New Tower, New Hope

Hope is something that began several years ago in our vibrant riverside community. Our local hospital system began a $150 million renovation and expansion. Yesterday, our staff, as well as other members of our local Chamber of Commerce, were treated to an early look at the new Susquehanna Tower at Susquehanna Health Systems.

I have spent many hours, over my 30+ years, in the Williamsport Regional Medical Center. While I have always had positive experiences with the staff, the physical plant always left something to be desired. It seemed very drab and did little to uplift the spirits of the patients. I once heard the Emergency Room referred to as a "black hole". During my stay following the birth of my second child, the HVAC in the maternity wing broke down. Granted it was October, but my room was still 85 degrees. When I heard the plans for the new wing, I was hopefully optimistic.

When I pulled into the new parking lot on High Street, my jaw dropped. I do not have occasion to use that entrance often, as I primarily utilize the main Rural Avenue entrance.  My first thought upon seeing the new tower: AMAZING. The exterior of the building is meticulously landscaped, with wide sidewalks and a spacious revolving door. What is especially inspired about this revolving door is that it is continuously in motion- thereby making it "hands-free"! This is ideal in an environment where germ contamination is a serious concern.

Photo courtesy of Susquehanna Heath

Everything was designed with the patient in mind. From color schemes to ease of movement for the patient during recovery, the new wings are state-of-the-art and aesthetically pleasing, all while providing the staff with a fluid layout to provide the most efficient care to the patients.

For this special "First Look" tour, you could take one of two tours: The Blue Tour or the Yellow Tour. We opted to start our journey with the Blue route.

These handy arrows would lead you on your tour, 

so that if you were separated from the group (as I was while taking this photo),

you can easily rejoin them!

We were graciously welcomed onto one of several elevators while a tour guide pointed out that we would first be visiting the Fourth Floor, home to the Cardiac Care Unit, including the new Cardiac and Vascular Operating Rooms (O.R.s). Our Tour guide stayed with our group throughout the Blue Tour. But what was truly fascinating was that Susquehanna Health had an assigned specialist who will actually be working in each department at each stop of the tour to describe the new updates and answer questions. In some locations, there were multiple specialists.

Cardiac Operating Room, with one of our informative Spot Hosts

Let me just say that I hope I will never have any cardiovascular issues, but if I do, I will surely come here. These state of the art surgical updates boast wireless, high-definition technology, with a new wireless network that connects the O.R. with the labs and any other department of the health system that would need to cooperate with the surgeon mid-operation. High definition, flat-screen panels are mounted throughout the room allow a clearly enhanced visual on the surgical procedure being performed, while a new centralized unit contains all wired electronics and monitors that is mounted to the ceiling and armed to pivot to any point in the room without the hassle or risk of having miscellaneous cords snaking throughout the O.R.

The armed unit it mounted centrally on the ceiling and in the left side of this photo. 

However, it can be easily moved at any point during

the procedure with the greatest of ease.

What is also amazing is the layout of the new cardiac floor. The best way to describe it is three concentric spaces, with the outer corridor for foot traffic and movement, a middle space for the operating rooms and the central space for sterilized equipment and surgical tools. Not only does this keep a clean surgical space, it limits cross-contamination, which is helpful in ensuring successful surgical procedure and recoveries.

Next on our Blue Tour, we visited the Sixth floor, which is home to the Joint Replacement wing of the Health System. We were treated to the new Therapy Gym which was leaps and bounds above the rehab facility where I had to take my husband in 2006 when he shattered his ankle. While the staff was great, the facility was less than inspiring. However, the new Therapy Gym is incredibly inspiring: from the quotes on the wall, to the open space and brand new equipment, it is clear the goal is healing.

Inspirational quite in the Therapy Gym

From relearning to walk to driving a car, the new gym has it all. Additionally, it is bright, well lit, and welcoming.

New Therapy Gym

What was truly remarkable to me, having been a patient at the Health System previously and being shuffled all over the complex, was the proximity of the Gym to the patient rooms. All Joint replacement patients are in rooms in a corridor adjacent to the gym. Patients do not have to navigate from one end of the hospital to the other in order to do their physical and occupational therapy. The rooms are designed specifically for Joint Replacement patients. From the spacious bathrooms and lift capabilities, to the wheelchairs that more resemble a La-Z-Boy that a traditional wheelchair, every accommodation has been made. The music piping through the rooms and halls was more like the music I have heard in a spa or yoga studio than traditional elevator music. The HD, flat-screen televisions were transmitting calming ocean views into a room with hardwood floors and earth tones. Frankly, I wanted to take up residency in that room.

Photo courtesy of SH on Facebook.

As in the Therapy Gym, the entire Tower boasts inspirational quotes on the walls. Often while healing, patients grow frustrated and often relapses can lead to depression which can further hinder recovery. These quotes, used as art, lift the spirit so as to help the body heal.

Inspiration quotes throughout the new Tower do just that: Inspire.

The second tour we took, the Yellow Tour, began on the first floor and highlighted the new Emergency  Medicine Department. I think you will recall the former E.R. being referred to as a black hole earlier in this post; the new Emergency Department is entirely on the other end of this spectrum.

I cannot even begin to tell you how much the new Emergency Department has been improved. Privacy is a main concern, as is expediting the patient's stay in that department.  The new Fast Track plan would send all incoming emergencies to 1 of 3 areas: Fast Track,  Urgicenter and Emergency. Fast Track would be for minor ailments, such as an ear infection, or sore throat, which would simply require a culture and a prescription. The goal with Fast Track is to diagnose and then treat you as efficiently as possible, all while minimizing the time a patient must sit in the waiting room. Urgicenter is for minor issues, such as  finger gash, which would require stitches. Emergency is for true medical unknowns requiring immediate attention. There are specialized rooms within the new ER specifically designed for cardiac emergencies.

One Emergency Cardiac room, with another through a sterile instrument room

Also new in the Susquehanna Tower is the inclusion of Private Emergency Treatment Rooms. These rooms allow patients and their companions to receive the necessary treatments in the privacy of their own room.

Emergency Private Treatment Room

Additionally, the new nursing command center is a separate area to control every issue, from intake to management of emergency cases. Also, the nurses and physicians now have separate command centers (so they are no longer tripping over each other). These separate command centers are connected through the latest high-definition, wireless technology.

The Third Floor of the new Tower will soon be home to the new Birthplace™. Still under construction, the new maternity wing is expected to open in June of 2012.

Clearly, Susquehanna Health put much thought into the design of this new tower. I think it is clear that they are putting the needs of the patients as their first priority, with the ease of operations within the new physical plant of the tower a close second.

I look forward to seeing these new systems in action, as do our clients here at Comfort Keepers! On behalf of all who attended this first look, sponsored by Susquehanna Health and the Williamsport-Lycoming Chamber of Commerce,  thank you!

A view of the Chamber Event on 2/23/2012

Comfort Keeper of the Year, 2011

Comfort Keepers® of the Greater Williamsport Area is pleased to announce that EVELYN MOORE has been chosen as Comfort Keeper of the Year® for 2011.

Comfort Keeper of the Year®, a prestigious annual award, is bestowed on a singular employee who not only exemplifies what it means to be a Comfort Keeper®, but exceeds expectations and sets new standards for excellence in the care that they provide to their clients.

Moore is recognized as a shining beacon in her field. In her time with Comfort Keepers®, she has the received some of the highest ratings from her clients, in addition to being the leading refer of new employees. 

Moore is now participating in a nation-wide pilot program through the Alzheimer’s Foundation to test the use of baby dolls as therapy with Alzheimer’s patients. Her work and research that she customizes for each client is what truly sets her apart and motivates her coworkers to aim for her high standard of excellence.

For Moore, being a Comfort Keeper® is a gift. She regularly expresses how much she “loves her work” and “loves Comfort Keepers®”. She has proven herself to be the single best advertisement for Comfort Keepers®, both in her vocal support for the company she so dearly loves and in her outstanding client care. 

Evelyn Moore, Comfort Keeper of the Year for 2011, working with one of her many clients in their home.

Passing On

At Comfort Keepers, we are often faced with the challenge of working with people who are in the end stages of life. While this can be a rewarding field of work, it can also take an emotional toll on our employees. 


At our offices, this past week has been especially difficult. We have lost 4 clients and have another actively dying. (To put it in perspective, we had previously lost 4 clients in the past four months.) Some of these clients were long-term clients who we have grown to love. In the process of providing care, we also get to know the families and loved ones. We feel the loss acutely.  

If I have said it once, I have said it a hundred times: You will grow close to your clients & their families. They will and do become your friends.When those clients then die, even when it expected, it can be hard to process the emotions. It can be especially tough if a Comfort Keeper is remaining in the home to continue providing service to a surviving spouse. We are the ones who remain when friends and family return to work and their regularly scheduled lives. Often, we are the ones who see the loss the surviving spouse faces in their day-to-day lives. It can force us to look at our own lives and to face our own mortality. 


It is important to note that everyone faces death, and the grief associated with it, differently. One person sobs openly for weeks on end; another bottles their grief at the funeral and puts it away, never to be seen again. It is not our place to judge how one grieves, but rather to show support and respect the wishes of the surviving family.We can recommend counselors or support groups and we can listen. Often, the grieving simply want the ability to remember, out loud, the person they have lost. 


I think the most important thing is to not allow the grief to consume you. Grief is healthy and has a place in our lives. We need to deal with it as we feel is best for our mental well-being, so long as it does not harm our physical well-being. The American Psychological Association has some great tips on dealing with death and dying.

As we say goodbye to those we have cared for, it is important to recall how we enhanced their last days and assisted them in maintaining the highest quality of life possible in their final days.

What a week!

This was a big week for Team CK!!!


First of all, we were inspired by something we read on CK Delaware County's Facebook page. They were participating in a local Congressman's Working Families Resource Fair. That got us thinking about our beloved Lycoming County and the many families who are living in inter-generational households. We thought about all the potential clients who inquire with us about service and have no idea about the many resources available to them, not only as seniors, but at any age. We contacted State Representative Rick Mirabito, who has graciously agreed to host this amazing event with us. The ball is just beginning to roll on this event, but we will keep you updated on all the details as they become available.


Secondly, throughout the day Thursday, our amazing team of Comfort Keepers met for our first tri-annual meetings of 2012. We laughed, we learned and we honored our team for all the work they have done for the past 4 months. Over 60 employees were able to attend these meetings (we have to host 3  so that as many employees can attend as possible) and everyone left smiling.

On Friday, I was so pleased to be offered a private tour of Geisinger HealthSouth, Montour County's premier rehabilitation hospital. Wow. I was so inspired at the work that goes on in this state-of-the-art facility. The joint venture between Geisinger and HealthSouth has created one of best rehab facilities in the nation. Specializing in traumatic brain injury, stroke and Parkinson's disease, the team at HealthSouth is an inspiration to all facilities, focusing in both in-patient and out-patient rehabilitation. I would like to send a special thank you to Jim Myers, who graciously answered my questions and took several hours out of his busy schedule to educate me on this inspiring program.


Lastly, on Saturday, Comfort Keepers kicked off our new Zumba Gold program at the James V. Brown Library. We had 10 participants, which is great for a first class. Here is a look if you are interested in joining us this Saturday or any other Saturday in the Lowry Room from 1:30-2:30pm!