New Patients

Find out what to expect on your
first visit to VPF

Our primary referrals come from New Jersey but we do accept referrals from other states and other countries as well. Once a referral has been made, an
on-site evaluation of the patient will be completed at the child´s home or referring hospital to determine the skilled nursing needs. We encourage the family to tour and meet with us to go over questions or concerns they may have about placement and meet with our team.

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Our Team

Meet the staff of VPF

Our years of experience committed to serving children with special medical needs has equipped us with the unique understanding that children in long-term care settings have distinctive care needs. VPF addresses issues such as growth, development, educational, pulmonary management which can be complicated by the child's medical fragility.

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Volunteer

Volunteers complement the care of the professional staff.

Volunteers provide services through a variety of programs spending quality time with the residents on a one on one basis or in a group setting. Whether it is reading a story to a child, doing an art project with a teenager or rocking a small infant to sleep, volunteers brighten our children´s days. Volunteers may also provide needed assistance by performing clerical duties as well.

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Careers

Join the team at VPF

The staff at VPF understands the importance of caring for the medical, developmental, emotional, spiritual, educational, and social well-being of a child. Interwoven in the fabric of VPF's holistic philosophy is an interdisciplinary care team approach.

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RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

VPF Offers a broad range of medical services:

Board Certified Pediatric Pulmonologist & Medical Director

Board Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

Consulting Board Certified Pediatric Physiatrist (PM & R)

Pediatric sub-specialists available in the Tri-State area

Pediatric Emergency Room and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit only 6 miles away at Virtua Hospital in Voorhees

Nursing Department

The Department of Nursing is committed to identifying and applying appropriate standards of nursing care 24/7 for our residents. We strive to provide quality nursing care as a component of the Interdisciplinary Team, designed to achieve effective patient outcomes with optimum efficiency.

The nursing staff of the facility includes Registered Nurses (RN), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Certified Nurses Aides (CNA), and Unit Secretaries (US), as well as RNs for the on-site Bancroft School.

Nursing Administration comprises a Nurse Executive (Director), as required by the New Jersey State Department of Health (NJDHSS), Clinical Managers, Supervisors, the Director of Medical Day, the Infection Control Practitioner, and Staffing Coordinator.

Respiratory Services

VPF offers an alternative to acute care hospitalization by providing innovative and advanced options for mechanical ventilation and airway clearance. We specialize in non-invasive ventilation, ventilator weaning, and decannulation.

For children who require constant supervision due to critical airways, our program offers three six-bed units with continuous presence of nursing and respiratory care practitioners. VPF will perform a pediatric respiratory assessment of a childs airway management and capnography/pulse oximetry.

Pediatric Ventilator Mangement

Variable pressure ventilation
Volume monitoring
Weaning as tolerated
Staff/Family education and training

VPF provides services for the prevention and treatment of complications
associated with:

Obstructive lung disease
Paralytic/Restrictive lung disease
Central nervous system disorders

Rehabilitation Services

The Rehabilitation Services Department at Voorhees Pediatric Facility offers a nurturing and supportive approach to the residents and their family members. Our therapists will be there for the family members every step of the way, as their loved ones learn how to take their first step, first bite or learn how to maneuver their newly acquired power mobility system.

The services offered to our residents are targeted at maximizing the functional potential of each child across all developmental domains, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech and dysphagia services. Individually or together, the rehab team will address impairments and/or functional limitations while advancing the child´s strengths. Years of experience are behind the love and commitment in all the services provided by our therapists.

Our staff consists of therapists and rehab professionals with various backgrounds and multiple years of experience, well equipped with the knowledge and expertise to handle a wide spectrum of diagnoses in the pediatric setting, especially with the medically fragile population. Continuous training as well as additional professional education/certification and credentialing ensure cutting edge and innovative therapeutic intervention.

Environmental Assessments

When a child with medical complications prepares to enter a new environment, very often it is not conducive to the child's special needs. For example, halls and doorways may not accommodate wheelchairs, and electrical outlets may not be appropriate or well placed for children requiring ventilators or other technology. VPRS will conduct environmental assessments to assure an easy, safe, and functional transition into a real world environment. We also offer staff/family education and training.

Physical Therapy

Gross motor skills

Ambulation/gait training and mobility

Adaptive equipment and assistive devices

Prescriptive seating and wheelchairs

Strengthening and endurance

Balance and coordination

Lower limb orthotics

Pre- and post-surgical treatment

Sports and physical education adaptations

Staff/family education and training

Occupational Therapy

Hand function and dexterity

Fine motor development and handwriting

Adaptive skills and devices

Sensory integration

Self-help/daily life skills

Cognitive/academic strategies

Seating and positioning equipment

Upper limb splints

Assistive technology use

Social coping and competency

Play and leisure skills

Pre-vocational/work skills training

Staff/family education and training

Speech Therapy

Receptive/expressive language development

Higher level language/cognitive process training

Augmentative/alternative communication design and training

Oral-motor skill training

Speech development

Articulation/intelligibility training

Voice/fluency therapy

Traumatic brain injury intervention

Aural habilitation/rehabilitation

Staff/family education and training

Dysphagia Services

Bedside clinical dysphagia evaluation

Clinical dysphagia evaluation with blue dye (specialized evaluation for children with tracheotomies; requires ST/RCP Team)

Referrals for modified barium swallow studies as indicated

Consultation/feeding program plan

Direct treatment to maximize function

Stage I - Oral aversion, behavioral problems, sensory deficits, oral-motor delay/dysfunction

Stage II - Pharyngeal level swallowing dysfunction

Use/training of compensatory strategies and/or mealtime adaptations

Medical referral for problems identified at the Stage III (esophageal) level

Therapeutic feeding guidelines initiated and maintained by ST department for all PO feeders.

The Therapeutic Recreation/Child Life department provides a developmentally enriching environment where recreation activity services and therapeutic recreation/child life treatment are provided.

We strive to maximize developmental, cognitive, physical and psychosocial potential during recreation services as well as implement the theory and practice of the therapeutic recreation and child life professions. Interventions are provided through individual sessions, small and large groups, bedside treatments, co-treatments with other disciplines, community settings, and independent programming for self-directed leisure involvement.

Therapeutic recreation and child life services strive to decrease the effects of illness and disability by providing psychosocial interventions and support. Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists deliver recreation therapy treatment services to improve functioning and foster independence using recreation, leisure, and developmental play as a component of healthy living, positive social interaction and developmental growth. Opportunities will be provided for exploration and development of leisure interests, attitudes and values within the facility and community.

Certified Child Life Specialists aid children in learning positive coping mechanisms and provide interventions to minimize stress during invasive procedures and teach techniques to decrease anxiety in the medical environment.

Recreation Services

Recreation assistants provide a varied and stimulating individualized

activity program designed to meet the needs of each resident with the goal of maintaining quality of life, improving health and well being through home like recreation experiences. Recreation opportunities include arts, crafts, music, outdoor experiences, sensory stimulation, reading, games, cooking, socialization, gross & fine motor activities, community visitors, and trips.

We offer many activities and structured groups for the children to participate. We continually review the children´s recreation and social needs and tailor activities to meet their interests and abilities. The following is a sample of our programming.

Interdisciplinary Groups

Sunday School & Religious Celebrations

Community Outings

Holiday Parties

Infant/Toddler Playgroup

School Integration

Animal Visitation

Theme Weeks

Teen Group

The OASIS Sensory Room

The Sensory Room provides an opportunity for children to interact with their environment by using their senses and physical movements. The room provides stimulation for self calming, body awareness, as well as arousing sensory experiences. With fiber optic light strands, water bed, and bubble column the room is enjoyed by children at every level.

Virtual Reality Program

The virtual reality activity is a computer generated interactive computer/tv game where children choose either volleyball, racecar driver, snowboarding, or soccer and have the ability to see themselves on TV. Their arm, head and wheelchair movements allow them to participate in the activity. Through the use of a webcam and green screen this modern form of video game opens up a whole new world of recreation for children with disabilities.

Accessbile Playground

With wheelchair accessible swings and interactive playground equipment specifically positioned for access, the VPF playground offers opportunities for the children to participate in outside play.

Student Internship Program

A Therapeutic Recreation internship is available to junior and senior level undergraduate students as well as graduate level students enrolled in a therapeutic recreation university program. A thorough clinical experience includes assessment, documentation, and treatment interventions. For more information and an application packet contact 856-821-8498.

Social Work

The mission of the Social Work Department is to promote the psychosocial well-being of residents and their families to preserve and enhance quality of life. In addition, as a member of the Interdisciplinary Care Team, Social Work fosters respect of the culture, religion and ethnicity of each resident and their family system that emphasize individuality, independence and choice. Social Work assures that each resident and family is provided with the necessary care and service that optimize psychosocial well-being in accordance with the individualized

interdisciplinary comprehensive assessment and plan of care.

Prior to admission to Voorhees Pediatric Facility, a Social Worker meets with each resident and family and remains involved after admission, providing supportive intervention to assist the resident/family adjust and cope with the impact of long term care placement, chronic illness and/or disability. Additional services provided include: comprehensive psychosocial need assessment, supportive individual and family counseling, advocacy, crisis intervention, discharge planning and referral to community resources.

The Social Workers at Voorhees Pediatric Facility are dedicated, compassionate long term employees with years of experience working with medically fragile, technology dependent children and their families. Each Social Worker has a Master's Degree in Social Work and maintains high standards of professional ethics, values and practice.

Residents of Voorhees Pediatric Facility are provided with nutritional care by a Board Certified Pediatric Dietitian. The dietitian has training and experience with the unique nutritional challenges of special children.

The services include nutrition assessment, nutrition analysis of intake, monitoring of growth parameters, participation in the interdisciplinary process, nutrition counseling, and education.

"Besides her excellent medical care, Tiara is safe and comfortable at VPF. I can't say enough good things about the staff."

- Mr. Crane (Grandfather)