Westminster Canterbury Richmond celebrated National Nurses Week by presenting The Frances May Tabb Awards and The Clinical Excellence Award, to recognize nurses and nursing assistants who exemplify high standards in service excellence. The 2012 honorees are: Clinical Excellence Award: April Mallory, Parsons Health Center. Tabb Awards: Esha Savage, Parsons Health Center; Sheila Gordon, Parsons Health Center; and Janet Watkins, Clinic. Congratulations and thank you for improving the lives of those we serve every day!  Pictured from left: Esha Savage, Sheila Gordon, April Mallory and Janet Watkins

The first of this season’s baby ducks have been spotted on our Cochrane Pond. Thank you to resident Chuck Hanson for taking the first family portrait.

Established in 1974, National Volunteer Week is about inspiring, recognizing, and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. It’s about demonstrating to the nation that by working together, in unison, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals.

We salute and thank the extraordinary residents, staff, and community volunteers at Westminster Canterbury for demonstrating a willingness to make a difference in our community. During 2011, our 400 plus volunteers contributed more than 33,000 hours of service.

Volunteers serve in a multitude of capacities such as event companions, visitors, recreation aides, gift shop associates, art angels and theater volunteers. Click here to learn more about our Volunteer program and how you can participate.

Pictured are some of our community volunteers who recently received service awards at at a Dessert Party held in their honor. From left: Judy Herr, Ann Latimer, Jean Tunstall, Barbara Burrows, Vicki Neander, Vee Davis and Jerry Neander.

The only way to know which retirement community is right for you is to explore more than one, more than once.

“We encourage you and your family to look around at other communities in addition to Westminster Canterbury, and ask yourself which ones support your financial, emotional, physical and social needs best,” says Laurie Hemler, Senior Sales Counselor. “Talk to staff members and current residents to get an accurate picture of what life is like and decide if that lifestyle works for you.”

If you decide that Westminster Canterbury feels like the right fit, you can start the process by sitting down with one of our sales counselors to learn more about the different residence options available. The counselor will help you select the right residence for you and take you through each step of the process. This process is lot simpler than you would think—just some paperwork and a brief consultation with our nurse.

From there, you’ll decide when the time is right to move. For some people, that may be two to three months. For others, it may take a year or more.

Once you select an apartment and commit to a move date, a dedicated move coordinator will work with you to outfit your new home to your exact specifications, and coordinate the renovation process from start to finish.

Moving is both emotionally and physically challenging. That’s why Westminster Canterbury recommends a professional moving service to help relieve some of the pressure of moving for new residents and their families. This third-party service offers you objective advice from professionals who have been in the business of downsizing for years. They will help you use your furniture strategically—instead of placing your TV on a stand, maybe move it to a chest of drawers that provides extra storage. Swap your everyday dishes for that china that’s been sitting unused in the cabinet for years. Moving gives you a chance to do things differently.

From the day you decide to move here until the last box has been unpacked, we’ll be by your side helping you make this exciting transition. And once you’ve settled in, explored our campus, and met your neighbors, the fun really begins!

Since Westminster Canterbury first opened in 1975, we’ve attracted many residents who share a deep love of gardening. So in March of 2000, when we doubled the size of our campus to 50 acres, it made sense to get feedback from residents as we developed the landscape plan for the new expansion.

Based on resident input, we made sure to avoid problematic plantings, such as acorn-producing trees near walkways. Native Virginia plants with seasonal interest were added throughout campus. We incorporated more plants with fragrances or berries that attract birds in the unique garden area of The Gables as part of our horticultural therapy program. These kinds of plants help stimulate the senses of residents suffering from memory loss. Raised beds throughout the campus allow those in wheelchairs to tend to gardens, smell blossoms or enjoy the simple pleasure of putting their hands in the dirt.

The expansion also allowed us to create 100 individual resident gardening plots and add a second year-round temperature-controlled greenhouse exclusively for resident use. “Cutting gardens” were planted to provide the resident flower committee with fresh blooms for floral arrangements in lobbies and other public spaces.

The focal point of the expanded outdoor plan is the landscaping around Cochrane Pond. Named in honor of a resident with a great fondness for ducks, the pond not only collects campus storm water and provides eco-friendly irrigation; it also gives residents a serene spot for walking, fishing and enjoying nature. The pond is stocked with bream, bass and catfish, and is home to numerous resident ducks that delight visitors of all ages. A lighted walking path around the pond connects to the Shady Walk Nature Trail, a wooded area on the north side of the original campus.

By adding these landscaping improvements to our community, we’ve been able to give our residents more room to explore their interests and experience the kind of therapeutic benefits only nature can provide.

Ask Mary Adams, Director Workforce Services at Westminster Canterbury, about recruiting and she’ll tell you, “We’re very selective.” Adams and her team are responsible for the recruitment, retention, and recognition of more than 700 employees. That means identifying individuals who demonstrate Westminster Canterbury’s CELTICS values: caring, ethics, leadership, teamwork, innovation, commitment and stewardship. In addition, Workforce Services provides the education and support that employees need to excel in their positions.

Professional development opportunities are provided to employees free of charge. This includes courses required by government regulations, such as CPR, First Aid, dementia training and more for clinical staff members. Our proprietary customer service program, TWCW (The Westminster Canterbury Way), was enhanced for all employees in 2011 with a series of new sessions to help employees meet our customer service expectations.

Recruiting employees who live up to our high standards begins with offering competitive salary and benefits. Westminster Canterbury employees also have access to to the Fitness and Aquatics Centers, subsidized meals, a 45% discount to our Child Development Center and much more.

Our dedication to creating a healthy workplace shows in the high rate of staff retention as well as in the national recognition we’ve received. In 2010, the American Association for Home and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) presented Westminster Canterbury with the Excellence in the Workplace Award for its programs supporting recruitment, employee training and development and recognition.

Through commendations, service awards and other recognition programs, our employees know their hard work and commitment to customer service is valued. We end each year by presenting the TWCW Hall of Fame Award to four full-time employees and the Brendan Hayes Appreciation Award to one part-time employee. These prestigious awards recognize those who serve as role models for TWCW and demonstrate our CELTICS values.

Because giving back to the community is a fundamental principle of our organization, all employees of Westminster Canterbury are encouraged to complete 16 hours of volunteer work, 8 hours of which may be performed at various activities planned throughout the year on campus.

Knowing if a career at Westminster Canterbury is right for you depends on whether you share our calling, says Adams. “If you want to work in an organization that is faith-based and mission-driven, that provides the highest level of care, holds people accountable and makes a difference in people’s lives, you should consider a career at Westminster Canterbury.”

To learn more about employment opportunities at Westminster Canterbury, visit the Career Center on our website.

Come visit Westminster Canterbury any day of the week and you’ll see residents taking walks through the neighborhood, tending their gardens, meeting with friends for lunch, and pursuing their own individual interests. We’re committed to making sure our residents have access to resources that improve their health and enhance their happiness. Our holistic approach to wellness is woven into every aspect of daily life, from the meals we prepare to the activities we offer.

Any healthy lifestyle begins with a wholesome diet. “We try to meet the dietary needs of most of our residents,” says Carol Conroy, VP of Resident Services. “That includes having food items on the menu that meet lower fat, lower sodium requirements for residents with hypertension and diabetes.” An on-staff dietitian is available to answer resident questions and work with physicians in the Parson’s Health Center to make sure that even the most restricted diets are still tasty and enjoyable.

But a wholesome diet is only one part of the equation. Our 4-Step Comprehensive Health and Wellness Plan lets us create individualized wellness plans that target the whole person.

After meeting one-on-one with each resident to go over his/her needs, challenges, preferences, and interests, our staff develops a custom plan to reach the resident’s personal goals—whether they’re physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional. Next, the resident goes through a fitness assessment and orientation for the programs included on their plan, from art classes to water aerobics, brain fitness courses, and support groups.

For those residents facing physical and mental ailments, support groups can be particularly therapeutic. Westminster Canterbury currently offers six different support groups on a regular basis: Mind Aerobics, Parkinson’s Support, Spousal Support, EyeWatch, AA, and Alanon. Pastoral Care also facilitates bereavement support groups on an ongoing basis.

These are just a few of the ways that Westminster Canterbury helps its residents enjoy longer, more fulfilling lives. For more information on our innovative community, take a minute to watch our Live Life Well videos.

Congratulations to the 2012 Laurel Award honorees on being recognized for their tremendous volunteer contribution to Westminster Canterbury. Your service is an integral part of this community.

Honorees, clockwise from top left:  residents Rodney Word, Bucky Oatts, community volunteer K Smith, Virginia Castiel, Jane Dewey, Betty Roberts and community volunteer Nancy Jo Smith.

Before Westminster Canterbury even opened its doors in 1975, its founders made sure there were funds in place for residents facing financial difficulties.

Today, through the work of Westminster Canterbury Foundation, the Fellowship Fund continues our original mission of helping those in need. Last year alone, the Foundation spent more than $3 million to help support approximately 115 residents by covering entrance fees, monthly fees, medical costs and health insurance based on individual need. These grants are made possible through donations to the Fellowship Program, one of the largest efforts of its type in the country.

But the Foundation’s charitable contributions don’t end with its Fellowship grants. Ten years ago, the organization began funding other initiatives through grant money and donations made by residents, their families, and members of the community. From theatrical performances to enhanced health services, wellness activities, and studio arts, the Foundation’s reach extends to virtually every corner of our community.

One of the most unique features of Westminster Canterbury—the Child Development Center’s Inclusion Program—is an example of the many enhancements that donations have made possible. This innovative center offers preschool and before- and after-school programs as well as summer programs for up to 120 students. It’s one of only three child development centers in the greater Richmond area with an integrated classroom that includes special needs children.

Memory care also has benefited, with funding for horticulture therapy, art therapy and music therapy as well as a brain fitness program that strengthens cognitive skills. Foundation money has enabled the Pastoral Care department to hire a part-time chaplain to connect with residents on a spiritual level as they battle dementia. And, the Foundation has made it possible for Westminster Canterbury to bring a licensed nurse practitioner on staff—a tremendous service for all our residents.

These are just a few of the ways the Foundation works toward improving the lives of those we serve every day, and enhancing the quality of care we’re able to offer to our residents.

For more information on how to make donations to Westminster Canterbury, call 804-264-6066.

At Westminster Canterbury, providing excellent care for residents not only means supporting their physical, mental, and emotional needs, but also nurturing their spiritual lives. Our distinct Pastoral Care division does just that, fostering residents’ diverse connections to God on a daily basis.

Westminster Canterbury’s current residents represent 17 denominations and 145 churches. “One of our goals is to help residents stay connected to their churches,” says the Rev. Ray Inscoe, Director of Pastoral Care. “It is wonderful when a minister can come lead worship for the community and then stay for lunch or dinner. The minister gets time with members of his/her congregation and the residents get time with their minister. Win-win!”

More than 25 worship, prayer and Bible study services are provided each week for all areas of residency. Residents organize and lead many of the services. “We have more than 120 residents volunteering in areas of Pastoral Care, from preaching, teaching, and playing the piano to serving communion, scheduling worship leaders, and sending cards.” says Inscoe. “We are so blessed to have such a service-oriented community.”

The diversity within the campus community leads to natural opportunities for sharing cultural and religious differences. The Pastoral Care department offers lectures that feature experts on various topics, from understanding Islam to what salvation means for different faiths.

Yet a large part of the Pastoral Care ministry is simply being available for residents and staff in times of joy and sadness, which includes helping some residents stay connected to their faith when memory loss threatens to isolate them.

“It’s good to be part of an organization that allows us to be innovative and meet the needs of our residents and staff,” Inscoe says. “We hope ours is a ministry that goes beyond these walls.”

For more information on Pastoral Care at Westminster Canterbury, visit http://www.wcrichmond.org/lifestyle/spiritual-life/