Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital continued its Centennial Celebration with a special Salute to the community, staff, and local military on Wednesday, Oct. 16th.
The hospital was named to honor residents who served in World War I and continues to pay tribute to members of the military who served in subsequent conflicts in Korea, Vietnam and the Middle East. With funding provided primarily by the community, construction began for Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital in August 1920. Four years later, in 1924, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital opened its doors, named to honor and memorialize residents who served in World War I.
The Salute commenced with honoring Homestead and Penn Yan Manor residents as well as UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health employees who served in the Armed Forces in a processional with the Penn Yan American Legion Color Guard. The National Anthem was sung by Homestead resident and veteran, Gareth Fishbaugh, and the Pledge of Allegiance recited by Charles Carter, who works at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital and is active in the U.S. National Guard.
Jose Acevedo, MD, President and CEO of UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health, spoke of Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital’s commitment to caring for the community since it first opened its doors in 1924. He also noted that while the hospital has seen many changes over the past 100 years, one thing has remained consistent is ensuring that the residents of Penn Yan and Yates County have access to high quality healthcare as close to home as possible.
The program also included remarks by Ryan Hallings, Chair of the UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health Board of Directors, and Senator Thomas O’Mara, 58th NYS Senate District. Senator O’Mara and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano presented a joint proclamation from the State of New York honoring the hospital on its 100th anniversary.
Today, Soldiers and Sailors operates a 25-bed general acute-care hospital, with a medical-telemetry unit for heart monitoring. Soldiers and Sailors also has a Swing Bed Program to give patients more time to recover from surgery or other acute care if needed, providing a smooth transition to skilled care in the same room—or providing skilled care even if their acute care was at a different facility. Additionally, the Homestead, consists of 130 skilled nursing beds, a 20-bed neurobehavioral unit, one Respite bed for scheduled short term stays, and a secure unit where skilled nursing and special needs care for cognitively-impaired residents are provided. Short-term rehabilitation services also are provided on the Skilled Nursing units for those needing rehabilitation services while they transition to another level of care or discharge home.
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital continues to be recognized for providing quality care, including Fastest Emergency Department throughput times in the region by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
