Though each of our 33 communities is different, what remains consistent is the level of safety, comfort and community our residents feel. Creating and maintaining this welcoming senior environment is not easy, but Embrace Living Communities manages to do this year after year, thanks to the dedication of our compassionate team members. At our company-wide gathering to celebrate our ranking at the top of the list of Fortune Magazine’s Best Workplace in Aging Services for small-medium organizations, each of our employee teams met and discussed their team goals for their respective communities.
In this month’s staff profile, learn about our Greencastle of Bayonet Point team leaders in Port Richey, Florida: Manager Shauna, Social Service Coordinator Aimee, Lead Maintenance Technician Tom, and Maintenance Assistant Melissa.
What are some of the ways the staff tries to keep seniors engaged at the Bayonet Point community?
The staff directs monthly wellness hours for the residents. We have outside commodities delivered weekly and monthly and there are a variety of health and wellness seminars with outside vendors featured. Aimee, our Social Service Coordinator, assists the residents in utilizing the different benefits available to them. We have different groups like our Garden Club Committee (who works out in our community garden), which is made up of both residents and staff. There’s regular communication with our Resident Council members for parties and events.
What are some of the things the team tries to do to improve the residents’ quality of life?
Educational programs for health and wellness are available to residents, as well as in-home services that our Social Service Coordinator can provide referrals for. There’s scheduled entertainment for the residents, especially during the holiday season, and our residents have daily interactions on an individual and group basis. Additionally, there’s a van that transports residents to local shopping centers for things like groceries twice a week.
How does the Bayonet Point team go about establishing partnerships with other organizations and businesses?
As a whole, the staff is proactive and engages in positive discussions out in the community about Embrace Living Communities. Shauna volunteers with community organizations outside of work to promote Greencastle of Bayonet Point and Aimee is an active member of PAN for networking, as well as many outside county resources. Tom and Melissa attend an annual maintenance show and keep up relationships with local contractors and vendors.
How does the teamwork together to decide on team goals (and other priorities) for the year?
We meet as a unified group to brainstorm and work toward ideas. Then we schedule and implement those ideas.
What are some of the most rewarding parts of the work the Bayonet Point team does?
It’s a good feeling to know we’ve made a difference in the lives of residents and getting that appreciation from them.
What are some of the things the staff at Bayonet Point values most about their fellow team members?
We all love what we do! We have open, honest communication with one another and we share a positive mindset that we reinforce within the team to work through issues. There’s an appreciation for our individual and group talents.
What makes Embrace Living Communities a Great Place to Work?
We were all initially attracted to be a part of Embrace Living Communities because we were drawn to the service industry and wanted to make a difference. We’ve been here as long as 16 years and as recently as one year, but since working here, we’ve all discovered both tangible and intangible benefits in our work, including sharing our days with our second family here.
