Kara Knudson is this month's Core Values Leader. | p. 3
Lynda Bernard and Sharon Woods-Bryenton have been with Andrews for 17 years | p. 8
In this edition we get to know Kelly Tingley. | p 5
Hello team,
Let me pose a question to you Are you the same person today as when you were 16? I imagine the answer, overwhelmingly, would be no, of course not You're older, you ' ve gained life experience Maybe you attended college or university maybe you got married and had kids Whatever it is that happened in the years between 16 and today, it changed you, likely for the better You've developed skills, you ' ve matured emotionally You needed to adapt to the changes in you and you did You're an improved version, so to speak, of your 16-year-old self
And that's what we mean when we talk about constant improvement as an organization Times change, and just like in our personal lives, as an organizat we need to change with it At Andrews, that means always looking for new way improve the lives of our residents. A great example is the plant room recently opened at ProTem This simple idea adds a lot of value for our residents The benefits of taking care of plants are well documented and having projects like help set Andrews and ProTem apart from other, more institutional, care homes
Another example would be the educational sessions on healthy eating our dietitian Hamid Ferdowsi and training coordinator Jincy Manoj recently held fo our residents as part of Nutrition Month These were a great opportunity to get important message out in a fun, informative and engaging way
Likewise, a special thanks to our Home Ops and maintenance teams for their w with Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) in our LTC homes We expect to s improvements in the coming days Every step we take toward improvement benefits our residents, our teams and our shared future
Looking ahead, I am happy to announce ProTem will once again be the top tie sponsor for the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer's in Moncton Danie DeAgazio, ProTem's relationship manager, has been actively involved in the Ne Brunswick branch of the Alzheimer s Society for a number of years Last year, s chaired the walk and this year she will be co-chair We are looking forward to taking a leading role in this important fundraiser
Also on the horizon are our Care Awards The results are in and we expect announcements to be made soon
Finally, I had a great time bowling and seeing all the photos of team members enjoying themselves. The Social Committee did a great job organizing and I look forward to more opportunities to connect outside of work hours
Sincerely,
It is Andrews Senior Care's goal to respect the dignit to provide a safe and secure environment; to promote involvement of residents and their family by inviting input and feedback related to the care and services we provide;
Kara shows compassion and empathy in her daily work.
She always has a positive attitude and is willing to provide help where and when she's needed.
She has an excellent rapport with the residents and is skilled at providing care while respecting their autonomy.
Our Above and Beyond winner for March is Anas Saroud
Anas is a hard-working, dedicated team member who is always willing to go the extra mile He has a great rapport with the residents, is helpful and cheerful to everyone at Andrews of Charlottetown
Anas first started working as a caregiver with us in 2022 In addition to his role as caregiver, he also occasionally helps out with our dietary team. As an example of his willingness to go above and beyond, Anas recently attended a morning appointment with a resident despite having just worked an overnight shift
is
W H A T W O U L D Y O U C O N S I D E R T H E P E R F E C T M E A L ? If I had to pick one, it would be a turkey dinner.
C O F F E E O R T E A ?
Tea or coffee with dessert
W H A T I S Y O U R F A V O U R I T E M O V I E ?
My favourite movie would be either "The Notebook" or "Dirty Dancing "
W H A T I S Y O U R F A V O U R I T E B O O K ?
I am not much of a reader but I really enjoyed the book "The Woman in the Attic " It is a true story set in Newfoundland
W H A T T A L E N T W O U L D Y O U M O S T L I K E T O H A V E ? The one talent I had always wished I had, is the ability to play the piano.
W H A T D O Y O U A D M I R E M O S T I N P E O P L E ? What I like in people is their honesty and integrity.
W H A T M O T T O D O Y O U L I V E B Y ?
My life's motto is Trest others the way you would like to be treated Hopefully I have answered your questions to your satisfaction
For Sister Anne MacDonald, her life as a nun and her years of volunteer work have always gone hand in hand.
“It’s a calling,” she said of the sisterhood. “God is the one that calls.”
It’s that commitment to her vocation that drove her to begin volunteering at Andrews of Stratford, providing church services to residents Now, after 17 years of weekly visits, she still gets the same satisfaction as when she first started
“It’s wonderful,” she said “They are so appreciative They are very grateful ”
She added, for many of the residents at Andrews, their relationship to their church was always an important part of their life, serving both spiritual and social needs Now, as they’re getting older, it can be even more valuable
“It’s very important for them,” she said “(To) have something to help them in their spiritual life, to give them courage, to tell them how wonderful they are ”
Jane Pearce has been a practicing Catholic her entire life and now takes part in the services at Andrews doing readings She’s experienced first-hand the value Sister Anne brings to Andrews
CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
Sister Anne MacDonald chats with Polly Mullen after a recent church service.
Andrews relies on volunteer clergy at all our church services and we are extremely grateful for the dedication of people like Sister Anne What she does, what all our volunteer clergy do for our residents, is immeasurable.
AMANDA KOTLAR SENIOR LIVING ADVISOR“Sister Anne is just a good soul,” she said. “I think she really enjoys being part of the community here. I expect you could talk to her about anything She’s friendly and she likes to know what’s going on with you ”
She added, even on the days where she’s unable to get to service, Sister Anne stops by her room to visit before leaving
“She’s just a wonderful, down to earth person, ” she said
For Polly Mullen, Sister Anne’s visits are also an opportunity to catch up with an old friend Polly first got to know Sister Anne through her son Dan. Dan was a student of Sister Anne’s when he was young and initially Polly and Sister Anne’s relationship was that of parent and teacher. However, as Dan grew up, he kept in contact with Sister Anne, making sure to take her to coffee or lunch every once in a while. Polly reconnected with her when she moved into Andrews. When Dan died suddenly two years ago, Sister Anne was one of the first people the family called
“Sister Anne is just a wonderful person, ” she said “She’s amazing That’s all you can say ”
Andrews Senior Living Advisor Amanda Kotlar agrees
“We’ve had a lot of volunteers at Andrews over the years, but Sister Anne is one of the longest-serving,” she said “Andrews relies on volunteer clergy at all our church services and we are extremely grateful for the dedication of people like Sister Anne What she does, what all our volunteer clergy do for our residents, is immeasurable.”
While Andrews is Sister Anne’s most recent volunteer project, it’s not her first. After taking a hairdressing course when she turned 65, Sister Anne spent a number of years volunteering at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital washing patient’s hair, something she continued doing until COVID-19 put an end to it in spring of 2020
“It’s (about) helping people to feel good about themselves,” she said of her time at the hospital “They were most grateful ”
At 89 years old, Sister Anne is older than many of the residents living at Andrews However, she’s not letting that slow her down She’s committed to helping at Andrews for as long as her health will allow
“I’ll continue as long as I can drive,” she said, smiling.
Sharon Woods-Bryenton has been with Andrews of Stratford for 17 years.
Sharon started working as a caregiver at Andrews of Stratford the second year the home was open
At the time, her father had just passed away and her mother recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's The experience inspired her to pursue a career in senior care
"I wanted to see seniors have something to look forward to in their lives," she said
It wasn't long before she transitioned from caregiver to program coordinator, a role she remains in today
"I really like being with the residents," she said "I find that very fulfilling I really enjoy making the residents' day special "
She added, Andrews has always been a source of support. "(The leadership team) is very positive," she said. "They're always there with whatever you need to make things fresh and new for the residents. When I bring up ideas they're very supportive."
Every month we will be highlighting team members who've reached significant milestones with us
Lynda Bernard has been an Andrews team member for 17 years.
Lynda began working as the program coordinator at Andrews of Parkhill in 2006 After spending five years in the role she transitioned from managing the daily activities for residents to assisting the Operations Manager In 2012, she took over as the full-time Operations Manager of Parkhill, a role she remained in until 2022, when she became Group Operations Manager, overseeing all Andrews Senior Care and ProTem Memory Care homes
"I've had great mentors (at Andrews)," she said "They've all been very open I have a little keepsake from each of them to remind me of their mentorship "
She added, while her responsibilities have changed over the years, her sense of purpose is the same as it was her first week at Parkhill all those years ago
"I love the sense of belonging to an organization I believe in," she said "It's part of me "
Take advantage of our Employee Assistance Program through Lifeworks This program is available 24/7 online or over the phone and services to help you with work, family, health, money, and life The following is information on how you can access the program:
Toll-free support line: 1-877-207-8833
TTY: 1-877-371-9978
Through their website login.lifeworks.com
Username: murphy
Password: eap
Are
Community Cash 50/50
Paid vacation time starting at 4% per year (Approximately 2 weeks)
Health and dental coverage, of which we cover 50% of the costs
A pension plan where we match your contributions of up to 4% of your salary annually
A fitness subsidy of up to $250 annually
Discounts with local companies, including pharmacies, home heating oil providers and restaurants