Our communities celebrated CNA Week (June 12-18) with spirit weeks, treats and team/resident games, a dunk tank, a Teeny Tiny Farm petting zoo, socials, photo booths and more. Here's a peek from across our nursing and rehabilitation centers and assisted living communities. Thank you to our team of nurse aides (and RMAs) for all you do to support the residents in our care to live their best life! We can't do this without your dedication, focus on quality care, and compassion.

You’ve probably seen it in our job postings and wondered what “Dietary Aide” means. We asked members of our team to explain exactly what you’re getting into when you are hired as an aide with VHS dining services.

Shelia Leek, an aide at Coliseum who started in February, has a background in hospital dining services where she was everywhere from cashier to kitchen.

At Coliseum, Shelia and her teammates make sure all items are stocked and ready to go for the residents. They start early, make coffee, get breakfast trays ready and prep desserts for lunch. They will help cook or assist one another as needed.

“That’s the most important part,” she says, “that we work as a team so the residents get what they need. We love the residents.”

The dining room is a central location for residents to gather. Not only is it a place where they enjoy meals, it serves as an event and activity space.

“We interact with the residents all the time. We hear all kinds of feedback, and make sure we accommodate residents who would prefer an alternate meal. We’ll dance with them, talk with them. When they’re here, they’re having fun,” Shelia says.

Javon Holiday joined Coliseum as a dietary aide about a month ago. On a typical day, she gets the residents’ trays ready and makes sure each is correct for their diet. While she found training easy, she said her most important role is that each tray matches the residents’ tickets so they receive the correct food preparation and preferences.

“It’s a good work-life balance. You have to have team work, always have a good attitude and you have to care to work here. I love to talk to the residents and learn their stories,” Javon says.

Previous food and dining services experience isn’t necessary, Shelia says, it’s important to take the time to train and ask questions.

“The job isn’t hard; it’s hard when you make it hard,” she says. “I love to train people so they know what residents can or can’t have.”

We’re always looking for enthusiastic team members — join us! Visit vahs.com/careers to learn more and apply.

#foodservice #diningservices #dietaryaide

Congratulations to our evening class apprenticeship graduates! We celebrated our newest team members’ accomplishment during a catered luncheon at the corporate office on Friday.

Our graduates are: Esther Bruce, Nishea Driggins-Cuff, Neveah Holloway-Melvin, Loryn Savage, Jinjah Webster and Brandon Williams.

The six were enrolled in the evening CNA program with Virginia Peninsula Community College, where they completed their coursework, and had clinical skills labs and on-the-floor experience at Northampton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. They continue on as VHS team members at Northampton, James River and Coliseum Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers. This was the first evening class offered in partnership with VPCC.

In addition to the VPCC evening class partnership, our earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship program offers daytime classes on the Peninsula and in Gloucester throughout the year. The six-week course includes classwork, clinical skills lab and on-the-floor experience. It also covers the cost of the state certification exam to be a CNA. Learn more at vahs.com/apprenticeship

#apprenticeship #cnajobs #nursingjobs #nursingcareers

For National Skilled Nursing Care Week, we asked residents of our nursing and rehabilitation centers to share their stories as we celebrate the "Tapestry of Life." Our residents are all so interesting, and full of stories and life advice!

One resident loves attending flower club to create arrangements to share with the team members at James River, while another was a critical care monitor and was in the room with President Ronald Reagan and former White House press secretary James Brady following the assassination attempt in 1981. At Coliseum, a resident who spent 35 years working at Smithfield Foods now utilizes the on-site Dialysis Den and enjoys all the festivities Activity Director Shawn organizes. A resident of Lancashire has nothing but good things to say about the team there, and likes to enjoy her soaps while having lunch, and the Resident Council president once served as the maintenance tech at the facility.

A Navy veteran from Ohio has returned to the area many years after serving here to be a resident at The Newport, where he is close to his daughters who fell in love with Hampton Roads. Another Newport resident and her daughter love the activities offered, and host their family celebrations at the community so Mother can attend. A Northampton resident with a large extended family (as she's the youngest of 13) has found peace doing puzzles.

A resident of Walter Reed - who made eyeglasses at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown - has found her strength in physical therapy with the VHS Rehabilitation team and now attends every activity, and an Army veteran at York who trained soldiers at Fort Monroe never misses an event.

We hope you take a few minutes to read their stories. They were generous with their time in sharing their life's milestones. Read more: https://lnkd.in/esGY6Sxt

#NSNCW

We celebrated our corporate and home and community-based team member service awards for Q1 at The Arbors Independent Living this afternoon, where we also honored our Team Member of the Quarter Kathryn Fisher. Congratulations!

Kathryn is the Director of Team Engagement for VHS and as President and CEO Mark Klyczek shared during the ceremony, she keeps everyone excited about the work we do and never stops planning ways to ensure we have fun. She also is the reason our team members are recognized for their service all year long.

We also celebrated milestone service anniversaries, including five years for Mark. VHS Home Health Care, Hospice, Pharmacy and Rehabilitation recognized milestone service anniversaries for several team members, including Amber Shoebrook's 20th.

Thanks to all for all you do to support individuals to live their best life!

Applications for our May earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship program are now open. Classes will be held May 12-June 20 on the Peninsula at James River Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and in Kilmarnock at Lancashire Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

The CNA training program graduates Care Assistants to Nurse Aides and covers the cost of the state certification exam to be a CNA. The program includes classroom work, clinical skills labs and on-the-floor experience over about six weeks. Graduates continue on as team members with VHS.

Our students become fast friends, supporting one another throughout the class. Several graduates of the program have moved into other roles with VHS, including recreational therapy and earning registered medication aide certification.

Applications are available at vahs.com/apprenticeship

#cnajobs #cnaclass #cnaclasses #nursingjobs #nursingcareers

Congratulations to Julie Boothe! The activity director at Walter Reed Nursing and Rehabilitation Center won VHS's "Food Connects Us" recipe contest with a recipe from her grandmother, "Momma Mary's Pineapple Cake."

March is National Nutrition Month, and the theme is "Food Connects Us." The contest, organized by VHS Director of Dining and Nutrition Christina Lewis, requested submissions include background on how it exemplifies the idea that “Food Connects Us” and the recipe itself. It was open to team members and residents at our senior living communities and nursing and rehabilitation centers.

“Sharing a meal is an opportunity to learn about its preparation, who made it and where the ingredients were sourced. Health, memories, traditions, seasons and access can all impact our relationship with food. While these factors influence the foods we eat, the foods we eat also affect our health,” according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Julie shared that she grew up in a military family that moved a lot.

“We were able to travel to see my grandparents once a year, most years,” Julie wrote in her entry. “My grandmother made the best pineapple cake, which was waiting for me along with her quart jars of dill pickles she made. I was fat and happy by the time I left.”

To celebrate her win, Walter Reed dining manager Beth Rivera recreated Momma Mary’s cake for lunch to share with the team and residents. The reviews were overwhelmingly positive.

“Just delicious. It tasted like another piece,” said Marva Hodges, a CNA who has been at Walter Reed for more than 40 years.

The residents who enjoyed it with their lunch said it reminded them of recipes from home and were so glad to share a taste of Julie’s family recipe.

“Thank you for the opportunity to share my Grandmother’s pineapple cake recipe. This cake is one of the cherished memories that I have when I think of my grandmother. I had to call my mother for the recipe. I plan to continue to pass it on through my family as well. She loved to cook for family. Maybe we can all share more recipes in the future,” Julie said the day the cake was shared at Walter Reed.

“It was great to see the residents enjoying this cake as much as I did. Thanks to our dietary department for making this cake for the residents. Caring is sharing for sure.”

Get the winning recipe (and a few bonus ones) at https://lnkd.in/eppFAehw

#NationalNutritionMonth

We celebrated the opening of Rappahannock Memory Care Unit at Lancashire Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Kilmarnock with a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this month.

"We are excited to offer this service to the community,” Lancashire Administrator Amy Payne said during the event.

Virginia Health Services President and CEO Mark Klyczek, VHS Vice President of Operations Don Lundin, Lancashire Director of Nursing LaTasha Muse and Lancaster by the Bay Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Leslie Jingluski joined Amy to cut the ribbon to commemorate the official opening of the unit.

The unit can accomodate 25 individuals with cognitive impairments such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The renovated unit has a large common area for dining, activities and socializing near the nurses’ station. There also is a secured courtyard area, along with a family room and a multi-sensory Snoezelen room with calming music and lighting.

It is the only nursing community in the Northern Neck area to offer Memory Care to Medicaid-qualified individuals.

“This is a great resource for the community,” Mark said before the ribbon was cut. “We had the availability to make these changes and hopefully this becomes a great respite for families and for the people they’re caring for at home, especially when it gets difficult, to provide a very nice, safe, caring environment for those individuals. … There is a growing need (for this service) and we’re happy to fill that need and be the organization supporting the community.”

The Lancashire and VHS corporate teams worked hard to support the opening of the unit, which included upgraded locks, a call-bell system, fresh paint, artwork and flooring. In addition to opening the Memory Care unit, Lancashire underwent a lobby renovation and other upgrades that included new flooring, furniture, artwork, signage and paint.

The entire Lancashire team — in every department including clinical, dietary, MDS, environmental services, housekeeping, maintenance and therapy — came together to make the unit operational. We are thankful for the hard work and dedication of our whole team!

Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/em-NSbZb

#memorycare #mcu #nursinghomes

We are expanding our earn-as-you-learn Nurse Aide program to include evening classes in partnership with Virginia Peninsula Community College. Classes will be held in the evening and include on-the-job training at VHS nursing and rehabilitation centers over eight weeks. Applicants will apply through Virginia Health Services and complete eligibility requirements with VPCC. Upon completion of the program that graduates Care Assistants to Nurse Aides, students will be placed as team members at a VHS community. The program also covers the cost of the state certification exam to be a CNA.

Applications are open for classes starting in April at vahs.com/apprenticeship.

#cnajobs #nursingjobs #nursingcareers

Snow day(s)!

Our team shows up for our residents regardless of the weather. The recent heavy snowfall sprang our team members into action to make sure our communities were staffed, offering safe places to stay and meals. The team cleared sidewalks and parking lots. And, of course, they played, with activities including tubing, snowball fights and building snowmen outside, and games, parties and crafts while cozy inside. From the Peninsula to Kilmarnock, our team works hard and plays hard. Thank you for all you do to support our residents and your fellow team members to live their best life in any weather!

Happy Valentine's Day! Our communities were a sea of shades of red, with our team and residents celebrating over treats, snacks, crafts, music and dancing. The Arbors Independent Living had a special holiday menu with beef tenderloin, lobster ravioli and chocolate lava cake, and a violinist. The Hamilton Assisted Living had a Parisian-themed social and were visited by a cutie-pie pug, while our residents at The Huntington Assisted Living danced with the team and residents at The Newport Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. A local church hosted a party for the team and residents at Lancashire, while James River crowned a king and queen to preside over their holiday party and Coliseum danced and held a raffle for team members and residents. What was apparent at every event was love - for taking care of others, for the sense of community and for the treats!

We hope you all had a safe and healthy holiday!

Cheers to 2025! Our team members helped our residents ring in the new year with festive parties, snacks and elegance. Here's to supporting individuals to live their best lives in 2025!

Our copious research this month shows very few things bring genuine smiles to our residents' faces quite like Santa Claus. Thank you to our many visiting Santas for brightening the holiday season at Virginia Health Services' communities.

#seniorliving

Our communities commemorated Juneteenth in a variety of ways. Coliseum Nursing and Rehabilitation Center had a social that included informational activity packets and a red drink; James River decorated its dining room tree with commemorative ornaments; residents at The Huntington Assisted Living made bracelets to honor the occasion and had a social; and The Hamilton Assisted Living's residents and team members shared fellowship and popcorn while making tie-dyed handkerchiefs.

Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved individuals in the United States, observed on June 19. It signifies when word of the Emancipation Proclamation reached the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas, in 1865 - more than two years after President Lincoln signed it into law. We hope you had a meaningful Juneteenth!

Happy National Healthcare Recruiter Day to Colleen and Renée!

They are the first point of contact for applicants to VHS. They field hundreds of applications, and dozens of emails and calls a day. Their community outreach includes attending events, job fairs, interest sessions and working with partner organizations from schools to training programs and more.

We are thankful for their diligence and engagement with the community as we grow our organization’s workforce.

We asked them to share a bit about themselves, including their top 2 tips to candidates interviewing with VHS. They both shared candidates should come prepared and know the organization's mission, vision, values and recent news, and have questions for them. They also emphasized arriving on time - or early - and bring your best self when interviewing.

Thank you Colleen and Renée for all you do every day to recruit to our workforce and grow our community engagement and outreach!

Read their interview tips and more: https://lnkd.in/eCgJJ9-7

We had a great time celebrating National Skilled Nursing Care Week! Here are a few highlights from the second half of the week, where the theme was "Tapestry of Life," showing how the stories of our team members and residents are woven together through our connections.

Walter Reed had a carnival for its community with a petting zoo, fun fair food like corn dogs and popcorn, games and the team wore attire that matched the occasion. York (and The Hamilton) hosted a classic car show and an American Bandstand-themed dance party with music by Billy Mitchell. Coliseum had a community wide cookout and named a resident king and queen during its western-themed week. The Newport's administrator and other team members were subjected to the dunk tank, in addition to having an on-site ice cream truck deliver treats and a team potluck. James River had themed days all week and games that pitted residents vs. team members, concluding with a cookout and luau social. Lancashire hosted a Mother's Day brunch. Northampton's events included a Rodeo Day with karaoke and line dancing.

Thanks to our whole team for making the week special for residents, and one another, and supporting individuals to life their best life! #NSNCW

For National Skilled Nursing Care Week, we asked residents of our nursing and rehabilitation centers to share their stories as we celebrate the "Tapestry of Life." Our residents are all so interesting, and full of stories and life advice!

One resident loves attending flower club to create arrangements to share with the team members at James River, while another was a critical care monitor and was in the room with President Ronald Reagan and former White House press secretary James Brady following the assassination attempt in 1981. At Coliseum, a resident who spent 35 years working at Smithfield Foods now utilizes the on-site Dialysis Den and enjoys all the festivities Activity Director Shawn organizes. A resident of Lancashire has nothing but good things to say about the team there, and likes to enjoy her soaps while having lunch, and the Resident Council president once served as the maintenance tech at the facility.

A Navy veteran from Ohio has returned to the area many years after serving here to be a resident at The Newport, where he is close to his daughters who fell in love with Hampton Roads. Another Newport resident and her daughter love the activities offered, and host their family celebrations at the community so Mother can attend. A Northampton resident with a large extended family (as she's the youngest of 13) has found peace doing puzzles.

A resident of Walter Reed has found her strength in physical therapy with the VHS Rehabilitation team and now attends every activity, and an Army veteran at York who trained soldiers at Fort Monroe never misses an event.

We hope you take a few minutes to read their stories. They were generous with their time in sharing their life's milestones. Read more: https://lnkd.in/esGY6Sxt

#NSNCW

This year's National Nurses Week theme is "The Power of Nurses," and we'd like to introduce you to the VHS Directors and Assistant Directors of Nursing who lead the clinical teams at our nursing and rehabilitation centers and assisted living communities.

We are thankful for their dedication and leadership. They provide guidance, teach and ensure VHS maintains consistent quality care of its patients and residents.

Our nursing leadership team finds “The Power of Nurses” is embedded in the day-to-day.

“We play a critical role in the health and well-being of our patients. We advocate and speak up for patients if they are unable to do so for themselves. We are there for our patients and their families during difficult and challenging times,” says Tammy Jefferies, who is the ADON at The Newport Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Most of the DONs at VHS have been with the organization for more than a decade. Some started as CNAs or LPNs, developing their careers into roles such as MDS, nurse manager and Resident Assessment Coordinator. Others came on as RNs in leadership roles.

"The power of nurses is to ensure compassion, empathy and joy in the lives of our residents. ... The power of nurses is doing the right thing — all the time. Make a difference in their lives even if it seems like a small difference. Small differences add up to big differences," says Walter Reed DON Lana Ketch.

As experienced RNs, VHS relies on their expertise in all clinical areas of our nursing and rehabilitation centers. Our seven DONs are: Yolanda Carnegie-Chambers (Coliseum); Melissa Liley (James River); LaTasha Muse (Lancashire); Amanda Martinez (Northampton); Melissa Prince-Crouch (The Newport and The Huntington); Lana Ketch (Walter Reed); and Desiree L. Plunkett (York and The Hamilton). Thank you all for everything you daily!

We asked them to answer a few questions so you can get to know them. They share those, including how they would describe their job in five words or less, here: https://lnkd.in/efeWZmXh

#ANANursesWeek #ThePowerofNurses

Our communities celebrated Global Volunteer Month by hosting appreciation events for our volunteers across the organization. Individuals, churches and community organizations are so giving of their time and generosity. They provide companionship, worship services, pet therapy, outreach activities, donate gifts and toiletries, and more. They bring joy to our residents and support our team members. We are so thankful they choose to spend time in our communities.

Here is a glance around the appreciation events: The Hamilton Assisted Living had a social with food, music, a caricaturist and certificate ceremony; Walter Reed Nursing and Rehabilitation Center had a western-themed luncheon with music, a photo booth and tons of BBQ favorites like burgers, hot dogs, ears of corn and pulled pork; York also had a social; James River gave gifts to its long-time volunteers; and Northampton had a luncheon. Coliseum has an event planned in May.

Thanks to all of our volunteers! Our communities are better because of your involvement.

#GlobalVolunteerMonth

Congratulations to our recent apprenticeship graduates! Seven students graduated from Care Assistants to Nurse Aides at Walter Reed Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Gloucester today as part of the earn-as-you-learn program that also covers the cost of the state exam to be a CNA.

The graduates are: Aaliyah Brown, Trinnity Harris, Kayla Johnson (Heart Award), Dominic Jordan (clinical superlative), Samantha Newton (salutatorian), Adrienne Smith and Ashtin Staton (valedictorian). They join the Virginia Health Services teams at Coliseum, Lancashire and Walter Reed Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers.

“Thank you for taking the opportunity in front of you with VHS,” said VHS President and CEO Mark Klyczek. “You did the work to accomplish this. We hope you keep doing the work, and stay with this and with VHS a very long time and grow.”

Princess, who was the valedictorian of her class with VHS 17 years ago, told the students that they meshed well from the beginning and this experience was a stepping stone.

“I hope I was an inspiration to you,” she said. “Let this open as many doors as you can. Use this as a foundation to develop into better healthcare workers.”

The students’ primary instructor Tracy Williams, MSN, BSN, RN, and instructor Nora Gillespie, RN, reflected on the students’ successes during the ceremony.

“This class really created bonds,” Tracy said. “I was impressed with how quickly they picked up on clinical skills. They are kind and compassionate.”

Class valedictorian Ashtin thanked those in attendance for supporting the class to be the best versions of themselves.

“This path to becoming a CNA has shown how big your heart can be for the people you care about personally and the residents we have come to love," she said. "… Our stories are still being written. … This chapter is a foundation for all of us. I don’t know where we’ll end up in our lives, but I wish you all the best.”

Read more: https://lnkd.in/eFkVUxEM

#apprenticeship #cnajobs #nursingjobs #nursingcareers

Happy holiday weekend! Our residents and team members have been hopping along with activity to celebrate. The Easter Bunny visited residents at Coliseum and The Huntington, eggs were dyed at Walter Reed, there was painting and an egg hunt at The Arbors, school children visited residents at The Newport with bunny headbands, and Northampton also hosted an egg hunt - and those are just a few of the highlights!

We hope you have a safe and healthy Easter holiday and peaceful conclusion to Passover.

Applications for our May earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship program are now open. Classes will be held May 12-June 20 on the Peninsula at James River Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and in Kilmarnock at Lancashire Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

The CNA training program graduates Care Assistants to Nurse Aides and covers the cost of the state certification exam to be a CNA. The program includes classroom work, clinical skills labs and on-the-floor experience over about six weeks. Graduates continue on as team members with VHS.

Our students become fast friends, supporting one another throughout the class. Several graduates of the program have moved into other roles with VHS, including recreational therapy and earning registered medication aide certification.

Applications are available at vahs.com/apprenticeship

#cnajobs #cnaclass #cnaclasses #nursingjobs #nursingcareers

We offer integrated healthcare services, including senior living and home health care. Today, a member of our VHS Home Health Care team hosted a blood pressure clinic for our residents at The Arbors Independent Living.

Each resident is given a tracker card, and members from VHS Home Health Care will have a clinic monthly to help residents monitor changes in their blood pressure. They also can bring the card to their doctor for assessment, and VHS Home Health Care nurse Linda said the team will offer recommendations if a resident should consult a physician about their blood pressure. Exercise and a healthy diet can help control blood pressure to help keep the heart healthy, she said.

Learn more about us at vahs.com

Special thanks this week to our Human Resources team for American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA) Healthcare Human Resources Week! This year’s theme is “Building Relationships and Bridging Communities,” and our HR team does just that for about 1,200 team members across of our senior living communities, nursing and rehabilitation centers, and home and community-based services.

HR Manager Kimberly Bennett and HR Associate Tarsha Jordan are dedicated to ensuring our team members feel supported, valued and equipped to thrive. They not only handle paperwork — they support our team with the resources to succeed and feel confident in their role with VHS.

Kimberly oversees all HR functions and ensures that company policies align with the company’s mission — we support individuals living their best life! She says she is part counselor, part coach and always ready to help our team members navigate the world of policies, benefits and everything in between to have a smooth ride during their employment journey with VHS.

Tarsha is the first point of contact for in the HR department for team members, working diligently to make sure questions are answered in one call and that everything runs smoothly. Whether a team member is curious about paperwork, benefits or just needs some guidance, Tarsha is ready to help by making sure they’re pointed in the right direction.

Thank you both for all you do to support our team!

#HCHRWeek25 #BuildingRelationships #BridgingCommunities

It’s The American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA) National Long-Term Care Administrators Week and we are celebrating our administrators and assistant administrators at our seven nursing and rehabilitation centers.

Our administrators are entrusted with the responsibility of managing the care of your loved ones. They interact daily with the individuals in our care, their friends and loved ones, and lead the center’s team to provide the highest level of quality care.

As they share in this blog post, the job is rewarding, fast-paced and they never have the same type of day twice. They approach it all professionally and compassionately, and we are thankful for their dedication and attention to their communities.

Thank you Dudley, Ajaia, Stacy, Amy, DeShae, Stephen, Bryant, Jazmin, Carter and Mackenzie for all you do to support individuals to live their best life!

Meet our VHS administrators and assistant administrators, in their own words: https://lnkd.in/eGhQkeYW

#LTCAWeek25

Congratulations to our first Gloucester apprenticeship graduates of the year! Six students graduated from Care Assistants to Nurse Aides at Walter Reed Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship program also covers the cost of the state certification exam to be a CNA.

The graduates — Victoria Hamilton (Heart Award), Simone Johnson (Champion Award), Colleen Jones (salutatorian), Katelyn Kierulf (valedictorian), Clifton Styles and Shelbie G. (who opted to not be pictured) — were surrounded by friends, family and members of the Walter Reed team during Tuesday's graduation ceremony. All six remain on the Walter Reed team.

The students were led by Director of Education Princess Henderson, RN, BSN; Nursing Training and Education Coordinator Tracy Williams, BSN, RN; and instructor Nora Gillespie, RN. They were joined Tuesday by a full house of friends and family to cheer on their accomplishments and enjoy a reception with Chick-fil-A and cupcakes after the ceremony.

“It’s so fulfilling to education our future nurses,” Princess said in opening remarks. “I love to guide them and inspire them. This experience will take you very far.”

Tracy and Nora shared remarks about each graduate and Katelyn, the class valedictorian, said, “… We pushed forward because we knew why we started. We chose this path not just as a career, but as a calling. … We are stepping into a field where we will be the backbone of healthcare and provide dignity and care when it is needed most. … We have the responsibility to uphold the values of this profession with integrity and dedication.”

We're so glad to have them on the VHS team! Read more about each graduate: https://lnkd.in/eTDCwsWv

#apprenticeship #cnajobs #nursingjobs #nursingcareers

Congratulations to our five Peninsula apprentice program graduates!

The six-week earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship program graduates Care Assistants to Nurse Aides and covers the cost of the state certification exam to be a CNA. The session includes classwork, clinical skills labs and on-the-floor experience, which the class completed at the EEE and James River Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

The graduates — Shanicia Carter, Jonathan Ferris (valedictorian), Elizabeth McLemore (salutatorian), JaMya Sanford (clinical superlative) and Kirsten White — continue on as VHS team members at Coliseum, The Newport and York Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers.

The students were led by Director of Education Princess Henderson, RN, BSN; instructor Nora Gillespie, RN; and Nursing Training and Education Coordinator Terry Williamson, LPN. They were joined Friday by a full house of friends and family to cheer on their accomplishments.

While weather and illness took a toll throughout the course, the students got to the finish line, Terry said. “I really applaud them today and am proud of what they’ve accomplished.”

Terry and Nora said valedictorian Jonathan was an advocate for his residents and helped them get needed care. Jonathan was a Care Assistant with VHS prior to joining the formal training program in January.

“We did it. … We listened to our instructors to this point and trusted their judgement; and they told us we have the heart and what it takes to be a good CNA,” he said. “You all have seen in clinicals and everything else, you are all good CNAs already. Don’t let this stop here, don’t let this be where the story ends. … This is only the beginning.”

VHS Vice President of Nursing Rebecca Boyd offered closing remarks.

“This is a competitive program with a lot of applicants,” she said. “We've got a good group here. We look for empathy, heart and compassion — you need those to be a good CNA. It’s a tough job and you have to do it well. You give a lot of yourself and you get a lot too.”

She complimented the education team for making the apprenticeship the premiere CNA training program in the area.

“Be a Princess,” Rebecca told the students, referring to Princess’s journey from being a student in the VHS CNA class about 16 years ago, continuing on to earn her RN and BSN, and rising to leadership roles throughout the organization.

“I’ve come full circle,” Princess said at the beginning of the ceremony, “from being in the class to coordinating it. Utilize this experience — from here, the sky’s the limit.”

Read more: https://lnkd.in/eYK58AvT

#apprenticeship #cnajobs #cnacareers

Applications are now open for our apprenticeship program's Peninsula and Gloucester classes that begin in March. The earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship program graduates Care Assistants to Nurse Aides, and covers the cost of the state certification exam to be a CNA. The program includes classwork, skills labs and on-the-floor experience at our James River, Coliseum and Walter Reed Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers. Graduates join the VHS team.

Learn more and apply at vahs.com/apprenticeship

[Pictured are the current Peninsula apprenticeship class learning mouth and denture care during a session at James River before taking one of their 14 tests. The class is slated to graduate in February.]

#apprenticeship #cnajobs #cnacareers #nursingjobs

Happy National Activity Professionals Week to our recreational therapy team of activity directors and assistants at our senior living communities and nursing and rehabilitation centers.

The team coordinates recreation programs that are resident-focused. Events and activities help residents exercise their cognitive, sensory and motor skills, and provide social settings for engagement multiple times a day. The activities team also drives VHS team member engagement within their communities, helping with team-centered events and activities to bolster morale and provide stress relief.

It’s not just fun and games! As our team describes in their Q&As, they are an integral part of care planning for residents, with charting and assessments as part of their daily duties. We're thankful for all they do to support our residents and team members to live their best life!

Hear from our team in their own words: https://lnkd.in/eEkkMnWQ

#seniorliving #NAPWeek2025

From our team to you, however you celebrate the season, we wish you a safe and healthy holiday! It's a privilege to serve our community, one we don't take for granted, and are thankful to all of our team members for their commitment to provide quality care and support individuals to live their best life. Thank you for making it a memorable holiday season. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanzaa!

VHS hosted its annual holiday luncheon on the corporate campus at Port Warwick, catered by The Arbors Independent Living. The afternoon was fun, and featured an appearance by VHS President and CEO Mark Klyczek in his holiday finest, which has become tradition. This year he arrived as an inflated Christmas tree! We also awarded best holiday costume/sweater to billing specialist Angela Joe and best door decorations to Wanda Forrest in billing. Congratulations!

Our communities commemorated Juneteenth in a variety of ways. Coliseum Nursing and Rehabilitation Center had a social that included informational activity packets and a red drink; James River decorated its dining room tree with commemorative ornaments; residents at The Huntington Assisted Living made bracelets to honor the occasion and had a social; and The Hamilton Assisted Living's residents and team members shared fellowship and popcorn while making tie-dyed T-shirts.

Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved individuals in the United States, observed on June 19. It signifies when word of the Emancipation Proclamation reached the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas, in 1865 - more than two years after President Lincoln signed it into law. We hope you had a meaningful Juneteenth!

Our team at Lancashire Nursing and Rehabilitation Center had a great time hosting this month's Business After Hours event Thursday in partnership with Lancaster by the Bay Chamber of Commerce. Our dietary team provided an amazing spread of options to enjoy. We loved connecting with so many professionals from across our community. A big thank you to everyone who came out to network, share ideas and support local business - we are already looking forward to the next one!

#BusinessAfterHours
#NetworkingSuccess
#CommunityConnections

VHS Home Health Care and VHS Hospice were hosts for the Virginia Beach Mayor’s Senior Showcase on Wednesday at Princess Anne Recreation Center. (Yes, fun fact, both services are offered Southside.) Our team members from both organizations, in addition to our Director of Business Development Alethea Dillow and Director of Sales and Marketing Christine Slavin, represented our senior living, home health and rehabilitation, and hospice services for the seniors in attendance.

The event showcases resources and service providers available to the aging population in Virginia Beach along with live music and other entertainment. It was a pleasure to meet so many members of the Virginia Beach community!

National Skilled Nursing Care Week includes the Virginia Health Services corporate campus at Port Warwick! Our corporate campus includes accounting, human resources, marketing, admissions, leadership, support services, VHS Home Health Care, Rehabilitation and Hospice, The Arbors, and education - including our current Peninsula CNA class.

There was a "Gratitude" themed cookout this afternoon and team members showcased our VHS pride. Thank you Jesse Young, who is our Vice President of Facilities and Development, for cooking up all the burgers, hot dogs and chicken we could eat! And thanks to team at The Arbors Independent Living for dessert and the fixings, and to Director of Team Engagement Kathryn Fisher for organizing. Yesterday team members on campus shared their best advice over healthy snacks.

We appreciate all our team does to support individuals to live their best life. #NSNCW

Here's a little peek at National Skilled Nursing Care Week happenings. At the corporate campus, our team enjoyed pizza from The Brickhouse Tavern and dressed like the occupation they wanted to be growing up. Congrats to Britta, who earned "best dressed" as an artist. She shared one of her original paintings.

Also, Northampton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center leaned into the "Tapestry of Life" theme and hosted an event where residents shared stories and memorabilia, and guest speaker Dr. Vanessa Hurdle offered remarks about the threads of a life story that compose each person's "tapestry."

Coliseum hosted a luncheon for volunteers; there was a fashion show at The Newport/The Huntington that walked through spring, summer and country-western attire; James River sported '60s outfits or wore green; and Walter Reed team members and residents have been dancing through the decades, so far with an '80s party and a Sock Hop twist contest. #NSNCW

It's World Social Work Day during National Social Work Month. Here's a peek at our team, which is focused on training and development in addition to the care of our residents and patients, and the wellbeing of their loved ones.

Director of Social Work and Care Navigation Colleen Coleman, who has been with VHS for 13 years, and Vice President of Home and Community-Based Services Donna Marchant-Root oversee the team of social workers and interns across our nursing and rehabilitation centers, VHS Home Health Care and Hospice.

Colleen also is working on developing VHS Hospice’s GUIDE program, which will help enrolled individuals living at home navigate care for dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Our nursing center social worker team includes Cynthia Bulleck and Julianne Wilson at James River. Cynthia marks nine years with VHS, most of which she has spent at James River, “where she has been stability through many changes,” Colleen says. Julianne, who will work with GUIDE, currently splits her time at Northampton, sharing responsibilities with Katrina, who returned to VHS last year and “picked up where she left off caring for residents,” Colleen said.

Mary Lee Anderson has more than 45 years at Lancashire, and has held nearly every role there. She is currently a social worker and Resident Navigator, working closely with the residents and their families through every step of the process, including those entering the recently opened Memory Care unit. We are thankful for her guidance and depth of experience, Colleen says.

Lindsay Collins is a strong leader at The Newport, where she has spent seven years. Walter Reed’s Amy Young and Rebecca Schomburg aim to put a smile on residents’ faces every day.

York’s Sarah Smalling earns her master’s in social work from VCU this year. Sarah continued her work at York while completing the program, participated in two internships and hosted social work undergraduate interns from CNU. That includes Grace, who is slated to graduate in May from CNU.

Ariane Minette, who started as a social worker with VHS Hospice, moved into the Director of Operations role for VHS Home Health and Hospice after completing her master’s. She is working toward her license in clinical social work and oversees field work for students at VHS in master’s programs.

Also on the VHS Hospice are Hannah Green, who has been with VHS for more than five years and earned her master's, and Darcy McLane, who also serves as the Bereavement Coordinator for Hospice. Jill is interning on the team and will graduate VCU in May.

We’re so proud of our social work team for their focus on career development and supporting one another through the process. Thanks for all you do to support our residents, their loved ones and your teammates. Your dedication, empathy, sense of humor and compassion are appreciated daily!

#WSWD2025 #SWMonth2025 #EmpoweringSocialWorkers #SocialWorkMonth #NASW

In the past few weeks, we have celebrated the retirements of two long-time team members, Wanda Forrest and Joyce Stevens.

Wanda started with VHS in 1999 as a receptionist at Walter Reed Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. She was promoted to business office manager at the facility, and transitioned to a role in the billing department at the VHS corporate office in March 2021. She handled billing for Coliseum and managed the personal fund accounts for residents, in addition to several other duties, until retiring after more than 25 years at the end of the year.

Joyce, a housekeeper who worked with VHS and Coliseum (including when it was Coliseum Park under previous ownership), retired after nearly 30 years of service in December. She joined the team at then-Coliseum Park in 1997. When the facility was purchased by Virginia Health Services in 2013, she remained with the team, including as a housekeeper on the corporate campus, for 11 years.

We're thankful for Wanda's and Joyce's service to our communities and wish them the best in their next chapters. Congratulations! 

VHS leadership, including the corporate clinical team, centralized admissions and building administration, celebrated the holidays during at party at Chefs Market Food Hall. We appreciate all you do!

You’ve probably seen it in our job postings and wondered what “Dietary Aide” means. We asked members of our team to explain exactly what you’re getting into when you are hired as an aide with VHS dining services.

Shelia Leek, an aide at Coliseum who started in February, has a background in hospital dining services where she was everywhere from cashier to in the kitchen.

At Coliseum, Shelia and her teammates make sure all items are stocked and ready to go for the residents. They start early, make coffee, get breakfast trays ready and prep desserts for lunch. They will help cook or assist one another as needed.

“That’s the most important part,” she says, “that we work as a team so the residents get what they need. We love the residents.”

The dining room is a central location for residents to gather. Not only is it a place where they enjoy meals, it serves as an event and activity space.

“We interact with the residents all the time. We hear all kinds of feedback, and make sure we accommodate residents who would prefer an alternate meal. We’ll dance with them, talk with them. When they’re here, they’re having fun,” Shelia says.

Javon Holiday joined Coliseum as a dietary aide about a month ago. On a typical day, she gets the residents’ trays ready and makes sure each is correct for their diet. While she found training easy, she said her most important role is that each tray matches the residents’ tickets so they receive the correct food preparation and preferences.

“It’s a good work-life balance. You have to have team work, always have a good attitude and you have to care to work here. I love to talk to the residents and learn their stories,” Javon says.

Previous food and dining services experience isn’t necessary, Shelia says, but it’s important to take the time to train and ask questions.

“The job isn’t hard; it’s hard when you make it hard,” she says. “I love to train people so they know what residents can or can’t have.”

We’re always looking for enthusiastic team members — join us! Visit vahs.com/careers to learn more and apply.

#foodservice #diningservices #dietaryaide

Here's a peek behind-the-scenes of a photo and video shoot for VHS. Our marketing team collaborated with Qantm Creative and photographer todd wright for a two-day shoot that included models, wardrobe changes, hair and make-up, and lots of ideas. The photos and videos will be used in upcoming print and digital marketing materials and on the VHS website.

Special thanks to the teams and residents at The Arbors Independent Living, The Huntington and The Hamilton Assisted Living, and VHS Rehabilitation for being gracious hosts and helping us get every look just right.

We can't wait to share the finished products!

Join our team! Applications for our earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship class are now open at vahs.com/apprenticeship

The six-week course includes classwork, clinical skills labs and on-the-floor experience. Graduates remain VHS team members and the class also covers the cost of the state certification exam to be a CNA. It runs July 7-August 14 on the Peninsula.

#cnajobs #cna #nursingjobs #nursingcareers

Our Executive Director of Senior Living Stephanie Johnston, Director of Sales and Marketing Christine Slavin and Director of Business Development Alethea Dillow are attending the three-day VCPEA Conference this week. They are connecting with local businesses and organizations such as social services and adult protective agencies to provide awareness of our array resources for families. If you are attending the conference at the Newport News Marriott at City Center, we hope you stop by to say hello.

Thank you to all of our nurses as we conclude National Nurses Week. We appreciate all you do to support our residents and your teammates, providing quality compassionate care daily. We were proud to celebrate you this week with meals, gifts and lots of photo opportunities. Thank you!

#ThePowerofNurses #NationalNursesWeek

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Our communities celebrated with music, including Chris Flores at The Arbors and the Earthtones at The Hamilton, dancing or singing along, drinks like margaritas, and all the best snacks, including nachos, tacos, quesadilla cones, empanadas, pineapple with Tajin and more. Thanks to our team members for making the day festive for residents!

We're featuring several volunteers throughout the organization for National Volunteer Week. We are so thankful for the churches, community organizations, school groups and individuals who spend time in our communities with residents and share their talents and time. They bring joy to the residents routinely.

The Newport News Master Gardeners have helped residents at James River Nursing and Rehabilitation arrange flowers and do seasonal crafts since 1995. “It’s what we do,” volunteer Kathy said. “I think all of us are dedicated to the residents and get to bring something we love to them.”

Connie Reynolds started volunteering at The Hamilton Assisted Living while her father was a resident. He has since passed, but she says, “I couldn’t stop. I didn’t want to stop.”

She volunteers for the birthday and tea parties, but also will answer the call when Activity Director Kirstie Saunders asks for help. She picks up balloons for residents celebrating a birthday and has built relationships to the point, they notice when she’s not there or gotten a haircut, she said.

“The residents need encouragement and to feel love; feel remembered and seen. That’s why I’m here,” she said. “To see them, to love them."

Ebenezer Baptist Church has spread the Word of God to residents at Coliseum Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for at least 20 years, says Deacon Gladys Jordan. The volunteers also hold services at Northampton and James River.

"It’s a blessing. They expect us and enjoy seeing us. It’s wonderful," she says.

Jay Faulkner has played guitar at Walter Reed Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for nearly a decade. He mostly does gospel and country music, but will learn residents' requests, like an Elvis Presley song.

"To see the look on (the residents’) faces and see how much they enjoy it, that’s what it’s all about,” he says. “You play a song that someone might remember, and at first there hasn’t been much reaction, but then they hear it and remember and there are tears or they start singing, that’s what it’s all about.”

Read more of their stories, and learn how to volunteer: https://lnkd.in/ecF29ukT

#NVW #pointsoflight #GlobalVolunteerMonth

Congrats to our recent grads! Eleven students graduated from Care Assistants to Nurse Aides in the earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship program during a ceremony April 17 at the EEE Center.

The students went through what instructors call “CNA boot camp,” which includes six weeks of classwork, 14 tests, learning 22 skills, and completing clinical skills labs and on-the-floor experience. The program also covers the cost of the state certification exam to be a CNA once students graduate the course.

The graduates are: Emily Carpenter, Andrea Daniels, Darnella Dent (co-salutatorian), Ireonia Murray, Jahniyia Murray, Niari Nelson (valedictorian), Ashonique Robertson, Charlanda Spragan (Heart Award), Tiffany Williams, Keri Woodby (clinical superlative) and Ivory Woods (co-salutatorian).

They completed their skills and gained hands-on experience at Coliseum and James River Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, and will join the teams at York, Northampton and James River.

Nursing Training and Education Coordinator Terry Williamson, LPN, said the students helped each other the whole class and grew to act just like a family.

“These have been my girls,” she said.

The students advocated for their residents, showed heart and did well in the clinical environment, said instructor Nora Gillespie, RN.

“You all did exceptionally well,” said Director of Education Princess Henderson, RN, BSN. “This field is so wide with so many opportunities, the sky is the limit. This class was a stepping stone, a foot in the door to healthcare.”

A class will graduate from the Gloucester cohort at Walter Reed on April 24.

The next apprenticeship session starts May 12, with classes being offered on the Peninsula and at Lancashire Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Kilmarnock. Read more about today's ceremony at https://lnkd.in/eHu8eu_a

#apprenticeship #apprentice #cnajobs #nursingcareers

Our residents at The Huntington Assisted Living and The Newport Nursing and Rehabilitation Center loved having students from Warwick High School visit and help them craft and bowl.

Each student partnered with a Huntington resident to help paint, glue and decorate their bunny door hangers. Students also cheered on residents bowling at The Newport. But the best part was observing the students engage with our residents about their lives. They have a lot of stories to share and the students were eager to listen and ask questions.

The visit was part of Warwick's day of service, where students in clubs and service organizations participated in different projects throughout Newport News. Special thanks to our visiting students Chevelle, Addison, Trinity, Jasmine, Braxton, Kelcey, Josue and Kathleen, as well as their teachers, for partnering with us. We love volunteers!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Our communities celebrated the popular holiday with green treats, music, trivia, and surprises. The VHS corporate team enjoyed treats, green punch and trivia -- congratulations to winner Susan, who knew the St. Pat's facts!

Residents at The Arbors Independent Living enjoyed a flute program focused on Irish and Celtic tune and lore, The Hamilton Assisted Living served a traditional Irish-inspired lunch and residents went on their annual pub crawl, a Leprechaun served desserts and delighted residents at The Newport Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, James River's team donned green tie-dyed T-shirts and had a photo booth with residents, and Coliseum residents enjoyed their green treats, music and activity packet. Thanks to our team members, who always know how to help our residents celebrate the holiday!

Sláinte!

Congratulations to our James River Nursing and Rehabilitation Center team, which successfully completed Go Live Day for SNF Clinic to replace its current learning management system! The team at James River will pilot the application for about a month before it is rolled out at our six other nursing and rehabilitation centers.

“The team has embraced this change with excitement and ease,” said Process Improvement Manager Cerissa Atkins, who was on-site today with SNF Clinic System Administrator Katelin Groce.

The SNF Clinic is designed to provide training and resources for nurses, certified nursing assistants (CNAs), and support service departments in the skilled nursing and rehabilitation environment. Cerissa and Katelin supported the James River team during today's transition and provided hands-on training.

Damien Henley is serving as James River’s SNF Clinic expert and played a key role in the initial testing of the application, Cerissa said. Administrator Stacy Guzik and Director of Nursing Melissa Liley actively supported the implementation and communicated the Go Live details to their team.

Cerissa and Katelin added a level of fun to keep the team engaged while learning. There were treats, including cookie cakes for each unit. Prizes were awarded to multiple team members as they competed to be the first in various departments to login and get a module completed.

Shout outs to:
Tatyonna Gardner, CNA, who was the first team member to login to SNF Clinic at James River.
Fatima Hurd, LPN, who was the first nurse to login and complete a module.
Tatyonna and Kameesha Gayton, CNA, who joined in the competitive spirit of the Go Live.
Felicia Washington, LPN, also enjoyed her prizes for getting logged in and completing a module.

Thanks to the James River team for implementing this change with enthusiasm! We’ll rely on their developed expertise as we roll it out to other centers.

Women have played an integral role in medical care on the Peninsula. We used Women's History Month as an opportunity to highlight nurses and reconstructive aides - the precursor to occupational and physical therapists - who were at Fort Monroe Authority. Special thanks to archivist Ali Kolleda, who outlined women's contributions to nursing and rehabilitation for us.

For example, Captain Elizabeth E. Steindel, who was chief nurse at Fort Monroe for about two years during World War II. She was commissioned as an Army nurse in 1942 and taught an accelerated course at the Fort Monroe station hospital to train nurses' aides in 1945 – which sounds like a precursor to the CNA apprentice training currently offered by Virginia Health Services.

Our story: https://lnkd.in/eiAqPeyD

(Historic images are courtesy of Fort Monroe archives.)

#womenshistorymonth #rehabilitationtherapists #nursinghistory

Take a peek at our Black History Month happenings across our communities. There are displays up at Coliseum and The Newport Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers highlighting the contributions of African-Americans in all fields. James River hosted a fashion show that featured outfits reflecting African-American culture and heritage, in addition to displaying artwork and sculpture. The Arbors Independent Living has programs all month, including showing the short documentary "Uprooted," which shares how Black families were displaced from their neighborhood as Christopher Newport University was built, and was followed by discussion of the film. Another program will highlight the Underground Railroad.

VHS is committed to building a culture of inclusivity and belonging in which individuals of all backgrounds, interests and identities are represented and supported. We hope our residents, team members and visitors take a few minutes to engage with our communities' displays and programs before Black History Month concludes.

#BHM #BlackHistoryMonth

Fitting for Presidents Day, our President and CEO Mark Klyczek takes a look back at his first five years with Virginia Health Services and shares how the organization is looking forward.

VHS assessed its mission, vision and values in that first year with Klyczek, which was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, and put an emphasis on the people in its workforce.

"We reworked our mission, vision and values to set us apart from other operators in the area. We looked deep, assessed how are we going to reinvent ourselves coming in and out of this. One of the things we focused on was on our people,” he says. “I’m most proud about how much we’ve focused on our people.”

That includes a focus an investment in team members that includes education and programs designed to better their well-being. The formalized apprenticeship program supports the team in hiring and training its foundational clinical staff.

Organizational growth in Mark’s tenure is evident as well.

Success stories he points to at the nursing and rehabilitation centers are the reopening of Page unit at Walter Reed and expanding Memory Care there to two units; opening a Memory Care unit at Lancashire; and opening a Dialysis Den at Coliseum in partnership with DaVita.

“Other places to grow are home health, pharmacy, hospice and rehab. They all have their own growth plans and are taking hold. Things we thought would take longer to grow are doing it now,” he says.

Reinvestment in infrastructure and a focus on quality care (which has been recognized nationally) continue to be an emphasis, in addition to building community partnerships to support VHS's mission help individuals to live their best life.

“Our strategy and growth are the fuel we need to support our team. If we don’t have a good strategy and we aren’t growing, then we don’t have resources to assist our team. We want to continue having more generous time off and other policies that our competitors don’t have,” he says. “To me, that’s administration’s role, to keep growing the company so we can support the team that’s helping us to grow.”

Read more: https://lnkd.in/eJUCzekX

We celebrated our Team Members of the Quarter and milestone service anniversaries for Q4 on the corporate campus at Port Warwick this afternoon.

Congratulations to our Team Members of the Quarter in Admissions! The team of Kassie Martin, Shelley Presson, Samantha Jensen, Jessica Booth and Nicole McDermott handle all incoming admissions for all of our nursing and rehabilitation centers. They field dozens of calls and emails a day, are versed in insurance and medical documentation, and work with each community's team to help make the admission transition as smooth as possible.

We also recognized June Barbrey's 30th service anniversary. As Vice President of Admissions and Front-End Revenue Integrity, she oversees the centralized admissions team. But over the course of 30 years, June has worn many hats, including as administrator at The Newport Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Stephen Carey (5 years at The Arbors Independent Living) and Kathryn Schwarting (25 years at VHS Rehabilitation) were among other service anniversaries recognized. Thank you all for your dedication and service to our community and for supporting individuals to live their best life!

Our copious research this month shows very few things bring genuine smiles to our residents' faces quite like Santa Claus. Thank you to our many visiting Santas for brightening the holiday season at Virginia Health Services' communities.

We're excited to share that long-time kitchen manager Josh Pittock has been promoted to Executive Chef at The Arbors Independent Living. Josh has been with our team for about 14 years and has overseen The Arbors kitchen and its team for about a year.

When he started at The Arbors, Josh said he wanted to expand his knowledge and try different things. He had spent six years with Ruby Tuesday.

“I ended up fitting in real well here, and I haven’t looked back since,” he said.

With the promotion to Executive Chef at the end of November, Josh also takes on responsibility of working with the dietary team at the two assisted living communities and seven nursing and rehabilitation centers to help streamline ordering, improve quality, train kitchen managers and oversee menus.

“I’m excited to see where the future takes me, like overseeing other facilities. It’s the first time I’ve been put in a position to do other things. I’m excited to branch out and try to help the other facilities. I think we’ve done a good job in what we’ve done here in the last two years, and it will be good to share what works with other communities,” he said.

Josh’s role will empower his team in the kitchen as he becomes less hands-on with the food and more hands-on with the running and management of the kitchen.

He has a team in place that he trusts. Several team members have been working together with Josh for several years.

“I don’t think I could be as successful here as I am and as we have been without my team,” Josh said. “I am nothing without the staff I have behind me.”

Josh calls himself a people pleaser. He appreciates feedback and says one of the best parts of his day is going into the dining room and seeing the residents’ smiling and enjoying their food.

The Arbors offers restaurant-style dining all day, and often hosts community groups for meetings and events, caters functions for Virginia Health Services, and residents often take advantage of the catering services. November through January are often the busiest months.

“I’ve seen so much food go in and out of this place, I know what’s popular, what’s not popular, what to stay away from and what to keep on the menus,” he said.

The way to these residents’ hearts?

“Anything Southern,” he said. “You can’t go wrong with pot roast, meatloaf, any traditional Southern meal — very, very Southern influenced here.”

He relies on resident feedback and will offer opportunities for them to do it in person more often.

“I want to review the menu with the residents, let them sample it and offer feedback and input to plan the next menu so they feel included,” he said.

Read more about our executive chef: https://lnkd.in/eW8rFjU6

#seniorliving #seniordining