VNSW to Honor Matt Anderson of Rye, President/CEO of The Osborn

We’re not as young as we used to be. Across the nation, seniors are the fastest-growing demographic. Westchester is graying, too: one in five people are 60 years or older and by 2030, one in four will fall into this group.

But, we’re not just older; 68 percent of seniors have two or more chronic health conditions, according to the National Council on Aging. These trends are driving the increased demand for healthcare, creating a burgeoning need for the vital home healthcare services provided by VNS Westchester.

To help the nonprofit agency address the needs of this growing population, the VNSW Foundation will hold its signature fundraising event — its 21st Annual Spring Benefit Gala — on Wednesday, May 15, 2019, at Willow Ridge County Club in Harrison, and honor three key agency partners who work with VNSW to provide exceptional care and support for seniors.

In honoring Aging in America, Inc.; Matthew G. Anderson, President and CEO of The Osborn; and Gera Looser, RN, the VNSW Foundation is shining a light on individuals and organizations that help them support the health and high quality of life for seniors:

Aging in America, Inc. is a leading nonprofit advocacy group serving the elderly, and in 2017, awarded a $25,000 grant to VNSW to implement a sepsis-screening tool aimed at stemming the tide of the disease, which often afflicts older adults. William T. Smith, the organization’s President/CEO, is a nationally recognized gerontology expert. Anderson, a highly regarded leader in the field of senior living, is also a key advocate for seniors in the region through his role at The Osborn, Leading Age/NY, and Greenwich Hospital’s Community Advisory Committee. Looser, who recently retired following an extraordinary 50-year nursing career, is being honored for her outstanding work and selfless dedication as a Registered Nurse and Staff Educator at VNSW’s affiliate, Westchester Care at Home.

“The majority of our patients — 83 percent — are 65 years or older. Honoring these dedicated individuals and organizations is a way for us to express our profound gratitude for playing a critical role in supporting our efforts to help the seniors in our care,” said Timothy P. Leddy, president and CEO, Westchester Visiting Nurse Services Group, the parent organization of VNS Westchester, the VNSW Foundation, and Westchester Care at Home.

“Every year, we are able to help more people, thanks to these innovative partners. Because we’re doing more and achieving more, we need even greater support. We invite the Westchester community to come out on May 15, to support them and our work,” added Leddy.

Proceeds from VNSW’s Gala, which takes place during National Older Americans Month, will support a wide range of programs for residents of Westchester, the Bronx, Dutchess, Putnam and Rockland counties. These include free community health screenings, health education programs focusing on preventative care and chronic disease management, and home care services for underinsured patients. Community funding is essential in helping VNS Westchester fulfill its mission of enhancing the health and well-being of people of all ages, in the comfort of their own homes.

Tickets are now available for the gala, which will take place at 5:30 p.m. on May 15, 2019 at Willow Ridge Country Club in Harrison, N.Y. The gala’s presenting sponsors include Wells Fargo Private Bank and Commercial Bank, BNY Mellon Wealth Management, and BDO USA, LLP.

About the Honorees

Community Leadership Award

Aging in America, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that supports, advocates and provides funding for initiatives that help seniors thrive. Founded in 1852, the organization has been a leader in the field of nursing homes, home and community-based services and other long-term care services for seniors. In 2014, its Board made a major change in how it uses its charitable resources, moving from operating entities to focus on forming strategic partnerships with other organizations to provide innovative programs and services that help seniors to age gracefully in their own homes. Accepting the award for the organization, William T. Smith, PhD, of Bedford Corners, has been President/CEO of Aging in America, Inc. since 1995. He has been in the field of social work since 1971 with the last 46 years dedicated to the field of gerontology. Dr. Smith is a member of the Gerontological Society of America and the American College of Health Care Administrators, among other organizations; serves as liaison to the United Nations through the Global Aging Network, and is currently Chair of the Board of Directors of Cardinal McCloskey Community Services. He also serves as Chair-Elect of the Westchester County Public/Private Partnership for Aging Services and Chair of the Westchester County Dept. of Senior Programs and Services Older Americans Act Advisory Council. Dr. Smith holds a doctorate in Social Work with a concentration in Gerontology from Fordham University.

Distinguished Service Award

Matthew G. Anderson, MBA of Rye is President/CEO of The Osborn, a continuum of care community for seniors, offering independent living, assisted living, dementia care through the award-winning H.O.P.E. Center, short-term and outpatient rehabilitation, long-term skilled nursing care, and home care. Anderson began working at The Osborn in 1998, assuming roles of increasing responsibility throughout his tenure, including Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Health Care Services, which included responsibility for Assisted Living at The Osborn and opening the H.O.P.E Center for Memory Care. Prior to joining The Osborn, he worked at Wesley Healthcare Center in Saratoga Springs, New York. A graduate of Penn State University, he holds a bachelor’s of science degree in Health Administration and a MBA from SUNY Albany. Anderson has received the Thomas Clarke Award as LeadingAge/NY’s Young Administrator of the Year, has served on LeadingAge/NY’s Board of Directors, and, along with other LeadingAge Fellows, spearheaded the establishment of LeadingAge/NY’s own Leadership Academy, IGNITE, in 2013 to advance young leaders in the field of senior living. Anderson is a Trustee of the Rye Free Reading Room and an honorary member of the Rye Rotary where he was a Paul Harris Fellow. He is currently a member of Greenwich Hospital’s Community Advisory Committee.

Outstanding Achievement in Nursing Award

Gera Looser, RN, of White Plains, has had an extraordinary nursing career that has spanned 50 years. She recently retired as a Registered Nurse and Staff Educator for VNSW’s affiliate, Westchester Care at Home. Westchester Care at Home (WCAH), a NYS Licensed Home Care Agency, provides vital assistance with activities of daily living to seniors and other vulnerable citizens in their homes. Over the past 15 years at WCAH, Looser has served as a field nurse while supervising, training and mentoring over 200 Home Health Aides. She has worked closely with family caregivers to lift their burden, helping them to secure support from insurance companies, social service agencies and hospice facilities to support their loved ones; she consistently goes “above and beyond” for the frail elderly who cannot care for themselves, and has made it her life’s work to ensure that they receive all of the services and care they need and deserve. Through her mentoring and leadership skills, Looser has been an outstanding role model, instilling in the aides she trains a sense of integrity and pride that are reflected in the caliber of service they provide to the elderly population served by VNSW. In December 2018, Gera was elected to the Westchester County Senior Citizens Hall of Fame for her outstanding contributions to the elderly and other vulnerable populations in our community.

Event Details

Deborah Gogliettino and Karen Herrero, both Westchester Visiting Nurse Service Group, Inc. board members, are co-chairing the event. In addition to the awards ceremony, the event will feature a silent auction, including gift certificates for dining out, event tickets, luxury items, international wines and more. The evening also features a cocktail networking reception, gourmet dinner specialties and a sumptuous ‘sweet treats’ dessert and ice cream bar.

Tickets for the event may be purchased for $350 each at www.vns.org/donate. For information on Sponsorship Opportunities, Journal Ads or contributions to the Silent Auction, contact Joyce Infante, Director of Development and Communications, at JInfante@vns.org or (914) 682-1480, ext. 649.