A Passion For Caring

[Joe DeMattos], 53, is president of the Health Facilities Association of Maryland (HFAM), the largest and oldest trade association of skilled nursing and rehab centers in Maryland. HFAM represents 150 skilled nursing centers in the state. He is also the first vice president at Har Sinai Congregation...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBaltimore Jewish times Vol. 333; no. 8; p. 18
Main Author Finkelstein, Rachel
Format Magazine Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Baltimore Baltimore Jewish Times 23.08.2013
Subjects
DeMattos, Joe
Jewish life & ethics
Leadership
Presidents
Professional responsibilities
Religious congregations
Baltimore Maryland
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Summary:[Joe DeMattos], 53, is president of the Health Facilities Association of Maryland (HFAM), the largest and oldest trade association of skilled nursing and rehab centers in Maryland. HFAM represents 150 skilled nursing centers in the state. He is also the first vice president at Har Sinai Congregation, as well as a professor at the Erickson School of Aging at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. DeMattos: My family has been in Hawaii since 1883. In 2002, I was [sent from Hawaii] on temporary assignment to serve as the campaign coordinator for AARP s prescriptiondrug campaign to get prescriptiondrug benefits into Medicaid. In 2003, we were successful with the passage of the Medicare Modernization Act. [That same year] I accepted a promotion at AARP in Washington, D.C. The plan was to get my master s degree in government from John Hopkins University and then go home to Hawaii. But I was introduced to a young lady from Pikes ville. Twelve years, several jobs and a master s degree later, I'm married to Rebecca and living in Baltimore. I lost my dad a year ago in Hawaii. He made a conscious choice to receive hospice care in a skilled nursing and rehab center in Hawaii. It wasn't really until the end, right before he died, that he became weak again, and it was a very quick passing, but it was amazing to ... see him actually get stronger as he was dying, because of the love and the care and the activities of the skilled nursing and rehab center. So when I'm having a particularly tough day, I think of the people who are in the care of my members, and I think about my dad and what a difference a quality skilled nursing and rehab center made during his last six months.
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ISSN:0005-450X