Birthday Cheer for Memory Care Patients: Manhattan, NY
Members of the Sri Sathya Sai Center of Manhattan, NY, recently brought birthday cheer to patients in the Memory Care Unit at Coler Specialty Hospital. The 1,025-bed facility provides chronic care, geriatric and rehabilitation services. It is widely known for its specialized memory care program.
Lizette Jaffri, vice president of the Manhattan Center, explained that a small group of Sai Center members began visiting the 50 patients in the memory care unit every last Saturday of the month since September 2024. The Sai Center collaborates with the recreation therapist, who provides them with the names of individuals celebrating birthdays that month. Sai volunteers create personalized cards, with some generously contributing toward a birthday cake.
Patients are brought to the day room, beautifully decorated with balloons. They eagerly await the arrival of the Sai volunteers. When the volunteers play music familiar to the patients, the patients light up with excitement and dance to the music. Many of them rarely, if ever, receive visits from family, and some only have visitors during the holidays. Some patients have been there for over 20 years, particularly those with paralysis.
Jaffri shared, “It’s a wonderful blessing to spend time with the residents, and celebrating their birthdays helps us to connect with them in a personal way. They feel remembered and cared about. It’s an uplifting experience for all of us.” These sentiments were echoed by other Sai volunteers.
Chia, a Sai Center member shared, "The first time we visited, the patients were just sitting in their chairs motionless. Once they started to dance, their eyes shone with joy! When we held hands and formed a big circle for dancing, we looked into each other’s eyes and smiled. It was a heartfelt experience of love and unity. It has been the most impactful experience for me!"
Anjan, another Sai Center member shared, “The experience is truly beautiful, as we get to celebrate the patients on their special day. I’ve had the opportunity of bringing the birthday cake for the celebration and personalizing cards for the birthday patients. It is so gratifying that they love seeing us and enjoy dancing with us!”
Reene, a recreation therapist at Coler Hospital reflected, “I extend my deepest appreciation to the Sai volunteers for spending time with our memory care residents who live everyday with various mental and physical challenges and for whom, such precious moments mean the world.”
The service is a continuation of a long-standing relationship between the Sai volunteers and the hospital that has spanned from the early 1980s, with the service projects having undergone several iterations.