At The New Jewish Home, a lifelong caregiver finds exactly what she needs to heal — expert rehabilitation, human connection, and a place to call home.

Denise Pearson has spent more than three decades caring for others. As a Certified Nursing Assistant at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, she brought heart, skill, and commitment to her patients every day. But when her own health began to fail, Denise suddenly found herself on the other side of the caregiving relationship — and in need of support.

Following several serious health challenges, including heart failure, gout, and abdominal complications from multiple surgeries, Denise landed in a rehabilitation facility that fell short of her needs. “It just wasn’t the right place,” she said. But after a second hospitalization, she asked for something better — and found it at The New Jewish Home’s Manhattan campus.

“I prayed and asked God to send me somewhere that would take care of me. He sent me here,” she said.

Too weak to get out of bed when she arrived, Denise was evaluated by our expert rehabilitation team and enrolled in our Congestive Heart Failure Rehabilitation Program. Through supervised exercise, pain management, nutrition education, and deeply personal care, she began to rebuild her strength — and her confidence.

“They were so patient with me,” she recalled, naming her therapy team with admiration: Betty, Matthew, Joe, and Sarah. “They made sure everything was done right — even helping get my care and medications in place before I left. I’m not fully back yet, but I can cope better now. I feel stronger.”

In true New York spirit, Denise stayed engaged throughout her stay. She shared original poetry at a talent show, joined fellow residents in cooking a group meal, and became a favorite of the therapy dogs during regular pet therapy sessions, which provide emotional support and companionship as part of our holistic healing approach.

Now back at home with part-time help, Denise still returns often — as a visitor, as a volunteer, and as part of The New Jewish Home family.

“I tell everyone,” she says with a smile. “This is the place that helped me heal.”

Want to learn more about our person-centered rehabilitation programs? Visit www.jewishhome.org or call us at (212) 870-4715 to discover how The New Jewish Home supports older adults in regaining strength, independence, and joy — one story at a time.