Merokean named Arbors’ veterans liaison

Arbors Assisted Living Communities have appointed Patrick Yngstrom of North Merrick as their veterans liaison, a new position created to help support Long Island’s large veteran population. The former Nassau County director of veterans affairs will work with the five Arbors Communities, which are located in Bohemia, Islandia East, Islandia West, Hauppauge and Westbury.

Yngstrom will oversee a variety of Island-wide veteran support initiatives such as the Arbors’ Heroes Welcome Program and the federal government’s Aid and Attendance veterans pension, which includes the home care and assisted living benefit.

A decorated Vietnam War veteran and an active member of many veteran organizations, Yngstrom currently serves on the advisory board for the Long Island State Veterans Home at Stony Brook. He is also the commander of American Legion Post 1749 in North Bellmore, past commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2770 in Bellmore, past president of the United Veterans Organization of Nassau County, founder and past president of the POW-MIA Coalition of Long Island and past commander of the Vietnam War Veterans Association, of which he remains a board member.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of the Arbors team,” Yngstrom said. “I wanted to work with an organization that gave back to the veterans community, and the Arbors exemplifies what it means to be a good corporate citizen.”

As veterans liaison, Yngstrom will conduct seminars for veterans and their families about the Arbors’ programs. Yngstrom will also be a guest speaker for more than 50 chapters of the United Veterans Organization in Nassau and Suffolk counties throughout the year.

After his discharge from the U.S. Army, Yngstrom worked for Consolidated Edison as a union representative for 24 years. He later pursued his personal mission to assist veterans and served for 10 years with the county as deputy director and director of veterans affairs prior to joining the Arbors.

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Valley Stream, Yngstrom has lived in North Merrick for more than 31 years. He and his wife of 35 years, Nancy, have two children, Dawn and Daniel.