Future Age – March/April 2010 - 43

ideas	&	innovations ideas	&	innovations
Apply by April 30 for AAHSA Annual Awards
oes your organization shine as an example of excellence in aging services? Have you or a colleague created an innovative program or exhibited leadership that deserves special recognition? Give that person or organization the chance to be recognized by entering the 2010 AAHSA Annual Awards. Winners will receive a free registration for the 2010 AAHSA Annual Meeting and Exposition in Los Angeles, Oct. 31 – Nov. 3, where they will be honored. The winning individuals and organizations also will be featured in the September/October FutureAge magazine. Even though not every entry will receive an award, all entries are carefully considered and often lead to further opportunities to

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“tell the story” of the nominees’ accomplishments through such avenues as education programs, media outreach, our magazine and other means. It’s easy to submit an award entry. Simply fill out the online nomination form and answer a few questions about what achievements the person or organization is being nominated for, why they deserve the award, and how their accomplishments are furthering the principles of Quality First. Entries must be submitted online—again, the deadline is April 30. If you have questions, contact Deborah Cloud, dcloud@aahsa.org, or Alma Gill, agill@aahsa.org.	

Ky.	Communities	Honored	for	Workplace	Excellence
Christian	Care	Communities,	Louisville,	Ky. Contact: Suellen Brill, director of public relations, contactus@ccc.1884.org or (502) 254-4277.

Christian	Care	Communities’	Bowling	Green	campus	has	been	 named	one	of	the	Best	Places	to	Work	in	Kentucky.	The	award	 program	is	a	project	of	the	Kentucky	Chamber	of	Commerce	and	 two	other	business	groups.	The	selection	is	based	on	an	assessment	of	policies	and	procedures	and	the	results	of	an	employee	 survey. Keith	Knapp,	president	and	CEO	of	Christian	Care	Communities,	credits	the	entire	staff	of	the	Christian	Health	Center	 in	Bowling	Green	for	the	achievement,	with	special	kudos	to	 Executive	Director	Melanie	Eaton	and	Donna	Howard,	director	 of	nursing,	for	their	leadership.	“It	was	an	instructive	process	and	 pride-building	internally,”	he	says. “The	three	most	important	things	that	employees	want	to	know	 are	that	one,	management	cares;	two,	management	listens;	and	 three,	management	is	willing	to	take	action	to	alleviate	stress,”	 says	Suellen	Brill,	director	of	public	relations.	“One	of	the	most	 stressful	factors	[for]	CNAs	was	their	schedule.	They	wanted	better	control	of	their	hours.” A	self-scheduling	pilot	project	was	launched	at	the	Christian	 Health	Center,	initiated	by	the	CNAs	and	championed	by	Eaton.	 The	experiment	worked	so	well,	it	has	been	rolled	out	to	the	rest	 of	the	Bowling	Green	nursing	staff	and	some	other	departments. “Another	major	factor	[in	earning	recognition]	was	our	commitment	to	wellness,”	says	Neal	Augustus,	human	resources	 manager	for	Christian	Care.	“In	Bowling	Green	they	instituted	 yoga	classes	and	healthy	meal	options,	smoking	cessation	classes,	 and	lots	of	diet	and	exercise	advice.	One	thing	[we	know]	about	 people	who	work	in	health	care	is	that	they	need	to	take	better	 care	of	themselves.” Christian	Care,	which	has	eight	locations,	allows	administrators	 and	executive	directors	to	run	their	own	wellness	initiatives.	The	 Bowling	Green	campus—the	organization’s	smallest	CCRC—has	

become	a	“beta	site”	for	some	of	the	best	ideas. A	“job	shadowing”	program	requires	each	employee	at	Christian	Care’s	program	support	center	in	Louisville	to	spend	time	at	 various	sites	to	follow	and	help	another	employee	for	an	entire	 day.	“We	shadow	a	direct	caregiver,	or	a	cook,	or	a	housekeeper,”	 says	Augustus.	“The	CNAs	were	kind	of	leery	initially,	but	soon	 they	see	that	senior	management	values	them.”
Senior	‘Heroes’	Honored	for	Helping	Hungry	Children

Add	local	honors	to	the	statewide	honors	above	for	Christian	 Care’s	Bowling	Green	campus.	Seniors	there	are	donating	time,	 money	and	food	to	keep	children	from	going	hungry.	Working	with	the	Feeding	America	program,	they	collect	food	that	 is	placed	in	needy	children’s	backpacks	at	school	to	give	them	 something	to	eat	over	the	weekend.	In	2009,	the	Village	Manor	 group	collected	nearly	1,200	pounds	of	food.	This	year,	they	vow	 to	supply	even	more—1,500	pounds.	Many	of	the	seniors	also	 give	money	routinely.	For	their	efforts,	the	local	ABC-TV	affiliate	 honored	the	Village	Manor	volunteers	in	January	with	its	Hometown	Hero	award.

Provider	Installs	Living	Roof
Messiah	Village,	Mechanicsburg,	Pa. Contact:	Kristen Heisey, vice president, marketing & communications, kheisey@messiahvillage.org or (717) 790-8206.

An	apartment	building	on	the	Messiah	Village	campus	now	 boasts	a	living	roof.	A	400-square-foot	roof	space	has	been	 planted	in	several	varieties	of	sedum	that	grow	at	different	heights	 and	will	provide	a	beautiful	array	of	blooms	throughout	the	warm	 months.	Sedum	was	selected	because	it	is	a	hardy	succulent	able	 to	withstand	intense	roof	heat	and	hold	water	reserves. Messiah	Village’s	“Green	Team”	championed	the	effort.	The	 roof	needed	replacing,	and	the	contractor	was	willing	to	find	a	 way	to	add	a	small	living	roof	for	the	same	cost	as	a	traditional	 roof.	“The	new	living	roof	was	installed	in	such	a	way	that	we	can	 add	more	sections	in	the	future,”	said	Carl	Ginder,	vice	president	
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Future Age – March/April 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Future Age – March/April 2010
