Allison Goldstein
Congratulations to our friend Allison Goldstein here at Brookhaven for being our Employee of the Month for October! She is a valuable member of our housekeeping and CNA teams, thank you for helping make our facility Legendary!
Sylvia McManamon, LPN
Congratulations to our friend Sylvia McManamon, LPN, here at Susquehanna for being our Employee of the Month! Always willing to help working on the Memory Care floor, with skill and expertise, she is an all-around great nurse. Thank you for helping make our facility Legendary!
Gahr Named Assistant Administrator at Absolut Care of Aurora Park
Contact: Dawn Harsch, Director of Corporate Communications, (716) 479-3865
EAST AURORA, NY – Kate Gahr has been appointed as the assistant administrator at Absolut Care of Aurora Park, one of six nursing and assisted living facilities in the Absolut Care portfolio. Absolut Care is part of an enterprise that is jointly branded as Living Legends and includes sister portfolios, the McGuire Group, Taconic Health Care and VestraCare. Together they provide care to more than 2,800 individuals across New York state.
In this role, Gahr is responsible for assisting with the planning, development and operational oversight of the 177-bed skilled nursing and rehab facility in accordance with all state, federal and local regulations.
Prior to her appointment, Gahr held roles at Elderwood as an occupational therapist, director of therapy and assistant administrator.
Gahr holds a master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University at Buffalo. She resides in Alden with her husband and children.
Absolut Care of Aurora Park provides skilled nursing care, subacute rehabilitation, memory care, hospice services, in-house dialysis and respite/short-term care. To learn more visit: www.livinglegendshealth.com.
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Alexandra Villafrank
How was your summer? The residents here at Chautauqua have had a blast!
A HUGE shout out to our own Alexandra Villafrank, who took no haste upon her return as the Director of Activities, leaping right into providing our residents with outstanding, memorable moments!
Residents and staff alike have appreciated all the great times Alex has brought to the Facility, kicking off summer with a delicious picnic for all during the hot days of summer, making ice cream in a bag, and drinking lemonade on the porch, “Great Times and Tan Lines” party where drinks were served from the new bar, don’t get us started on the weekly socials with decadent food and great trivia fun and lest not forget the many National Days celebrated, an endless list of splendid good times!
Alex, you’ve brought much light and love to all at Chautauqua, and we couldn’t be more honored to have you a part of our Living Legends family! 💚😎🏆
Chris Maloney
Congratulations to our friend and Director of Rehab here at Chautauqua, Chris Maloney, on passing her exam to become Wound Care Certified! Great work becoming even more Legendary 💚😎🏆
Tina Starchok
We’re recognizing our Legend of the Month here at Susquehanna, Tina Starchok! Thank you for all you do to make our facility a great place to live and work! 💚
Check Out These Deets:
💠 Starting position: Hairdresser
💠 Current Position: Hairdresser
💠 Years at Susquehanna 42!
💠 Best memory from working at Susquehanna : The way everyone pulled together when we had a flood, we were all here through the night doing whatever had to be done.
💠 What is an important characteristic of a Living Legend? You need to be patient and show respect for the residents you care for.
💠 What is something people don’t know about you? I danced on the March of Dime telethon when I was five years old.
💠 What is your hobby or something you enjoy doing outside of work? Spending time with my grandkids and Flea Markets.
💠 Favorite quote…. “Life is not measured by the breaths we take… But by the moments that take our breath away.
Bethany Atwood
Susquehanna Nursing & Rehabilitation Center is pleased to recognize Bethany “Beth” Atwood for Living as a Legend! Beth, thank you for all you do to make our facility a great place to live and work! 💚
Check Out These Deets:
💠Starting Position: Human Resources Assistant
💠Current Position: Human Resources Manager
💠Years at Susquehanna: ~3.5 Year at Susquehanna, ~5.5 as a Living Legend
💠Best Memory from working at Susquehanna:
Watching employees grow and flourish in roles that highlight their personalities and creating memories with residents, listening to them reminisce about the “good old days”.
💠What is an important characteristic of a Living Legend:
Empathy. Being willing to step back and acknowledge the space where we must meet one another; placing the needs of others before oneself and acknowledging the humanity and dignity of every single person that walks through our doors.
💠What is something people don’t know about you:
I used to be an assistant coach for a college basketball team.
💠What is your hobby or something you enjoy doing outside of work:
I love reading, hiking, spending time with my family and fur babies, and just being outdoors.
💠Favorite quote:
“The best teams are made up of a bunch of nobodies who love everybody, serve anybody and don’t care about becoming a somebody.” – Phil Dooley
Bastian Named Administrator at Harris Hill Nursing Facility
Contact: Dawn Harsch, Director of Corporate Communications, (716) 479-3865
BUFFALO, NY – Stacy Bastian, RN, BSN, LNHA, has been appointed administrator of the McGuire Group’s Harris Hill Nursing Facility in Williamsville.
In this capacity, Bastian is responsible for planning, developing and directing the overall operations of the 192-bed facility in accordance with all state, federal and local regulations.
Bastian had previously worked at Harris Hill for 23 years advancing through the ranks and holding positions as a certified nursing assistant, LPN, RN, director of nursing and assistant administrator. For the last three years, she has worked for a sister portfolio as the administrator at Absolut Care of Aurora Park in East Aurora.
Bastian holds an associate degree and bachelor’s degree in nursing from Trocaire College and earned a long-term care administrator certificate from Saint Joseph College of Maine.
Bastian is a member of the Professional Nurses Association of WNY and the East Aurora Chamber of Commerce. She was the 2022 recipient of the ACHCA’s New Administrator of the Year Award and Business First’s Excellence in Health Care Award.
Harris Hill Nursing Facility provides skilled nursing care, subacute rehabilitation and respite/short-term care. The McGuire Group and Harris Hill are part of an enterprise that includes sister portfolios, RCA Healthcare Management/Absolut Care, Taconic Health Care and VestraCare which provide care to more than 2,800 individuals across the state. To learn more visit: www.livinglegendshealth.com.
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Dirlam Promoted to McGuire Group Regional Vice President
Contact: Dawn Harsch, Director of Corporate Communications, (716) 479-3865
BUFFALO, NY – Mark Dirlam, DPT, LNHA, has been promoted to the position of regional vice president for the McGuire Group, with oversight of its five Western New York-based skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities.
In this role, Dirlam is responsible for the management and operation of more than 1,100 beds and 1,900 employees at Autumn View Health Care Facility in Hamburg, Garden Gate Health Care Facility in Cheektowaga, Harris Hill Nursing Facility in Williamsville, Northgate Health Care Facility in North Tonawanda, Seneca Health Care Center in West Seneca.
Dirlam holds a doctorate in physical therapy from the University at Buffalo, where he was valedictorian of his graduating class, and a bachelor of arts in interpersonal communications from Bowling Green State University.
Prior to his appointment, he served as the Administrator at the organization’s Garden Gate Health Care Facility.
Dirlam is a member of the executive committee for Western New York NYSHFA and is a past member of the Trocaire College nursing advisory board and a legislative liaison for Western New York APTA.
The McGuire Group provides skilled nursing care, subacute rehabilitation, memory care, hospice and palliative care, in-house dialysis, telemetry services and respite/short-term care. The organization and its sister portfolios, RCA Healthcare Management/Absolut Care, Taconic Health Care and VestraCare provide care to more than 2,800 individuals across the state. To learn more visit: www.livinglegendshealth.com.
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