As you may know, Potomac Falls has a monthly recognition program called, “You Got Caught Caring.” It is intended to be a way for residents, patients, families, and friends to write about a “Good Deed” that an employee has done. (The forms are available in the hallways next to the Activity Calendars and in the front lobby of the building.) I feel strongly that we often can find the words to say or point out bad things but not take the time to say or acknowledge the good things that people do. So I asked to be allowed to express some of the truly wonderful, caring and special deeds that I saw managers, CNA’s, Dietary Aides, LPNs, RNs, housekeeping, maintenance and therapists perform during the Winter Blizzard from Friday, Septemer 22, 2016 until January 15, 2016.
You Got Caught Caring Award to All those wonderful Individuals who stayed here all weekend to keep us safe, warm and protected.
Some of their exemplary deeds include:
(1) Peggy, a long-term care nursing supervisor, sitting at a table in Allegheny chatting with and feeding a patient by hand, after she had already been working for 16 hours.
(2) Fares, who after filling in for the housekeeping staff who could not make it in, went outside and braved the cold to help Jorge and Siroos clean the snow for parking spaces, sidewalks and and the building accessible for ambulances;
(3) Siroos, who started on Friday fighting the battle of the snow trying to keep the parking spaces clear for staff and others and making a path for ambulances and emergencies, and kept working so that this facility was better accessible than most other places in Loudoun and Fairfax Counties;
(4) Ana, Delmi, Maria, Dunia, Maria, Fatmata, Mai, Michael, Dorcas and Othello who kept smiling, laughing and cheering people up after back to back shifts of dealing with sometimes recalcitrant residents/rehab patients;
(5) Jose and Miguel who still politely knocked and asked permission to enter your room to clean it, vacuum it and take out your trash after sixteen hours on their feet;
(6) Zoila, Fardos, Dora, Blanca, and Michelle who made sure we had hot meals and ice cream even when the trucks could not get through the snow;
(7) Edith, Kadiatu, Dorcas, Linda, who made sure we had our medications and the utmost attention even when they were tired and still told jokes while they checked your blood sugars;
(8) Phyllis, Director of Nursing, who kept checking on the nursing throughout the building and coordinating shifts due to people being unable to make it here throughout the weekend and still stopping to greet residents even when her face showed she was dead tired;
(9) Zoie, Administrator, who led by example, and stayed with her troops, but had the compassion to understand about families and sent one manager home so she could be with her special needs child and another so she could be with her newborn baby; and,
(10) To two nursing friends who define teamwork by one agreeing to work for the other so that the latter would be able to safely make it home to West Virginia and ensure that she did not have to try to brave the elements driving from West Virginia during the weekend and tending to the latter nurse’s long-term cherished residents with unlimited patience and the utmost care.
(This is just the opinion of the author and does not include other great deeds undertaken by others not seen by the author. Please fill in a “You Got Caught Caring” form to thank and recognize others foir their good deeds.
Denise Maniscalco
NB: The Resident Council has written a Thank You Note and bought a bouquet of flowers which are in the lobby to express the gratitude of all the residents to all these diligent and kind individuals.
