Our Associates
Each annual winner was chosen from the quarterly Whatever It Takes Champions during 2024. Congratulations to each of these outstanding Champions of Care for the amazing job they have done in serving residents, patients, and fellow associates!
When some residents requested to go fishing, Nickie did her best to arrange a trip to a nearby lake. Unfortunately, transportation proved difficult, and the trip fell through. So, what did Nickie do? She brought the lake to the residents!
Nickie convinced a local business to donate a stock tank to the facility. She then arranged for the tank to be filled with lake water and stocked with fish so the residents could have a day of fishing right at the facility. The residents had a wonderful, unforgettable day, thanks to Nickie.
According to her colleagues, a week can’t go by without a resident or family member complimenting Francisca and her exceptional service. She models the Whatever It Takes ideal every day by helping any time she can, putting smiles on people’s faces, and finding creative ways to engage and support residents.
She takes immense pride in her work, and we take pride in her being part of our Life Care family!
Brian is a reliable asset to the facility’s maintenance team and a servant to everyone he encounters. According to his colleagues, he rarely calls out and never passes up an opportunity to help a resident or fellow associate. His generosity and desire to learn have driven him to play roles in almost every department. The facility is thankful and proud to have him on their team.
A “jack of all trades,” Darin Baker has been maintenance director at Westview for 26 years. His colleagues say he is a devoted professional who knows the facility top to bottom. There’s no problem he can’t identify and fix. But Darin provides more than just maintenance services; he’s shown himself to be a reliable friend and caregiver.
On one occasion, Darin drove a resident to an appointment. When the appointment was canceled, instead of heading back to the facility, Darin took the resident to their old neighborhood so they could reminisce and see how everything had changed. On another occasion, Darin happened upon a resident’s daughter, who was overwhelmed with emotion. Darin stopped what he was doing and sat with her to offer comfort and talk her through her emotions.
When a patient came in for rehab after recovering from frostbite, Kayleigh became curious about his situation. She learned that he lived in a house with no heat, plumbing, or adequate electricity. When he needed to shower, he walked to the local YMCA to use their facilities, hence his contraction of frostbite one bitterly cold day.
Concerned about his living conditions, Kayleigh did some research and made some calls. She found a Rehab and Repair program through the local Housing Authority and helped the resident apply for a loan to renovate his home. The program approved the resident for the loan, which he does not have to pay back while he’s in the home, and made all the necessary repairs. During the large renovation, the resident stayed at the facility, also thanks to Kayleigh’s assistance.
Muridia played a significant role in a community-wide event that brought amusement and joy to residents and staff. Nina, the wife of a now-deceased memory care resident, became inspired to paint stylized portraits of the caregivers at the facility who cared for her husband during his stay. Enamored with the project, Muridia did all she could to help Nina. She collected photos of all the caregivers, and, once Nina finished the paintings, organized an art gallery event at the facility.
Word about the event spread, so much so that an executive producer at CBS reached out to the executive director at the facility. The producer expressed they would like to cover the event for their “On the Road” segment. While the segment fell through, the showing was a big success. WEAR ABC and the Pensacola News Journal featured the event and interviewed Muridia about how it all transpired.
Jerry has been with Wooldridge Place Nursing Center for over 18 years and is known as the facility’s “keeper.” He embodies the Whater It Takes spirit and does whatever he can to uplift and provide reassurance during times of uncertainty. He also lends his expertise to the sister facility, Alameda Oaks, on a regular basis. Jerry is a comforting, supportive presence and, along with “keeper,” is also called the facility’s “champion."
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Today Life Care operates or manages more than 200 skilled nursing, rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s and senior living campuses in 28 states.
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