I tell my residents that the beauty of the Regency Nursing and Rehab Facilities is our top down accountability!

Other Nursing Homes have Administrators who hide in the back office somewhere and pull all the ‘levers’ in a shroud of secrecy like the fabled Wizard of Oz! There is no accountability and nobody responsible to families for anything. It’s like calling the phone company…”your call is important to us”….

At Regency Nursing Centers, our Administrators are front and center ALL of the time!
They are available and accessible to our families for anything and everything. No request is too big or too small and they are constantly out and about looking to please the residents and families.

Here is a picture I snagged of our very own Administrators, Joseph Bernfeld and Tzvi Gross in the hallway greeting families and residents with welcome smiles and good cheer!

Accountability…..

Left to Right: Tzvi Gross and Joseph Bernfeld

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”
Steve Jobs

At Regency Nursing Centers, we are all about cultivating and pursuing excellence in all phases of operations. From the caregivers to the department heads, to administration; there is a meticulous and unceasing pursuit of excellence.

Pursuing Excellence!

Nowhere is this more apparent, than in our Financial and Business office located in Lakewood, NJ.

Our indefatigable office staff deals with the minutia of our day to day operations with singular skill and devotion.

Whereas other organizations outsource this part of their management, we understand the value to our residents and families to keep this crucial element in-house so as to maintain the highest standards of customer service and accountability.

There is no passing of the buck and no excuse for mediocrity when communicating directly with our Regency Family of staff.

In fact, families have mentioned to me on numerous occasions, the sensitivity and empathy which they experienced when dealing with our accounting and book keeping departments.

To be perfect 100% of the time is a daunting task and one which we take very seriously. There is no effort spared in this regard, which is why we continue to set the gold standard by which other organizations measure themselves.

Everyday is a party at Regency Heritage Nursing and Rehabilitation in Somerset, NJ!

It isn’t just our residents who are having a great time here!
Our employees and dedicated staff are equally thrilled to be a part our superb organization.

Hey, we are 5 stars at regency Heritage for a reason. Take a look!

5 Stars for Regency Heritage and proud of it!

In fact, we just celebrated the birthdays of 2 of our beloved Regency superstars!

They are our very own MDS Coordinator, Chris Segro and Dir. Of Social Services Robin Berkman!

Their birthdays were June 19 and June 20.
I am told they both turned 20…

Here is a picture of the two birthday gals.
(Photo Credit: Marlene Grossman – Dir. Of Admissions. Thanks, Marlene!)

Left to Right: Chris Segro, Robin Berkman

I was visiting a patient at Bayshore Hospital last night and stepped into the Cafeteria for a moment to feed my coffee addiction. Lo and Behold, I bumped into Dr. David Hyppolite!

Dr. Hyppolite is a personal friend of mine and a great friend of Regency Nursing Centers. He is credentialed at our facilities and relies upon our stellar care to treat his patients from the community.

Dr. Hyppolite specializes in Internal Medicine and has a private practice at 66 C Bridge Avenue, in Red Bank, NJ.

Dr. Hyppolite is affiliated with Bayshore Hospital and Riverview Medical Center. He went to Medical School at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles and did his Internship at the Northeastern Hospital of Phildedelphia. He speaks fluent French and we enjoy conversing with each other on many different subjects.

When we joke around I tell him he reminds me of Denzel Washington (take a look at our photo below and decide for yourself) and always get a good laugh in response!

It is a pleasure for us to be associated with this World Class Physician and Dr. Hypploite shares the same pride at being associated with the very best organization for skilled nursing and rehabilitation!

Doctor Hypplite and myself in the Bayhsore Cafeteria!

“Employees are a company’s greatest asset – they’re your competitive advantage. You want to attract and retain the best; provide them with encouragement, stimulus, and make them feel that they are an integral part of the company’s mission.”

Anne M. Mulcahy

Did you know that Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers across New Jersey suffers the lowest attrition rate amongst employees from virtually all other nursing homes and rehab facilities?
Go to some other nursing homes and you’ll find that Mom’s caregiver changes from week to week! Now you see her, now you don’t. Every week, you’ll have to explain Mom’s idiosyncrasies and tendencies to a brand new CNA or Nurse.

You know why that is?

It’s because these facilities stink! I cannot sugar coat that simple, yet declarative statement of fact, so I won’t.

They do not take care of their own employees and staff to keep them emotionally and physically happy. These facilities are headed by tyrants in suits who do not innately understand that a happy employee equals a happy resident.
To these types, it’s all about dollars and cents and cutting costs. The employees are overworked, underpaid and mistreated. When there is no respect and appreciation for the caregiver, their resentment becomes palpable (we are all human after all) and ultimately, the residents suffer the consequences.

Regency Nursing Centers incorporates an entirely different philosophy. We take care of our employees and their families. Our employees are thrilled to work here because they are appreciated and highly valued for their dedication and commitment.
The result is an impressive and fluid dynamic of happy staff, happy residents and happy families! Tomorrow is July 4, and I will be right here at my post together with my colleagues.

Wanna know why we don’t take vacation tomorrow? It’s because we feel gratitude and appreciation to our organization and to the families who entrust us with their care. It’s because we are strategic partners in something bigger than our individual job descriptions.

It is because we are part of the Regency family and the Regency Alliance on Senior Care.

In fact, just today, Regency Nursing Centers celebrated “CNA Appreciation Day.”
Today, was a day where we took the time to express our gratitude to our selfless CNA’s who wait upon our residents hand and foot with utmost compassion.
We distributed gifts and created an exceptional and festive program for them!
I took a few pictures, of course!

Take a look.

Our grateful CNA’s enjoying their party!

Our superstar staff left to right: Marylin Soriano, Rivka Greenspan, Beverly Sevellino, Lisa Meritt, Maribel Restrepo

I always loved this one!

http://player.vimeo.com/video/37984780?autoplay=1

“A smile is an inexpensive way to change your looks.”
Charles Gordy

“A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.”
William Arthur Ward

My morning runs often involve laps around a park close to my home. No traffic to worry about and easier for me to delve into the cosmos.

During these 6 am runs, I usually cross paths with a fellow who is apparently as zoned in and addicted as I am. We are both pacing about 7:30 minute miles. He is running in one direction and I am running in the other. On our first “run in” around the park, we have developed an almost cultish routine. Our eyes lock, there is an imperceptible nod and then he breaks out in a huge smile and wishes me a hearty “G’morning” before zipping by. My “run in” with him this morning was no exception.

I don’t know the man, what he does for a living, or where he lives, but in that one gesture of kindness, I feel as though we are old friends. On days that I don’t bump into him in the park, I feel as though I’ve been deprived of that goodness.

There is nothing like a smile to brighten the lives of those around you. Nobody likes to be around a dejected and depressed individual. Smiling people are kind to themselves and kind to others.

This is what I thought about this morning, which I would aptly apply to the great Joseph Olszewski, Administrator at the Regency Grande Nursing Center in Dover, NJ.
“Joe O.” as he is affectionately known, is a paragon of kindness, not only to his residents and their families, but also to his staff and personnel.
Joe has a long career in Healthcare and has become something of a Legend.

However, that isn’t what I admire most about him.
What I admire most, is his infectious smile!

His smile literally lights up a room. This is what I believe endears him to everyone he comes in contact with and is without a doubt one of the many highlights of the popular Regency Grande Rehabilitation facility in Dover, NJ! His smile alone draws people like a magnet.

A prominent industry insider once proclaimed with admiration that Regency Grande is like a “perfect symphony orchestra” where everything is in sync and in harmony.
While this is true, I would respectfully disagree with the analogy.
The next time you’re at a symphony, take a close look at the conductor. As talented at he might be, he’s always got his back to you! Furthermore, when he does turn around, he is never smiling.
Conversely, the “conductor” at Regency Grande Nursing and Rehab, is always turned towards his families and staff and he is ALWAYS SMILING!

In fact, I just bumped into Joe yesterday morning (no, he wasn’t running) and snapped this photograph.
Take a look at him in this picture and tell me what you see?

Left to Right: Joe Olszewski, Administrator, Carla Holton, Director of Admissions, Maryleth Brescia, Dir. of Recreation

Regency Grande in Dover is lucky to have “Joe O.” as their Administrator and the families in the community who have loved ones at Regency, are even more blessed!

Look who I bumped into last night!

Standing with Dr. Parhar in the Nurses Station at Bayshore Hospital

I was visiting Bayshore Hospital last night and walked right into the good doctor.

Doctor Avtar Parhar is a good friend of mine and a good friend of the Regency Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Hazlet, NJ.

Dr. Parhar practices Internal Medicine with a specialty in Pulmonary disease.

He is affiliated with Riverview Medical Center and Bayshore Community Hospital.

I just left the office of my good friend (and a great friend of Regency Nursing Centers) Dr. Mohamed Meleis!!

Dr. Meleis is not only a superstar at Regency Park Nursing Center, he is also my personal physician!

I took a picture with the good Doctor during my visit today.
Take a look:

Dr. Meleis Medical Practice

Judah Gutwein (yes, that’s me) with Dr. Meleis!

It is official!
Regency Nursing Centers has achieved a Guinness World Record for this event!
Here is the letter we received (our very own Marie Barnes, Marketing Director at Regency)

FROM GUINNESS:

Dear Ms. Marie Barnes,

We are delighted to confirm that you have successfully achieved a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for ’Largest gathering of centenarians’. We would like to congratulate you on your record-breaking achievement. You are OFFICIALLY AMAZING.

Your official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS certificate confirming your world record is being created and will be sent to you within ten working days.

Tzvi Gross also sent me this awesome link with coverage of our event.

Check it out!

Regency Rocks!!

I am extremely proud to announce that we have just forayed into the high tech arena with a push towards video blogging!!

Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation has now gone viral on our newly minted Regency YouTube Channel!

We will be posting beautiful video tours of our facilities and recreational programs as well as video interviews with our Doctors, Administrators, Staff and Happy families!!

Id like to thank our indefatigable leader and Regency Founder, Mr. Gross, for his visionary approach which has facilitated all of this!

In the meantime, here I am in my inaugural video blog!!!

Our delightful resident, Minnie is in the hallway at this moment dressed in full Halloween garb.

She is a police officer!

I just took this photo with her! She is so excited.

Judah and Minnie enjoying the Holiday Spirit at Regency!

More great Regency pictures from last week!

Debbie and Georgeanna!

Regency staff and residents participating in a 5k run/walk for Breast Cancer

Picture of Josephine Sorbara together with her family on her birthday last September. Ann is on the left side of her mother her brother who was seated and his wife.

See the family above (beautiful family, right!).

Well, they wrote a GLOWING TESTIMONIAL for our awesome and World Class, Regency Grande facility in Dover, NJ.

This is a must read!

Thanks Maryleth of Regency Grande for sending this my way!

Beautiful testimonial letter for Regency Grande from the Sorbara family! Click to enlarge

Mr. Gross before the shot, making a silly face!

Whoever said that owners of skilled nursing and postacute facilities “never involve themselves in the day to day activities” of their centers, never met our beloved Mr. David Gross.

Here he is just this week getting his free flu shot together with his staff at one of his Regency facilities (and he waited in line like everyone else – his idea !)

Taking “true ownership” has meanings on multiple levels.

Mr. Gross is a true owner and that’s why we respect him so much!

Mr. Gross during the shot!

Regency Park Nursing and Postacute Rehabilitation Centers would like to welcome our new Administrator, Ms. Paula Burroughs.

Paula brings 30 years of administrative experience to the Regency family and we wish her every success!

Regency Park Administrator Paula Burroughs with Regency Grande Administrator, Joe Olszewski!

Speaking of welcoming someone to Regency Park;

 My face lit up like a Megawatt bulb this morning when our beloved owner, Mr. Gross came to pay us a visit at his Regency Park Postacute Rehab Center in Hazlet.

It is always an absolute joy to see Mr. Gross in our building!

The most amazing thing just occurred.

I was sitting in our admissions office minding my own business when in walked a delightful couple.

My first reaction was that they were coming to discuss placement for an elderly loved one.

However, it turns out that the missus was actually a patient of ours who came to us in May of 2012 for rehab after a partial knee replacement surgery at Bayshore Hospital.

They were in the area today and dropped by with a gift and a beautiful card to say thank you!

I was incredibly moved and we all got quite emotional.

Here is the text of her letter and our photo we took together right underneath.

“On May 22, 2012 I had a knee replacement surgery at Bayshore Hospital. On May 25^th I went to Regency Park Nursing Center for two weeks. I was very nervous about going because I always heard bad stories about nursing homes. Well, they weren’t true about your place. The rooms were clean and the nursing staff and therapy departments were the best.

I enjoyed going outside every day and sitting on your beautiful patio with the waterfalls. I always looked forward to the afternoon and evening snacks.

Thanks to you and Dr. Ani and the physical therapy department I am fully recovered and was able to dance at my 50^th Wedding Anniversary party! I enclosed a picture from the party.

They say better late than never! This thank you letter is a little late, but I did appreciate everything you did for me.”

Thank you again,

Linda Boyce

Left to right: An ecstatic Judah with Linda and Hartson Boyce.

So I went for a 5 mile run this morning at 6 am. Was awesome and I’m already deep into another day at the amazing Regency Post Acute Rehab Center in Hazlet, NJ! I LOVE THIS PLACE.

Anyway, I took my daughter to her first Orthodontist appointment the other day.

Did you know that most dental insurances, including ours, do not cover for Orthodontists! That’s right, it is an out of pocket disaster! What parents don’t do to brighten the smiles of their children, but I digress.

I was instantly struck by the beauty of her office. My first reaction was that if aesthetics are any indicator of performance, then this practitioner must be incredible!

Then I took a look at her business card on the receptionist’s desk and noted the various designations after her name, including D.M.D., M.S., L.L.C. (no clue what any of it stands for, but undoubtedly, it took her a long time to get all of those.)

I should have been duly impressed, right?

Wrong.

Fancy letters after your name and prestigious titular designations means nothing to me; absolutely nothing. You could have the whole alphabet printed after your last name with scary looking periods in-between and it matters not a lick to me. I’m not impressed. Impress me with your skills, because your titles and alpha numeric values wont.

You know why I’ve adopted this approach?

Actually, it is all Mr. Gross’s fault, as I shall explain.

(I know that I keep invoking our beloved Regency Founder. Alas, I cannot help myself since Regency is all that it is because he is the indispensable Sine Qua Non of our organization. In fact, everywhere you turn at Regency Postacute Rehabilitation and Nursing Centers, his creative fingerprints are everywhere. It isn’t my fault for pointing out the obvious.)

One of the first things that struck me when I joined the Regency family is that Mr. Gross’s email and written missives to his staff and employees, NEVER includes fancy titles and alphabet after his signature. He’s got just as many fancy titles as anyone of his stature in the Healthcare industry, yet he invokes NONE of them, save for his name printed simply yet succinctly; David Gross.

I think I know why and I believe my theory makes sense.

He’s got nobody to impress and no need to project. Those who know him KNOW him and those who don’t will quickly learn.

A name alone, when buffered by the singular status of the individual, is the most forceful designation there is. Anything printed after the name only detracts, quantifies and restricts.

This is similarly true for the Regency name which bears Mr. Gross’s ‘signature’.

In the world of senior healthcare, mention Regency Nursing in New Jersey and EVERYONE knows who we are. One needn’t throw in all of the various divisions and subdivisions of the Regency brand to state the obvious.

The Regency name ITSELF is the brand and speaks and attests unequivocally to all of the various highlights which make up our individual components.

In the final analysis, the Ortho’s office (I must say, the game station in the waiting room with Madden football was a very nifty idea. My daughter wanted something different, but I was happy as a lark!), is infinitely more instructive to me than all of the letters and periods after her name.

Nuff ‘said.

So Tzvi Gross sent me these two photos late last night. He was so taken by the clever marketing of this company (and I agree).

He tells me this:

My wife bought something from piperlime.com (owned by Gap) and with the purchase they sent this card!! Thought you’d love it!

(Tzvi is awesome. He’s got more creativity than most people I know, so he appreciates creativity as well)

Check the card that came with his Wife’s stuff and click to enlarge if you must!

Click to enlarge!

Hey Tzvi,  I can do the same thing and we already display the personal touch in so many ways!

Check this out and tell me if you like!