A Safe Place For Mom

(Photo above: Siobhan Hanrahan (center) with her daughters Fiona Cardillo and Sinead Suszczynski.)

When Sinead Suszczynski, RN, needed to find a safe living environment for her mother, Siobhan Hanrahan, her solution was one that came highly recommended and was close to work.

For 14 years, Suszczynski has been employed at Catholic Health Services, having spent the past 7 years as an informatics coordinator at St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center. Following the passing of her father a few years ago, Suszczynski brought her mother to live with her. However, she soon realized that round-the-clock care was needed.

“Mom started having mobility issues and staying at my house was proving not to be the safest environment,” Suszczynski said. “There were even times my kids would call to say their grandmother had fallen.”

To keep her mother safe, Suszczynski turned to St. Catherine of Siena Nursing and Rehabilitation Care Center. For more than three years, the skilled nursing facility has been home for Hanrahan, providing the quality care she needed.

“I know several (CHS) employees who have family at St. Catherine, and I also know a number of people who work there,” Suszczynski said. “No one I spoke with had any problems with their family members living at St. Catherine, which was huge for me. I also did some research, and the nursing home is highly rated.”

Suszczynski said that over the years, the staff at St. Catherine has created a special, safe environment for her mother. This is includes helping Hanrahan get ready for family parties and making sure her daily cups of tea are prepared to her liking.

“My mother is from Ireland, and she likes her tea made a certain way,” Suszczynski said. “They have taken great care to make sure the water’s temperature is just right.”

Suszczynski also recalled a time when the St. Catherine staff went above-and-beyond the call following the passing of one of Hanrahan’s sisters who called Canada home.

“When my aunt died, my mother was upset and wanted to speak to her other sister who lives in Ireland. The social work and pastoral care teams were able to arrange a FaceTime call to Ireland. She was very happy to be able to see and talk with her sister,” Suszczynski said.

Information about Catholic Health Services’s skilled nursing facilities may be obtained by calling 1 (855) CHS-4500.