Plans for Tockwotton Home's new Waterfront Drive location continue to progress and evolve. In June 2007, we received unanimous approval of our CON from the RI Department of Health. The design for our new Home is having the finishing touches added to the blueprints by architects, DiMella Shaffer of Boston, Massachusetts. We look to secure financing in the fall of this year with construction beginning in the summer of this year.

  The RI Department of Health has conducted its annual Assisted Living and Nursing Home surveys at Tockwotton Home. Both of these surveys are performed without advance notice. In February 2007, the Department performed its annual assisted living survey and found Tockwotton to be deficiency free in all areas. Then in May they conducted a survey of our nursing home, which covers the areas of Administration, Nursing, Resident Rights, Food Service and Environment. I am pleased to announce that for the fifth year in a row Tockwotton Home has received a perfect score of 88 out of 88 possible points on the survey. With almost 90 facilities in Rhode Island, that ranks Tockwotton Home in the top five percent of nursing care residences in the state. These survey results speak to the exceptional dedication and diligence of the Tockwotton Home staff and our Board of Directors.

  On August 1, 2007; Stefan Gravenstein, MD, MPH was appointed as Medical Director at Tockwotton Home. Prior to joining our team, Dr. Gravenstein was Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of the Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology. He brings more than 20 years of geriatric and long term experience to Tockwotton Home. Dr. Gravenstein also has extensive experience with Alzheimer’s and Dementia care. Currently, Dr. Gravenstein is the attending physician, Division of Geriatrics at Rhode Island Hospital, the Clinical Director at Quality Partners of RI and Professor of Medicine (pending) at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University. As you can see from Dr. Gravenstein’s background and affiliations, he will be a wonderful addition to Tockwotton Home.

   Also joining us in September 2007, was Clarisse Dexter, RNP. Clarisse joined us from PACE Organization of Rhode Island where she served as a RNP in addition to formulating care plans, training medical students, medical house staff and nurse practitioner students. Prior to working at PACE, Ms. Dexter served for 13 years in geriatric and long term care at Rhode Island Hospital, Division of Geriatrics. In 1990 she earned a Master of Science Degree in Nursing from University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Nursing. We are very excited to have such an experienced addition to our staff here at Tockwotton Home.

   As joining for Tockwotton Home’s social activities, I hope that you were able to join us on Thursday, April 26th for our Annual Gathering. The event featured the presentation of the 2007 Employee of the Year Award to Dietary Aide, Anna Barbosa and the Elizabeth K. Hyde Award for Excellence in Nursing to LPN, Joanne Rubinacci. We were joined by guest speakers, Nancy Mushlin, the daughter of former residents, Myer and Beatryce Mushlin, and Susan Tresch-Feinberg of HouseWorks out of Newton, Massachusetts. In addition, on Saturday, October 27, 2007 we held our 7th Annual Auction at the Providence Marriott. Over $69,000 was raised for the Eliza B. Rogers Fund. For more information about our 2008 event, please contact our Development Office.

   We kicked off our e-newsletter in February 2007. We currently have over 165 members receiving updates and news flashes on events dealing with our new building project. If you would like to join this e-group, please send your name and contact email address to Denise Todd at dtodd@tockwotton.org.

   Thank you for your continued interest in Tockwotton Home. We wish you and your loved ones a wonderful 2008.

Kevin McKay
Executive Director