Work with elderly saluted

Two parishioners at St. Thomas the Apostle parish in Delmar have been honored for their efforts to improve the lives of the 6,000 seniors in the area.

Sister Mary Frederick Coyne, SNJM, and Catherine Geglia each received a Good Samaritan Award for their work with the elderly in the parish and at the Good Samaritan Lutheran Health Care Center in Delmar. The center conferred the honors.

Sister Frederick got her award for her professional contributions as the parish's pastoral care associate; Mrs. Geglia was cited for her volunteer efforts at the nursing home.

Visiting hours

"The Lord puts you where He wants you for very specific reasons," said Sister Frederick. "My involvement in this ministry came about because [Rev. James Daley, then pastor] asked me. He always had a special love for our seniors. Now, many of them reside at the Good Samaritan Lutheran Health Care Center, and I love visiting them."

Sister Frederick brings weekly Communion to the residents, carrying on the work that Father Daley started 30 years ago, when the nursing home was founded.

"Sister's ministry is really all-encompassing," noted Karen Pelletier, director of Bethlehem Senior Services, a St. Thomas parishioner and the first recipient of the professional award. She is a member of the board that voted to honor Sister Frederick.

"She is a friendly face that the residents know well and can identify with. They all love her," she said.

Many stops

In addition to her work at the senior center, Sister Frederick visits hospitals, healthcare facilities and the homebound on a weekly basis to maintain a link among the individual, their family and the St. Thomas community.

The pastoral care ministry includes 12 volunteers who visit the nursing home every Thursday to pray the Rosary with residents. Father Daley celebrates Mass there every month.

Sister Frederick also recently coordinated with the Marjorie Doyle Rockwell Center in Cohoes to develop two Alzheimer's care teams at St. Thomas.

"The volunteers are helping three families by staying with the patient, giving family members a break from the exhaustive schedule of caring for a loved one," Sister Frederick explained.

Creative contribution

Mrs. Geglia volunteered at the nursing home several years ago. Among her contributions, she designed ten different aprons for dementia residents. The aprons have different colors; specialized zippers, buttons and pockets; and a variety of textures that provide sensory stimulation, offer opportunities to maintain dexterity and decrease a resident's anxiety.

She has also designed an apron for stroke victims and mends the garments of residents.

"Both of these women exemplify a deep caring and patience for those they serve," Ms. Pelletier said. "They both improve the lives of the elderly in our community. They raise awareness and promote quality of life at the nursing home and in their parish. They also recognize and address the spiritual needs of those elderly they serve. These two women have made significant contributions in the lives of our seniors in this community. They are both very deserving of this award."

(6/24/04)