When you move a loved one into a memory care community, you worry about all kinds of things. And, perhaps, most of all, you worry about the people into whose hands you are entrusting the care of your loved one. Who are they? Are they passionate about what they do? Will they be patient and caring with my loved one?
At Anthem Memory Care, the answer is a resounding “Yes!” And the confidence in that “Yes” comes out of our person-centered approach to take care, not only of our residents, but of the amazing people who care for them.
At Anthem, our staff is just as much a part of our family as our residents. And family members look out for each other. Our Wellness Programs were developed to keep our carers healthy in mind, body and spirit. As Jackie Vick, Anthem’s Human Resources Generalist explains, “We bring together all our people in a combination of activities, events and classes that help them, not only as Anthem carers, but in their personal lives as well. The programs were designed with input from all staff members to make sure that they hit the mark on what’s most important to them.”
Each season has a different focus. Here is a brief breakdown:
- Summer: Mindfulness. It’s important for our carers to have ongoing awareness of how health of mind and body impacts all of our actions and relationships. It’s a big part of maintaining a healthy attitude at all times. The Summer programs involve exercise, meditation, yoga, and other therapeutic activities.
This month, Anthem will hold our Wellness Fair, during which all our carers can visit a variety of “stations” such as a massage area, a chiropractor, a nutritionist, and even a biometric screening area.
- Fall: Spirit. Here we celebrate family and making a spiritual connection. And, of course, family includes our residents. Our Fall program brings in the holidays with special celebrations geared towards celebrating the Anthem family.
- Winter: Nutrition. This program includes cooking lessons and recipe sharing, with healthy on-the-go meal ideas for carers who bring lunch each day.
- Spring: Fitness. This program includes our Step Challenge to keep our carers up and moving as much as possible. And, yes, our communities compete! We have a trophy that goes to the community with the most “steps”. It’s a lot of fun and stimulates exercise at the same time.
Why is this important to our residents and their families? Because our Wellness Program provides ongoing healthy support for the individuals who are, in turn, providing loving care to our residents. Jackie Vick puts it beautifully. “The contribution our carers make is about so much more than an investment in time. They grow to care deeply for and love our residents. Our Wellness Program is just one way we give back to our staff. It makes everyone stronger, healthier and more connected.”