Susan Bussey received Professional of the Year Award, Maria Fitzpatrick received Employee of Distinction Award
ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 25, 2018—Jewish Senior Life announces that Susan Bussey, Senior Vice President of Senior Housing was honored with the 2018 Professional of the Year Award from LeadingAge New York. Maria Fitzpatrick, Director of Inpatient Therapy, is an honoree for the Employee of Distinction Award.
The Professional of the Year Award honors the contributions of professionals working in the aging field toward the well-being of the elderly or chronically ill in his or her community. The award nomination is open to any long-term care, housing and services professional from across the spectrum of care who demonstrates civic involvement as well as professional dedication, accomplishment and field expertise.
- Bussey joined Jewish Senior Life in 2013 as VP of Senior Housing, designing and implementing marketing and operational plans that rapidly grew occupancy for the organization’s independent and assisted living communities. Resident satisfaction scores also increased under her leadership, as she began initiating regular meetings with residents to understand their needs and concerns. Bussey’s high performance, coupled with her commitment to continuous learning and engagement have led to her quick advancement and expanded role at Jewish Senior Life. In addition to overseeing both housing affiliates, Bussey now also leads community services including Jewish Senior Life’s in-home companion care program.
The Employee of Distinction Awards recognize the best of New York’s nonprofit long-term care, housing and services providers and the people who contribute their time, energy and professionalism to the field of aging. Ten honorees will receive this award.
- Fitzpatrick has been with Jewish Senior Life more than 15 years. She joined the organization as an occupational therapist in 2000 and was hand-picked to be the Director of Inpatient Therapy in 2014. She is responsible for many aspects of therapy: transitional care, long-term care, the Senior Fit program, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy. Since Fitzpatrick has been with Jewish Senior Life, patient satisfaction has been extremely high. Inpatient therapy resides within The Jewish Home and helped contribute to the Jewish Home’s ranking as a US News and World Report Top Nursing Home.
“Through their extreme commitment to advancing aging services within our community, both Susan and Maria are inspirations for their peers, employees and our residents and patients,” said Mike King, CEO of Jewish Senior Life. “Susan works tirelessly to understand our residents’ needs, and she consistently and frequently recognizes her team and others for a job well done. Maria shows unmatched kindness and selflessness, going above and beyond to support her staff and her patients. We’re very fortunate to have them on our team.”
Bussey and Fitzpatrick were honored with their awards on May 24 at the LeadingAge New York Annual Conference and Exposition in Saratoga Springs.
About Jewish Senior Life:
Serving people of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds, Jewish Senior Life is a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) guided by the values of honoring family and aging in place. Jewish Senior Life offers all levels of care on a single campus, from independent living to skilled nursing care, along with a variety of programs and services for people living outside its campus. Consistently recognized for its high-quality care, customer satisfaction and for being a great place to work, Jewish Senior Life is CARF accredited and was named a 2017-2018 Best Nursing Home by U.S. News & World Report as well as a 2018 Top Workplace by the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Jewish Senior Life is a member of the Alliance for Senior Care of Greater Rochester, Leading Age, Leading Age New York, and the Association of Jewish Aging Services. For more information, please visit www.jewishseniorlife.org.
About LeadingAge New York:
LeadingAge New York is the only statewide organization representing the entire continuum of not-for-profit, mission-driven, and public continuing care, including senior housing, nursing home, adult care facility, continuing care retirement community, assisted living, home care, adult day care and community services providers. LeadingAge New York represents over 600 organizations dedicated to expanding the world of possibilities for aging. Together, we advance policies, promote practices and conduct research that supports, enables and empowers people to live fully as they age.
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Media Inquiries: Chelsea Wagner, Partners + Napier
585-340-9358
chelsea.wagner@partnersandnapier.com
Contact: Jane Knickerbocker, Vice President of Marketing
585-784-6366
jknickerbocker@jewishseniorlife.org
