Case Study: The Paramount at Somers 2025 3rd Q 2025          
Concierge: Dovid Koval
Patient’s Age: 87 Years
Admission Date: 6/5/2025 
Admitted From: Westchester Medical Center 
Discharge Date: 8/20/2025
Discharge To: Home
Length of Stay: 77 Days                                                                                                                                    
Reason for Stay: Rehabilitation from several injuries after a fall
Heard About Our Community: From Westchester Medical Center  

Details of experience:

Rose C. is 87 years old, highly independent, who manages the household, as her husband has aphasia and does not drive. On May 12^th, she purchased two 40-pound bags of water softener. When she got home, she carried the first bag down the stairs to her basement successfully, but for the second, she decided to use a cart. At the top of the stairs, she positioned herself behind the cart to guide it down. The cart quickly became out of control and pushed her down. She fell 15 steps, striking her head against the wall. Her husband panicked and ran to the neighbor for help, and they called 911. Due to the severity of her injuries, the ambulance brought her to the local church parking lot, where she was transferred via helicopter to the hospital.

Rose was admitted to The Paramount on June 5th and began therapy the very next day. She received physical therapy, occupational therapy six times a week, and speech therapy five times a week. Upon arrival, she remained nonresponsive. Although she does not recall the beginning of her rehabilitation journey, from the moment she became aware of her surroundings, she recalls how welcoming and supportive the staff were, always asking what they could do to help her. 

Upon admission, she was NPO (nothing by mouth) and relied entirely on a feeding tube for nutrition and hydration. She had been placed on a ventilator in the hospital, as she was unable to breathe on her own. Prior to transfer, she underwent a tracheostomy to further assist her pulmonary function. She was non-weight-bearing on her left upper extremity, fully dependent, and non-ambulatory. Transfers required a Hoyer lift, and she needed assistance with all activities of daily living. Her list of injuries was devastating: a traumatic brain injury, multiple spinal fractures, a neck fracture requiring an Aspen collar, a fractured left clavicle, a collapsed lung, and respiratory failure. Yet, despite all of this, Rose began to fight her way back. She kept to herself, but those around her couldn’t contain their smiles as they watched her progress in her quiet, modest way. She never sought attention, but the attention naturally found her. 

Her progress in physical therapy was remarkable. She regained independence with bed mobility and transfers, could walk using a rolling walker, and could climb stairs independently. In occupational therapy, she regained independence in feeding and hygiene, could dress her upper and lower body, and required only supervision for showering.

Her diet advanced just as impressively. In six weeks, she progressed from NPO to pureed foods with nectar-thick liquids, then pureed foods with thin liquids, ground foods with thin liquids, chopped with thin liquids, and ultimately to a full liberal diet with no restrictions. Cognitively, her recovery was also striking. When she arrived, her BIMS score (Brief Interview for Mental Status) was at zero. She was minimally verbal and inconsistently able to follow one-step directions. By July 3rd, less than a month later, her BIMS score reflected full cognitive intactness.

On August 20^th, Rose walked out the door, aided by her walker, returning home after an extraordinary journey at The Paramount at Somers. She will continue with home therapy, steadily working towards regaining her independence and returning to her baseline ability to care for herself and her husband. Her determination, combined with the dedication of The Paramount’s team, made this transformation possible.

On the day of her discharge, she left us a note. She’s not a person of many words, but in the few words she wrote, her review perfectly captured her experience: “Paramount had a very positive effect on my ability to return home today. Thank you all!” For many people, saying a place “had a positive effect on their ability to return home” might be a bit of an expression, but in this case, it was truly real, as reflected in the details noted above.

Just as she thanked our staff, The Paramount would like to thank her for choosing them…for placing her faith in our team, and for inspiring us with her courage and determination. We wish her continued healing, strength, and all the very best as she embarks on this next chapter of her journey at home.

Case Study: The Paramount at Somers 2nd Q 2025
Concierge: Dovid Koval
Patient’s Age: 78 Years
Admission Date: 4/19/2025
Admitted From: Lenox Hill Hospital
Projected Discharge Date: 7/3/2025
Discharge To: Home
Length of Stay: 76 Days
Reason for Stay: Rehabilitation Post Knee Replacement Surgery
Heard About Our Community: From a family member who was with us

Details of experience:

Robert F. was admitted to The Paramount at Somers following a right knee replacement surgery earlier this spring. After struggling with arthritis in his leg for over a decade, he consulted Dr. Stephen Nicholas, an orthopedic surgeon, and together they determined that surgery was the best course of action. The procedure was successfully performed at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Following the surgery, Robert F. required focused rehabilitation to help regain his strength and mobility, so he decided to transfer to The Paramount at Somers to begin the next phase of his recovery.

Upon arrival, Robert F. was warmly welcomed and shared that he felt at home ever since. He quickly made friends with the residents in nearby rooms and found comfort in the strong sense of community. He also expressed his appreciation for the housekeeping staff, noting how much he enjoyed the way they cleaned his room and made his bed…always with a smile.

At the time of admission, in physical therapy, Robert F. required moderate assistance for bed mobility and maximum assistance for transfers. He was non-ambulatory, using a wheelchair, and weight-bearing as tolerated. In occupational therapy, he needed moderate assistance for

upper body dressing and maximum assistance for lower body dressing, and was dependent on toilet hygiene.

Thanks to his own hard work and the dedication of the rehabilitation team, he has made tremendous progress. He is now functioning at a set-up level for tasks, able to complete activities independently when items are within reach. He is walking 200 feet with a walker under supervision and can manage four to six stairs with supervision.

Robert F. is projected to be discharged home on July 3^rd as an independent, continuing with home therapy. He will begin with a walker, with the goal of transitioning to a cane and eventually walking on his own. The Paramount at Somers is proud to have supported Robert F. on this journey and thanks him for choosing us. The Paramount wishes him continued health, strength, and success as he returns home.

Case Study: The Paramount at Somers Q1 2025
Concierge: Andrea Nanton
Patient John H.
Patient Age: 70
Admitted on: January 7, 2025
Admitted from: Westchester Medical Center
Discharge Date: TBD
Length of Stay: TBD                     
Reason For Stay: Rehabilitation following an MVA

Details of experience:

Just after the beginning of the year, on January 7th, John H arrived at The Paramount in Somers. He had been in a multi-vehicle collision on December 8, 2024; he had broken a right rib, left ankle, a shattered right heel, a broken back, and right shoulder. After having a few corrective surgeries at Westchester Medical Center, he came to start his rehabilitation.

His first night was rough. He was unable to sleep because he was in a new place, and he was looking forward to the therapy that would help him heal and get back to his life. As a retired FedEx driver, he spent most of his time with his family and working in his yard. Being at the Paramount made him happy; it wasn’t the hospital anymore, and being here was a step in the right direction.

After meeting with his therapists, Katie and Pooja, he felt that he was in good hands and had an instant trust in them both. Even when they pushed him to work hard, he enjoyed their rapport. Pooja and Katie also enjoyed his witty banter and positive attitude. He advanced quickly and made great progress. This is also due to having a great support system, his wife (Denise), who came to support him every day, and his daughter (Heather), who came every weekend. He was cooperative and funny, which made working with him a pleasure.

He was non-weight bearing on either leg, he was only allowed to hold five lbs of weight on his right side due to his shoulder. To be moved, the therapists and aides had to use a Hoyer Lift to get him from the bed to the chair. He was quickly able to sit up on his own in bed for two minutes. Then he was able to sit up, turn, and put his feet down on the floor. The range of motion in his arm grew. He slowly started to help with getting dressed. In the 73 days that he has been here at The Paramount at Somers, he has made miraculous achievements. 

He is now a one-person assist, he is independent with dressing his upper body, he still needs assistance with getting on his pants. He can now walk 200 ft twice a day. His discharge date is still TBD, he has not stopped or given up hope. He still goes to therapy with the same positive energy that he had on the first day. We all look forward to the day he has achieved his last goal and can walk and do all things independently.

Concierge: Dominic DiLieto
Patient: Frederick Burmester
Patient age: 75
Admitted: March 29th, 2024
Admitted from: Westchester Medical Center
Discharge Date:May 22nd, 2024
Length of stay: 8 weeks
Reason for stay: Rehabilitation following brain surgery

Details of experience:

Last spring, we admitted a patient to our short-term unit, Nottingham, who the staff would get to know very well, as he stayed right across from the nurse’s station. A 75-year-old man named Frederick Burmester joined our community in March of this year. Though we learned a lot about him early in his stay, it was not from him but from his wife Joan and the rest of his family. When Fred was admitted, he was in a comatose-like state, unable to communicate with the staff, and was completely dependent to survive.

On March 11th, Frederick and his family had been out to eat when Frederick suddenly lost consciousness…he stood up, fell, and hit his head. Fred was rushed to the hospital, where he had brain surgery following his admission. Eighteen days post-admission, Frederick was transferred from Westchester Medical Center to The Paramount. When Frederick arrived, he was completely dependent on a feeding tube, tracheostomy tube, and a foley catheter. During this time, our therapy team worked with Frederick in his room, assisting him in moving his muscles and attempting to keep him loose. While it was difficult to see the upside in his therapy early on, our therapy team believed that the ‘Patient demonstrated good rehab potential as evidenced by strong family support and high prior level of function.’ Every day, his wife, Joan, would come to The Paramount and visit in the afternoon, talking to him and showing him pictures from photo albums they had from home.

Just over two weeks into his stay, on April 17th, Frederick “woke up’, as the medical community states. Frederick suddenly began talking to all the staff, having full conversations about what had happened over the last five weeks with the evening staff. Frederick’s first question was, ‘Where is my wife, is she ok?’ After informing him that his wife Joan had been visiting daily, we got her on the phone so they could speak to one another. Before that day, Frederick had been making progress toward rehabilitation. Following this, he started making tremendous strides in his full rehabilitation to return home. With the help of his speech therapist, Jess, he was soon upgraded from his feeding tube to textured foods and swiftly upgraded to a regular diet soon after. His physical and occupational therapists, Zach and Jessica, worked with the determined Frederick to get him home when he was completely independent of all needs and tasks.

Upon leaving The Paramount, Frederick walked with a walker and was an independent assist. A month after leaving The Paramount and continuing his rehabilitation journey at home with Joan, Frederick is walking independently. Of course, the Paramount continues to wish Frederick luck on his full recovery and the best of luck to him and his family.

Concierge: Dominic DiLieto
Patient: Richard Judson
Patient age: 66
Admitted: March 7th, 2024
Admitted from: Vassar Brothers Medical Center
Discharge Date:TBD
Length of stay: 3 weeks (24 days as of now)
Reason for stay: Rehabilitation following a stroke

Details of experience:

Earlier in March, Mr. Richard Judson joined our community as a short-term resident in our Essex Unit. As this is being written, Mr. Judson has only been with us for three weeks. Although it may not seem like he has been with us for too long, he has left quite a mark on the staff here at The Paramount. When asked by other Paramount staff members about their interactions and time with him, they were not shy to share some experiences they have had with him during his short time here.

Richard is a farmer a little way upstate, running his family farm that has been in his family since the 18th century. Earlier this year, after working all morning with one of his sons, Richard suffered a stroke, which led to his being rushed to Vassar Brothers Medical Center. Richard spent the next six weeks there recovering from the event. Once he had rested and gained back some of his strength, he was transferred straight to our community to continue his rehabilitation journey.

At the time of his arrival, Mr. Judson had been using a trach put into place, as well as a feeding tube. He had been downgraded to thickened consistency liquids and texture foods. He had also sustained ankle injuries on both his ankles before joining our community, which would delay the start of his rehabilitation nearly a whole week. Once Richard had started his rehabilitation, he was a two-person-dependent assist and on six liters of oxygen per minute.

Two weeks following his admission, Richard and our team had a care plan meeting. Richard’s primary therapists, Pooja, Rebecca, and Yulia, said that during the meeting, Richard had voiced his feeling that he should be ‘putting more effort into his recovery’. His two therapists felt this was shocking and reassured Richard that the progress he had made in the short time he had been here was incredible. When speaking of his journey, Richard could not forget to thank his wife of almost 40 years, Pamela. Richard said that since being in the hospital and at The Paramount, Pamela has not missed a single day of being at his bedside or in therapy with him and added that most of his improvement is thanks to her and her efforts.

After two weeks, Richard was walking 60 feet with no assistance and climbing stairs. He had been off oxygen completely and gained 20 lbs of weight back. He had been upgraded back to a thin-liquid consistency, returned to his regular diet, and planned on having his trach and feeding tube removed the following week. The therapists were quick to assure Richard that his progress was nothing short of spectacular. Pooja, Rebecca, and Yulia also added that this behavior is not uncommon with Richard.

When he was first admitted, Richard had told them he planned on walking in a week, but sure enough, he was. Richard said his goal is to walk well enough to make it all the way down to the pond on the other side of the property, starting from his room, and catch a fish. Though his therapists will continue working with him and guide his rehabilitation journey so he can walk down to the pond, we cannot promise him catching any fish in the pond. But of course, Mr. Judson is going to try.

All of us at The Paramount wish him nothing but the best of luck throughout the rest of his rehabilitation journey and the best of luck to catch that fish.

Concierge: Dominic DiLieto
Patient: Sheila Mannix
Patient age: 87
Admitted: December 15th, 2023
Admitted from: Northern Westchester Hospital
Discharge Date:TBD
Length of stay: 2 weeks (16 as of now)
Reason for stay: Rehabilitation from an infection

Details of experience:

With the year 2023 coming to a close, we here at The Paramount were visited by a friendly face. That friendly face is a Ms. Shiela Mannix, who has stayed with us here at The Paramount a few times in the past. And while she is known by most staff here as a past resident, she is known by some of our longer tenured staff as Nurse Shiela.

Earlier in the month, Ms. Mannix was presented at the hospital as she was not acting like her normal self. Ms. Mannix said that she had realized she was not feeling or acting how she usually does, her sister who she lives with, Delia, realized this as well. Ms. Mannix had been diagnosed with a urinary tract infection, which had severely affected her physically and mentally. UTI’s, while known to be common among women, are also more common in the geriatric population. After being diagnosed, she and her family knew that having her stay at The Paramount was what was best for her. But this is not the first time Ms. Mannix has stayed with us. In fact, she has stayed here in the past as a patient, as well as a guest.

Earlier this year she had come to our facility following a fall at home. After a few weeks of physical and occupational therapy she had gone back home and, as she put it, “has been walking strong!” Also, last Christmas, Shiela had stayed with us for respite care as her family was out of town. While only here for a short time, she was happy to get to see everyone for the holidays and said she came just in time for the resident’s holiday party as well.

Some would say Ms. Mannix has come accustomed to the community, because of her multiple stays here as well as her 20+ years working here as an overnight nurse here. Ms. Mannix retired in 2010, but she said, “As soon as I come all my coworkers come to say hi and check on me.” One of those former co-workers is our Director of Maintenance, Rohan, who reminds everyone of how nice and generous she was and still is. And though her stay here has only been short at this time, she and her therapists, Rachael and Myra, have been thrilled with the progress she has made so far.

When Ms. Mannix first arrived two weeks ago, she was a max assistance for all movements and actions. Now, Ms. Mannix is up back on her feet and ambulating using a walker once again.

We look forward to seeing the tremendous progress Ms. Mannix continues to make and of course hope nothing but the best for her and the remainder of her rehabilitation journey in the future.

Concierge: Dominic DiLieto
Patient: William Nelson
Patient age: 74
Admitted: May 30th, 2023
Admitted from: NYU Langone Medical
Discharge Date: September 29th, 2023
Length of stay: 4 Months (122 Days)
Reason for stay: Rehabilitation following hernia surgery

Details of experience:

At the end of September, our resident, William Nelson, returned home after staying at The Paramount for short-term rehabilitation. Over the past four months, Mr. Nelson has worked extensively on his rehabilitation with our physical therapy and occupational therapy team.

In 2019, Bill began experiencing a loss of control of his legs. Through 2021, his condition continued to become more severe to the point where he had complete numbness and paralysis in both his legs. After first being diagnosed with what was first thought to be the cause of the physical impairments and treated for such, it was discovered over a year later, in March of 2022, that the actual cause was a fistula in connection with his spinal cord. Beginning his physical therapy journey, Bill was soon up and walking using rehab poles. Unfortunately, a year following, Bill once again suddenly lost the ability to walk after triple hernia surgery. Now, the task of restarting his rehabilitation journey, which had led him to our facility here, The Paramount, began. With all that being said, it is important to include Mr. Nelson’s journey, including an enlistment in the US Army in 1969, and was soon engaged in combat, completing his full tour in Vietnam. This decorated veteran’s support for his country and fellow veterans did not end there. Over time, his advocacy for the support of our nation’s veterans has been duly noted and recognized on a national scale. Bill was also a member of the HBO family, eventually grinding his way to Chairman and CEO of HBO after decades of work with them. The same support he showed for veterans he brought to The Paramount, attending our veterans group programs and speaking with the many veterans we have throughout our facility.

After spending four months in a room located right next to our Nottingham nurses’ station, of course, Bill made many friends with the staff on the unit. When asked about the relationships he had made, he said, ‘They were all so great, I can’t single any of them out.’ With that said, he, of course, felt obligated to mention his two primary therapists, Rebecca and Mayra. The pair had certainly left an impression on Bill and vice versa. After only two weeks, a dramatic increase in his strength was noticed, and after about four weeks, Bill was able to take a few steps himself with the parallel bars. By the time he had returned home, Bill was ambulating on his own using just a walker.

We wish for nothing but the best for Mr. Nelson as he has become a deep part of our community, and wish him luck with the rest of his rehabilitation journey in the future.

Concierge: Dominic DiLieto
Patient: Roseann Murphy
Patient age: 79
Admitted: March 8th, 2023
Admitted from: Westchester Medical Center
Discharge Date: June 10th, 2023
Length of stay: 3 Months (94 Days)
Reason for stay: Rehabilitation following a car accident.

Details of experience:

Earlier this month, a resident of ours finished her rehabilitation here at The Paramount and headed back home; she was referred to as the ‘Miracle Woman’ by the therapy team. A name she had worn proudly, Roseann Murphy spent her spring of 2023 here in our community rehabilitation following a car accident in February.

Though tough days seemed to be destined ahead with her steps to recovery, Mrs. Murphy’s positive mindset and willingness to get better made it easy for her to reach her goals and make new friends here in our community. The car accident Roseann had been in had put her in the Westchester Medical Center for over two weeks and resulted in many injuries to her extremities. She had suffered a broken left arm, right shoulder, and right leg, leaving only her left leg as weight bearing.

With such injuries, it had seemed impossible to recuperate for Roseann; she said, ‘I was overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start.’ Our therapy team understood this sentiment; with three of her four limbs not being weight-bearing, strengthening Roseann after her long stay at the hospital would take time. One day at a time, her goal was chipped away at. Soon enough, she could be weight-bearing with her arms and back to being able to feed herself. Then after that, she was back to putting pressure on her right leg on the stationary bike. She thus earned the nickname ‘Miracle Woman’ from the therapy team.

Her achievements, she said, could not be done without the help of others. When talking about her stay here, she had not referred to the staff here as ‘staff’ but as friends. Wendy, Lyn, and Richard were always helpful on the units, saying they were very accommodating and pleasant. Her therapists, Bella, Jesse, and Danny, were always people they looked forward to seeing each day. ‘It didn’t feel like work when I was with them in the gym; they made it fun,’ Roseann said.

Roseann finished the interview by saying, ‘You have to strive to get to where you want to go in life.’ A sentiment we will, of course, remember here at The Paramount.

We wish Mrs. Murphy all the best in her continued journey of rehabilitation in the future.

Patient age: 64
Admitted from: Westchester Medical Center
Discharge Date: 2/1/23
Length of stay: 2 Months (65 Days)
How did they hear about The Paramount? The hospital recommended our facility
Reason for stay: Rehabilitation after amputation

Details of Experience:

In the fall of last year, Mr. Robert Dumas joined our community here at The Paramount following an 18-day stay at the hospital. His first impression when first arrived that Monday was meeting the Concierge, Nathan, and enjoying his new mattress, which he was happy to have after staying in a hospital bed for nearly three weeks. In the spring of 2022, Mr. Dumas was admitted to the hospital with an infection in his left foot, and after attempts to stop the infection throughout the year, the best course of action was to partially amputate his left leg from below the knee.

After such a transformative surgery, Mr. Dumas came to The Paramount. In this process, the first step was to guarantee complete and full healing following the surgery. Our wound care team led this process and was guided by our wound nurse, Kari. At this time, it was as if Mr. Dumas now had to learn how to walk again, a process he had not had to go through in over 60 years. To help guide him through this process again was our therapy team and a little outside help. First off, Bob’s therapists, Pooja and Danielle, worked with him to regain strength and improve balance using a new prosthetic. The workouts included weightlifting, using the stationary bike, cone drills, walking outside on different terrains, and obstacle courses.

Throughout his stay here, Mr. Dumas was visited by Todd Schaffhauser and Dennis Oehler of the CareRite Amputee Rehabilitation Program. Todd and Dennis are both Paralympic Gold Medalists and help mentor new amputees through the transition, both mentally and physically. Though there were a lot of changes occurring, Mr. Dumas kept some things consistent, he kept himself busy and occupied with his work as a writer for the Mahopac Newspaper. Day in and day out, he set some time aside to get some work done on his computer but caught the bar cart’s attention on Tuesdays to get a deserved beer. He would spend other time talking with nursing aides Lynn, Brianna, and Shannon. From rehab to music to TV (specifically the show Supernatural), many friendly faces were around to lend a helping hand and socialize with at times.

By discharge, Mr. Dumas could walk all the way across and up and down the entire building. We wish him luck on his journey of his further rehabilitation. He is also fully back to writing for The Mahopac News. You can find his story of his journey through his rehabilitation and recovery in the February issues of the papers. The Paramount wishes nothing but the best to Mr. Dumas for him and the rest of his voyage of recovery.