I love that feature on Facebook! It brings back good and often funny memories I would have probably forgot about. I was suppose to blog about this on January 17th… but there is nothing like procrastinating so close to New Year’s.
This FB post popped up from a mall walking excursion with some of my past oldies. I remember the look on these men’s faces and couldn’t help but laugh.
And another memory from that day… a year later:
One thing I love about keeping a blog is being able to go back and read memories from the past. Especially funny things my oldies have said or done. They make me happy and bring me such joy.
Although this was from a Facebook memory, I still wanted to share a past oldie comment and a current comment from the other day. I have the best job ever!!
I have been absent in my blogging for a few days. Not many people know this nor do I speak of it very often, but I have severe anxiety. I have had a very anxiety filled week. I really do not have a reason. I am not under extreme stress, but my mind sometimes plays tricks on me like it has this week. This past week I have just wanted to lay in bed and be all by myself. I have just wanted to isolate myself. It is a fight sometimes to get out the door on days I am not working because being around people makes me anxious.
This past week I did spend some time with my other family… IN A LARGE CROWD… on a day off and was okay. I fought through it and although I was only at the pumpkin patch for a short time, I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed that I could walk the long distance to and from the car in heeled boots and my feet never hurt. That is what I call a Whole30 non scale victory. The lack of joint pain is reason enough to eat healthy!
I love fall! I love boots and sweaters and the decorations. I especially love the front doors at work right now! They make me happy… and the hay everywhere doesn’t give me anxiety!
Today I was promoted and demoted, all within 8 hours. Getting to spend the day with the president of Aegis Living was inspiring and educational.
Here is what I learned, not just from the president but also about the home office:
Lead a Team Without Fear:
You can tell how an employee immediately feels about their supervisor by the way they speak to them and about them. I learned very quickly (and have known for a while) how many people respect and honor Judy. You can see the trust people have in her and how seriously she takes that trust.
Be Humorous:
Anyone who says there is not room for humor and fun in the workplace is working in the wrong place. You can lead a team and have them respect and listen to you at the same time. Everybody was so happy today! Now I know it might not always be that way but EVERYBODY was happy to be at work and looked like they enjoy what they do. I think that is a direct correlation to our leadership at Aegis Living. It really is important to be happy, joke, and have fun at work!
There is A lot of Boring Stuff, But Important Stuff:
3:52:51… That is how long the monthly meeting was this morning. (And they get to do it again tomorrow!) And although breaks were scheduled, they did not get them because it was more important to offer support. Yes, this meeting could be deemed boring but it was important. I have always heard about variance calls but really did not know what was involved. No matter where census was for a community, the leaders patiently listened, cheered on, and coached those involved. These meeting could easily be turned into a negative experience but it really was a time to reflect, make goals, and support each other. There is a time and place for everything (including performance reviews) and the people involved in these meetings know this full well and mentioned how it was not a time to embarrass people or belittle but to support and honor hard work. And really that it is never okay to belittle or embarrass someone.
Say, “Thank You!”:
Judy says thank you to everybody. It feels nice to be thanked and it such a simple thing to do. I have recently been actively seeking opportunities to verbally say thank you and physically write a card of thanks to those around me. Judy is great at this. I have work to do at this.
Multi-tasking:
Judy works hard! Judy needs more hours in the day. I am so amazed at how she can do 5 things at once and not lose concentration or track of what is going on. Judy works hard because she honestly and truly cares.
Transparency:
Quote of the day, “Be honest quicker!” I mentioned that this was something I noticed about Aegis Living within the first couple months of working with them and something I had not experienced at other work places. We are humans, mistakes happen, but it is even more important to be honest and take accountability. I feel it is so easy to talk your way around situations but Aegis Living is wonderful at taking accountability and learning from experiences. It is obviously hard to be wrong, but oh so rewarding to not lose trust and respect by being honest.
There Are Coasters Everywhere:
Respect where you work! Aegis Living has done an amazing job of building an office where you can be comfortable, productive, supported, and inspired. There are quotes on the walls, inspiring art work and photographs, indoor and outdoor space. The bathrooms are amazing (and the woman’s bathroom walls are glittery!) They respect their environment and there was literally coasters everywhere to protect the beauty and amazingness of the warm and natural supplies used. (We asked a male employee to check the men’s bathroom so I could get a picture!)
I learned there is a difference between doing the right thing and a need to be financially stable and responsible. I learned Aegis Living will do anything in their power to help someone out, but being financially stable is also important in making sure buildings are properly maintained and that there is enough staff to do the work needed. It is not ALL about the finances, but they are important too.
I learned (already knew it!) how much I despise the word boss! I hope someday I can learn to be the type of boss Judy is. Judy leads with respect but does not hold herself higher than others. Judy cares about what she does and cares about the people she works with. Judy has obviously learned a lot and wants to mentor and teach and encourage those around her. Judy is smart! She is really smart!
I also learned I am not done learning from Judy! I want to learn more and have a list of questions to still ask her.
I was also reminded of all the amazing people I get to work and learn from:
Laurel Cline, my General Manager
Janaira Stokes, my Marketing Director
Chris Corrigall and Emese Crumb, the Vice President of Life Enrichment and Director of Life Enrichment
I have AMAZING MENTORS! I sometimes can not believe how lucky I am to work with such smart, supportive, and inspiring people.
And my greatest disappointment of all: I didn’t get a photo with Judy! But I did get one with the CEO and Owner, Dwayne Clark.
Tomorrow I become the “president” of Aegis Living for the day. What does that mean? I really have no idea, but I know I get to spend the whole day with the current president at the Aegis Living home office. I love working with seniors and really hope to learn more than I have already in my working career. I am excited to learn about the “other side” of senior living.
This caused me to reminisce on how I got started with seniors? I don’t know if I have ever written it down.
I say my love for seniors began when I was 14. At that age we were learning about the Renaissance Period and all that was invented, created, revived and learned. We were encouraged to learn about something we did not know about and to do something we had never done before. My grandma was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease so my dad encouraged me to learn more about it (She lived in Ohio, we lived in Washington). My mom encouraged me to then find a memory care facility where I could play my flute for seniors with dementia. (This was also when I was first introduced to A Bicycle Built for Two!!) I did my research and called a local facility to play at in Kent. (That facility is now an Aegis Living facility and I have happy memories every time I walk through those doors.) I remember being so nervous to play in front of people. It didn’t matter what population it was. I learned a couple important lessons this day.
Number one… if I messed up, they quickly forgot. SO there was no need to be nervous! I secretly hope everyday my residents will forget if I ever feel nervous.
Number two… seniors with dementia say WHATEVER is on their mind. As I was playing I could hear those sweet residents’ comments…
“Oh, look at that sweet child.”
“Her face is red. I think she is going to pass out.”
“BOO!! She is playing too loud.”
Number three… the importance of skin to skin contact and holding hands. After I played my flute I would massage the little old ladies hands and paint their nails. To this day I hold my residents hands as often as I can. There is trust in holding a hand.
Now that I think about it… a lesson I learned after the fact. I remember that every time I played the residents would be seated and ready to welcome me into their home. Ever since then, when a young person asks to play for my residents, I quickly say, “Yes!” and make sure my seniors are ready and waiting to welcome them into our community.
Throughout my youth there were many more opportunities to serve seniors. There were many times our youth group would go and sing in nursing homes. I would visit some home-bound seniors with my mom and bring them food from our church and just show them some little extra love and attention. (Oh, Sister Brown and her hugs!!)
And even one year getting stuck in an elevator with Santa, Mrs Claus, an elf and my family! (It was so hot in the elevator everything started to fog up!)
I forgot that I went and played my flute years later with my flute teacher and the same facility where it all began. (That photo was in 2001. Thank you daddy for digging it out!)
My senior year in high school my very smart and intuitive mother encouraged me to take the Certified Nursing Assistant transfer course. I did, I learned, I served… and while I was still in high school I got my first “real” job at a facility. What a learning experience that was! A naïve 18 year old getting pinched in the rear for the first time. To see the memory loss and how it affected residents and families on a deeper level. Being dropped off at the corner of the street because one of my residents eloped and needed a walk back. Death… the care and love and respect needed to care for someone as they were taking their last breaths. I learned to love unconditionally. To love a person and not get frustrated because of their disease. I learned that those you work with become your family and that the residents and their families become your family. I learned just about everything I know from that facility. I worked there from the age of 18 until just shy of 30. I grew up there and the residents were a big part of that. They wrote me while I was in college and gave me advice. I learned to be a caregiver, a medication technician, a server, a housekeeper, an administrative intern, a receptionist, and most importantly a life enrichment director (I even did some maintenance and substituted for the business office manger once while she was on vacation). I learned how to be creative with residents with memory issues, a skill which has helped me tremendously at Aegis.
After almost a 12 year relationship I cut ties with that facility. I always want to work for a
company that puts people above finances. As of today I have been at Aegis Living for three years. A long but extremely rewarding 3 years. Choosing Aegis Living was the right decision. I love being apart of the Aegis Living family. I love learning from the amazing people I work with. I love working for a company that values their workers and residents. They care! They truly care and it makes a difference.
So, as it is getting rather late and my brain no longer wants to function, I am so excited to learn more tomorrow… learn another side of the senior living industry. It can only help me in my future.
Highlight of my day was by far going to the nursing assistant school speaking to the students about how much I love Aegis and why they should join our team at Aegis of Kirkland. I am so blessed to be apart of Aegis Living!! Sometimes I feel like I am the worst Life Enrichment Director EVER though. I hate BINGO… what activity director hates BINGO? If I could, I would never have a BINGO game ever again… but my residents just love it.
Tonight I gave BINGO candy a ride from Kirkland to Shoreline and Shoreline back home. We spent a good 3 hours together. It sat in front of me while I helped recruit CNAs and sat next to me in my commute back home (does BINGO candy count as a carpool buddy?). I wasn’t once tempted until 9:03 pm as I pulled into my parking spot. No one would know if I snuck a piece, right? And one little piece of candy can’t hurt, right? It is so shiny, and colorful, and it smells good! Ugh, yes it would ruin everything! I am going to complete this Whole 30 and not let a little BINGO candy ruin my hard work.
Today I had a hard time eating. I ate breakfast and had maybe a cup of fresh fruit but I just wasn’t feeling it today. I couldn’t force myself to eat. At 7 I finally made myself eat 6 bites of my cauliflower salad but still wasn’t hungry. How do you force yourself to eat when you know you need to but just aren’t hungry?
Oh it smells so good when you can’t have it! So did the mashed potatoes and meatloaf I served the residents tonight!
Day 4 is complete! Although that food smelled good, it really wasn’t much of a temptation. On the way home at 7:45pm I ate some carrot sticks and yellow peppers and am going to bed full. Do any of you find a different in the taste of baby carrots and peeling and cutting the regular carrots? Regular carrots taste so much better to me.
Anyways, I have this! I mean, yes, there is still 26 more days… but I am going to do this!!
Yes, I am talking about my oldies again. They are so funny sometimes. I just assumed all old people were fuddy duddies and VERY ULTRA CONSERVATIVE. You know, there is an order to the way things go, you meet a guy, date a guy, get engaged to a guy, marry a guy, move in with a guy. That’s the order, right? I was sitting with a couple of my old ladies at Fred Meyer’s today and we were talking about my move. They asked if i had moved in with someone and I said yes. One of the ladies perked up and said, “A Fellow?” I was shocked and said NO! probably a little too loudly. She said, “Well, if you are going to move in with someone you might as well make it worth your while and move in with a fellow!” I was shocked! I couldn’t believe that came out of a little old ladies mouth!
On the other hand, I will be doing my Mint Green and Gold Crackle Manicure and party nail shamrocks on my old ladies next week. I have about six of them that requested it at manicures today. NEXT Tuesday’s manicures will be so much fun! I am super excited!
Oh, my little old ladies say the greatest things. Let me first explain my LEAST favorite time of the week is Mondays during BINGO. I don’t so much love them during BINGO. They are catty and mean, and rude, and just plain horrible to each other. I can’t even tell you how many times I have wanted to cancel it because they have been such bullies. I know they all want to think they are the “better” person, BUT COME ON… they are all in the facility for a reason. Anyways, even with the drama today during BINGO (it was very tolerable)… the ladies were kind of funny. The best thing they said? Acknowledging I have been rather sick lately, it has been hard to call BINGO and not cough… My oldies worry about me. They asked how i was feeling and I said not too bad…. One said, “You look like you are feeling better.” I said it was because I was wearing make up. Another popped up, “Oh, I didn’t notice.” Then my dear feisty “N” said, ” I noticed! You are hot when you wear make up and ugly when you don’t.” OH GOTTA LOVE THE HONESTY!!!
One of the most successful events we do at Arbor Village… and probably the crazy busiest. I can not even explain how exhausting this event is with the seating charts, furniture movement, cleaning, serving, volunteer coordinating and the list can go on… It is exhausting to say the least but completely worth all the work. The residents are happy, the family members are happy… it is 100% worth it to see the look of satisfaction and love, and happiness on their faces. This year we served 230ish people at my building. The kitchen cooked 38 turkeys with only one casualty. All I can say is i am glad it is over!! I usually stay in bed the next day wallowing in pain but this year I got up early and went shopping with Jennifer. Last year I was 30 pounds heavier… those 30 pounds make a big difference… Now just 30 more to go 🙂
Laura Suzanne 