Press Release
April 24, 2007
Contact: Kaylyn Kendall Dines
Phone: (973) 972-3000
dineskd@umdnj.edu
Healthcare Foundation of N.J. Palliative Care Suite
Opens
Today at UMDNJ’s Broadway House
|
NEWARK — Broadway House for Continuing Care today opened a Palliative Care Suite with grant dollars from The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey. The $250,000 award provided monies to construct and furnish the specialized health care and residential treatment space for end-of-life patients who have AIDS.
The suite, which was certified by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, consists of two semi-private rooms with four beds for residents in need of specialized services that address their chronic pain. Each resident in this unit will receive a broad range of clinical, rehabilitation, and support services from the 155-member palliative care and nursing health care team. A sitting room and sleeping accommodations have been included to offer family members access to their loved one day or night, as well as a quiet setting where medical, psychological and physical services are offered. The suite is located at Broadway House, at 298 Broadway in Newark.
"The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey is proud of its decade long support for Broadway House and the inspirational work it does with those dependent on its care." said Robert Hyfler, Executive Director of the foundation. "We have been partners in providing vital support to those living with AIDS and now as Broadway House expands and upgrades its care for those making a final transition we are there as well. The Palliative Care suite will be a blessing and a comfort to Broadway House patients and their families."
The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey was founded by the Jewish community in 1996 with proceeds from the sale of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center to the Saint Barnabas Health Care System and is dedicated to continuing the founding health mission through philanthropy.
“New Jersey ranks fifth in the nation in reported AIDS cases and our state accounts for one third of injected-drug related AIDS cases reported nationwide,” said James Gonzalez, FACHE, MPH, President and CEO of Broadway House for Continuing Care. “In the midst of startling statistics and changing times, we proactively seek innovative, interdisciplinary methods that meet the needs of our residents. Residents who are nearing end-of-life are entitled to respect, quality health and behavioral health care services in a comfortable environment. This expansion makes it possible to offer flexibility and essential quiet time to families who want time with their loved ones.”
Broadway House for Continuing Care is the only specialized nursing care facility in New Jersey providing comprehensive services to meet the post-acute medical, psychosocial and spiritual needs of adults living with HIV/AIDS. Annually, Broadway House serves approximately 250 residents. The construction of the palliative care suite at Broadway House increases the number of beds from 74 to 78.
As part of the Wellness First Program at the facility, which includes almost 20 complementary and alternative medical interventions, administrators are also purchasing an aqua-massage unit for the use of all residents. This non-invasive hydrotherapy unit is intended to soothe aching muscles, relieve tension and pain. Unlike a Jacuzzi, fully-clothed individuals can lie horizontally inside the cylindrically shaped aqua-massager and enjoy the benefits of pulsating jets without ever getting wet. The aqua-massage unit will be located near the rooms in the palliative care suite and serve as an option for coping with chronic pain issues.
“AIDS is a disease that is characterized by the kind of chronic pain often associated with the pain of cancer patients,” said Jeanine Reilly, executive director of Broadway House. “Our Wellness First Program combines pain-relieving medications with complementary and alternative medical services to form an on-site holistic approach to pain management.”
The Wellness First program includes massage therapy, hydrotherapy, Reiki therapy, chiropractic therapy, music therapy, herbal therapy, hypnotism, aromatherapy, touch therapy, acupressure, acupuncture, physical therapy, occupational therapy, meditation and spiritual counseling. At Broadway House, a holistic approach to pain management includes clinical, pharmacological, complementary and alternative medicine interventions.
“The average age of Broadway House residents is 44. Of that number, 52 percent are male, 48 percent are female, 60 percent are African-American, 30 percent are Hispanic and ten percent are Caucasian,” said Ms. Reilly. “Seven years ago, between eight and ten percent of the population at Broadway House was female and eight to ten percent were Hispanic. We continue to see an increase in the number of women who contracted AIDS through heterosexual sex. Statewide statistics from the New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services show a disturbing increase in the incidence of HIV/AIDS, following a temporary decrease in the 1990s when antiretroviral drugs were introduced.”
“We want our residents and their family members to know we care,” said Mr. Gonzalez. “We deeply appreciate the generous support of The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey for believing in and supporting our new tranquil palliative care suite. The generosity of this organization will significantly enhance the quality of life for the people in our care.”
Founded in 1995, Broadway House is New Jersey’s only specialized care facility for adults living with AIDS and is recognized statewide for its innovative treatment programs. Located in an historic neo-classical building, Broadway House has a 78- bed capacity and serves 250 residents a year. The facility provides comprehensive medical, psychosocial, and recreational services; in addition, Broadway House serves 200 outpatients annually and educates more than 1,000 students annually in a community-based HIV prevention program. Its award-winning staff of 155 clinical and support personnel nurture the body, mind and spirit of Broadway House residents in an empathetic and homelike setting. Broadway House is an affiliate of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. For more information, visit http://www.broadwayhouse.org/.
UMDNJ is the nation’s largest free-standing public health sciences university with more than 5,700 students attending the state's three medical schools, its only dental school, a graduate school of biomedical sciences, a school of health related professions, a school of nursing and a school of public health on five campuses. Annually, there are more than two million patient visits at UMDNJ facilities and faculty practices at campuses in Newark, New Brunswick/Piscataway, Scotch Plains, Camden and Stratford. UMDNJ operates University Hospital, a Level I Trauma Center in Newark, and University Behavioral HealthCare, a statewide mental health and addiction services network.
