Most Rev. Robert J. Cunningham, Bishop of the Syracuse Diocese, Visits The Centers at St. Camillus
On Tuesday, January 12, Most Rev. Robert J. Cunningham, Bishop of the Syracuse Catholic Diocese, celebrated mass at St. Camillus for the residents, patients and staff. He was assisted by Father Lou Aiello, Deacon Tony Paratore, and St. Camillus’ Pastoral Care Coordinator Candace Lawrence. After mass, Bishop Cunningham met with residents and staff before touring the facility with St. Camillus President Aileen Balitz, Board of Trustees Member Jim Murphy, and others. Bishop Cunningham viewed an area in the building some hope will soon be renovated into a chapel. He also toured the soon-to-be opened $3.3 million expansion and renovation project begun last May. That project – which will officially open its doors in February – includes expansion of the Adult Day Health Center and the Outpatient Brain Injury Center as well as the remodeling of the area that houses outpatient services. (Photo: Most Rev. Robert J. Cunningham visits with Resident Anne Clarke and St. Camillus Volunteer Pauline Stukus after celebrating mass.)

St. Camillus Memory Academy
Beginning in March 2010, St. Camillus will be offering a new program, "The Memory Academy," which combines physical and mental exercise, along with stress reduction, nutrition, and socialization. Make a New Year's resolution to work on your brain health. Call Lucy Schenk at 315-488-2951 ext. 141 to register or for more information. Click here for the Tip of the Month.

Sha Na Na Performs at St. Camillus
St. Camillus was rockin’ on Tuesday, Sept. 1 when two founding members of the 1950s music revival group Sha Na Na performed before a packed crowd of residents, registrants, families and employees. Jocko Marcellino and Donny York stopped by after their performance at the New York State Fair. They arrived at St. Camillus in a pair of classic cars driven by two members of the Oneida Lake Region Antique Car Club. Club member Howard Miller of Camillus drove his 1956 Mercury Montclair while Paul Beyer of East Syracuse assisted with his 1954 DeSoto. Once at St. Camillus, the duo were meet by a crowd of employees and residents, many of whom donned 1950s-styled fashions in honor of the occasion. Marcellino and York performed a number of hits including The Twist, At The Hop and Born to Hand Jive, one of Sha Na Na’s hits from the movie Grease. After their performance, the pair mingled, signed autographs and grabbed a bite to eat at the 1950s-themed diner set up for the occasion.

St. Camillus Hosts Antique Auto Show
Residents, patients, registrants and staff enjoyed an afternoon of fun at St. Camillus’ Annual Antique Auto Show, organized by the Recreation Services Department lead by Mary Ellen Steele, Director of Recreation. The Oneida Lake Region AACE brought over a dozen cars to the facility including a '41 and '42 DeSoto and a 1925 Franklin. St. Camillus employee, Tommy Flask, showed off his detailed Camero and Volunteer, Richard Lauricelli, showcased his Miata. Chuck Everett, a former transportation driver for St. Camillus, was DJ for the day playing oldies music for all to enjoy. The St. Camillus staff and volunteers served refreshments to attendees, and were happy to provide additional entertainment by dancing to the oldies music!

Gardening With the Chef
Executive Chef, Rob Mackay, held his second annual “Gardening with the Chef” event with 16 - 20 residents participating. Chef Rob showed residents how to build window boxes with flowers and herbs and discussed the many uses of herbs in cooking. Residents shared their gardening memories as they enjoyed smelling and tasting some of the herbs and edible flowers. There were several Gardening books available to research some of the items which Chef Rob had selected to plant. The completed window boxes are on the window sills in the two main dining rooms where residents can watch them grow and even assist in keeping them watered. When possible, Chef Rob will pick some of the herbs and use them as a garnish or in a recipe for the residents.

St. Camillus Employees help “RAISE the ROOF” for The Centers at St. Camillus
"Amazing Place, Amazing People" are the words that describe St. Camillus and the people who work there. In May, 2009 when construction started
on The Centers at St. Camillus expansion, hundreds of employees celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony and subsequently became involved with fundraising efforts. A group of employees formed a committee reaching out to other staff members to help “Raise the Roof” at St. Camillus.

The committee volunteers their time to plan and hold numerous fundraising events within the facility. All monies raised are donated to The Centers at St. Camillus fundraising campaign. In the first three months, employees of St. Camillus donated over $11,000 towards the expansion project. Fundraisers included a payroll deduction plan, strawberry shortcake sale, ice cream sundae event, t-shirt sale and a B-B-Q cookout.

The "Raise the Roof" committee has a number of additional fundraising events scheduled for the remainder of the year including a staff talent show, holiday gift baskets, pancake breakfast and a chance to watch six employees (including one woman) shave their heads if the price is right!
St. Camillus employees are amazing people, always working together to make St. Camillus an amazing place to be!

St. Camillus Nurses Honored for Efforts at Fire
St. Camillus RN Case Managers, Katherine Duda and Melissa Fuller, received proclamations from the Town of Camillus Supervisor, Mary Ann Coogan, during St. Camillus' Staff Appreciation Day. They were recognized for exhibiting exemplary courage and compassion for their patient and the community. Click here for more details!

St. Camillus Thanks Senator DeFrancisco
In May 2007, residents, volunteers, staff, management and board members of St. Camillus gathered to thank NY State Senator, John DeFrancisco, for arranging a grant of $200,000 for improvement to our heating and cooling system.

St. Camillus Presents "How to Start Exercising" Seminars for Older Adults
The “How to Start Exercising” lectures are designed for older adults who want to know more about starting an exercise program and who want to have a more physically active lifestyle. For more information call 315-488-2112.

Are you at risk for falling? St. Camillus offers new program to evaluate seniors for falls risk?
Falls among older adults pose a serious health risk. From medications and increased frailty to common obstacles in the home, knowing what may put you at risk for falls is the first step toward preventing them. So, how do you gauge your falls risk? St. Camillus offers a simple evaluation - conducted either in the home or on an outpatient basis - to assess falls risk. We can then put a plan in place to help if necessary. For an in-home evaluation call The Home Care Center at St. Camillus at 315-488-2831. For an outpatient evaluation call the Outpatient Rehabilitation Center at 315-488-2112.

Get healthy. Join the Healthy Steps Exercise Class for adults!
St. Camillus' fun and motivating exercise class can help you get started with your very own exercise routine. Classes are held twice per week and the full 12-week program costs only $40! Check it out and start getting healthy today! For more information call 315-488-2112.

Alzheimer's caregiver support group
St. Camillus is hosting a monthly support group for individuals caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia. The group meets on the third Tuesday of every month. Click here for more details.

Streamlined referrals save providers time
You've come to the right place if you're looking to make outpatient rehabilitation and audiology referrals more quickly and efficiently. Learn how our new referral forms can benefit you. For more information call 315-488-2112.

Monthly Events Calendar
Planning a visit with your loved one here at St. Camillus? Check out what's going on this month for our residents and patients. From bingo, worship services, and special entertainers to pet visits, we offer something for just about everyone. Click here for the monthly calendar of events.

 

E-mail: info@st-camillus.org