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Prime Healthcare’s four New Jersey hospitals understand the importance of urgent and appropriate stroke intervention and offer some of the  region’s  most advanced services to help ensure that stroke patients retain maximum functionality and can remain as independent as possible.

Time is precious when it comes to treating the symptoms of stroke.

Nearly 800,000 Americans suffer a stroke annually and more than 130,000 of those cases prove fatal, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In all instances, time to treatment is of the essence and can be the difference between life and death or major disability for many stroke victims.

Fortunately, Prime Healthcare’s four New Jersey hospitals — Saint Clare’s Health in Denville and Dover, St. Mary’s General Hospital in Passaic and Saint Michael’s Medical Center in Newark — understand the importance of urgent and appropriate intervention in the event of a stroke and offer some of the  region’s  most advanced services to help ensure that stroke patients retain maximum brain/organ functionality and can remain as independent as possible.

According to Dr. Jeffrey Farkas, a board-certified radiologist with advanced fellowship training in neuro radiology and interventional neuro radiology, the degree of disability that can result from a stroke depends on how big the stroke was and the part of the brain that was affected.

“A small stroke affecting the part of the brain that controls speech or motor skills can cause a significant disability, while a larger stroke to another portion of the brain might not cause a lot of visualized disability,” he explained.

“What’s clear is that over 85% of strokes are caused by a blood clot going to the brain, a condition that can result in reduced brain function and the loss of up to 2 million brain cells every minute,” Dr. Farkas said. “Clots that move to a blood vessel of the brain start the clock as it relates to the need for urgent intervention.”

Beginning in the mid-1990s, a key standard of care for treating ischemic strokes (which involve a blockage of blood flow to the brain) involved the administration of tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, an FDA-approved clot-busting drug that can reverse the effects of a stroke for the 20% to 30% of victims who are medically eligible to receive it — within three hours of the onset of stroke symptoms.

“Since then, the window for administering tPA to appropriate patients has been extended to four-and-a-half hours, but the earlier treatment is administered, the less brain damage patients will suffer and the better they’ll do,” Dr. Farkas said. “You only get one shot to treat patients in these emergent situations, so the goal is to restore blood flow as fast as possible because ‘time is brain.’”

The degree of disability that can result from a stroke depends on how big the stroke was and the part of the brain that was affected.

Enhancing Rapid Response

In addition to administering tPA to eligible patients, the Prime Healthcare team treats stroke victims with other leading-edge therapies.

Specifically, “tPA works on smaller blood clots but not always on bigger clots, which account for 30% of all strokes, so we use endovascular devices to go into blood vessels with slick plastic catheters to pull out clots and restore blood flow physically,” Dr. Farkas said of his team’s proactive, maximal exertion effort. “We administer tPA if they’re a candidate, but we don’t necessarily just stop there, watch and hope for the best; at the three Prime Healthcare hospitals, we screen eligible patients using CAT scans and advanced imaging and then bring them to the Catheterization Lab if there’s a blockage in order to restore their blood flow as fast as possible.”

The team’s use of an artificial intelligence software algorithm that rapidly identifies blockages and/or abnormal blood flow to the brain also helps enable Prime Healthcare’s rapid intervention for stroke victims. Once a more time-consuming process that required many different physicians to log into a system to review a patient’s images, “our current technology streamlines things greatly for patients and doctors, taking 30-60 minutes out of the process, which is significant, and making a world of difference in how fast we can address patients,” Dr. Farkas said. “Faster treatment then drives better patient outcomes, reducing their length of hospital stay by two to three days,” added Dr. Farkas, noting that in a recent study, 45% to 50% of patients who suffered large, life-changing strokes experienced minimal disability thanks to this rapid-response approach.

Among his key messages, Dr. Farkas reminds the public about common stroke symptoms for which to be on the lookout. The symptoms often are summarized by the acronym BE FAST: specifically, the presence of Balance issues, Eye issues/vision loss, Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech trouble, and “Time is brain.”

“Know the hospitals that can provide advanced and rapid treatment for stroke, even if it’s not where your regular doctor practices, and get there — otherwise precious time and effort will be wasted,” he advised. “Prime Healthcare is a center of stroke excellence, and our team has expertise in this field and performs a tremendous volume of stroke interventions. We’re able to provide this critical treatment with a 24/7 level of urgency that will result in better outcomes than at other hospitals that haven’t invested in this specialty.”

When it comes to the need for speed in treating stroke, Dr. Farkas concluded, “Prime Healthcare hospitals have the advanced expertise, technology and rapid response capability in the North Jersey region to provide the high-quality care patients require.”

For more information visit njstroke.primehealthcare.com.

Prime Healthcare offers advanced stroke treatment at its four New Jersey hospitals — Saint Clare’s Health in Denville and Dover, St. Mary’s General Hospital in Passaic, and Saint Michael’s Medical Center in Newark.

Strokes affect an estimated 800,000 Americans annually and can result in a debilitating loss of functionality and independence for victims as well as create a burden for caregivers if not treated quickly and with the appropriate techniques.

Thankfully, the field of stroke treatment has benefitted from a broad range of game-changing advancements in the past decade, enhancements that are enabling doctors to provide faster and more targeted care to stroke patients and subsequently drive better patient outcomes than ever.

Prime Healthcare offers advanced stroke treatment at its four New Jersey hospitals — Saint Clare’s Health in Denville and Dover, St. Mary’s General Hospital in Passaic, and Saint Michael’s Medical Center in Newark. According to Dr. Jeffrey Farkas, a board-certified radiologist with advanced fellowship training in neuro radiology and interventional neuro radiology who partners with Prime’s hospitals, some of the most significant advances in the treatment of stroke in the last 10 years include:

• Advanced Devices — “The devices that we have today to reopen blocked blood vessels include the stent retriever, which is essentially a stent on a stick, as well as large-bore aspiration catheters, which help restore blood flow quickly by removing clots in patients experiencing ischemic strokes (e.g., strokes involving a blockage of blood flow to the brain),” Dr. Farkas said. “These devices have allowed us to navigate through the intracranial circulation with large catheters that we were previously unable to guide in that region, and pull out clots in six to eight minutes that used to take us 45 minutes to remove.” According to Dr. Farkas, such stents and other devices have especially enhanced the process of mechanical thrombectomy, a minimally invasive procedure that removes a clot by going through a blood vessel in the arm or leg. “Mechanical thrombectomy with a stent has proven to be an effective option for patients with large vessel occlusion who are farther along in their stroke, and can restore much of their functionality,” he said.
• Advanced Imaging — “Advances in imaging technology and artificial intelligence (AI) — including the use of AI for the screening and manipulation of data 24/7 and in real-time — allow us to treat stroke patients reliably and rapidly,” Dr. Farkas said. “This technology enables us to evaluate stroke patients using an imaging software algorithm and identify patients who are better candidates for certain procedures even if they fall outside of the standard ‘time interval’ parameters previously set for such treatment,” he said. “While it doesn’t preclude us from applying all reasonable treatments, this advanced imaging technology enables us to parse out who will do well on a particular treatment and who won’t, and apply the most beneficial treatments faster.”
• Techniques to Avoid Re-Bleeding — Dr. Farkas noted that 15% of strokes are related to intracranial hemorrhage, a condition that has historically been a profound problem to treat. “Once bleeding has occurred in the brain, the neurological injury isn’t reversible like an ischemic stroke,” he explained. “To address this, we now take measures to prevent re-bleeding and/or slow the bleeding by rapidly reversing anticoagulation to thwart the growth of the intracranial bleed.” He noted that steps taken to prevent re-bleeding involve evaluating the patient acutely to accurately diagnose the cause of the bleeding. “In the event that a brain aneurysm is the source of the bleeding, for example, we have minimally-invasive treatments that can prevent the vascular abnormality from re-bleeding by going inside the blood vessel and using devices such as coils, web, glue and other embolic agents to block/stop the bleeding at the source,” he said. “These devices have become incredibly important in managing and preventing intracranial hemorrhages.”
• Preventative Approaches — “In patients where we’re able to find the aneurysm or vascular problem before an intracranial hemorrhage has occurred, we can treat them reliably and safely using special devices such as flow divers, web devices and coils to prevent the site from ever bleeding with minimal risk and a quick recovery,” Dr. Farkas said. “These minimally-invasive procedures avoid the complications of an open operation and essentially allow us to ‘fix’ damaged arteries and/or remove blockages to the brain before they become a problem without brain surgery or a lengthy hospital stay and return the patient back to their life.”

Advanced devices and imaging, techniques to avoid re-bleeding and preventative approaches are among the breakthrough advances in stroke treatment.

Overall, the field of stroke diagnosis and treatment has been a wellspring of breakthrough advancements and patients who receive stroke care at any of Prime Healthcare’s four New Jersey hospitals can expect better outcomes than at other hospitals that haven’t invested in this area of specialty.

“Prime Healthcare’s advanced expertise, technology and rapid response capability are helping to deliver some of the best outcomes to stroke patients and their families in the North Jersey  region,” Dr. Farkas said.

For more information visit njstroke.primehealthcare.com.

University Reproductive Associates has been helping patients complete their journey to a joyful pregnancy for over three decades.

Statistics from the National Institutes of Health reveal that one in eight couples experience infertility, a condition that can be driven by everything from the timing of sexual intercourse to the quality and quantity of a woman’s eggs; the quality, quantity or motility of a man’s sperm; the presence of an underlying medical condition in either partner; or a combination of any of the above. But couples struggling with infertility will be happy to know that a number of options are available to help them achieve a successful pregnancy. One of these options is intrauterine insemination (IUI).

Peter McGovern, MD, board-certified reproductive endocrinologist, infertility specialist and OB/GYN and co-founder of University Reproductive Associates (URA)

“Intrauterine insemination — the most common method within a broader category known as ‘artificial insemination’ — refers to the placement of sperm directly into the uterus,” said Peter McGovern, MD, board-certified reproductive endocrinologist, infertility specialist and OB/GYN and co-founder of Hasbrouck Heights-based University Reproductive Associates (URA). “Through any of a number of procedures done in a laboratory, the sperm inserted into the uterus are separated from the seminal fluid that conducts them such that they represent the most concentrated solution of sperm with the highest motility to help enable best results.”

While the option of in vitro fertilization (IVF) involves the surgical extraction of eggs from a woman’s ovary, the combination of those eggs with sperm in the lab (outside of the body), and the re-insertion of fertilized eggs directly into the ovaries or fallopian tubes to enable development of an embryo, Dr. McGovern said that IUI attempts to achieve fertilization within the body.

“IUI is an office procedure that uses a tiny flexible tube to inject the most motile sperm directly into the uterine cavity, which serves to get a larger number of viable sperm into the uterus to fertilize an egg and hopefully achieve pregnancy,” he said. “This less-invasive and relatively painless procedure takes just a couple of minutes, requires the patient to lay flat for five minutes afterwards, and is typically performed for three to four reproductive cycles.” According to Dr. McGovern, a small risk of multiple pregnancy can occur when the process is combined with the use of fertility medicine; a minimal risk of pelvic infection also is associated with the procedure, but this occurs in less than one in 400 cases.

While the option of in vitro fertilization (IVF) involves the surgical extraction of eggs from a woman’s ovary, the combination of those eggs with sperm in the lab (outside of the body), and the re-insertion of fertilized eggs directly into the ovaries or fallopian tubes to enable development of an embryo, intrauterine insemination (IUI) attempts to achieve fertilization within the body.

Optimal Candidates for IUI

In terms of candidacy, “a couple experiencing infertility where the woman has at least one fallopian tube open and/or who doesn’t ovulate or fails to get pregnant with simple ovulation induction and the male has a reasonable number of sperm are ideal candidates for IUI,” Dr. McGovern said. “In addition, IUI can be a very effective option for individuals or couples who don’t have an infertility problem, such as a single woman or a same-sex lesbian couple using donor sperm.”

By contrast, IUI typically won’t work for women with tubal factor infertility  or couples in which the male has had a vasectomy or has a mechanical blockage between the testicle and the urethra or some other manifestation of severe male factor infertility. “It only takes one sperm and one egg to make a baby, but the success rates drops significantly when there are fewer numbers of motile sperm,” said Dr. McGovern, who noted that IVF is often a better option in the above instances.

Because IVF maximizes the chances of pregnancy by stimulating a lot of eggs, it has a higher success rate than IUI. “With IUI, we’re not directly accomplishing fertilization as we would in IVF, just trying to increase the number of viable eggs and sperm to allow pregnancy to occur naturally,” Dr. McGovern explained. “So while IVF can result in a success rate of 50%, IUI has a success rate of 5% to 15%, depending on a woman’s age and ovarian response and the quality of the sperm.”

“For this reason, couples often try IUI first, then proceed to IVF if IUI doesn’t work (unless IVF is prescribed immediately),” he continued. “IUI is often prescribed first because it’s less expensive, involves less complications (it requires no anesthesia, etc.), and it’s more natural, but less successful.” He noted that some patients’ insurance covers IUI but not IVF, making it a financial decision for some couples, while other insurance carriers will cover IVF but only if the patient fails a certain number of IUI cycles.

A Personalized Experience

In all cases, Dr. McGovern said that the team at URA delivers a highly personalized patient experience.

“We try to individualize our IUI therapies, whether natural or stimulated with fertility medication,” he said. “We pay close attention to the patient’s whole history, response to therapy, and personal preferences and work with them to maximize their results. While we love our IVF program, over half of our patients’ pregnancies are non-IVF-driven and the result of more conservative treatments and we take a lot of pride in that.

“Many people struggling with infertility come in anxious and want to start treatment as soon as possible, but we try to diagnose their exact issue so that we can address it with an effective treatment plan that will have the greatest chance of success,” Dr. McGovern said. “We also want our patients to understand what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and be active participants in the process so that they understand their treatment options and are comfortable with decisions we come to together.”

“Ultimately,” he said of URA’s unique approach, “we want to help people achieve a successful and healthy pregnancy in the safest, least invasive and least expensive way possible.”

For More Information

With locations in Hasbrouck Heights, Hoboken and Wayne, University Reproductive Associates has been helping patients complete their journey to a joyful pregnancy for over three decades. For more information, call 201-288-6330 or visit uranj.com.

Hormonal therapy is among several options available to help couples increase their chances of a successful pregnancy.

University Reproductive Associates’ Dr. Kavitha Persaud discusses hormonal therapy, a broad-range approach used to help many couples in their quest to become pregnant.

According to the National Institutes of Health, one in eight couples experience infertility, a condition that can be driven by everything from the timing of sexual intercourse to the quality and quantity of a woman’s eggs; the quality, quantity or motility of a man’s sperm; the presence of an underlying medical condition in either partner; or a combination of any of the above. Thankfully for these couples, several options are available to help increase their chances of a successful pregnancy. One of these includes hormonal therapy.

Kavitha Persaud, MD, fertility specialist at University Reproductive Associates

“An estimated 40% of the reason why couples are infertile is due to a female factor, a portion of which involves releasing a women’s egg from the ovary, so hormonal treatments — typically involving ‘follicle stimulating hormone’ and ‘luteinizing hormone,’ to alter the body’s estrogen levels, administered either in the form of oral treatments or injectable medicine — stimulate the ovaries to grow and release eggs,” explained Kavitha Persaud, MD, fertility specialist at Hasbrouck Heights-based University Reproductive Associates (URA). “We start by getting a baseline overview of the functionality of the woman’s ovaries and, assuming she’s a good candidate for hormonal therapy, will suggest either oral or injectable medication, depending on the functionality of her ovaries and the type of treatment she desires.” She noted that the injectable option offers a stronger formulation of the hormones and will typically drive a more robust response.

“There are three ways a woman can get pregnant,” Dr. Persaud shared. “Either through conventional sex at the right time within a month so that the egg and sperm meet, or else through insemination, during which we’ll administer either an oral or injectable form of medication and place sperm into the woman’s uterus, or through in vitro fertilization (IVF), during which we’ll give hormonal injections to stimulate the ovaries to release as many eggs as possible.”

“Overall, hormonal treatment can be used on its own or incorporated into any of these approaches depending on the treatment cycle and/or the patient’s goal,” Dr. Persaud continued. “For certain patients, hormonal therapy can simply help them ovulate and experience a greater likelihood of fertility when they have conventional intercourse at a certain time. For others, oral or injectable hormone therapy can increase the number of good-quality eggs released. We can also administer hormonal treatment to those undergoing insemination or IVF to help enhance their chances of success.”

According to Dr. Persaud, the likelihood of a couple getting pregnant through conventional means every month is 20%; insemination has a similar success rate of 20%, while IVF offers the highest success rate of 60-70%. “If a patient pursues IVF, we’ll give her the strongest hormonal treatment possible for her situation,” she said. She added that when prescribed, oral hormone therapy is typically administered as a five-day course, while injectable hormone therapy given during IVF is usually administered for one to two weeks.

“Patients considered ideal for hormone therapy in general are those whose ovaries have sufficient enough functionality to respond to these treatments,” said Dr. Persaud, who noted that a measure of their ovary functionality and hormone levels will determine how positively their system will respond. “If the patient’s ovaries are no longer functioning, however, no amount of supplementation will help, and a woman’s age plays a primary factor too. After age 35, a woman’s estrogen levels start to decline, and beyond her early 40s, hormonal treatment becomes less effective because the quality of her eggs wanes. Though it certainly depends on their baseline hormone functionality, the chances of women that age having a successful pregnancy even with hormonal treatments can be as low as 5%.”

The specialists at URA take a highly personalized approach to patients undergoing hormonal treatment for infertility and deliver a uniquely positive experience.

According to Dr. Persaud, the specialists at URA take a highly personalized approach to patients undergoing hormonal treatment for infertility and deliver a uniquely positive experience.

“We pride ourselves on working with each patient on an individualized basis, conducting a thorough patient history and evaluation, and presenting every single option available to them; we’ll then collaborate with them on their best treatment option based on a shared decision-making model,” she said. “We provide a lot of education and like to share knowledge with each patient to help them make the most informed decision possible.”

While she noted that some people are hesitant to pursue hormonal treatment because they’ve heard it can create mood swings, “the hormones we use help stimulate a woman’s body to release its own hormones; in addition, hormonal therapy is a short-lived process — just five to 14 days — so it’s out of her system quickly,” Dr. Persaud said. “Some patients are also concerned that taking hormones could increase their risk of cancer and/or drive them into early menopause, but studies have shown that there have been no scientific links between hormonal therapy and either of those outcomes at all.”

“Overall, hormonal therapy has been proven effective and helps enhance the successful functionality of a woman’s ovaries,” Dr. Persaud confirmed. “Hormonal therapy is part of a whole spectrum of treatments for infertility that can help overcome obstacles and support a woman’s desire to build her family.”

For More Information

With locations in Hasbrouck Heights, Hoboken and Wayne, University Reproductive Associates has been helping patients complete their journey to a joyful pregnancy for over three decades. For more information, call 201-288-6330 or visit uranj.com.

Different vitamins, amino acids and coenzymes can be used to treat a broad range of medical conditions holistically.

Offering high-quality vitamin hydration therapies, experienced staff, and convenient mobile service, IV Elements has a line on the IV infusion market.

IV therapy and ‘drip’ bars have become one of the hottest new wellness trends based on their ability to efficiently deliver a cocktail of vitamins and nutrients directly to the bloodstream, where they can be readily absorbed by the body. And IV Elements — an on-demand mobile intravenous vitamin hydration company providing IV infusion, vitamin drips, and wellness services throughout New Jersey — is right on point with its broad range of FDA-approved therapies, experienced staff, convenient and high-quality service, and dedication to delivering an outstanding customer experience.

Based on her background in IV infusion therapy and vitamin drips as a nurse practitioner with a nutrition certification from Cornell University and practical experience at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey in New Brunswick as well as at substance abuse clinics throughout New York City and New Jersey, “I saw such an alleviation in symptoms with these types of treatments and always wished that people had access to more holistic options,” shared Rebecca LaMarca, MSN, FNP-BC, CNS, founder of IV Elements (based in Hoboken and Asbury Park) in 2019.

Offering a blend of vitamins, amino acids, electrolytes, and coenzymes, all FDA-approved and overseen by renowned Garden State neurosurgeon and IV Elements Medical Director/Co-Founder Shabbar Danish, “each cocktail delivers its own benefit,” LaMarca explained. “Our most popular services include infusion therapies for immune support, illness recovery, GI issues, skin brightening, and increased energy. Some customers feel tired or experience brain fog after battling COVID and look to us to give them a boost or detox their body from that virus, while still others reach out to us for cocktails that reduce inflammation, stress, depression, and/or anxiety.”

According to LaMarca, IV Elements also offers specialty IVs that address everything from cancer treatment (high-dose vitamin C) and Lyme disease to autoimmune issues, substance use disorder, and more with NAD+ therapy. “As societal interest in and embracement of holistic measures and well-being have grown, we’ve evolved into more of an alternative medicine, functional practice,” she said. “We thoroughly consult with each client before they come to us to understand their symptoms and goals and then develop their optimal treatment plan.”

Wellness from Within

IV vitamin therapy is an easy and relatively painless process that can be administered in the comfort of one’s home or office or at an event.

After speaking with one of IV Elements’ knowledgeable team members — any of 10 experienced nurses, all of whom are full employees of the company — “we take time to educate clients so that they know exactly what they’re getting and feel comfortable,” said LaMarca of infusions that are administered at the client’s home, business, or another location of their choice and start at $144. Relatively painless, “some clients feel a little tired after receiving an infusion because it relaxes them while others feel energized, but all will feel the benefits of the IV that week in the form of better sleep, more energy, greater clarity, etc.

“We hope to promote awareness of our beneficial services and extend them to as many people as possible,” said LaMarca, who noted that her company’s success wouldn’t be possible without the outstanding support she’s received from Dr. Danish, her company partners Samantha Granet (website coordinator) and Casey Musarra (social media coordinator), and nursing director of their Asbury Park location, Ryan Krone.

“We hope to save lives and make people feel better mentally and physically,” LaMarca said of her company’s goals. “Interest in IV infusion therapy has grown rapidly and it’s been great to see more and more physicians embracing this approach and approving it as part of their patients’ health and wellness plans.”

Among the best parts of LaMarca’s job? “I love to give families hope, be there for them in difficult times, and help drive wellness from the inside out,” she said.

For questions or to book an appointment, contact IV Elements at 888-611-DRIP (3747) or visit www.ivelements.net.

Harmony Village at CareOne Stanwick Road Executive Director Rachael Wittman at the wheel of a tractor at the Moorestown residential memory care community, which is undergoing an expansion slated for completion in the first quarter of 2022.

Dementia may prevent people from remembering the warm and welcoming home in which they lived for many years, but it shouldn’t prevent them from living in a new home that is just as warm and welcoming.

That philosophy long has shaped the approach that CareOne — the largest privately- owned assisted living and health care provider in New Jersey — has taken to designing and operating its Harmony Village residential memory care communities. The approach has earned glowing reviews from the families of people living in Harmony Village communities  in Moorestown, Paramus and Jackson. And — as a result of that well-earned reputation — it has driven demand from other families wanting to ensure that their parents or other loved ones enjoy the same safe and caring environment, great food, bright surroundings, enjoyable activities, and respect for individual needs and preferences.

CareOne has responded by significantly expanding Harmony Village at CareOne Stanwick Road. The Moorestown memory care community is adding 31 high-end apartments, and will be ready to receive the new residents of those cheerful, dementia-friendly living quarters in the first months of 2022.

Harmony Village at CareOne Stanwick Road in Moorestown.

‘Neighborhoods’ Based On Needs Allow Aging In Place

Rachael Wittman, executive director of Harmony Village at CareOne Stanwick Road, says that she and her staff are excited to welcome those residents to Harmony Village and its neighborhoods.

“An important aspect of the CareOne approach, one that enables us to meet each person’s specific needs, is that we organize the Harmony Village community into neighborhoods based on residents’ cognitive abilities. We currently serve 68 residents within four different neighborhoods designed to accommodate needs ranging from modest cognitive impairment through more-extensive memory loss. Each neighborhood has its own country kitchen and dining area, library, activity room and access to a shared courtyard.”

Wittman said that Harmony Village at CareOne Stanwick Road is the only memory care community in South Jersey to group residents based on degree of cognition. “The neighborhood approach provides a real advantage in terms of giving our staff the ability to hone in on the specific needs of residents within a group, offering the appropriate level of assistance while promoting a positive and nurturing environment.”

The approach also allows Harmony Village at CareOne Stanwick Road to accommodate residents’ evolving needs as a person’s memory loss and care requirements progress. “We strongly support the concept of aging in place because moving a resident with dementia can cause great stress for them and their families,” Wittman said, adding, “We don’t discharge residents whose needs advance to high levels of care, because this is their home.”

Thanks to the CareOne philosophy on recruiting, developing and valuing staff members, residents aren’t the only ones who spend many years at the Moorestown memory care community. “Many of our employees have been with us for more than a decade,” Wittman said, adding that this longevity makes for great connections between residents and team members who have a thorough understanding of each resident as an individual.

That staff stability is augmented by a management team with deep knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Further, the physical expansion of the Moorestown memory care community will be accompanied by a staff expansion that will include the addition of an in-house Dementia Specialist who will serve as an advocate for residents; a liaison for families; and a community educator with expertise in dementia and memory care services.

Transforming Lives — and Restoring The Joy In Family Relationships

“We understand the behaviors and challenges that come with dementia, and have  proven ourselves to be the go-to for people with memory care needs,” Wittman said. “Everything we do is geared toward people with dementia — from the staff training to the activities offered and the food served. We provide a safe, comfortable and accommodating setting, along with vibrant socialization through an activity calendar that includes outside trips, live entertainment, decorating for the holidays and more. We focus on what our residents can do, not what they can’t.”

That focus has yielded heart-warming results. “Given the right environment, people with dementia who previously may have been withdrawn show themselves capable of many things, from dancing and singing to telling jokes, playing cards, gardening and more,” Wittman said, adding that residents aren’t the only ones whose moods and lives are transformed by the Harmony Village experience. “Being a caregiver for someone with dementia on a 24/7 basis is extremely difficult for family members, and knowing that a parent or spouse is in good hands helps family members relax and regain the joy in their relationship with their loved one.”

Meeting a Growing Need In The Burlington County Area 

Harmony Village at CareOne Stanwick Road has operated at capacity since it opened in 2008, and has always had a waiting list thanks to word-of-mouth reviews and consistently high customer satisfaction scores.

The expansion to be completed in early 2022 will enable the memory care community to serve 99 residents, and to grow from four to six neighborhoods, further enhancing the ability to provide services tailored to residents’ cognitive abilities.

Wittman said that while her team members are excited about the physical enlargement of their community and the prospect of welcoming new residents, they also are pleased to be meeting a growing need for residential memory care in the Burlington County area.

“We love what we do and take pride in providing our residents with a great quality of life while giving their families the peace of mind of knowing that their loved ones are in a safe and caring environment,” she said.

For More Information

Harmony Village at CareOne Stanwick Road is located at 301 N. Stanwick Road in Moorestown and can be reached at 856-638-1244 or by visiting care-one.com/locations/harmony-village-at-careone-stanwick-road. CareOne also operates Harmony Village communities in Paramus and Jackson, with another community opening soon in Whippany. For more information, visit care-one.com.

Dr. Dipti Pandya, MD is lead mammographer at Trinitas Regional Medical Center, which operates the Connie Dwyer Breast Center in Elizabeth.

Using groundbreaking clinical studies to drive effective, new cancer treatments is the core principle of clinical research at the Trinitas Regional Medical Center’s Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center (TCCC). There have been many significant advances in cancer research and treatment in recent years that have led to improved outcomes. As a result, the team at Trinitas is on the cusp of a brighter era in cancer care.

As Trinitas is set to join RWJBarnabas Health in January 2022, cancer research and care will be enhanced including access to New Jersey’s largest network of cancer specialists. Under RWJBarnabas Health, the team at Trinitas will continue to provide the very best in comprehensive cancer care to patients close to home, according to Lisa Paternoster, CCRA, CCRP, research manager at Trinitas Regional Medical Center.

RWJBarnabas Health together with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey is the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Through this partnership patients have access to  the most advanced treatment options including complex surgical procedures, sophisticated radiation therapy techniques, innovative clinical trials, immunotherapy and precision medicine..

Lisa Paternoster, CCRA, CCRP is research manager at Trinitas Regional Medical Center.

Excellence in Breast Cancer Care

For breast cancer patients, Trinitas offers world-class cancer right at home to families in Elizabeth and surrounding areas at the Connie Dwyer Breast Center. The breast cancer research and treatment programs are accredited and certified by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers. According to Paternoster, this certification demonstrates a commitment to providing the highest quality of breast care for patients, close to patients’ homes.

“The multidisciplinary team of nationally known oncologists, nurses and research professionals ensures a caring and comprehensive treatment to diagnosing and treating breast cancer,” Paternoster said. “We have a large population of breast cancer patients at Trinitas, and we take privilege in providing the best of care.”

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials or clinical research studies are part of the broad arsenal of treatment options at the TCCC, which provides patients access to a wide range of studies.

“Our providers participate in clinical trials that focus on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancers,” Paternoster said. “They are contributors to clinical trials from the National Cancer Institute,international cooperative groups and industry.”

Cancer and COVID-19

When it comes to cancer diagnosis and research, finding an intersection with other conditions is key for successful treatment and care. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, researchers at the TCCC jumped into the fight, utilizing and developing cutting-edge treatments and clinical trials to help cancer patients survive.

Trinitas was among the first to use a stem cell therapy to fight COVID-19, developed by Vitti Labs. Additional research included the effectiveness of a drug typically used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and the cytokine storm that can occur with certain cancer treatments.

“In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Trinitas also implemented extra safeguards and has taken many measures to provide a safe environment for all of patients and staff,” Paternoster said.

For information or to schedule an appointment, call 908-994-8000 or visit www.TrinitasCancerCenter.org.

‘Our providers participate in clinical trials that focus on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancers and are on the forefront of clinical research.’ — Lisa Paternoster, CCRA, CCRP, research manager, Trinitas Regional Medical Center

Under RWJBarnabas Health, the team at Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center will continue to provide the very best in comprehensive cancer care to patients,

Breast MRI at the Connie Dwyer Breast Center

The risk of breast cancer is increased among women with more dense breasts, and mammography may miss cases in women with denser breasts. Breast MRI, however, generates detailed images of the breast with the aid of a large magnet, radio waves and a computer.

When breast cancer is detected early, treatment may be less lengthy and less invasive and survival rates are vastly improved. That is why breast MRI is essential for both diagnosis and treatment, according to Dipti Pandya, MD, lead mammographer at the Connie Dwyer Breast Center at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth.

A breast MRI usually is performed after a biopsy is positive for cancer. Breast MRIs can show  a more detailed image of the breast and the extent of the disease. Breast MRI may also be used with mammography as a screening tool for detecting breast cancer in some people. This includes women with a high risk of breast cancer, who have a strong family history of breast cancer or who have hereditary breast cancer gene changes.

“Women undergoing breast MRI for evaluation may experience anxiety, as well as minor physical discomfort,” said Dr. Pandya. “Patients have access to a number of options to provide peace of mind, including prescriptions or noise-canceling headphones. We want to ensure everyone feels as comfortable as possible during their screening.”

Current renovations at the Connie Dwyer Breast Center will include the latest in imaging technology and  a new MRI suite that will provide women the same comfortable experience they would have in the mammography suite.

In addition to breast MRI, the Connie Dwyer Breast Center’s full suite of services includes full-field digital mammography with computer-aided detection, surgical biopsy, high-resolution breast ultrasound, and stereotactic and ultrasound-guided biopsy.

Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center: Innovative Care Close to Home

The medical and support team at Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center understands the physical, emotional and supportive challenges patients face in their fight against cancer. That’s why this interdisciplinary team of highly skilled professionals works with each patient to develop a comprehensive approach to care that encompasses the latest diagnostic and treatment options, medical technology, clinical trials and integrative therapy. Treatment options may include one or more of the following:

• Chemotherapy
• Hormone therapy
• Radiation therapy
• Surgery

TCCC provides some of the most innovative nonsurgical treatment breakthroughs in external beam and internal radiation therapy. These treatments include:

• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy
• Stereotactic radiosurgery
• High-dose-rate brachytherapy
• Prostate seed implants
• Image-guided radiation therapy

TCCC also offers access to clinical trials of emerging therapies and new treatment methods that may improve patients’ quality of life and survival rates.

For information or to schedule an appointment, call 908-994-8000 or visit www.TrinitasCancerCenter.org.

With office locations in Hoboken and Jersey City, The Orthopedic Health Center provides a full spectrum of orthopedic care, specializing in a comprehensive range of surgical orthopedic options including minimally-invasive orthopedic joint and spine surgeries, sports medicine, shoulder and knee arthroscopy, and pediatric orthopedics.

Edward Feliciano, MD, Director of Orthopedic Surgery at The Orthopedic Health Center, is committed to bringing advanced, patient-focused orthopedic surgical care to Hudson County and the surrounding communities. Dr. Feliciano strives to treat the whole person with expertise and compassion, in the hopes of ensuring the best possible outcome.

With office locations in Hoboken and Jersey City, The Orthopedic Health Center provides a full spectrum of orthopedic care, specializing in a comprehensive range of surgical orthopedic options including minimally-invasive orthopedic joint and spine surgeries, sports medicine, shoulder and knee arthroscopy, and pediatric orthopedics.

Edward Feliciano, MD, Director of Orthopedic Surgery at The Orthopedic Health Center

Dr. Feliciano’s expertise includes arthroscopic shoulder stabilization, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, knee arthroscopy, cartilage growth and preservation techniques. He understands the importance of restoring patients to an active lifestyle and is dedicated to providing one-on-one personalized care to every patient.

“Every patient is unique, and not every patient requires the same treatment for the same problem,” Dr. Feliciano said. “I take the time to listen to my patients; getting to know a patient’s lifestyle, unique needs and day-to-day activities are important to patient care decisions. By understanding a patient’s expectations and the level of activity they want to return to, it allows us to come up with a satisfactory treatment plan.”

A hallmark of The Orthopedic Health Center is its conservative approach to care. Dr. Feliciano first opts for non-surgical treatments such as pain management, injections, physical therapy and lifestyle changes. When surgery is required, the center is equipped to provide the most advanced procedures. For example, regenerative medical technologies — such as cell therapy — are being utilized at The Orthopedic Health Center with great success.

One such procedure is matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI), where a patient’s cells are used to regrow new cartilage for the knee joint. MACI is used by Dr. Feliciano to potentially avoid or delay the need for a total knee replacement in many individuals. During this two-part surgery, he is able to extract cartilage cells from a patient’s knee, allow cell growth and regeneration in a lab, and transplant the cartilage back into the patient’s knee to allow bonding with existing cartilage. The result is quicker recovery times and lower risk of rejection and improper bonding.

“It’s rewarding when I can resolve my patients’ orthopedic problems and put them on the road to recovery,” Dr. Feliciano said. “One of the best parts about my job is telling patients ‘goodbye’ — it is always gratifying when I know I won’t have to see a patient anymore because they have overcome their pain, regained their lives and are back to their previous level of function.”

Dr. Feliciano received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Yale University. He then attended Cornell University Medical College, after which he completed an internship at Emory University. After completing his internship, Dr. Feliciano joined the United States Navy, where he served three years of active duty as a flight surgeon. During that time, he completed a six-month deployment aboard the USS George Washington aircraft carrier. Dr. Feliciano finished one year of general surgery training at Sound Shore Hospital in New Rochelle, N.Y. and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Saint Vincent’s Catholic Medical Center in New York City, followed by a sports medicine fellowship at Georgetown University’s Nirschl Orthopedic Center in Washington, D.C.

In addition to his professional involvement, Dr. Feliciano has lent his orthopedic expertise to high school and collegiate sports programs. In his spare time, he enjoys coaching his children’s
various sports teams.

OFFICE LOCATIONS

• 720 Monroe St., Suite C209, Hoboken
• 121 Newark Ave., Suite 300, Jersey City
• 201-596-3730
• www.orthohc.com

EXPERTISE
Arthroscopic shoulder separation stabilizations, arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs, knee arthroscopies

BOARD CERTIFICATIONS
Orthopedic Surgery

ORGANIZATIONS

• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• Arthroscopy Association of North America
• American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine
• American College of Sports Medicine
• International Cartilage Repair Society
• Connecticut State Medical Society

EDUCATION

• Yale University
• Cornell University Medical College

LANGUAGES
English, Spanish