Scott Riddle | Dec 13, 2016
The holidays tend to make people reflective - myself included. I wanted to take the opportunity to share some of that reflection with the community of Walker Methodist and convey a message that applies to life all year long, not just during the hustle and bustle that this time of year presents.
Our People Have Our Hearts
Our Residents and Patients we provide direct care to add so much richness to all of us through our affiliation with senior care, and I'm grateful for all they bring to our lives. They are why we do what we do, and they do become an important part of our lives. We consider Patients and Residents our extended family members. Our Caregivers work with them every day and become so ingrained in their lives, which is the real perk of working here.
To our Residents - many of whom actively want to be here, and chose an independent living community for their home, thank you for blessing us with your addition to this giant family. For other Residents and Patients who chose Walker Methodist based on healthcare needs - may you always know it is our absolute pleasure to serve your needs and to administer clinical care, with dignity and respect. We'll always put you first. We love your stories and are honored you share them with us.
Our Staff - our dedicated team of Employees who go out of their way to make Walker Methodist a great place to live and work for their fellow Staff members ... thank you for your loyalty and professionalism. I am proud to serve with you. In my tenure, I have seen so many Employees go above and beyond countless times - our Employees truly embody our Mission and all it represents.
Lastly, I'd like to mention Family. To our own Families who support us in what we do here, and are gracious if our time takes us a little further from home on occasion. And, to the Families of Residents and Patients - thank you for trusting us with the care of your loved one. We take that very seriously, and we are passionate about the same people you are. Day in and day out, we do our absolute best to care for and serve all with a servant's heart - above our own needs.
On Milestones
We've had plenty of reasons to celebrate this year, some as big as a community expansion, and some as "ordinary" as it just being another sunny Tuesday. The point is, there is so much living that goes on in our communities, it seems that each day our organization has another reason to feel proud, share in fellowship, and give thanks for these gifts.
The Plaza Gardens expansion in Anoka was monumental this year. The physical extension also worked to extend our Mission: to be able to further assist the city of Anoka and Residents and Families seeking dementia and other higher levels of care needs. Walker Methodist felt very strongly about further increasing our service and making space for more Residents to call home. And, it's pretty neat to be able to say the skyway that connects Plaza Gardens with City View was the first constructed in the city!
In the Health Center community, we also expanded our Dental Clinic. Through our partnership with the University of Minnesota, and through grants from the Department of Health, Delta Dental Foundation, Stevens Square Foundation, and Otto Bremer Trust - Walker Methodist was able to increase the size of the clinic by double. We now feature four chairs for twice as many patients and twice as many U of M students receiving on-the-job training specific to Geriatric dental care. The collaboration efforts truly humble us and further enhance the level of care we're able to extend to Residents, Patients, and other community members.
The Future of Senior Living and Healthcare
The future is full of challenges and change, and with both come opportunity. At Walker Methodist, we are committed to continuing our traditions that came before us. High-quality care and service, and to transform our organization as part of the healthcare industry. An industry that will see dramatic changes in the next five years in the ways healthcare is structured, and how senior care will be delivered. But no matter what happens, at the center of what Walker Methodist does, will be the needs of our people. We'll continue to be innovative in new ways to serve our Residents, Patients, Employees, and Families, even better than what we're doing today.
