American Legion dignitaries visit Chenango County
OXFORD – On Monday, the American Legion’s top state-level officials traveled to Chenango County as part of an annual visitation to each of New York’s 62 counties.
New York State’s American Legion Department Commander William R. Kearsing, American Legion Department Auxiliary President Karyn Porempski, Sons of the American Legion Detachment Commander David L. Bishop and National Executive Committeeman Richard Keiser were among the roughly 30-member delegation of state, district, county and local post representatives.
They began their tour at the New York State Veterans’ Home in Oxford, which is one of only five residential care facilities in the state devoted to caring for veterans and their spouses who because of age or medical condition are no longer able to live independently.
“It is our pride, privilege and pleasure to welcome the American Legion family,” said Vets’ Home Administrator Sally Venugopalan, as she expressed her gratitude to the veterans organization for the support its members give to residents of the facility.
During their visit, the legionnaires paid tribute to the veterans in residence, visited with staff and enjoyed a luncheon prepared in their honor. They were also treated to tours of both the existing building and the new facility, to which Venugopalan said she anticipates moving in early November.
During the facility tour, Kearsing and the other dignitaries were treated to a demonstration of a new patient lift system by the home’s physical therapy staff.
“Better than half the (new facility’s) rooms will have this set up,” explained Activities Director Allan Hopson, who led the tour. All that stands in the way of having the equipment installed in every patient room is money.
While the roughly $5,000 price tag per unit may not seem exorbitant, when multiplied out over the facility’s 242 patient rooms, it adds up to more than $1.2 million.
According to Venugopalan, the necessary tracking has or will be installed in each of the rooms prior to the move. Purchasing the remaining motors and assemblies will depend on fundraising efforts, which are being coordinated by Volunteer Guild President Frank Konopka, who is also a legionnaire.
“We’re getting donations from a lot of veterans’ groups,” the facility administrator reported, citing the American Legion family’s generous support. “It’s pretty amazing.”
During a later tour of the new building, Venugopalan discussed the Vets’ Homes philosophy regarding treatment and care of residents suffering from dementia. They do not restrain or medicate residents, she explained, but rather strive to find other ways to engage them.
The new facility will feature spacious indoor areas and a gated outside courtyard to allow these residents to “loop,” as she described walking behaviors often exhibited by dementia patients. There will also be a Freedom Room used to treat these patients, for which funds were raised by past Auxiliary Department President Carol Johnson.
“They do a great service to our veterans,” said Kearsing, who praised the Oxford home’s administrators and staff, particularly in regards to their treatment of the dementia patients.
Following the tour, the American Legion delegation left the Vets’ Home in a motorcade escorted by the American Legion Riders from the Warren Eaton Post 189 in Norwich. The next stop on their route was Sun Printing, where they toured the facility where The Evening Sun is printed.
Their one-day tour of Chenango County concluded with a dinner in their honor at the Norwich American Legion Post.
New York State’s American Legion Department Commander William R. Kearsing, American Legion Department Auxiliary President Karyn Porempski, Sons of the American Legion Detachment Commander David L. Bishop and National Executive Committeeman Richard Keiser were among the roughly 30-member delegation of state, district, county and local post representatives.
They began their tour at the New York State Veterans’ Home in Oxford, which is one of only five residential care facilities in the state devoted to caring for veterans and their spouses who because of age or medical condition are no longer able to live independently.
“It is our pride, privilege and pleasure to welcome the American Legion family,” said Vets’ Home Administrator Sally Venugopalan, as she expressed her gratitude to the veterans organization for the support its members give to residents of the facility.
During their visit, the legionnaires paid tribute to the veterans in residence, visited with staff and enjoyed a luncheon prepared in their honor. They were also treated to tours of both the existing building and the new facility, to which Venugopalan said she anticipates moving in early November.
During the facility tour, Kearsing and the other dignitaries were treated to a demonstration of a new patient lift system by the home’s physical therapy staff.
“Better than half the (new facility’s) rooms will have this set up,” explained Activities Director Allan Hopson, who led the tour. All that stands in the way of having the equipment installed in every patient room is money.
While the roughly $5,000 price tag per unit may not seem exorbitant, when multiplied out over the facility’s 242 patient rooms, it adds up to more than $1.2 million.
According to Venugopalan, the necessary tracking has or will be installed in each of the rooms prior to the move. Purchasing the remaining motors and assemblies will depend on fundraising efforts, which are being coordinated by Volunteer Guild President Frank Konopka, who is also a legionnaire.
“We’re getting donations from a lot of veterans’ groups,” the facility administrator reported, citing the American Legion family’s generous support. “It’s pretty amazing.”
During a later tour of the new building, Venugopalan discussed the Vets’ Homes philosophy regarding treatment and care of residents suffering from dementia. They do not restrain or medicate residents, she explained, but rather strive to find other ways to engage them.
The new facility will feature spacious indoor areas and a gated outside courtyard to allow these residents to “loop,” as she described walking behaviors often exhibited by dementia patients. There will also be a Freedom Room used to treat these patients, for which funds were raised by past Auxiliary Department President Carol Johnson.
“They do a great service to our veterans,” said Kearsing, who praised the Oxford home’s administrators and staff, particularly in regards to their treatment of the dementia patients.
Following the tour, the American Legion delegation left the Vets’ Home in a motorcade escorted by the American Legion Riders from the Warren Eaton Post 189 in Norwich. The next stop on their route was Sun Printing, where they toured the facility where The Evening Sun is printed.
Their one-day tour of Chenango County concluded with a dinner in their honor at the Norwich American Legion Post.
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