Log in Subscribe

Happy housewarming to SullivanArc

Meghan Michelle Caracci - Reporter / Photographer
Posted 7/18/17

WHITE LAKE — The foyer of SullivanArc's new residence is spacious, airy, and inviting, at first appearing to be a well-maintained home or even a quaint, yet modern bed and breakfast.

The …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Happy housewarming to SullivanArc

Posted

WHITE LAKE — The foyer of SullivanArc's new residence is spacious, airy, and inviting, at first appearing to be a well-maintained home or even a quaint, yet modern bed and breakfast.

The building and its grounds, however, have been renovated to specific standards that can accommodate five permanent residents and cater to their individual needs.

Combining state of the art medical equipment with personalized, 24-hour care, the house is more than equipped to suit the needs of its new tenants.

Although the property itself has previously operated as a day program for SullivanArc, a myriad of changes have been implemented to not only ensure the medical safety of the residents, but focus on their comfort as well.

To celebrate this accomplishment, local legislators joined a group of dedicated staff in acknowledging the group effort that made the program a possibility.

Program manager Khaliah Snead, who oversees the entire house, remarked that the entire endeavor would not have become a reality without the hard work of the “beautiful staff who make it happen.”

The new house, with all of its accessible, adaptive living measures, gives residents a certain amount of autonomy and independence they may have not otherwise had the opportunity to experience.

Though they all rely on wheelchairs, extra wide hallways, automatic doors, and specially modified bathrooms all put an emphasis on “no barriers.” Residents can even choose when to get out of bed in the morning, or partake in use of the kitchen facilities.

And though Snead was insistent that she “is not a decorator,” the house - excepting its medical technology - has a very comforting and home-like atmosphere. This is due in part to the person-centered approach that tailors to individuality and inclusion. All five residents, for example, get to choose their own décor and live in their own room, affording them a certain level of privacy. The ultimate goal is for residents to tell staff how they want to live, and extensive interviews are conducted with them to ensure that their quality of life is the top priority.

Also in attendance at the housewarming was Sullivan County Legislature Chair Luis Alvarez, Rachel Steingart representing Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, and Commissioner of the Sullivan County Division of Health and Family Services Joe Todora. The speakers congratulated everyone involved and pointed to the new residence as a shining example of what can be done with new technologies. To conclude the ceremony, staff assisted residents in distributing pieces of a “welcome” cake, signaling a new era of care and comfortable, dignified living for the guests of honor, who now call the property home.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here