by Robert Smolin
Daisy Underwood is a hero in the eyes of the staff at New Community Extended Care Facility.
Recently, Underwood was able to assist a long-term care resident who had eloped from a local hospital and ensured that the man was safely brought back to Extended Care.
It was while Underwood was driving her son to Rutgers when she spotted a person who seemed to look like a resident from Extended Care Facility, a five-star rated skilled nursing home located at 266 South Orange Ave. in Newark. After doing a double take, she parked her car and went over to the person who was sitting down at a park bench. Low and behold, it was indeed the nursing home resident that she thought she’d recognized and he answered her with his name. Underwood volunteers her time at the Extended Care Facility Alzheimer’s activities and services three times a week. As a longtime volunteer, Underwood is on a first name basis with all the residents who participate in these services.
As Underwood stayed with the resident, a police officer passed by and she explained the situation and asked what she should do next. The officer told her to drive the resident back to the facility. So she did just that. When Underwood brought the resident to Extended Care, the nursing staff was quite surprised to see the gentleman—he was supposed to still be at the hospital but had eloped. This resident was admitted to the hospital for the past two weeks. However, unbeknownst to the staff at ECF, this resident left the hospital premises, without the appropriate discharge or transportation back to the facility.
ECF nursing staff immediately contacted the local hospital administrators and rest assured they are looking into how the resident got out of the hospital. We are happy to say that this resident is doing marvelous and has no ill effects from his “escapade.”
Extended Care deeply appreciates Underwood’s help as well as her diligence and good observation skills. If she had not found the resident when she did, it is possible that this story might not have a happy ending. Administrator Rob Smolin called Underwood ”a hero and a true volunteer who has basically saved a life. We are very proud of her as a volunteer for ECF. She is kind selfless person.”
New Community Extended Care Facility is a five star rated skilled nursing home located at 266 South Orange Ave. in Newark. To schedule a tour, call 973-624-2020 or visit www.NewarkNursingHome.org.
