Giving Thanks for Post-Acute & Long-Term Medicine
Dear Friends,
Gratitude is powerful—it connects us, strengthens our community, and reminds us of the many individuals who have shaped our journeys. As we reflect on the past year, we are reminded of the countless ways our colleagues and mentors have inspired us to grow, challenged us to improve, and guided us through the complexities of post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) medicine. In the spirit of “giving thanks” this holiday season, we invite you to join us in celebrating those who have made a lasting impact on your career and the field we serve with a donation of gratitude in their honor. They will receive a Gratitude Card (shown below) recognizing your generous seasonal gift.
As we enter our 3rd annual “Giving Thanks for PALTC” campaign, let us take a moment to reflect on those who have inspired us, supported our journeys, and helped us shape the world of post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) medicine. Whether through mentorship, education, or shared passion for improving care, these individuals have left an indelible mark on our careers and this field.
At your Foundation, we honor your dedication to this vital work, and we are thankful for the generosity that fuels our mission. Each gift contributes to the continued support of PALTC professionals. Thanks to your generous support, we can fund impactful initiatives like the Futures Program—providing over $1.4 million in scholarships to more than 1,400 emerging practitioners— award research grants that drive innovation and fund clinical education and resources that immediately benefit our PALTC practitioners. In 2024 alone, we provided $125,000 in research grants and clinical initiatives to support groundbreaking work fostering meaningful change across the PALTC field.
With your continued support, we will be able to broaden our impact even further. This season of gratitude, we invite you to honor those who have inspired you by making a gift to the Foundation. Here are a few donor highlights of those gifting gratitude this holiday season….
Sabine von Preyss-Friedman, MD, CMD, President-Elect, PALTmed
I’m incredibly thankful for post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) medicine because it allowed me to pursue my passion for geriatrics while working with a population that is often in great need of specialized attention. The opportunity to focus my career on improving the quality of life for older adults in PALTC, who deserve not only excellent care but compassion and dignity, has been deeply rewarding.
My journey of gratitude in the PALTC field was shaped by several remarkable individuals. Dr. Ouslander was my first advisor and played a crucial role in guiding me toward this field. Over time, I’ve been fortunate to work with many role models, including Dr. Cheryl Phillips. Besides being a role model, I saw through her approach and vision that our field and our vulnerable patients could go from marginalized and almost stigmatized to a profession that is an integral and important part of the entire healthcare spectrum.
Beyond physicians, I’ve been continuously inspired by my coworkers, including nurses and CNAs, whose unwavering dedication and compassion for our patients have taught me what it truly means to be a caregiver.
One of the most personal ways PALTC medicine has impacted my life is by providing the flexibility to balance the demands of parenthood with a career that I love – a profoundly fulfilling opportunity.
I’ve been involved with PALTmed/AMDA and the Foundation for PALTC since the early 1990s and finding them felt like a revelation and a relief. The educational opportunities, sense of community, collaboration, and shared understanding of the challenges we face in the field have kept me engaged all these years for which I’m grateful.
I’m particularly passionate about my volunteer efforts in the implementation of best practices for our highly complex patients and in particular working on the Drive to Deprescribe Initiative has been incredibly important to me and is a program the Foundation has funded with donations. I’m gifting gratitude through my donation to the Foundation in honor of these PALTC healthcare heroes.
Nancy Istenes, DO, CMD, FACP
Working in post-acute and long-term care medicine has allowed me to use my medical knowledge, leadership skills, and personal gifts to improve the lives of the sickest and most vulnerable patients and their families and I’m thankful that every day I continue to make a difference.
I am grateful to my family and friends who allowed me to visit nursing homes when I was young. These experiences fostered my love for older adults, showed me the value of caring for those who cannot care for themselves, and sparked a passion that grew into a career in post-acute and long-term care.
I have had many mentors throughout my career pushing me forward with insights and skills that allowed me to be successful. My first mentors were the nursing assistants who trained me right out of college. They taught me how to provide the most basic but most meaningful care for patients. I then realized that frontline staff at nursing homes have the greatest impact on the quality of care and quality of life for patients.
I have several key physician mentors. Dr. George Gleeson who allowed me to do a long-term care continuity clinic during my residency, Dr. William Smucker who showed the value of medical direction in post-acute care and introduced me to AMDA (now PALTmed) and Dr. Kyle Allen who showed me that healthcare delivery can be changed to achieve better outcomes and how to lead that change.
I’m also grateful for having PALTmed as a professional society and resource since I started practicing in 2002 and becoming a Certified Medical Director. I was eager to learn, and they were there to teach. Later, I joined committees and started to take leadership roles so I could give back, help advance our profession, and support future generations of medical providers.
Lastly, I’m passionate about the Foundation for PALTC Medicine as the work that they support is essential for our profession to grow and sustain. I’m gifting gratitude this holiday season with a donation to the Foundation for all of these lovely reasons and people and look forward to those named receiving my Gratitude Card in their honor.
Jamie Smith, NP, Co-Chair, Annual Gifts Committee, PALTC Foundation
I am grateful for post-acute and long-term care medicine because I am passionate about caring for older adults. Being a volunteer with the Foundation and a member of PALTmed allows me to connect with others who share this passion and empowers me to enhance outcomes for the elderly and those in need.
I have been involved with PALTmed for at least 7 years, and the members keep me engaged with their welcoming approach. PALTmed has positively impacted the lives of many through its practical and up-to-date online education and the Foundation serves to greatly support this work through their mission and annual philanthropy efforts.
I am gifting gratitude to the Foundation in honor of my mentor, Barb Frye, RN, the Director of Clinical Integration at Sunnyside Communities in Harrisonburg, VA, who has profoundly shaped my understanding of leadership over the past three years and introduced me to the intricacies of the corporate and compliance aspects of healthcare.
I would also express gratitude for all those within facilities working to enhance patient care, in addition to physicians… nurses, nurse practitioners, administrators, and particularly the medication aides and certified nursing assistants. Their seat at the table is imperative for our combined success in providing excellence in care so I also honor these individuals with my gift to the Foundation in Giving Thanks for PALTC Medicine.
