Brooklyn Queens Nursing Home Participates in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Brooklyn, NY, September 25, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Within the past few months, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has taken social media by a storm. People from all walks of life have participated. The likes of George W. Bush, Derek Jeter, and Ben Affleck have all had a bucket of ice water poured on their heads in the name of ALS. This social phenomena does not seem to be letting up and every week more and more people are getting involved.

With all the recent media attention, many people want to know what ALS is. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a progressive degenerative disease of nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Specialized neurons called motor neurons extend from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles distributed throughout the body. ALS causes progressive degeneration of the motor neurons which will ultimately leads to a person's death. When the motor neurons are not working, the ability of the brain to communicate with the body's muscles to initiate and control muscle movement is gone. Initially, voluntary muscle movement is affected and as the disease progresses a person may become paralysed. ALS symptoms include muscle weakness, slurred speaking, difficulty swallowing, and troubled breathing. Little is known about the origin of this disease and there is no known cure for ALS. There is only one drug currently on the market that can help slow down the progression of ALS. Therapy can help manage the symptoms to allow the person to remain independent as long as possible.

"The Brooklyn Queens Nursing Home family is proud to contribute to allow advanced research in finding a cure for ALS. We hope that both those who participate in the ALS bucket challange and those who do not, continue to help contribute to this worthy cause. We applaud all those who have participate in the Ice Bucket Challenge and commend their efforts to help raise public awareness about this deadly disease," said Marty Dicker, the administrator at Brooklyn Queens Nursing Home.

Brooklyn Queens Nursing Home is a premier 140-bed nursing and rehabilitation care center that provides comprehensive inpatient care to all its residents. Located at 2749 Linden Blvd, Brooklyn, NY 11208, Brooklyn Queens’s professional and compassionate staff provides around-the-clock medical and nursing care in a caring and comfortable environment that centers around its residents. Brooklyn Queens offers outstanding short-term rehabilitation for individuals coming from an acute-care setting, as well as superior long-term care and hospice care. Brooklyn Queens Nursing Home has an exceptional staff of physical, occupational and speech therapists that carefully tailors unique recovery programs for each and every resident.