2021 22 DALC AnnualReport for FLIPBOOK - Flipbook - Page 16
Rockridge Retirement
Community
Olivia Hanson is a second-year medical
student at Stony Brook School of Medicine
and the granddaughter of Elisabeth Brugnoni,
a resident in The Gardens Memory Support
Community at Rockridge. Last summer,
between her first two years of medical school,
Olivia spent her summer as a volunteer in
The Gardens, which allowed her to see her
grandmother while learning about personcentered care for people with dementia. Under
the guidance of Marilyn Micka-Pickunka, Olivia
designed a project to collect life trajectory
overviews and descriptions of the important people in residents’
lives, creating a reference to help staff personalize care.
Olivia has always been driven to help others. She was an altar
server for more than 10 years and volunteered in her church
after-school program. As a high-school student in Hatfield she
built and coached teams of younger athletes, founded and
ran her own summer soccer camp, and earned a professional
coaching license. While attending Boston College she won
grants which allowed her to study for one semester in Paris.
While there she ended up volunteering with a program helping
recently immigrated women and children living on the edges
of Parisian streets and canals. She found these “tenting
communities” while out jogging, and when she asked the
director of her study-abroad program for help finding a way
to volunteer while a student living abroad, the director replied
that she had never heard such a request before.
During Olivia’s senior year at Boston College, her grandfather
began to find it increasingly challenging to care for Elisabeth
at home. Olivia immediately said, “I can help.” Upon graduation
she moved directly from her dorm into her grandparents’ home
on Long Island. She found a full-time job in a nearby doctor’s
office (that doctor became a reference when she applied to
medical school) and she helped her grandfather care for her
grandmother. When it became clear that home was no longer a
safe environment for Elisabeth, Olivia helped with her transition
into The Gardens. Olivia’s family often expresses gratitude that
Elisabeth has a wonderful, stimulating, and supportive new
home in The Gardens community. And gratitude that Olivia
continues to be involved in Elisabeth’s life.
14
Deaconess Excellence
Award Recipient–
Rockridge
Retirement
Community
Dina Komansky
Covid Coordinator/scheduler
Dina Kamansky came to Rockridge
in September 2021. Dina is our
Covid coordinator/scheduler, and
in the seven short months she has
completely organized and facilitated
our covid testing and booster clinics
to keep our community safe. To
get all this accomplished Dina has
picked up shifts that couldn’t be
filled. Dina is always interacting
and engaging with our residents
and exudes the NEDA mission. Dina
always exceeds the expectations of
our residents while supporting our
staff and community.
Deaconess Abundant Life Communities