Although 2023 was named the hottest year on record, 2024 is already threatening to take the title for itself, and one long-term care provider is going to generous, creative lengths to make sure its neighbors don’t suffer for it.
The dog days of summer in Manhattan can be especially sweltering, so with temperatures climbing into the 90s in New York City’s Washington Heights, the MJHS Isabella Center for Rehab and Nursing Care set up a tented oasis on the North Drive of its campus.
It was simply the neighborly thing to do, says Loyola Princivil-Barnett, chief operating officer of MJHS Centers for Rehabilitation and Nursing Care and administrator of MJHS Isabella Center.
“The Isabella Center has been in this community for many years and has been caring for members of Washington Heights and Inwood for nearly 150 years,” she said. “It’s a big part of the community and vice versa. This is our first time doing this setup and this has been one of the hottest summers on record in New York. August has just begun, so it’s a perfect opportunity to be able to do something like this for the community.”
Funded by MJHS, the Isabella Center’s Heat Relief Station can accommodate 70 people at a time on a first-come, first-served basis. It is available for all Washington Heights seniors to use.
It opens on days forecast to be 90 degrees or higher through August, operating between 11 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Inside the tent, seniors and their caregivers can enjoy cool water and activities like puzzles, painting, and even score some giveaway bags.
“It’s a welcoming place for seniors and their caregivers to come and rest a little during the hottest points of the day if they need some relief from the heat,” Princivil-Barnett said. “They’ll be able to do so in an environment that is welcoming and relaxing. We want to provide them a space that they can come to get some relief, but also be an enjoyable time for them while they’re doing that.”
After seeing its popularity in the opening weeks, Princivil-Barnett is certain the initiative could find success at nursing homes across the nation. She wouldn’t be surprised to find more and more nursing homes’ neighbors offering similar “cool” amenities if summers continue to heat up, which seems to be a given.
“If there are communities that have the bandwidth and the ability to create such a space, I definitely encourage them to do so,” Princivil-Barnett said. “Our seniors in a large way are the backbone of our community and we definitely want them to know that we are there for them. That’s what communities are about — supporting one another.”
