Randi Kaplan, LMSW
The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare, a national leader in providing compassionate care to patients and caregivers, has named Randi Kaplan, LMSW, Director of the Arthur D. Emil Caregiver Support Center at Montefiore, the National Compassionate Caregiver of the Year. The prestigious award goes to people who display compassion and establish mutual trust and respect with families involved in health-care decision-making. The award was presented at the 21st Annual Kenneth B. Schwartz Compassionate Healthcare Dinner, where Ms. Kaplan was honored among 2,000 health-care leaders, clinicians, patients, and family members.
“What I hear most about Randi from caregivers, patients, and staff is that she is their angel,” said Steven M. Safyer, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Montefiore Medicine. “Not a week goes by where I don’t receive an e-mail or handwritten letter from a patient, family member, or even colleague about how Randi is their strength and partner in care. She leads with her heart, and when she says being at work is the best part of her day, she means it…. She puts people first every day.”
“It is an incredible honor to be recognized as the 2016 National Compassionate Caregiver of the Year,” said Ms. Kaplan. “Being a caregiver is not a job to me; it is my calling, and I feel fortunate enough to fulfill my purpose to give care.”
Caregiver Support Center
Ms. Kaplan is the Co-Founder of the Arthur D. Emil Caregiver Support Center at Montefiore, the first and only center of its kind in New York City to provide a quiet, private place for people to relax during a loved one’s hospitalization. The Center delivers emotional support and practical assistance to every person who walks through its doors, successfully connecting all of them to the breadth of resources within Montefiore and the community.
The Caregiver Support Center at Montefiore opened its doors in April 2016. More than 30 volunteers, many of whom are former Montefiore patients or had family members cared for at Montefiore, are invaluable resources for patients, caregivers, and providers. ■
