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MARCH 2021
What’s New
in Therapeutic Activities
Therapeutic Activities recently partnered with two non-profit organizations to provide our
children with opportunities to access specialized virtual play services.
Face2Face Stories:
“Small acts of kindness builds a better world, 17-A Guardianship
One great story at a time.” In New York State, when a person
Face2Face Stories is a non-profit foundation dedicated to bringing turns 18 years old, they are assumed
meaningful stories and moments of joy and connection to to be legally competent to make
people in need in medical facilities and homes, such as ours. decisions for themselves (“age of
They believe that stories have the power to connect and majority”). However, some individuals
transform us all. The Foundation’s stated mission is to create with intellectual or developmental
a thousand such connections a day in our city, our country, our disabilities may have difficulty doing
earth – and in turn, to make our world a better place. so independently. This includes the
young adults who remain in our care.
Face2Face Stories sends trained volunteers to visit patients in facilities to read inspirational Article 17-A of the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act was enacted in
stories, and provide uplifiting experiences and a few minutes with a smiling face. During the 1969 to allow parents and family members to continue to have legal
pandemic, the organization had to switch to virtual visits so that volunteers can still offer the responsibility for loved ones with intellectual and developmental
children these wonderful experiences. disabilities after the age of majority. It is very broad and covers
Our children also have the opportunity to choose from a diverse selection of videos featuring most decisions that are usually made by a parent for a child, such
volunteers reading a favorite childhood book. Some of the selections include The Giving Tree, as financial and healthcare decisions. This continued legal authority
Handing Out Kindness and The Starfish Story. recognizes the lifelong nature of intellectual and developmental
disabilities and is essential for families to help their loved ones
Even more exciting is that Sunshine families and employees can record their own favorite make critical decisions into adulthood, including decisions on life-
childhood book to add to the library. We are actively seeking readers in all languages! If you are sustaining treatment.
interested in giving 10 minutes of your time to read a book, please contact Susan in Social Work. While parents always have the option of seeking community
Project Sunshine: assistance with the petition process, our Social Work Department is
“Delivering the Healing Power of Play” well-versed in filing a 17-A petition and will handle the complete
transaction at no cost to parents other than the minimal court
Project Sunshine is a global network of volunteers that application fee. Shortly after the child’s 17th birthday, the assigned
provide play and other activities to help children cope while social worker will reach out to the parents to discuss the petition
facing medical challenges. Project Sunshine supports the process and the timelines for submission. In addition to the
work of child life specialists and other medical professionals petition, a certification from one physician and one psychologist or
by providing psychological, social and emotional support to two physicians must be filed with the court to certify your child’s
pediatric patients and families. They design and facilitate disability and attest that he/she is not able to manage his or her
developmentally appropriate and adaptive programming in a affairs. Social Work will manage this documentation and process as
range of settings within the hospital and outpatient medical facilities. During the pandemic, well. Parents do need to decide who will be appointed primary, and
the support has been provided virtually through teleplay interactive activities led by trained perhaps alternate guardian. All petitions are filed with the Surrogate
volunteers who provide activity kits for TA to incorporate into their programming. TA has Court located in White Plains. Parents are required to attend a brief
already introduced teleplay to several of our residents and also has plans to incorporate it into court hearing (currently done via videoconference). Once the petition
more individualized play planning for those who will benefit. and certifications are approved by the court, a citation will be issued.
Hot Chocolate Bombs Parent Perspective
Hot chocolate bombs or hot cocoa bombs are balls of
chocolate that you put into a mug. When you pour hot What Is Life?
milk into the mug, the chocolate melts and magically Life is a Challenge……….Meet It
releases the marshmallows and cocoa hiding inside!
Life is a Gift……….Accept it
Ingredients Special Equipment
1 cup chocolate chips half circle silicone mold Life is an Adventure……….Dare it
4 tbsp hot cocoa mix Life is Sorrow……….Overcome it
4 tbsp mini marshmallows Life is Tragedy……….Overcome it
Instructions To serve: Put into a mug, pour on warm milk (or hot Life is a Duty……….Perform it
1. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave. chocolate!) and watch the magic! Stir everything up and
Life is a Game……….Play it
Use 15 second bursts, stirring in between until enjoy. To decorate: Drizzle on some extra chocolate,
everything is smooth and pourable. It will take about then decorate with crushed cookies, candy, or sprinkles! Life is a Mystery……….Unfold it
1-2 minutes. Helpful Tips Life is a Song……….Sing it
2. Scoop some chocolate into the mold and use the back • If you don’t have a mold, wrap two eggs in saran wrap Life is an Opportunity……….Take it
of a spoon or pastry brush to push the melted chocolate and dip them in the melted chocolate. Place on a plate and
around the molds, making it thick enough along the Life is a Journey……….Complete it
let set. Dip them again (so the shell is slightly thick), then
sides and edges. melt the edges, add the insides, and seal. Life is a Promise……….Fulfill it
3. Place the molds in the freezer for 5-10 minutes or in • The best mold for this is a half sphere silicone mold. You Life is Beauty……….Praise it
the fridge for 30 minutes to set. A couple of minutes can easily push the mold to pop out the chocolate.
into the setting, take them out and brush/spoon extra Life is a Struggle……….Fight it
chocolate on the top edges to make it thicker. Let it then The best way to store hot chocolate bombs after they have Life is a Goal……….Achieve it
set completely and carefully pop the chocolate dome been made is at room temp in an air tight container.
out of the mold. Place on a cold plate. *Do you have a poem, article or inspirational
Hot Chocolate Bomb Flavors
4. Microwave an empty plate for 30 seconds to one story to share with your fellow Sunshine
minute, until warm, but not hot. Take one chocolate Oreo – place some crushed-up Oreos inside and on the Families? Send your submission to
dome and place it on the plate for a couple of seconds outside for decoration dsternhill@sunshinechildrenshome.org
to melt the edges. Working quickly, flip it around S’mores – crush some graham crackers for inside the
and add 1 tablespoon of hot cocoa powder and mini bomb and on top for decoration
marshmallows and any other favorite add-ins. Peppermint – crush up some peppermint candies for
5. Take another dome and melt its edge on the warm inside the bomb and on top for decoration
plate. Join the two domes together into a sphere and Pumpkin – add a teaspoon of pumpkin spice in with the
hold until sealed. Let set in the fridge or freezer while hot chocolate mix and sprinkle some on top • Hezek’yah’s GREAT GRANDMOTHER,
you make the rest of your spheres. Coffee – add a teaspoon of instant coffee to the inside of Gertha Eubanks turned 100 years
6. Remove the chocolate from the molds. Gently push the the bomb old on February 3, 2021! She’s now a
half spheres out of the silicone mold. Dark Chocolate Sea Salt – sprinkle on some flaky sea salt centenarian!
• Hezek’yah is featured on page 86 of
As the new construction continues, you will be seeing the 2021 Rifton catalog!
the building slowly being “closed” with walls put in • Hindy Sternhill is getting married
place. The heat is also going in and the lighting is already March 10th!
installed so that the workers can continue with the
interior building. Meanwhile, behind-the-scenes we • Chaim’s mom gave birth to a baby boy!
are very busy working with the interior design team – • Congrats to Renee Ofner on the arrival
picking colors, wood grains and styles to help create a of her beautiful new granddaughter!
bright, whimsical interior for the children. The hallway Eloise Lucia Strauss (Ely Lou) was born
graphic is a representation of how the colors will come
on 2/23/21!
together. You will see how “color interior boards “ help
create each space. We have the most amazing design
team on this!
In addition, the Department Directors have begun to
build their new staffing models as we envision the new
workflow for the building. Going from 54 children to
122 will take quite a bit more staff, so start telling your
friends that our new home is coming!!!!
SUNSHINE CHILDREN’S HOME & REHAB CENTER • 15 Spring Valley Road, Ossinging, NY 10562
914.333.7000 • sunshinechildrenshome.org • info@sunshinechildrenshome.org
FAMILY NEWSLETTER • MARCH 2021
Ask the Doctor! Happy
Dear Dr. Joe,
Last year my family all had the flu, not once but some of my children
Birthday!
had flu A, followed by flu B. My friends and neighbors, many who had Ibby: 3/8
the flu shot, still managed to get the flu during the height of the flu Fraidy: 3/9
season. My pediatrician mentioned that this year they can count on
their fingers how many flu cases they billed for. What would you say is Meyer: 3/10
attributed to the low flu rate now that we are in midst of a pandemic? Shaya: 3/14
Signed, A Bewildered Parent Meilech: 3/30
So, my answer to this is multifactorial. I would love to say that the reason
there is no flu is because everyone got the shot, and the match was perfect.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. The flu shot helps both reduction in
cases and reduction in severity and is well worth getting. The reason for not
having that much flu around is a combination of good hand washing, mask March
wearing and avoidance of public gathering. There is an additional factor that is
National
may not be as obvious. The flu, like other of our viral infections, is monitored
and can only be reported if people are testing for it. Everyone is very COVID
conscious and very worried about COVID, so people are not getting tested
as much for other viruses. This could be because the clinicians are more Nutrition
concerned about COVID or because the patients are not readily going to doctor’s offices and just dealing with the less
severe infections on their own. I think most doctors have seen a big decline in the number of visits to their offices and the
Month!
patients they are seeing. It is difficult to test for flu and other viruses virtually. 2021 is the year of personal planning! The
key message is to create nutritious meals that
I am still a big proponent of the flu vaccine. It does make a major difference. Hopefully, soon we will be done with this meet your cultural and personal preferences.
pandemic and with that, a return to the normality that is the flu and respiratory virus season (not a great trade off). The Incorporate your favorite menu items and add
one thing we have learned is that mask wearing and good handwashing makes a significant difference. some new flavors to spark some excitement
Welcome to the new norm. in your cooking. Share your ideas! Variety is
Dr. Joseph Savitt, MD, Attending Pediatrician the spice of life! Remember not everyone is
the same. We all have unique needs at various
stages of our lives. You can still eat your
Find Your Sunshine Team! Word List
Evening Supervisor
favorite foods in a healthier way. Follow some
key tips below to make that happen.
Day Shift Supervisor
R K
Director of Quality Of Life 1. Plan your meals and make food lists
E O before shopping.
E F F Q M R
Nurse Practitioner
Social Worker 2. Keep healthy ingredients handy.
E A I K N I
N D P K N D I R M G Nurse Practitioner 3. Read labels and opt for the healthier
E N Y Q S N X E N T L Doctor version of your favorite food item.
R I A U E Z L N I W Supervisor of Therapeutic Activities 4. Look at recipes that will give you
P W R L G J X K P I D K
Director of Nursing options for preparing a healthier
S A S I R C I R A M S B
Administrator
version of your favorite food.
O M Y R A R U A L I H V U A I E A G N O
S I N Y L I R A T M A Z L T J H C L Q W Infection Control &Education 5. Purchase some new spices/flavors to
Director of Rehab
add more variety.
J O E R Z G R U A F T N
V U A A I N G W O N A K Evening Shift Supervisor 6. Set goals for yourself for meals and
I N C F U U T A S Y Administrative Assistant activities.
K L S T O N M U M I Y
Nursing Supervisor 7. Individualize your needs and reach out
N L O E Y A S K J D
Social Worker to a nutritionist for advice to meet
L I S T N M your goals.
H J S L M N
SW Healthcare Coordinator
Director of Social Work & Related Services 8. Take time to enjoy your meals and
M N
learn healthier ways to eat from one
Y O Medical Services Coordinator
another.
Nursing Supervisor
Safely Visiting at Sunshine
PROPER WAYS TO WEAR YOUR MASK
Please review the following information to ensure
you have a safe, pleasurable visit:
1. Parents/Guardians/Immediate family members over the age of 18
will contact their social worker to arrange a visit.
2. All visitors will arrive at Sunshine with a mask on.
3. Visitors will be screened on site for symptoms and a temperature
check will be done.
4. Once cleared, each visitor will be given a surgical mask, gown, and
gloves. The CDC now recommends “double masking” as a very quick
way to ensure that you have additional protection against the
coronavirus. PROPER WAY TO USE HAND SANITIZER
5. Hand sanitizer should be used before putting on the personal
protective equipment.
You are ready to enjoy your visit!
Family Visitation During COVID
FAQs for Sunshine Families
What are the new guidelines? When and where can I visit?
NYSDOH has issued a communication to all skilled nursing facilities that effective Visits will continue to be pre-scheduled with Social Work for Sunday-Friday,
February 26, 2021, visitation and/or activities can be expanded as long as 9-5, for a maximum of 90-minutes. Visit times will be 10-11:30am; 12-1:30pm;
the facility continues to follow the core principles of infection control and 2-3:30pm.
prevention.
During inclement weather and/or by clinical assessment, visits will occur in
the Main Conference Room and/or the enclosed heated tent. Visits will be held
What will this mean for Sunshine? outside of the main residence as the weather allows. Visitation in a child’s room
Sunshine will continue with our infection prevention guidelines to protect is prohibited except when a parent wishes to inventory their child’s clothing,
your child, your family and the staff who care for your child. Visitation will only bring in new clothing, and/or decorate the room. In these instances, Sunshine
be allowed for parents/legal guardians or authorized representatives of the must assure that roommates are not inconvenienced and can be otherwise
resident, and adult siblings (>18years). No more than two (2) visitors per child occupied in a common area. These visits will be allowed for a maximum of one
will be permitted at any time. (1) hour.
Per DOH, if any visitor fails to adhere to the established protocols, he/
Will COVID testing and Pre-Screening be required? she will be prohibited from visiting during the duration of the COVID
public health emergency.
COVID-19 testing is required. Parent(s) may opt to obtain PCR testing within
72 hours of the visit and submit negative results to social work, or have rapid
testing done at Sunshine upon arrival for your visit.
Pre-visit screening will be conducted on the morning of the visit. Parents will
come to the FRR for temperature, testing (if needed) and mandated PPE use
(cloth gown, mask, gloves).
SUNSHINE CHILDREN’S HOME & REHAB CENTER • 15 Spring Valley Road, Ossinging, NY 10562
914.333.7000 • sunshinechildrenshome.org • info@sunshinechildrenshome.org
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