Meet Shirley
Executive Director
The executive director, along with our friendly and professional staff, strives to create positive, stimulating ways for residents to continue living life with meaning and purpose. We are a friendly family where we treat residents like real people with real life stories.
Our community is a great story that includes heartwarming chapters and incredibly unique characters all in a wonderful setting. Here is the executive director’s story:
How long have you worked in the retirement industry?
A little over 7 years.
What do you like best about your job?
I enjoy making a difference in the lives of the residents and their families. It is an awesome opportunity to participate in this chapter of their life. I like developing relationships with the residents, their loved ones and our staff. Creating a culture of love, peace and purpose for each individual I come in contact with drives me and makes my day rewarding.
What do you like to do in your free time and why?
I enjoy reading and having quiet time. I love spending time with my family and watching football helps me to release my stress. My husband and I like to frequent different restaurants to critique the food and gather new cooking ideas. I enjoy attending my kid’s school and sports events and am an active member of my church.
If you could meet one person, past or present, who would it be and why?
I would like to meet Abraham Lincoln because his life story intrigues me, as he made decisions in the face of adversity.
What’s your favorite movie and why?
It’s a Wonderful Life is my favorite movie. I love the content and message behind the story, depicting a life of purpose. I am continually uplifted no matter how many times I see this fascinating film.
What’s your favorite dish or dessert and why?
I enjoy vegetables and blackened or grilled Salmon, but I will never turn down good sushi.
In what ways do your residents inspire you?
The residents inspire me to enjoy life with balance, take care of priorities first, and try to live with no regrets. I am continually learning from their life experiences daily.
Do you have any memorable experiences with a particular resident you would like to share?
A family member called needing help with his mom after being told she had cancer and only 2 months to live. We accepted this resident for a short stay and joined with her loved ones in an effort to make her last days her best days, whatever the cost. I immediately felt impelled to try and ease the pain of a family torn and hurt by their mother’s weakened condition. Our nurturing and caring environment started to heal the brokenness with the resident and the family. We began to notice a positive change in the resident’s countenance and behavior as she began engaging in community socials and enjoying outings with the other residents. After two months, we converted her to a permanent resident, she was doing well and we were able to decrease some of the services she received. After six months, her son decided to cut more services since his mom was doing so well. Three months later the resident’s health began to decline. As she moved closer to her last hours, all she wanted was to see her next birthday which was two months away. Seeing her health weakening, we decided to plan an early birthday party. The morning of the party, the resident passed away. Although we did not get a chance to have the birthday celebration, we along with the family, had a wonderful memorial service in the community. What started out as 2 months left to live became 11 months of joy and happiness for a torn family.
How do you honor your residents at your community?
I honor my residents by respecting them and treating them as an individual and not a group. I am always careful to listen to what they have to say and following through on commitments. I honor my residents by respecting what they have done in the past and valuing the contribution they make to the community each and every day. I am an advocate for each of them, showing my love and concern to them daily and always providing high quality of care with dignity and respect.
Tell us about a resident with a remarkable life story?
We had a resident who served in the military for over 30 years. He achieved his dream and had reached the ranking of command sergeant major before his retirement. He served in Vietnam three times and Korea twice and received a purple heart after being shot down in a helicopter. He was once nominated to work in Washington in a head position for the army. However, due to his wife’s declining health he turned down the position. While living at our community he began a life journey to impact the residents around him. His influence and stories of overcoming adversity reached beyond the residents to the staff. He served as our resident council president for 2 years and truly showed us the meaning of heroism.
Tell us about a resident whose life changed for the better once they moved to your community.
I was contacted mistakenly by a family looking for a rehabilitation center with a similar name as ours that was 72 miles away from our location. The mother had a history of falls and was hospitalized repeatedly. The daughter was unfamiliar with rehabilitation centers so she took her mother to a hotel until she could locate a suitable place for her to recover. After the daughter spoke with us about her mother’s care, she decided not to pursue a rehabilitation facility but to bring her mother to live with us to aid in her recovery. In the beginning, the resident was frail and could not walk very well and was only able to tolerate mild therapy. We scheduled a visit with our nutritionist and started her on a well-balanced diet. After a few weeks of therapy and her making good friends, we began to see a huge difference in her health. During her fourth week she became stronger and started to walk without assistance. She soon began to visit and encourage other residents. After three months, this resident left our community to return home and continues to visit and enjoy events and activities with the residents.
In what ways do your employees inspire you?
My employees are very special people. They do their jobs whole-heartedly with a commitment that is hard to measure. They are caring people that have a passion to make every resident feel special. To see a team so dedicated to meeting the needs and concerns of the residents inspires me to serve selflessly.
How do you create a family-like atmosphere at your community?
I lead the team by example and treat them with respect at all times. I involve the staff in decisions that may affect their work as well as keep them abreast of changes. We embrace different cultures and celebrate the small successes in an environment where we play, love and sometimes cry together. The team is included in the activities and is encouraged to laugh and share special moments in the residents’ lives. I am instrumental in letting them know how important they are to the overall success of the community. I keep the community on one accord by always caring for others, assuming the best intentions and never losing sight of our goal – to provide quality care for our residents.
Tell us about an employee who embodies one of our core values – integrity, respect, responsibility, professionalism or teamwork.
We have an employee that has worked with us for over seven years and arrives early and ready to work each day. If anyone needs help, she is the first to volunteer. Balancing the needs of the residents and being there for her teammates is always her priority. She evaluates systems and processes in her department to ensure quality resident care is provided daily. She is proactive and always comes with a solution while exuding teamwork.