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Our mission is to enhance the lives of economically disadvantaged patients in need of long-term medical care and to support long-term medical care facilities. We are presently focused on improving the lives of residents at Coler-Goldwater Specialty Hospital and Nursing Facility (CGSHNF) on Roosevelt Island in New York City.
| Coler-Goldwater Specialty Hospital |
Coler-Goldwater Specialty Hospital & Nursing Facility is a public, 2,000-bed specialty care hospital and nursing facility operated by the City of New York that provides medical, sub-acute, rehabilitative and long-term services to residents of New York City and the surrounding communities. The patients live at two hospitals on Roosevelt Island – Coler and Goldwater – and range in age from 20 to 100 years old. Patients arrive at the hospital to receive treatment for a variety of medical condition and traumas, such as strokes, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and accidental injuries.
Many of the patients Angelica serves are paraplegic or quadriplegic. Patients reside in the hospital for an extended period of time – in most cases for the rest of their lives. The patients are generally economically disadvantaged individuals with few resources; most have few, if any, regular visitors. As city hospitals, Coler-Goldwater has limited funding for recreational, cultural, social and educational programs (and budget cuts this year will strain hospital resources even more). The most immobile, compromised patients have limited opportunities to interact with other people, learn or be entertained and distracted from the monotony of their daily routine.
Angelica is focused on improving the overall quality of life of patients/residents and empowering the patients/residents to have more input into their activities. Our recreational, cultural, educational and social programs have engaged patients’ imaginations, exposed them to new ideas and stimulated interaction among fellow patients. Our events have included an annual “Sweetheart Ball” and performing arts programs provided by local arts groups and high schools through our Live Out Loud Program. Live Out Loud productions have included ‘Guys and Dolls,’ a Christmas pageant, the Tap City Youth Ensemble, and choral performances.
Our Duet Bicycle Program allows the patients in wheelchairs to enjoy a bicycle ride, steered and pedaled by a recreational therapist. The Hip Hop Program teaches patients how to compose lyrics and express themselves through music, providing a positive outlet and culminating in the production of a Hip Hop album. Other programs include a Healthy Starts Cooking Program, Horticultural Therapy and funding for the Coler Art Studio. These activities and programs have led to improvement in cognition, social skills, mood, sense of self, physical functioning and opportunities for creative expression. Last summer we funded the creation of a Meditation Garden for patients to enjoy during the warmer months. In this effort we partnered with volunteers from American Express Corporation, which committed three work ‘volunteer’ days to create the garden.
Angelica was founded at the end of 2005 by a group of New Yorkers who had previously volunteered at Coler-Goldwater Hospital. Their experiences with the patients led these volunteers to form a new charity devoted to enhancing the lives of economically disadvantaged patients in need of long-term medical care.
Although our initial focus has been recreational, cultural and social programs, our long-term goals include empowering patients by giving them more control over their lives, helping them to achieve greater independence and choice, and helping them build stronger communities. For example, we have formed a Patient Committee at both hospitals to work with us on future programming, empowering patients to participate more actively in the hospital community and have greater input into their activities. Another initiative this past year was to create linkages with the NYC Department of Education, the Mayor’s Office for Volunteerism and city and state legislators. We are also partnering with other organizations to bring more volunteers to the hospital and exploring ways to help patients continue their education, develop marketable skills and become more independent.
The New York State Therapeutic Recreation Association selected Angelica as their Organization of the Year for 2008. The award recognizes an organization that supports and promotes Therapeutic Recreation, in particular for underserved populations, in the state of New York. Angelica won the award due to the positive patient outcomes that have resulted from its programs and special events at Coler-Goldwater. Also in 2008, Angelica received the Goldwater Auxiliary Volunteer Award for consistently supporting programming efforts as well as building strong community relationships through volunteering.
Please contact us if you would like to become involved. We welcome new ideas and volunteers. We also appreciate financial contributions. To make an on-line donation to Angelica, please go to our "Donate" page or visit http://www.nycharities.org, type “Angelica” in the search area and click "Donate Now."
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The mission of the Angelica Patient Assistance Program is to enhance
the lives of economically disadvantaged patients in need of
long-term medical care and to support long-term medical care facilities.
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