Every year, the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) Hero Awards recognize individuals who are ideal representatives of the hundreds of thousands of people serving in senior living communities.
Cape Memory Care is honored to nominate Bri Johnston, PSS/CRMA, residential care assistant. Bri joined Cape Memory Care (Woodlands Assisted Living of Cape Elizabeth, LLC) when the facility first open its doors in November of 2010.
Bri exemplifies concern – for residents, their families and staff’s quality of life. As Bri says, about 40 times a day she asks herself, If that were my mother, how would I want her to be treated? “And she does just that!” shares Gloria C. the daughter of a resident. “On an initial tour of the facility she made us feel immediately at ease She gives us peace of mind knowing that our mother is taken care of here, at Cape Memory Care. Bri’s quick smile and enthusiasm have nudged my mom to involve herself in ways we could never get her to do!” writes Gloria.
What takes Bri to HERO heights is her thoughtful approach to communication. For example, one resident has a daily phone conversation with her daughter who lives out of state. Before transferring the call to the resident, Bri gives the daughter some glimpses of the resident’s day: things the resident did, discussions that she laughed about, helping the daughter to have a more meaningful talk and bring up good memories of the day.
Bri encourages people to do best they can for themselves. If there a group activity happening and they do not feel like participating, she offers a choice of another thing to do. She helps them choose the clothes they want to wear, a color of bedspread they’d rather have in the room. When Bri is involved, no resident is ever rushed to complete any task.
Staff members feel comfortable asking her “how to” – from changing a colostomy bag to redirecting a resident who is having a difficult moment.
Along with the professional example she sets in the workplace, Bri is also active in the community. In 2011 she organized and captained the CMC team for the Annual Memory Walk. She says she previously did not know much about Alzheimer’s, but seeing how the disease impacts CMC residents and their families, brought awareness of its devastating effects. She wants others to know what it is, and goes (literally) an extra mile (actually 3.2miles) to raise awareness and money for research and treatment. With her cheerleading, making posters, promoting “casual for cause” days, and recruiting a team, Cape Memory Cruisers raised over $700 to help the local Alzheimer’s association chapter. Bri is already planning improvements and goals for next year’s event.
Now, by being a hero, she is giving Cape Memory Care and Woodlands Assisted Living an opportunity to celebrate a caregiver like her, locally and nationally.