Celebrating Our Aging Care Heroes

Celebrating Our Aging Care Heroes! Aging Resources Magazine celebrates the local Aging Care Heroes who serve Western North Carolina. Here are some Heroes within our community who have helped meet the challenges of COVID-19.

Suzy McFee, RN, Director of Clinical Services Compassionate Care Western North Carolina

We nominate Suzy McFee, RN as our hero throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Suzy is our Director of Clinical Services and even without a pandemic she has a huge responsibility. COVID-19 has created many challenges for all of us, particularly in healthcare. Suzy has managed to ensure that our staff, patients and families remain safe and healthy, while continuing to coordinate staff to deliver “A Higher Standard of Care,” to those we are honored to serve. It takes a team to accomplish our mission, and strong, effective and efficient leadership such as we get from Suzy every day. She goes above and beyond!

~ Ronnie Gregory, CEO

Always Best Care Staff Always Best Care

The staff at Always Best Care Western NC has worked so hard during this pandemic to take care of our clients. We are thankful for everything they do for our community! Our caregivers are the heart of our business, providing much needed service to seniors and their families struggling to keep their independence on a daily basis.

- Jim Smeaton, Owner/Director of Client Care

Deerfield Staff Deerfield

Heroes work here - all kinds of heroes. Each person in every department across the Deerfield campus helps to make sure residents are safe and cared for during this pandemic, from meal delivery to healthcare to providing opportunity for activities including exercise, emotional and spiritual support, and fun. Many are taking on additional tasks that support efforts to keep residents and staff safe and engaged. All are going above and beyond for their Deerfield family. All are heroes. - Kathy Foster, Director of Marketing

Dr. Chris Parsons Pardee UNC Health Care Dr. Chris Parsons, Director, Pardee’s Center for Infectious Diseases is a quiet hero who has worked nonstop since early March to develop a community-wide COVID-19 response. His expertise and guidance has helped Pardee, the Henderson County Health Department, private physicians, and Long Term Care facilities facing COVID outbreaks.

- Pardee UNC Health Care Staff

Jossie Fardulis, LPN, Clinic Manager Brooks-Howell Home

Jossie is a genius at making her residents feel loved! Whether using telehealth with their medical team or checking on the residents when they aren’t feeling well, or just laughing with them, she brings a smile to their faces especially during this COVID time. Hero!

- Jill Knight, Admissions/Marketing Coordinator

Maria Becerra, CNA Heather Glen at Ardenwoods

We have nominated Maria Becerra, CNA, as our hero throughout the COVID-19 pandemic because she always provides exceptional service to our residents with a smile on her face and makes everyone feel special. One example of how Maria has gone above and beyond is by doing the resident’s hair and nails while our salon has been closed. Her supervisors can always count on her to complete tasks and our residents are most appreciative of the extraordinary care that she provides.

- Pam Slater, Assisted Living Director

Cindy Conner, BSN, RN, CCM AdventHealth Hendersonville

Cindy Conner, BSN, RN, CCM, and her team help patients who have been to our ER, hospital or who have chronic conditions manage their health. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit they increased their check-ins with patients to make sure they were doing ok with all the changes. Cindy and her team also led the AdventHealth Food Rx program that provided healthy groceries to these patients who are high-risk for COVID-19. The team even stepped in to deliver the groceries to patients who live outside the food service delivery area. In every case, the patients have told us this has been a true blessing.

- AdventHealth Hendersonville Staff

Greg Varney Four Seasons

There certainly are many folks behind the scenes working hard to ensure our staff and volunteers have the PPE they need, but at the hub of it all at Four Seasons, is Greg Varney. By night he is a husband and dad, but by day, he is a PPE Superhero. From the beginning, Greg has offered to fill any gaps he has seen. He advocates for our teams and makes sure that specific needs are met. Greg exemplifies EXCELLENCE in all he does. He is just one person within our Four Seasons family who is helping meet the challenges of COVID-19.

- Four Seasons Staff

Lorena Zamora, CNA Givens Highland Farms

Lorena is a wonderful CNA who works in our health care center from 3-11 on a part-time basis. In a prior career in Lorena’s home country, she was a beautician. When it was clear we wouldn’t be allowed to utilize beauticians in the health care center, Lorena graciously agreed to do hair cuts a couple of days a week prior to her shift to keep our residents feeling well cared for…she is such a special part of our team, and the willingness to offer her talents has been instrumental in maintaining our residents’ well-being.

- Sheree Byrd, MSHL, LNHA, Health Services Director

Tammy Wellman, CNA The Laurels of Hendersonville

There are several members of our staff that have gone above and beyond to take care of our guests throughout the pandemic but one that stands out above all is Tammy Wellman, CNA. Tammy worked extra shifts to make sure the guests were well cared for. She shared her warm and enthusiastic spirit to elevate everyone’s mood and above all she continued to laugh when we needed it most.

- Bob Pompeo, Director of Marketing

David Robinson, PTA The Laurels of Hendersonville

David is a true example of what teamwork is all about. He volunteered to assist another one of our facilities that had a COVID-19 outbreak by doing any job that needed to be done, housekeeping, dietary, and CNA. As a Physical Therapist he made sure that the guests would get therapy to help them regain their strength. He worked whatever shift he was needed to get the job done.

- Bob Pompeo, Director of Marketing

Bobbi Call, RN The Laurels of GreenTree Ridge

During the COVID-19 pandemic, RN, Bobbi Call has gone above her realm of nursing. She went to two sister facilities to assist them with needs of their outbreaks. She selflessly worked at both facilities for the wellbeing of these residents. During which time she followed all infection prevention measures to ensure the spread of COVID-19 did not occur. This is what makes a true healthcare hero! She is a true example of dedication and leadership to her residents and her profession. We are thankful and blessed to have Bobbi to be a part of our team.

- Angie Black, Director of Nursing

Carmen McDowell, CNA The Laurels of Summit Ridge

The Laurels of Summit Ridge would like to nominate Mrs. Carmen McDowell, a 14 year veteran CNA and Restorative Aide as our COVID-19 Hero. She is a person who is always willing to go above and beyond the call of duty. She is the true definition of a fighter. Recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, she has never wavered in this fight against COVID-19. Carmen is a person that always is willing to put others first, staying on the front line to care for others. We are proud to call her one of our own.

- Kathey Camby, Director of Marketing