Leadership Team

Director of Nursing: Tammy M. Dalton, RN

Tammy joined the management team at Hammersmith House in 2003 and has been a Director of Nursing in skilled nursing centers since 1994. She received her nursing degree from Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1987. Tammy was the 2007 DNS of the Year for Kindred Healthcare.

An accomplished Director of Nursing, Tammy guided the staff at Hammersmith to two deficiency-free State Department of Public Health surveys. Prior to that she achieved four consecutive deficiency-free surveys at a nursing center in East Boston, MA.

Tammy brings a diverse background in long term care to her role as Director of Nursing at Hammersmith. She has a background working with a pilot program for a 109 bed neuro-psychiatric behavioral facility specializing in residents with traumatic brain injury. Her focus was on modifying and stabilizing negative behavior and promoting socially appropriate behavior for re-introduction into the community. She participated with the Department of Mental Retardation, focusing on a medication administration education program for behavior counselors who coordinate care in group home settings. Tammy also developed expertise in substance abuse as a staff nurse for Faxon House in Quincy MA, where she provided care for detoxification or alcohol and substance abuse.

Tammy can be reached by e-mail at tammy.dalton@kindredhealthcare.com. 

Admissions Director/Case Management/Discharge Coordinator: Patricia Breault, LPN

Patty holds multiple roles at Hammersmith House, all focusing on navigating a patient through their stay at the skilled nursing center. She is usually the first Hammersmith employee that patients and families meet when they arrive, and she follows their medical course during their stay. Patty helps to make certain that medical updates are provided to the necessary individuals involved in the treatment of each person admitted to Hammersmith for skilled rehabilitation, and works closely with the interdisciplinary team for careful planning for an appropriate discharge.

Patty received her LPN education at Youville Hospital School of Nursing in Cambridge, MA and started as a Unit Manager at Hammersmith in 2002. She was promoted to MMQ Coordinator and then to her current role in 2006. She has "one great son" who is currently in college majoring in Meteorology. She can be reached at patricia.breault@kindredhealthcare.com.

The contracted Medical staff is responsible for oversight of the medical care provided to the patients and residents at Hammersmith. These individuals serve as an additional resource to the credentialed, attending physicians and the nursing staff for the care and management of the patients and residents. They are also key members of the performance management team.

Saeid Elmi, MD

Dr. Elmi is also on the Medical staff of Hammersmith House. He received his medical education at the National University of Iran and completed his Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital in Boston MA. In addition to holding a position as Medical staff at Hammersmith, he is also affiliated with both Melrose-Wakefield and Whidden Memorial Hospital. Dr.

Elmi is certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties in Internal Medicine.

Staff Development Coordinator: Martha Taylor, LPN

Marty has been employed at Hammersmith House since 1992 and has held a variety of roles. She has worked as a Unit Manager, charge nurse, and Baylor Supervisor, transitioning to Staff Development in 2006. Her varied clinical and management background is part of what makes her successful in this role overseeing all of the staff education. The training that she has provided to the staff was an essential component to the two consecutive deficiency-free Department of Public Health surveys achieved by Hammersmith House.

Marty received her nursing education at the Beverly Hospital School of Nursing and worked in acute care at Lynn Hospital for six years. She also has experience in Home Care and agency nursing.

Not only does Marty enjoy teaching others, she enjoys learning as well. She is currently working on her art degree and is planning on starting an RN program in 2007. In her spare time she enjoys being with her four children, is a Volunteer Red cross Disaster relief worker, professional shopper and wine taster!

Unit Manager, Short Term Units: Laura DiStefano, LPN

Laura has an extensive background in acute care. Prior to her employment at Hammersmith in September of 2006, Laura worked in an Intensive Care Unit for eight years with a specialty of cardiac/respiratory care. She also worked at a Neuro/Psychiatric Center for 13 years along with Tammy Dalton, the current Hammersmith Director of Nursing.

Laura graduated from the Soldiers Home Nursing School in 1984. She has 5 children and 10 grandchildren. Laura loves to gamble and even has a special room named for her at Foxwoods Resort!

Unit Manager, Long-Term Care and Dementia Unit: Debra Bennett, LPN

Debra is the unit manager for the long-term care and Alzheimer's/Dementia unit at Hammersmith House. Debra transferred to Hammersmith from Palmer House Healthcare in Palmer MA when Palmer was a Hillhaven nursing Center (Hillhaven was a predecessor to Kindred Healthcare). She has been with the company for 18 years.

Debra graduated from Northeast Regional Vocational High School Post Graduate nursing course in 1982, when she became an LPN. Prior to school for nursing she worked as a nurse's aide for five years. She also worked at Malden Hospital for four years on the Oncology floor, which she enjoyed immensely, until the hospital closed. After her oncology experience she became involved with Alzheimer's disease and was certified in the train the trainer program for Alzheimer’s. Her love of caring for those impacted by this diagnosis lead her to become the Alzheimer's Program Director for Hammersmith House. Through Debbie’s empathy and understanding of the devastating impact of Alzheimer’s disease she finds the residents fun to work with and enjoys every minute she spends with them.

Debbie is also a mother of three children, a grandmother of nine children, and a caretaker of two birds, one dog, one dragon, and one turtle!

Activity Director: Gloria Alleyne, ADC

The Activity Director, an essential member of the team, designs programs for multiple purposes such as encouraging socialization, improving daily living skills, and providing entertainment. As Activity Director, Gloria performs a social evaluation and assessment upon admission of each new resident, creates and updates care plans and progress notes and promotes a physically and sensory stimulating environment to increase the functioning levels of residents.

Gloria started working at Hammersmith House in 2003, after the city owned center where she previously worked closed. She joined the management team in 2006 as a Certified Activity Director. Her background includes 21 years as activity Director at a long-term care nursing center. She has also worked as a Graduate Nurse in an ER for 12 years, having been trained as a nurse in her native Barbados. Gloria received her certificate in therapeutic recreation from Fisher College.

Food Services Manager: John Gotimer, Jr.

The Food Services Manager is integral to the care provided in a skilled nursing center. John is responsible for ordering, preparing and serving food to our residents. He oversees the staff that makes certain that the right-sized portions and the kind of healthful, nutritious food that is needed for patients/residents to feel as well as possible. His team ensures that residents are served the correct food, in proper proportions, at the right temperature and in sanitary conditions. He monitors food preparation for compliance with menus and recipes and makes certain that special diet or nutritional requirements are followed. John also participates as an active member of the interdisciplinary team.

John is relatively new to Hammersmith House, having started in 2007, but he is not new to food services. In fact, he has over 20 years of experience, 11 of those years in healthcare. John has worked at Kindred since 2002. He holds a ServSafe Certification from the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and has completed a course in ProMgmt (Professional Management) from that association as well.

Rehabilitation Therapy Manager: Christine Humphrey, PTA/RM

The Rehab Manager has the knowledge and skills necessary to direct the care for residents including Physical and Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology. The manager coordinates and directs resident care to optimize safety ensure residents' needs are met. Chris has held this position at Hammersmith since 2005, first as the interim Manger, and then was employed as the permanent Manager. She has more than 30 years of experience in both short and long-term rehabilitation and home care rehab. She received her Associates in Science degree from North Shore Community College in Beverly MA and graduates with honors from the Physical Therapy Assistant program. She has worked with Kindred Healthcare’s Peoplefirst rehab division since 2004.

Chris brings multiple skills to her role as Rehab Manager. In addition to her extensive experience, she models good patient/resident rapport skills and is also a positive advocate for the rehab staff.