Healthcare isn’t an easy career pathway to choose, but those who have the passion for helping others wouldn’t have chosen any other profession. It has been said, “you have two hands; one to help yourself and the other for someone in need.” Well I agree. Working in skilled nursing takes someone who has passion and patience, it’s the most gratifying work you will ever do. Arbutus Park Retirement Community is another home for us and these residents are our extended family. For the past ten weeks, our world has drastically changed and Arbutus Park Retirement Community has swiftly adapted. It takes an entire village to overcome these obstacles, and our village here at Arbutus has done this without hesitation or complaint. We all work together to provide care to our most cherished members of society. Now, let me tell you a little about how we as a community rise above the current events of our new world and conquer it.
The Nursing Department:
Remember the not so easy career path I mentioned earlier? Well, nursing is far from easy on a good day. The nurses here always go above and beyond for their residents. Their days are filled with call bells, paperwork, phone calls, and the list goes on and on but, on top of all that, they’re stepping into a new reality where their resident’s needs are a bit different. With the current restrictions of visitors, our nurses, now more than ever, spend those extra minutes of their day with our residents, talking with them, telling them a funny story, or giving them that extra hug before they leave the room. Underneath our nurse’s masks at Arbutus, you can feel their smile, and it’s contagious. How do I know that? I see it in our resident’s eyes, they light up! Then their smile starts, and that my friend, is what makes a nurse’s long hours and tired feet all worth it.
Thank you, nurses at Arbutus for all you do – it doesn’t go unnoticed!
The Activity Department:
The Activities Department here is one in a million! I have never seen an Activities Department go above and beyond for their residents every day like here at Arbutus. Yesterday for instance, they set up a bowling alley in the hallway! How amazing is that? That contagious smile I mentioned, well, it’s out in full force when activity staff are around. It’s amazing how each activity department employee jumps in with both feet to make sure that our residents are involved and engaged daily. For example, they do hallway BINGO, hallway parades, hallway sing-a-longs, cookouts, exercise classes, “Chatterbox” visits, Skype / FaceTime calls with families, and the list keeps going. Everything they do eases the new stressors we are living through, and it brightens everyone’s day! I may be biased, but our activities department rocks!
Thank you, Activities Department for always going above and beyond for our residents.
The Dietary Staff:
Food is always the way to someone’s heart! Our food here at Arbutus can comfort anyone, even during these stressful times. Our Dietary Department puts love into every meal. With a smile on their face, the dietary staff always welcomes each resident to the dining room and has their food prepared exactly right. They know their residents, and don’t need to ask how they like their eggs cooked or how many sugars in their coffee, this staff already knows the answer. The Dietary Staff always adapts to our resident’s diets, and can whip up something on the fly to ensure everyone has a full belly after a meal. On that note of full belly’s, since the pandemic started our dietary department has staff appreciation meals twice a month, and that gesture alone goes to show you how much Arbutus and the Dietary Team appreciates the Arbutus family.
Thank you, Dietary Department for everything you do! Your food and services are nothing short of excellence.
The Maintenance/Grounds Crew and Housekeeping Department:
From the snow removal to the flower gardens, our Maintenance/Grounds Crews are top-notch people! They ensure safety at the Manor in all aspects inside and outside. Our “chatterbox” was constructed in a day! That is amazing! If a repair needs done their swiftness to get it complete is astounding. They are always prompt and ensure that everything is in working order! If I have to say so myself, the gardens here are magnificent and their green thumbs don’t go unnoticed. I know for a fact it brightens the resident’s days to see the flowers bloom, and that contagious smile again starts to show. As far as our housekeeping department, they are never seen without a disinfectant in hand! They all pitch in to ensure the Manor is clean and disinfected around the clock! We appreciate how you all go above and beyond to safeguard our home.
Thank you to all the Maintenance/Grounds crew and Housekeeping department staff for always being prompt with service and keeping us all safe. As well as keeping the Manor looking spectacular.
The Therapy Department:
This crew is something to write about; they are “out of the box” thinkers and are willing to help in any way. They treat the residents as family. They keep the residents as independent as possible, and doing functional tasks is what this crew does best! Therapy isn’t just exercising with weights, here it’s function! This team puts the FUN in functional. We have a simulated grocery store, take trips to the gift shop to buy snacks, we run through and simulate paying bills, make meals, practice medication management, and the list goes on and on. This team works together to ensure residents are comfortable, safety is being practiced, independence is a priority, and discharged residents feel confident in their abilities to go home. What a fabulous team of therapists we have at Arbutus.
Thank you, Therapy Department! Each one of you adds something spectacular to the team!
I know I missed some departments on this blog, but I could write for days on how wonderful each department is and how everyone impacts our family here at Arbutus. All of our departments have gone above and beyond through these difficult times, from the office staff, administration staff, IT department, social service department, beauticians, and human resources staff, I thank you. We work together to get things done. We lift each other up and learn from past experiences to better ourselves. Our mission continues to holds true through this time.
“The mission of Arbutus Park Retirement Community is to provide quality care and services, nurturing the mind, body, and spirit of adults in the Laurel Highlands while remaining an independent, non-profit, and faith-based organization.”
I know I’m not alone in saying, “I’m proud to work at Arbutus.” I leave each day knowing that I positively impacted someone. Isn’t that what it’s all about? Impact someone in a positive way. What I experienced and learned during this time is working together makes things easier, spend those extra minutes with family because things can change quickly, six feet isn’t that far, and wearing a mask is a very small price to pay do to what you love.
We are family here at Arbutus and each one of us has a positive impact on our residents daily, whether you know it or not – it’s true. It’s because of you, the people behind the masks at Arbutus, that make the difference.
Stay safe my friends,
– A healthcare worker at Arbutus
