Good Samaritan Society

Leanne Atwood, RN, arrived at Good Samaritan Society – Albion 30 years ago after spending 15 years as a nurse in Omaha. She had planned to work at the location for one year, but found herself there 30 years later because of her love for her work and the residents at the community. Just a few of the words coworkers and residents use to describe Leanne include: humble, kind, caring, gentle, gracious and a servant leader. Society long-term care nurse Nicole Rutten, RN, also says, "People joke a lot that she’s kind of an old school nurse. A lot of people nowadays learn about the residents and their care sitting at a computer. Leanne isn’t like that. She will go in; she’ll close the door and she will spend hours with them sitting down talking to them and just getting to know all the little things that make them tick." After decades of putting residents first, Leanne is being honored as this year's National Ever Forward Leader Champion. Not someone who enjoys the spotlight, Leanne being surprised with the award in front of family, residents and peers brought on a lot of emotion. Leanne's mom, Rita Schrage, also recently moved into the community as a resident and was proud to bear witness to her daughter's accomplishment. About receiving the honor, Leanne said, "It was a big surprise. I did start to cry. Very humbled by it. I don’t see myself in that light. I just think we all have a job here and everybody who works here and in long-term care is worthy of that nomination. They were happy tears. It was a good moment." Read the full story at: https://bit.ly/3WmsTK3

Ali Hofer, vice president of the Good Samaritan Foundation, recently inducted Greg Krzmarzick, vice president of operations for the Good Samaritan Society into the Foundation's Honors Society for his lifetime level of giving! Congratulations, Greg, and thank you for your continued support!

"When you practice mindfulness meditation regularly, many parts in your brain are activated. That's very helpful to improve emotion regulation and help stress relief, and also help improve memory," says Yufang Tu, volunteer at Good Samaritan Society – Fargo and doctoral student in human development at North Dakota State University. Yufang brings a workshop once a month to the residents teaching them about mindfulness, self-massage and breathing exercises called Qigong. Kimberly Baril, activities supervisor at the community says she was intrigued by Yufang's pitch for the volunteer workshop and has been impressed after watching how the residents respond to their instructor and the sessions: "Her smile is contagious. She's got a laugh that you can hear from miles away. And anytime you're walking by one of those sessions, you're going hear them laughing together, you're going to see their smiles and it's just a joy being with her and the residents. It's just a lot of fun." Read the full story at: https://bit.ly/4d1OQE0

Partnering with the largest rural health system in the United States, Sanford Health, gives us the opportunity to provide quality care close to home for residents and patients. Good Samaritan Society long-term care administrator Luke Wanous, MBA, LNHA discusses how the partnership is vital to the overall resident experience. Listen to the full podcast at: https://bit.ly/3XVxJzp

With an infectious laugh and a passion for caregiving, Amy Davis, director of nursing for Good Samaritan Society – Wamego in Kansas goes, "above and beyond the call of duty," at her community. When Amy needed a career change after a sales job fell through, she felt encouraged by family to become a caregiver. Amy started as a CNA at the Wamego community at the age of 38 and never looked back. Before she knew it, Amy became an LPN and had dreams of one day leading all nurses at the long-term care center. Amy followed through with getting her RN degree and, according to Angie Barber, the location's administrator, she was perfect for the director of nursing gig. Now a year into the new role, Amy is pouring herself into the center and its people, and plans to keep bringing a smile and her big laugh to her role as a caregiver and leader. That's why Amy is being honored as this year's National Ever Forward Director of Nursing Champion. About Amy's work ethic, administrator Angie Barber said, "You’ll find Amy in the kitchen, you’ll find her in laundry, you’ll find her ripping carpet. She will do anything she can to make it better for the residents and better for the employees.” Read the full story: https://bit.ly/4cL7Ne4

We wish all of our residents, staff members, families and communities a very Happy Independence Day! 🎆

Congratulations to our skilled nursing centers in Le Mars, Iowa and Jackson, Minnesota on this prestigious honor! We are grateful for the above and beyond quality care you provide to residents each and every day.

"A lot of these people they need light, they need laughter, they need joy, they need a hug, they need a prayer... and so, God called me to do that and that's my heart, to be that for them." After years in sales in Coca-Cola along with facilities jobs in churches, Jerry Kelch, 63, is right where he belongs at Good Samaritan Society – Water Valley Senior Living Resort in Windsor, CO, as a senior maintenance mechanic. Jerry brings joy and a can-do attitude to the senior living resort, often accompanied by his famous "dad jokes." Whether it's replacing a light bulb, fixing a TV or helping a resident with their cell phone, Jerry does it all with a smile on his face because of his love for serving the residents. He even took it upon himself to set up movie and pizza nights for the guys in an effort to get the male resident population out of their rooms and into activities. These are just a few of the reasons why Jerry is being honored as this year's National Ever Forward Employee Champion. Setting up his own surprise without knowing it so the team could keep it a secret, Jerry was celebrated by residents and staff for his achievement. While he's only a year into his role at the Society, many people consider his presence a gift from above: "If there was an angel on this earth, it’s going to be disguised as Jerry. He is just one of the most caring, dedicated men that I’ve ever been around. He has made such a huge difference in so many of our residents’ lives," said Good Samaritan Society VP of operations for Colorado, Kansas and Hawaii, Randy Fitzgerald. Read the full story: https://bit.ly/3zsPCvf

Two Good Samaritan Society skilled nursing locations have been recognized as a 2024 Silver – Achievement in Quality award recipient by the AHCA/NCAL. -Good Samaritan Society – Jackson (Jackson, Minnesota) -Good Samaritan Society – Le Mars (Le Mars, Iowa) The award is the second of three distinctions possible through the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program, which recognizes organizations that meet progressively rigorous standards of performance to further improve the lives of residents and staff in long-term care. Good Samaritan Society president and CEO Nate Schema said, "This award is a reflection of our staff’s unwavering dedication and commitment to ensuring our residents have the best quality of care and quality of life. Working with seniors is truly a calling and I am beyond proud of our staff who have answered that calling and who make an impact in our residents’ lives every single day in a meaningful way." Read more: https://bit.ly/3XMW3TV

For Good Samaritan Society and Sanford Health employees facing extraordinary and unexpected financial hardships, such as the recent flooding in the Midwest, the Employee Crisis Assistance Program serves as a lifeline for hope and healing. This fund is supported by hundreds of employees, many who give because it has helped them in a time of need. The Employee Crisis Assistance Program has distributed over $2.1 million in assistance over the past four years to more than 2,200 employees. Learn more about how you can help: https://bit.ly/4co4AAG