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HERALD Gazette Beloved teacher Ed Smith dies
Easter Bunny at the Regency
Patients seen using telemedicine
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VOL. 29 NO. 17
APRIL 23 - 29, 2020
G.C. Hospital now offering ‘virtual’ visits patients and families were given the option to communicate during “virtual visiting hours.” For When the coronavirus first many families, it has become a hit, patients were dying alone at way to share wishes of love and Glen Cove Hospital. As was the hope, while for others, it has case at other hospitals in New offered an avenue to say a final York, visiting hours were sus- farewell. pended indefinitely To facilitate virto help stop the tual visiting, the spread of the virus. hospital purchased a Dave Young, the hosd o z e n i Pa d s fo r pital’s desktop sup$1,000 each. Young port technician, said also converted other it was painful to see iPads that the hospif a m i ly m e m b e r s tal had used previgathering in front of ously to conduct surthe hospital. veys. Then he con“It’s such a terrinected them to the ble experience to hospital’s WiFi. have your loved one Patients’ families in the hospital now,” schedule times for Young said. “I’d see their virtual visits people outside holdby calling the hospiing signs for their tal. Then a designatloved one in the hos- DOREEN ed staff member — a pital. It was heart- MATHER physical therapist, breaking.” nurse or doctor — Glen Cove Hospital Some patie n ts brings an iPad to the FaceTimed with room in a plastic bag loved ones on their own devices, and holds it for the patient. The said Doreen Mather, GCH’s assis- family members are connected tant director of nursing, patient with the patient on the videoconand customer service. But those ferencing platform Zoom. in critical care were not well “There’s something to be said enough to do that. for seeing someone’s face,” Technology is affording an Young said. “It’s comforting. The alternative, which Young helped situation we’re in now is territo ar range. A month ago, CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
By LAURA LANE Llane@liherald.com
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Christina Daly/Herald Gazette
Celebrating hospital workers Susan Rassekh, far left, danced to “Don’t Stop Believin’” with Kerri Scanlon and Dr. Brad Sherman during a staff-appreciation rally at Glen Cove Hospital. Story, Page 12
Glen Cove High School pantry strives to help the hungry By JENNIFER CORR jcorr@liherald.com
When City Councilwoman Dr. Eve Lupenko Ferrante posted on Facebook on April 13 that the Glen Cove High School pantry was running low, the community took immediate action. “Urgent need for food,” Lupenko Ferrante wrote on the Glen Cove Neighbors page. “The high school pantry for the Glen Cove School District is practically empty and the next pick-up date for children and families in need is [April 15]. But Island
Harvest, which supplies most of the food, just called and they can’t deliver until [April 16]. Can some of you help?” “We have 42 hours to pull this off,” she added. Within hours, Lupenko Ferrante said, residents began donating money and groceries. The high school’s pantry, at the back of the school, serves students and their families, and in normal times its activities are coordinated by special education teacher Rachel Sheridan. During the coronavirus pandemic, however, Glen Cove City School Dis-
trict Superintendent Dr. Maria L. Rianna said, teachers, residents, local leaders and organizations, including the nonprofits Long Island Cares and Island Harvest, have been working with the pantry to ensure that no one goes hungry. Long Island Cares closed its School Street distribution center on April 8, just a week after it opened. “There was concern that if large groups of people came to the School Street location, it would be very difficult to adhere to social distancing rules,” MauCONTINUED ON PAGE 9
ometimes hearing a family member’s voice is encouraging. There’s no medicine like love.