WARWICK – (February 10) Mardi Gras, French for Fat Tuesday, is the day before Ash Wednesday and it's traditionally a time to celebrate and eat well before the season of Lent.
Although celebrated throughout the world, most people in the United States associate the event with the City of New Orleans. But on Tuesday, February 9, the residents of Schervier Pavilion, a skilled nursing facility on the Warwick Campus of the Bon Secours Charity Health System, also had an opportunity to celebrate Mardi Gras with a traditional New Orleans King Cake party.
In addition to special Mardi Gras refreshments and treats like punch and chocolate doubloons, the residents, some wearing colorful purple, green and gold hats and beads, were treated to an entertaining video about New Orleans and the city's celebration of Mardi Gras.
The highlight of the afternoon was the cutting and serving of the King Cake. King Cake is made of a cinnamon-filled dough in the shape of a hollow circle. The cake has a small plastic baby inserted and, according to custom, the person who gets the piece of cake with the baby has to throw the next party.
"We hosted this and other events to give our residents an opportunity to share a holiday tradition," said Schervier Pavilion Director of Recreation Kari Call. "We're happy that our residents were able to enjoy this Mardi Gras celebration."
Schervier Pavilion is a 120-bed skilled nursing facility licensed by the New York State Department of Health. Dedicated to the highest standard of health care excellence, its full range of services, such as its therapeutic recreational program, are designed to respond to each individual's physical, emotional and spiritual needs. At Schervier Pavilion, our goal is to help each resident maintain the highest level of daily independence possible. Residents participate in a broad range of therapeutic and social activities designed to enhance their physical and mental capabilities. A team of highly qualified and dedicated professionals provides all services. Located on a 27-acre campus that includes Day-At-A-Time Adult Day Health Program, Mount Alverno Center, an adult home and assisted living residence and St. Anthony Community Hospital, Schervier Pavilion residents have access to a complete continuum of care.
In addition to quality long term care services, Schervier Pavilion also offers a wide range of short-term (sub acute) care needs. Its sub acute services include IV therapy, Rehabilitation therapy and wound care. These services afford residents the ability to recuperate for a short time in the sub-acute unit of the facility and then return home where they can resume a more independent life. In
some cases, they can then enter Schervier Pavilion's Day-At-A-Time, an innovative medical adult day care program that provides nursing services, medication administration, ongoing evaluations, and stimulating activities tailored to each individual's needs and abilities.
About St. Anthony Community Hospital, a Member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network
For over 75 years, St. Anthony Community Hospital in Warwick, New York, has been serving the residents of Orange County, New York and New Jersey's Sussex and Passaic Counties with outstanding and compassionate care. The 60-bed hospital has been a primary resource for emergency, medical, surgical, obstetrical/gynecological and acute care services. Also on campus is the Mount Alverno Center, a state-approved adult home with an assisted living program serving 85 residents, and Schervier Pavilion a 120-bed, skilled nursing facility dedicated to the highest standard of healthcare excellence. For more information about St. Anthony Community Hospital, Mount Alverno Center and Schervier Pavilion, visit BSCHS.BonSecours.com or follow the facilities at Facebook.com/BSCHS or Twitter.com/BSCHS.
About Westchester Medical Center Health Network
The Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) is a 1,500-bed healthcare system headquartered in Valhalla, NY, spanning seven hospitals and several campuses and locations in the Hudson Valley. WMCHealth employs more than 10,000 people, with nearly 3,000 attending physicians. From Level 1 and Level 2 Trauma Centers, the region's only acute care children's hospital, an academic medical center, several community hospitals and numerous health-related centers, programs and services, today WMCHealth is the leading and pre-eminent provider of integrated health in the Hudson Valley. For more information about WMCHealth, visit www.WMCHealth.org
The highlight of the afternoon was the cutting and serving of the King Cake. Maria Osso and her mother Schervier Pavilion resident Elisabetta Garieri do the honors.
Some of the residents like Patricia McCormack wore colorful purple, green and gold hats and beads.