Employees of St. Ann’s Community Earn Awards for Excellence in Care and Service

Seven employees of St. Ann’s Community were recently recognized for going above and beyond in caring for residents and contributing to a positive environment.

The St. Ann’s CARE Award is presented to employees who exemplify the “St Ann’s Experience,” which includes being responsible for results; leading by example; performing as one team; sharing expertise; and delivering a personalized experience. Awardees are nominated by their supervisors or other St. Ann’s leaders; this month, two were nominated by a resident of St. Ann’s Home.

The following received CARE Awards in April:

• Camala Brown, Nursing, St. Ann’s Home
• Matt Carr, Facilities
• Bunny Drugo, Physical Therapy
• Shana Jermyn, Nursing, St. Ann’s Care Center
• Sharon Kaplan, Social Work
• Kelley Kovac, Dining & Nutrition
• Dawn Mayer, Nursing, St. Ann’s Home

Camala Brown and Dawn Mayer were recognized by a resident of St. Ann’s Home named Ann who was a registered nurse for over 50 years. “They take time to listen to residents’ wants and needs and are open to feedback,” Ann said in her nomination. “They deliver a personalized experience by sharing stories about their lives and families and listening to the wisdom and life experiences we have to offer. My family and I thank them for their kindness, compassion, and patience.”

Matt Carr and Bunny Drugo worked together to design and create a modified stationery bike for a resident of St. Ann’s Home who could not use a traditional bike due to safety concerns. They modified the device several times based on feedback from the resident until they came up with a model that worked for him and met his physical needs. He now has a functional and safe bike for his personal exercise program.

Shana Jermyn “takes time to really know the people who live on the household in which she works,” a colleague wrote in nominating Shana.  “She leads by example and promotes kindness, well-being, and independence. It is common for family members to let us know how important Shana is to their loved ones.”

Sharon Kaplan works with a St. Ann’s Home resident who is Jewish and makes an extra effort to not only honor the resident’s faith but to create opportunities for her to celebrate it. Sharon led a small group of staff in planning a Seder, the traditional meal marking the beginning of Passover, for this resident and several others who are Jewish. This included traditional food, music, and other items used in the celebration, which was deeply appreciated by the residents and their families.

Kelley Kovac is the supervisor of Café Rizzo at St. Ann’s Home. She has a customer who regularly buys soup for his mother, a resident, by pre-paying each week. Due to a snowstorm one day he was unable to make it in, so Kelley delivered the soup to his mother herself. She also helped another resident’s family member ensure that his mother received flowers on Valentine’s Day.  “Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest impact on a person’s day!” wrote a colleague in nominating Kelley for the award.