For Immediate Release

Date: July 1, 2008 Contact: Dennine W. Cook Phone: 631-715-2562 Fax: 631-715-2940

Commack, NY— The New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (NYAHSA) has recently selected Joann Kaplan (Coram), RE-ACH Coordinator at Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center as a 2008 Long Term Care Employee of Distinction. “Joann goes beyond the expected and brings a special compassion and personal commitment of excellence to her job each day,” said Carl Young, President of NYAHSA.

The NYAHSA Long Term Care Employee of Distinction Award was created to provide patients, residents and other employees with the opportunity to recognize those individuals who have demonstrated a willingness to make personal sacrifices to improve the lives of others. Joann Kaplan was nominated by her peers for this prestigious award.

“Everything she does is for the residents, to bring joy into their lives and to be their voice when they’re not able to speak,” said Diane Mertz-Hart, Administrator at Gurwin.

Kaplan has been an employee at Gurwin for eight years. However,before she was hired as an employee, she was a “strolling minstrel,” who strolled the hallways playing guitar and singing for our residents up on the units, for more than 12 years. Kaplan has also established a Parkinson’s Disease Support Group at Gurwin and arranged for residents to attend the Annual Multiple Sclerosis luncheon.

“Joann is kind, warmhearted, caring, compassionate, conscientious, and creative. She is an outstanding employee who has the respect and admiration of the Gurwin staff, residents, family members and volunteers,” added Karen Nash, Therapeutic Recreation Director, Kaplan’s immediate supervisor.

Kaplan has also been selected as Gurwin’s Employee of the Month for July. Upon receiving this honor, Kaplan stated, “I am thrilled that I work in a place that allows me to do things that will benefit the residents, even if it isn’t part of my job description. We really do whatever we can to be sure the residents are cared for physically, emotionally and spiritually, and I’m honored to be part of that.”

According to one Gurwin resident, “Joann always does more than her job, checking on people after she should be going home and spending her lunch hour with us. I want to be like Joann when I grow up!”

Kaplan will be presented with her NYAHSA award during a ceremony in the fall.

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The Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center is a 460-bed nursing care facility located in Commack, Long Island. Gurwin offers skilled nursing care, short-term rehabilitation, medical/post-surgical subacute care, respiratory and ventilator dependent care, an adult day health program, hospice care, home care and assisted living.

Joann Kaplan (Coram), RE-ACH Coordinator at Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center is the 2008 Long Term Care Employee of Distinction