she said. 

One of those guidelines is you have to be able to exit your home safely.

“A lot of times we will meet with people seeking home health care, but they can’t be home alone for any period of time. That will disqualify them from qualifying for our services,” she said.

Another issue Ms. Race said is insurance policies which will not pay for home health care, but will cover skilled nursing care.

“There are a lot of people who do not qualify for Medicaid, but cannot afford to pay for home health services out of pocket if their insurance will not cover them,” she said. “These people need a place to go where they can receive the care they need and deserve.”

A shift to home health care for more people also assumes there are enough providers to give that care – something that Ms. Race says is not the case.

“Like hospitals and nursing homes, we too are facing staffing difficulties,” she said. “It takes a special kind of person to work in home health care. We are going into people’s homes and working with whatever they have available. Many of these people don’t have lift chairs or hospital-style beds.”

That doesn’t even take into account precautionary measures, as a result of COVID-19, which is still active in the community, and something home health care providers are dealing with on a near daily basis.

“Our staff is doffing and donning PPE (personal protective equipment) on people’s porches, in hallways, or in some instances while standing outside of their vehicles,” she said. “It’s very hard to recruit people who are willing to do all of this.”

Ms. Race said she is pleased that Assemblyman Gray recognizes the importance of home health care, but she said their funding should not come at the expense of skilled nursing facilities.

“It’s great to see the state wanting to put money in the community, but at the end of the day these folks are going to age out and need a place to go. We need options,” she said.

Those wishing to support the coalition’s efforts may send an automatically generated message to Gov. Hochul by visiting https://p2a.co/Q2wLwJZ. People may also reach out to Mr. Gray, Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush, Senator Mark Walczyk, and Senator Dan Stec.

Mr. Gray, Mr. Blankenbusg, Mr. Walczyk, and Mr. Stec all represent portions of St. Lawrence County in the state legislature.

 

On the web:

https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/mark-walczyk

https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/daniel-g-stec

https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=116 (Mr. Gray)

https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Ken-Blankenbush