Sheepshead Bay Nursing Center Throws Lavish Party To Celebrate New Rehab Facility
The Sheepshead Nursing & Rehabilitation Center at Shore Parkway and Knapp Street hosted a lavish party Wednesday night to celebrate the opening of its renovated, 6,000-square-foot rehab space.
The event was attended by local police officers, firefighters, and elected officials Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein, Senator Martin Golden, and City Councilmen Alan Maisel and Mathieu Eugene. Free sushi and catered food were provided. There was also a full bar, live music, a portrait artist, and valet service. Towards the end of the evening, a raffle giveaway awarded one guest with a Royal Caribbean Cruise for two, worth $2,000.
The new rehab facility, located on the sixth floor, includes state-of-the-art equipment designed to help patients who have suffered physical or mental trauma get back to their daily routines. There is a small putting green, a lounge/living room area, a smart car, kitchen, bathroom, and even a model dock constructed beside a small motorboat that rocks and wobbles to simulate being on the water.
“It’s not secret we have a very large elderly population in this community,” said Weinstein. “As people age, they need to have healthcare services that are locally based. Any improvements to existing facilities is really a boon for the community.”
The renovations took one year to complete, said the center’s chief operating officer, Jerome Kahan, The layout of the space, with wide open walking spaces, is meant encourage freedom of movement while patients use the facility.
“We wanted to give the community a space that was upbeat, where the patients will feel good and think: ‘I’ll get better in this place,'” he said.
The center handed out plaques to police from the 61st Precinct and Fire Station 43 in recognition of their service to the neighborhood and the center’s patients.
“There is one thing that connects us with the police and fireman,” said Olga Lipschiptz, the owner of the center. “And the word is: Care. They take care of their fellow man, as do we.”
Senator Golden also awarded a certificate of merit to the Sheepshead Nursing & Rehabilitation Center for their service to the community.
After the awards were given out and the speeches concluded, a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to make the reopening official.
John Maese, chief medical officer at Coney Island Hospital, which coordinates with the nursing center on patient care, got to cut the ribbon. He said the new facility was a great addition to the community that would improve health services for residents.
“The space is not only beautiful, it’s practical,” he said. “Being able step in and out of a car, to climb into a boat, to walk on different surfaces like the putting green, these things help motivate patients to progress to the next step.”
