Administrator: Mary Tamn, CALA 
Mary has enjoyed working in elder care/health care for decades so she has diversified, valuable experience directly relevant to the Golden Heart program. She has held direct service, management, training and consulting positions in assisted living centers, home health care and many other settings. She has served as a long-time volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association and currently serves as a board member on the Tri-County Ethics Committee.
“I am really excited to join Golden Heart, a much smaller organization than the large assisted living company I came from. Here, I can have greater impact, more quickly, more directly in all areas. I am instituting more formal orientation and ongoing training programs for all employees. Further enhancing our communication skills in meeting the needs of dementia patients, for example, is one key area for our focus. Another is the expansion of the activities program to include more options. Offering simultaneous, parallel programming means individuals have more choices and can enjoy the physically or mentally stimulating and satisfying activities most appealing to them, given their abilities. We have a very experienced, talented staff delivering high quality, personalized care every day so it is a real pleasure to join the Golden Heart team and continue building the program.”
Director of Nursing: Linda Lee Deitch brings decades of knowledge, skill and diversified experience to Golden Heart and has led our health care team since we opened. She starts with the initial assessment and then manages all aspects of care—monitoring, testing, medicating, treating, re-assessing… She knows everything about every client and stays closely in touch with the family and doctors involved to ensure optimum, timely care. Linda also manages the Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) who provide critical “hands on” care related to all activities of daily living.
“I’m especially proud of how we consistently serve such a diversified group of individuals, in terms of age, physical and cognitive conditions, abilities and behaviors. We often have real success with medically complex clients. Our goal is to provide more ‘good days’ based on support, stimulation, close supervision, fun activities, nutritious meals and individualized nursing care.”
Nurse: Judy Landau, RN 
, Judy has 30 years of nursing experience, much of it serving the elderly and chronically ill. Judy has worked in three hospitals and a rehab center, among other settings. Judy handles all aspects of nursing care. “Everyone who comes here is a unique and valuable individual. Each has their own needs and we reflect that in their personalized care plan. There is nothing “cookie-cutter” about the services at Golden Heart.”
Social Worker: Julia Hankerson, MSW, LCSW 
Julia’s extensive and very diversified experiences as a licensed social worker prove highly valuable every day. Julia has managed a nursing home, had her own private psychotherapy practice, and worked in many other settings very relevant to Golden Heart—hospice, hospitals, home health and dialysis, for example. This means Julia can serve as a tremendous resource for you.
“Everyone who comes here and their caregivers are going through substantial changes and usually have lots of questions and needs. I start by helping them understand the Golden Heart program and make a smooth transition here. I can help them with everything from financial and insurance matters—including filling out forms—to assistance meeting basic needs–rent, food, transportation, finding medical providers, finding home health aides, etc. I provide whatever support the family needs as it faces changing physical, cognitive, emotional conditions.”
Transportation Coordinator: Marlando Wisdom “Coordination” is the key word and the real challenge. Marlando doesn’t just plan the complex routes, he drives them all herself to make sure they work well. As membership and personal schedules change, Marlando has to show flexibility and stay on top of it every day. Yes, it can give him an Excedrin headache, but he has Linda and Judy for that!
“Getting everyone to and from here safely and on time is my job. But it is way more than that. Like our other drivers, I get to personally interact with each member as they tell me how they feel, what they want, what they did… I can offer information, encouragement, praise and watch for any problems.’ ”
Activities Coordinator: Heather Piekarski Many of our members come mostly for the fun activities, trips and socialization. Heather is the one who creatively makes it all happen. “It isn’t just a wide range of activities but activities geared to individual needs. While we have one large group activity going on, a half dozen others might do whatever they prefer, alone, or with a few buddies. Everyone improves here; no one goes down-hill. I see some come in depressed, isolated and lethargic. In a short time they get energized and involved, often by finding some engaging activities, and a few new friends. It really works.”
It takes a professional, talented, caring TEAM!
GOLDEN HEART ADULT DAY CARE, INC. 101 Shore Road Somers Point, NJ 08244 Phone: 609-788-0067
Fax: 609-788-0068 Email: info@goldenheartdaycare.com 
Alzheimer’s Care; Elder Care; Respite Care; Caregiver Support; Adult Day Care; Atlantic County, NJ; Somers Point, NJ