Meagan was working as a barista at Starbucks when she fielded a call from her mom, who had been working at Christian Health Care Center for about a year. The message was simple: “We’re hiring,” Becky told her daughter. “You should come work here.”
Meagan did, and almost five years later, mother and daughter are still working together at CHCC, caring for people who, essentially, have become part of the family.
“The residents are what keep me going,” Becky says. “This is their world. It makes me feel good to be a light to them, to bring a smile to their face. They call you by name, they tell you ‘good morning,’ they love to see you. It’s an honor to get to take care of them in their last days.”
Both Becky and Meagan are hospitality aides, meaning they do a little of just about everything at CHCC. They make beds, answer call lights, get residents coffee and snacks, take residents to activities and guide them to the dining room for meals, tidy bins, pass out fresh masks to residents, clean and restock supplies, clean and sanitize equipment and so much more.
“Most days are really fun,” Becky says. “Some days are stressful, but when you see co-workers in the hallway, they smile — with their eyes, since they are wearing masks — and you know they’ve got your back. We all work as a team.”
“One of the first things they tell you when you start is to not get attached, but of course that’s what you do. You can’t help but get attached; the residents are wonderful.”
Meagan S.
There is much to love about working at CHCC, Meagan says, but the residents are definitely at the top of the list.
“I remember one resident who, every day when I would go to make her bed, she would sing to me,” Meagan says. “Whatever song was on her mind, she would sing it for me while I was there in her room. It always put a smile on my face.”
That resident has since passed on, and Meagan remembers it being difficult.
“One of the first things they tell you when you start is to not get attached, but of course that’s what you do,” she says. “You can’t help but get attached; the residents are wonderful.”
“I’ve sat with residents as they’ve passed away. I’ll hold their hand and tell them ‘I love you.’ I want them to know that they have someone there who loves them, someone who cares for them. It makes me feel like I’ve done something special. I’m meant to be here.”
Becky S.
CHCC is the residents’ home, Becky adds, and because of that, hospitality aides and other team members have an enormous impact on their lives. It’s important to treat them well, she says.
“I’ve sat with residents as they’ve passed away. I’ll hold their hand and tell them ‘I love you.’ I want them to know that they have someone there who loves them, someone who cares for them. It makes me feel like I’ve done something special. I’m meant to be here.”
For those residents who don’t have family in the area, this can be a huge blessing to them, she says.
The mother–daughter team — who many days get to work together — tend to highlight that point when they share advice with people considering starting a career in long-term care.
“If you have a heart for it, if you want to be someone who makes a difference in somebody’s life, if you have a willingness and a desire, this is the place for you,” Becky says. “I love working here.”
“We have one resident right now who, every time I see her, calls out, ‘There’s my girl. How are you? I was wondering where you were; I haven’t seen you for a couple of days.’ You know that you are a big, big part of their lives, and it’s such an honor.”
In addition, Becky says, CHCC takes pride in maintaining a clean, safe and comfortable building for residents and staff alike.
“There are housekeepers around all the time,” she says. “It feels like you are walking into an office building for a 9-5 shift. It’s a really clean environment. All the workers are hard-working, friendly and great to work with. Everyone is like family.”
That word comes up a lot: “family.” But it’s not hyperbole, Becky says. At CHCC, everyone — residents, hospitality aides, cooks, CEOs — act like one big family.
“I couldn’t ask for a better place to work,” she says. “The supervisors take care of you, and they call you by your name and ask about your day, whether you’re a janitor or an office worker or a nursing assistant. The CEO even comes out and joins in. He calls the staff by name and socializes with them. They really create a welcoming environment. I love it here.”