SPOTLIGHT: THE HEART OF SENIOR LIVING
What Defi nes a Senior Living Hero? Presenting the 2018 Argentum Hero and Senior Living Community Leadership Award Winners
The annual Argentum Hero Awards and Senior Living Community Leadership Award recognize individuals who are ideal representa- tives of the hundreds of thousands of people serving across senior living and who showcase the highest levels of excellence, caring, and dedication. They are recognized each year at the Argentum Senior Living Executive Conference. Meet the 2018 winners.
2018 ARGENTUM HERO Nkeiru Uzegbu Active Living Program Director Merrill Gardens at Lafayette, Lafayette, Calif. Merrill Gardens
Those who work with Nkeiru (Ru) at Merrill Gardens at Lafayette in Lafayette, Calif., are in awe of her infectious spirit and her dedication to helping residents
live their best day, every day. “Ru is a mentor to many people at the community,” said Rosa Campbell, general manager at Merrill Gardens at Oceanside and Ru’s former supervisor. “No matter how busy she is, she is always willing to make time for anyone who has a question or just needs a little encouragement. She truly provides an inspiring environment for residents, families, and team members.” One example of Ru’s commitment relates to a resident who was
deaf and moved into Merrill Gardens at Lafayette. The resident’s only form of communication was American Sign Language (ASL), but no one at the community knew how to profi ciently sign. After asking the resident to teach her ASL, he agreed; Ru began to sign for him at community activities and even facilitated sign language classes for other residents and staff who had an interest in learning ASL. The resident became a key, engaged member at the commu- nity and experienced less communication-related frustration. When the resident passed away, Ru was there to sign for his friends at the memorial service. “Ru defines going above and beyond the call of duty,” said
Campbell. “The passion that she has for the residents and this industry is to be admired. Whether she is personalizing a birthday celebration for a resident, putting together a resident slideshow for a loved one, or simply just sitting and having a conversation with a resident, she brings comfort and joy to everyone around her and we are very lucky to have her.”
2018 ARGENTUM HERO Emily Horne
Life Engagement Manager Autumn Leaves of Towne Lake, Woodstock, Ga. The LaSalle Group
During Emily Horne’s 15 years of work in retail, she always gravitated toward helping older customers. When she in- terviewed for an activities assistant job
at Autumn Leaves of Towne Lake, she was hired on the spot—the executive director knew instinctively that Emily was the right fi t. She was promoted to life engagement manager soon after. Emily works with memory-impaired residents where her ener-
gy and positivity are both necessary and appreciated by residents and staff alike. In fact, she is known as “The Sunshine of Towne Lake.” Her passion for working with residents is evident, and she goes above and beyond daily. When Emily learned that a resident couple had been founding members of a local church and realized the importance of a spiritual connection for them, she organized a non-denominational Sunday service at the community—which delighted the couple and their family. When she felt they needed more, the family allowed Emily to take them to a nearby church service, even on her days off . While the couple has since passed, the family is forever grateful for Emily’s care and devotion. Emily always puts others fi rst. As a recent snowstorm approached,
she invited a team member to stay overnight at her home near the community. Although she was not scheduled to work, she didn’t want any interruption in the residents’ scheduled activities. When the snow rendered driving unsafe, Emily bundled up her husband and two kids, and walked with her colleague the two miles to work. Of course, she ended up staying the day when she realized her team needed extra help. “I have never witnessed such energy, enthusiasm, and outright commitment from anyone as I see from Emily. She is truly inspira- tional,” said Angekia Scott, executive director at Autumn Leaves of Towne Lake.
66 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE MARCH/APRIL 2018
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
