COMPASSIONATE CARE: “We want our residents to be as independent as they can be and reach their potential. It is so important to get to know them, and we want it to be as if we are helping them in their own home.” Merwick Care & Rehabilitation Center Director of Admissions and Marketing Rowena DeCicco is proud of Merwick’s personal attention and compassion for residents. Shown in the photo are assistant administrator Barry Fliegelman (right) and assistant activities director Susan Grollman wishing a happy birthday to one of the long-term residents.

Individual, personalized care and assistance are the priority of Merwick Care & Rehabilitation Center. As its mission statement points out: “Our compassionate, caring, and friendly staff provide long-term skilled nursing services addressing the medical, social, and emotional needs of each individual. We promote autonomy while at the same time providing individual support services, guided by the principle that aging should be a continued stage of development and growth, rather than a period of decline.

“We are dedicated to supporting and nurturing the individual by embracing a person-centered care approach. We strive to consistently deliver the highest level of services in a comfortable setting that respects personal dignity, achieves positive outcomes, and enhances the quality of life. Our positive approach to long-term care transforms conventional institutions into diverse environments where residents participate in a rich daily life.”

Merwick’s new facility, opened in 2010 at 100 Plainsboro Road, is directly across from the recently-opened University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro.

With its 200 beds, including 80 for short-term rehabilitation, it is substantially larger than its former setting at 79 Bayard Lane, with 88 beds, notes Director of Admissions and Marketing Rowena DeCicco. The new facility is owned by Windsor Healthcare Communities, a long-time company in the healthcare industry.

Princeton History

Merwick has a long Princeton history. Opened in 1957, it was for many years the care and rehabilitation unit of Princeton Hospital. Its location at 79 Bayard Lane was the long-time home of the late Paul Matthews, Episcopal Bishop of New Jersey. His home where he lived for 42 years, contained a small chapel or “oratory” built by the Bishop.

The current facility is notable for its configuration and numerous and spacious windows, allowing light to stream in throughout the area. Patients’ rooms all have large windows, creating a view of the Millstone River and Park.

“There are more amenities in the new building,” says Ms. DeCicco, who has been involved in healthcare for 10 years. “We also have a big focus on stimulation and socializing. We have stimulation rooms and solarium rooms, as well as sitting areas and four small libraries situated at various places throughout the building. Aides and activities specialists are always there to lend assistance and guidance.

“Exercise is important too,” she adds. “We have a 3500 square-foot fitness center both for the rehab patients and long-term residents. Weight training and strength equipment and treadmills are all available. There are also physical, occupational, and speech therapists on hand.”

Therapy Dogs

Activities include arts and crafts, trivia games, Bingo, music, live entertainment with singers and DJs, a Netflix movie night every week, as well as wine and cheese gatherings. Every other week, films are shown on the big screen in the facility’s movie theater. Daily events are posted as well as televised on Merwick’s in-house channel. In addition, therapy dogs visit patients, and this is becoming more and more popular for those in long-term care. Family members may also bring a pet dog to visit, if it has up-to-date vaccinations.

Of the 120 long-term residents’ rooms, 50 are private. The spacious semi-private rooms are outfitted with wall room dividers, offering a distinct sense of privacy. All rooms have complimentary flat screen TVs, telephones, call buttons, touch light lamps, and in-wall oxygen. There is also an area set aside for patients suffering from dementia and related conditions. Hospice services are also available, when needed.

Doctors and nurses are always available, reports Ms. DeCicco. “Either the medical director or associate medical director is always here, and nurses are here 24/7. There are three social workers, as well as our physical, occupational, and speech therapists. Aides are available to help patients with medications and personal care, such as bathing, grooming, etc. We also have a dietician on staff, a beauty salon, spa therapy, yoga, and geriatric massage.”

Two dining rooms, where meals are served to patients at tables with fresh linens, are attractively designed, and patients can also be served meals in their rooms, if preferable. Outdoor areas for relaxing, reading, or socialization are another way for people to be together.

“Windsor Care has really thought of everything,” points out Ms. DeCicco. “They have added iPad services and Wi-Fi internet throughout the building. We also have a Merwick van to transport residents to outings, including shopping, restaurants, and other recreational activities.”

The sub-acute rehabilitation center, located in the Luxor Pavilion, is directed by Kessler.Core, a division of the famous Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. Short-term medical and rehab services are provided for those who are recovering from surgery, injuries, strokes, etc.

Strength and Stamina

“This is a bridge between hospital and home,” points out Ms. DeCicco. “We have 80 sub-acute rehab beds, and rehab is very individual, depending on the needs of the patient. Some stay for a few days, others for a 100 days. People are helped in so many areas, such as improving their strength and stamina, balance, walking up and down stairs, getting in and out of bed, and also going outside. We have a therapy garden with a gazebo, which will open in June. This includes all different surfaces — brick, pavement, sand, and a putting green — that people can encounter when they leave rehab.”

The rehab unit also includes Nintendo Wii, where patients can interactively play a variety of games, helping them improve balance, coordination, standing tolerance, etc.

Ms. DeCicco is proud of the experience and skill of the Merwick staff. “They exhibit the qualities of compassion, kindness, and patience so important in healthcare work. We also have volunteers, including some from Princeton University, who help in a number of ways, such as assisting with activities, visiting with patients, transporting them, and helping in administrative work.

“On May 29, we will have an event, ‘Spring Into Shape’. It’s a Senior Health and Fitness day open to the public. We will have information on health, balance, and blood pressure screenings, healthy eating tips, entertainment, and food,” adds Ms. DeCicco.

Merwick has enjoyed a fine reputation over the years, she adds. It has registered in the 97th, 98th, and 99th percentile for cleanliness, quality of medical care, admission process, and choices/preferences according to the National Research Corporation Survey Data of New Jersey Skilled Nursing Facilities.

“I really enjoy our long-term residents, says Ms. DeCicco. “I love hearing their histories and stories, and I am happy when rehab patients are able to return to their homes and resume their lives. Merwick has a long history, and the residents are really the history at Merwick.”

For more information, call (609)-759-6000, or consult the website: www.windsorhealth
care.org\merwick.