COO of Oswego Health retirement community retires

VOLNEY — A woman who helped lead an Oswego Health retirement-community affiliate for the past 15 years has also reached retirement.

Teresa Ferlito, Oswego Health vice president and COO of Springside at Seneca Hill, retired on April 30. Springside operates at 10 County Route 45A in the town of Volney.

She led Springside “ever since the first shovel of dirt was turned for the project” more than 15 years ago.

Oswego Health announced Ferlito’s retirement in a news release distributed on May 1. 

Ferlito credited the staff at Springside for helping her to operate the facility. 

“I have been fortunate to have a great staff, some have stayed with me for 15 years, and others for more than 10 years,” Ferlito said in the release. “While the team has been good for me, it’s been wonderful for the residents to have that continuity of service.”

Ferlito had the ability to “build a sense of community for retirees that previously wasn’t available locally,” Ann Gilpin, president and CEO of Oswego Health, said.

“Teresa has worked tirelessly to ensure Springside is a premier retirement community, which is clearly evident when you see the caring and special relationships she has with the residents,” Gilpin contended.

Ferlito recalled her initial efforts in promoting Springside. 

“It was pretty exciting because this was a different type of facility. It was an accomplishment to help build Springside and then to be able to lead the facility,” she said.

To attract those age 62 and older to move into one of the 44 congregate apartments or cottages and duplexes, Ferlito and the Oswego Health team spoke to civic groups and held open houses. 

When Springside opened in April 2000, it was home to five residents in its first week. It has since grown to “consistently” achieve an occupancy rate of 95 percent or higher each year, according to the news release.

Springside was among several buildings Oswego Health constructed more than 15 years ago on the Seneca Hill campus, located on County Route 45A, halfway between Oswego and Fulton. 

The organization in 1999 also unveiled The Manor at Seneca Hill, a skilled nursing home, and nearby Seneca Hill Health Services Center.

The independent living and healthy-retirement lifestyle concept that Springside offers, was a “rather new idea locally” when Springside opened for business in 2000, Oswego Health said in the news release.

“When Springside was first introduced to our community, I believe the initial reaction was both interest and relief that a living option was presented to active seniors that also provided immediate access to the Oswego Health continuum of care, including a hospital and nursing home,” Pamela Caraccioli, who first served as president of Springside’s board of directors, added. 

Replacement

Oswego Health has appointed Karen Scaff as Springside’s new COO to replace Ferlito. To ensure a smooth transition, Ferlito is working alongside Scaff during her initial weeks on the job, according to a separate Oswego Health news release.

After living and working in Atlanta, Georgia for nearly 15 years, Scaff returned to Oswego last year. She most recently worked as a practice and property manager at Lake Ontario Property Associates in Oswego. Previously, she was a retirement-services manager for McCamish Systems, an Infosys company and a benefits specialist for Aon Consulting, both located in Atlanta, according to the release.    

VOLNEY — A woman who helped lead an Oswego Health retirement-community affiliate for the past 15 years has also reached retirement.

Teresa Ferlito, Oswego Health vice president and COO of Springside at Seneca Hill, retired on April 30. Springside operates at 10 County Route 45A in the town of Volney.

She led Springside “ever since the first shovel of dirt was turned for the project” more than 15 years ago.

Oswego Health announced Ferlito’s retirement in a news release distributed on May 1. 

Ferlito credited the staff at Springside for helping her to operate the facility. 

“I have been fortunate to have a great staff, some have stayed with me for 15 years, and others for more than 10 years,” Ferlito said in the release. “While the team has been good for me, it’s been wonderful for the residents to have that continuity of service.”

Ferlito had the ability to “build a sense of community for retirees that previously wasn’t available locally,” Ann Gilpin, president and CEO of Oswego Health, said.

“Teresa has worked tirelessly to ensure Springside is a premier retirement community, which is clearly evident when you see the caring and special relationships she has with the residents,” Gilpin contended.

Ferlito recalled her initial efforts in promoting Springside. 

“It was pretty exciting because this was a different type of facility. It was an accomplishment to help build Springside and then to be able to lead the facility,” she said.

To attract those age 62 and older to move into one of the 44 congregate apartments or cottages and duplexes, Ferlito and the Oswego Health team spoke to civic groups and held open houses. 

When Springside opened in April 2000, it was home to five residents in its first week. It has since grown to “consistently” achieve an occupancy rate of 95 percent or higher each year, according to the news release.

Springside was among several buildings Oswego Health constructed more than 15 years ago on the Seneca Hill campus, located on County Route 45A, halfway between Oswego and Fulton. 

The organization in 1999 also unveiled The Manor at Seneca Hill, a skilled nursing home, and nearby Seneca Hill Health Services Center.

The independent living and healthy-retirement lifestyle concept that Springside offers, was a “rather new idea locally” when Springside opened for business in 2000, Oswego Health said in the news release.

“When Springside was first introduced to our community, I believe the initial reaction was both interest and relief that a living option was presented to active seniors that also provided immediate access to the Oswego Health continuum of care, including a hospital and nursing home,” Pamela Caraccioli, who first served as president of Springside’s board of directors, added. 

Replacement

Oswego Health has appointed Karen Scaff as Springside’s new COO to replace Ferlito. To ensure a smooth transition, Ferlito is working alongside Scaff during her initial weeks on the job, according to a separate Oswego Health news release.

After living and working in Atlanta, Georgia for nearly 15 years, Scaff returned to Oswego last year. She most recently worked as a practice and property manager at Lake Ontario Property Associates in Oswego. Previously, she was a retirement-services manager for McCamish Systems, an Infosys company and a benefits specialist for Aon Consulting, both located in Atlanta, according to the release.