Not your father's knee replacment

JOIN US FOR THE 2022 BLACK & WHITE BALL

By Felicia L. Niven

When the clock strikes 6 pm on Saturday, October 29th, the ballroom at Resorts Hotel and Casino will be awash in black and white…tailored tuxedos and glittering gowns, crisp table linens and dazzling decor, and at the center of it all, a guest list that is passionate about enriching elder lives. It’s been a long time coming.

In its triumphant return after four years, the Black & White Ball promises to deliver an extraordinary evening for the very reason it was begun a decade ago — to be the major fundraiser for the enriching programs at Seashore Gardens Living Center (SGLC), the nonprofit home for the aged in Galloway. This year, the black-tie event will celebrate 20 years in SGLC’s Galloway location, 18 years of the Seashore Gardens Foundation, and pay tribute to the 53-year legacy of CEO Martin H. Klein.

“You only need to talk with Marty about SGLC to appreciate the reverence and love that he has for this place and for the people who live, work, and support SGLC,” said Black & White Ball co-chairs Brian K. Jackson and Michael Baker.

“This will be our fourth or fifth year attending the Black and White Ball,” said Jason and Jessica Goldstein, co-chairs of the event. “We have always enjoyed the opportunity to join other members of the community to support and celebrate the staff, the residents and the programs that make Seashore Gardens Living Center such a special place for seniors.”

The Black & White Ball will feature cocktails, dinner and dancing to music by Eddie Bruce Experience. There will be complimentary professional photography for guests. Resorts is offering special room rates for ball guests and self-parking is complimentary.

“Getting everyone back together and celebrating after so long is particularly uplifting,” said Erin Luurtsema, Special Events & Marketing Coordinator for SGLC. Erin comes to SGLC from One Atlantic Events, and the Black & White Ball is the first social event she is planning in her new role. “I think it’s helpful that I understand how a venue approaches an event, and can bring that perspective. It’s been especially rewarding working with a committee who knows the Black & White Ball and SGLC so well. The ball’s success ensures that we can continue our mission to enrich elder lives.”

The Activities that Enrich Elder Lives

The activity program at SGLC is one of the most robust in the nation. While the average nursing home might schedule a handful of daily activities, SGLC strives to fill residents’ days with stimulating programs that engage both mind and body, and enhance their quality of life. Here are some highlights.

Eldergrow is a therapeutic gardening program that engages residents in meaningful ways: physically, socially, cognitively, creatively and spiritually. Classes are a range of traditional gardening, garden art and garden harvest. The benefits are numerous and include: improving motor skills, reducing the risk factors for dementia, elevating mood, improving sleep, reducing falls, reducing agitation, improving self-esteem, and acting as an antidepressant.

Music is a favorite activity, whether it’s a concert on the Boardwalk, a drum circle, or a sing-along. SGLC is also a Music & Memory SM Certified Care Home. Personalized playlists help connect with those suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. These musical favorites tap deep memories and can reawaken residents, enabling them to feel like themselves again, converse, socialize and stay present.

Art and creative expression are incorporated in many activities. In addition, Comfort Care residents enjoy Opening Minds Through Art, where they are paired with Occupational Therapy students from Stockton University to create art while building meaningful one-on-one relationships.

There are iN2LTM computers that connect residents with music, travel, video chats, and more. The Pet Therapy program features furry and feathered friends who visit and live among the residents. The annual dog parade on the Boardwalk is a highlight for all. Residents enjoy baking, movies, book groups, discussions on current events, and more.

Your Support Matters

These programs are made possible by the generosity of sponsors and guests at the Black & White Ball. Tickets are $275 per person. To receive an invitation to the ball, please contact Erin Luurtsema at (609) 748-4615 or luurtsemae@seashoregardens. org. For sponsorship opportunities, or to donate to any of the programs at SGLC, please contact Sharon D’Angio at (609) 7484614 or dangios@seashoregardens.org. The Seashore Gardens Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) organization. n

The Black & White Ball, 2021

NOT YOUR FATHER'S KNEE REPLACEMENT

Orozco Orthopaedics, with three locations in Linwood, Manahawkin and Hammonton (left).

Don't wait to get out of pain and enjoy your life. Dr. Orozco reveals why you're never too young or too old to get better.

By Robin Stoloff

It was a bright winter day when Tracey Shurman of Buena left the Atlantic City sporting goods store. Her knee had been aching all day, but she had almost become accustomed to the pain. However, this day was different. As she left the store and began walking to her car, she stopped in her tracks. The pain from her knee shot through her entire body. She could not take one more step. She sat down in front of the store with her bag and purse in her lap and began to weep. That is when she finally had enough.

That was more than four years ago. Since then, Tracey, who is 51 years young, has returned to her active lifestyle after getting a knee replacement. She can work, exercise, drive, shop, do yoga, even ski without pain.

It is a dramatic improvement from the life she was living before the surgery. A competitive gymnast in her youth, Tracey works as a nurse, standing for most of her day. The arthritis and instability from wear and tear on her knee grew worse with each year. In fact, her friends at work told her it was painful to watch her walk. It got so unbearable, that she avoided everyday activities such as seeing friends, exercising, and food shopping. At her son’s soccer game, she would stop to rest every few steps before reaching the field. It had completely changed the quality of her life. Looking back, she realizes now that she was depressed. She tried injections, physical therapy, rest, and medications. While some of these provided temporary relief, none of them fixed the problem. On that day when she sat crying in front of a store, she knew she needed a new knee.

Tracey was in her late forties and more than one person told her she was too young to have a knee replacement. Her response, “I’m too young to be in this much pain and not live my life.” As an AtlantiCare orthopedic nurse, Tracey knew the surgeons and the outcomes of their patients. She had always admired the work and bedside manner of Dr. Fabio Orozco, of Orozco Orthopaedics.

Dr. Orozco discussed the surgery with Tracey, explaining the procedure in detail. After doing a CT scan to get 3D images of Tracey’s right knee, he determined the size of her titanium replacement and how he would realign her knee. Under local and regional anesthesia, and with the help of cutting-edge robotic surgery, he made precise incisions, sparing the tissues of the quadricep muscle, to give Tracey her new knee.

While the robotic technology helps speed recuperation time, Tracey also played a huge role in her recovery. She was at physical therapy five days after her surgery. She went consistently and followed the program to stretch and strengthen her knee. Three weeks later she drove to Virginia. She got the surgery in January, and she wore heels to her daughter’s wedding in May. She went skiing the following season. Today she has no limitations. She calls Dr. Orozco, “One of the kindest, most generous surgeons, always with a Dr. Fabio Orozco