 Along with the rest of The Christian Village staff, restorative aide
Karen Myers takes seriously the mission of treating residents with
dignity and respect."One thing I enjoy is getting to know our
residents -- not just how they are now but how they were," Myers
said.
On outings such as Steak 'n Shake for breakfast, Myers has
noticed how different residents are when they're in a different
setting.
Listening to residents' life stories
"They talk about how they met their husband or working for 50
cents an hour," she said. "Everyone has an interesting story. We
have men who fought in the war and women who were teachers."
"Some residents talk to us more than their families because they
spend all their waking time with us," Myers said. "Some don't have
families nearby. Some have nobody because they've outlived their
family members."
Keeping residents connected to outside
"Residents want to know what's going on in our lives because it
keeps them more tied to the outside," Myers explained, noting some
haven't left the building for years.
"At The Christian Village, we try to give our residents the best
quality of life possible," she said. "We also give them the most
independence we can."
As a restorative aide, Myers helps residents improve their
abilities -- or at least maintain them. She helps them walk or
practice getting off a chair or using a walker.
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"Our goal is for everyone to do as much as they can so they will
still be able to get on a bus or go out to eat with their families,"
she said.
"A lot of family members are so appreciative because they know
they can't do what we're doing for their loved ones," she noted.
___
The Christian Village offers a range of senior living options
including garden homes, senior apartments, assisted living, skilled
nursing care, short-term rehabilitation and the Haven Center Memory
Care Unit.
The Christian Village is among the 14 senior living communities
of Christian Homes Inc., the second largest not-for-profit long-term
health care provider in the U.S., with campuses in Indiana,
Illinois, Iowa and Missouri.
[Text from file received from
The Christian Village]
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