Huntington Hospital opens Reichert Family Caregiver Center

Huntington Hospital has completed a new center offering support to caregivers.

In the Reichert Family Caregiver Center in the hospital’s main lobby, family members and other caregivers can speak with a social worker and volunteer coaches who can help them manage the day-to-day demands of caring for an ailing loved one, Northwell Health said Tuesday.

The center is "a destination for caregivers in our community to find resources and respite when they need assistance," providing free services to staff, patients, caregivers and other members of the community, Dr. Nick Fitterman, executive director of Huntington Hospital, said in a statement.

The center is staffed by a social worker, social work interns and volunteer coaches Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The 550-square-foot space includes three rooms: a quiet room with a recliner chair, a small meeting room and a room with three chairs and a computer.

The social worker and coaches "will meet with family caregivers one-on-one to provide emotional support, assess their concerns and needs and guide them toward appropriate resources in the community," Kacey Farber, program manager, said in a statement. "For instance, if a loved one is in the hospital or recently discharged, we can maintain contact with the family caregiver to provide ongoing support."

The center also provides services including webinars and support groups for people caring for those with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and long-term COVID-19 symptoms, as well as a COVID-19 bereavement group.

The center was funded by a $500,000 donation from the Charles and Helen Reichert Family Foundation. It is one of several caregiver support centers in the Northwell system; North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, Glen Cove Hospital and Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead have similar centers.

By Maura McDermott

maura.mcdermott@newsday.commauramcdermott

Maura McDermott covers education. Since joining Newsday in 2012, she also has worked on the investigations team and covered real estate and the business of health care.