Sholom is excited to be presenting our 4th Annual Employee
Awards. A peer committee has chosen 17 very deserving winners
who were nominated by residents, tenants and colleagues. It is
important to note that each winner was nominated more than
once. That speaks volumes to who they are as a person.
Sholom provides wonderful services to our senior community,
but we all know those services could not be provided without the
hard work and dedication of our employees. We strive to not only
meet the physical needs of our residents, but to provide care and
compassion to meet their mental, emotional and spiritual needs.
We care for the whole person.
As Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we
get, but we make a life by what we give.” I believe this a quote that
all ten of our honorees have taken to heart—they are so giving of
themselves on a daily basis. These deserving employees all embody
the philosophy that Everyone Deserves Sholom.
Quality Care
Ackerberg Family Sholom West Campus
Alex Kazitsin, Home Health Aide for Menorah Plaza has been with Sholom since 2015! Alex is highly respected by his colleagues for being an observant and careful Home Health Aide. The individual who nominated Alex wrote, “He is a great HHA. He is always on top of things and reporting client problems to nurses in a timely manner. I am very happy to have him be a part of the team.”
Natalya Krykun, Home Health Aide for Menorah Plaza has been with Sholom for 13 years! Natalya is known for being a joy to work with and always ensuring her clients are happy and safe. The family member that nominated Natalya said “I want to stress Natalya’s effort to go an extra mile and make everything possible to meet the client’s needs. I think that health care workers like Natalya must be praised and awarded for their dedication and true service.”
Shannon Nicholson, LPN for Roitenberg Assisted Living, has been with Sholom since 2014! Shannon is known for her consistent high care standards and promotion of excellence in care. The person who nominated her wrote “Shannon consistently conveys a message of compassion, competence, and a promotion of peace.”
Kevin Wangai, NAR at Sholom Home West has been with Sholom since 2016! Kevin is kind, compassionate and treats residents with the utmost respect. He is always seen with a smile on his face. A family member of a resident stated “Kevin went out of his way to help our family member while we were out of town, he calmed her down and reassured her, we are blessed to have him care for her.”
Shaller Family Sholom East Campus
Donna Estrem, TMA at Chapman, has been with Sholom for 33 years! Donna goes above and beyond what is asked of her and always does so with a positive attitude. The individual that nominated her said, “Not only does Donna provide resident centered care but she is always helping out so other staff do not get overwhelmed.” Donna is a great edition to the direct care team at Shaller.
Rena’ Burns Hunt, Adult Day Supervisor has been with Sholom since 2016! Rena’ always ensures clients of the adult day program are receiving the best care and activities. One of the individuals that nominated Rena’ said “We recently had a client that passed away and Rena’ had all of our clients sign a card to give to the deceased’s family. This is not something we require, but Rena’s heart simply wanted to include the clients in showing the care we have for those, even after they are no longer a client at the adult day center. She truly feels that their families will always be a part of our program.”
Service & Performance Excellence
Ackerberg Family Sholom West Campus
Adam Gilbert, Nutrition Services Aide for Meals on Wheels, has been at Sholom for 17 years! Adam is known for the level of care that he puts into the Meals on Wheels program. The person who nominated him wrote “Adam is 100% dedicated to providing the best services to clients in the program and truly embraces Sholom’s core values.”
Deanna Miller Laundry Aide at Sholom Home West has been with Sholom for 14 years! Deanna is often known for her keen eye on finding lost items. The family member who nominated Deanna wrote “She helped me organize my wife’s clothing so socks and pants are easy to find for NARS- she is super!”
Ted Hunter, Recreation Driver, has been with Sholom since 2015! Ted is known for exuding kindness and respect for everyone he comes in contact with. The individual who nominated Ted wrote, “Everyday Ted comes to work with a smile on his face and a warm welcome to everyone he drives. He demonstrates great patience and a wonderful attention to treating the residents with great dignity.”
Shaller Family Sholom East Campus
Steve Mackey, Maintenance Assistant at Shaller has been with Sholom for 12 years! Steve is always pleasant and always welcoming to residents, family members, and employees. One resident wrote “ Steve always welcomes me in the Mains Auditorium when I practice the piano- he is an excellent employee!”
Ellen Itskovich, Guest Services at Shaller has been with Sholom since 2016. Ellen is known for her natural ability to maintain a positive attitude and spread joy among everyone she comes in contact with. The resident who nominated her said, “Ellen makes me and everyone feel so welcome and important when they enter and leave the building.”
Yoseph Yimam, NAR at Shaller has been with Sholom since 2013. Yoseph goes above and beyond his daily duties as a NAR. He is always willing to help coworkers out and will do so with a smile and a positive attitude. The individual who nominated Yoseph wrote, “We had a very busy day going on on a weekend, and a new admit from Friday had not had a bath/shower since admission (fri) and bath day was not until Wed. Sunday was asking about a shower/bath and there was not time for this during the morning routines. Yoseph worked some magic and made this happen for this patient, and made her day. He is a special staff with a kind heart!” (Yoseph does not want to be recognized).
Leadership in Action
Ackerberg Family Sholom West Campus
Stephanie Restifo, Social Services Assistant at Sholom Home West has been with Sholom since 2017! Stephanie’s compassion and empathy for family members and residents is inspirational. The individual who nominated her wrote, “Stephanie is helping me communicate with a resident who is nonverbal. The resident uses a letter board to communicate. Stephanie agreed to accompany me each time I visit this resident. She sings harmonies with me while I’m playing music for the resident. It means the world to me that Stephanie takes the time out of her busy schedule to do this once a week with me. For it is because of her that I have been able to connect with this resident and help improve her quality of life as a result. Stephanie deserves this award; she puts her heart and soul into each resident she works with.”
Johndrea Davis, TR Specialist at Roitenberg, has been with Sholom since 2017! Drea is known for her upbeat and energetic personality. A family member that nominated Drea wrote, “”Drea can get my mother to respond to her. She does this by teasing, joking, and gentle prodding. She is a joy to be around. Sholom is lucky to have her.”
Shaller Family Sholom East Campus
Lori Rodewald, Volunteer Coordinator at Shaller, has been with Sholom since 2016! Lori is known for going above and beyond to make volunteers and residents feel appreciated. One volunteer wrote, “Lori goes out of her way to smile and laugh and visit with each and every resident of Sholom who crosses her path. I visit with a Sholom resident who does not speak English and Lori always makes an effort to seek out this resident and do her best to communicate with her. Lori is a ray of sunshine at Sholom, racing down the halls from one place to another, but always remembering that she is there to serve the residents, stopping to greet them with sincere care and concern and love.”
DJ Lawal, Nurse Manager at Chapman, has been with Sholom since 2016! DJ has a positive and can do attitude. She consistently advocates for residents and has a gentle but firm approach when it comes to an aspect of care that a resident has refused. The individual who nominated her wrote, “There are many residents who have not wanted to do something for their health. Other people approach clients to work with them and they refuse. DJ will go in and meet with resident. She will listen and then give them information at their level why something needs to be done. Sometimes it takes small, baby steps to get the resident to work on the item.”
Home Care
Roberta Poissant, Clinical Manager for Home Care and Hospice, has been with Sholom since 2013! Roberta has excelled in her role as a leader and a clinician. The individual who nominated her wrote, “Whether she is on call or not, I know I can call her with questions or concerns even at 2 am in the morning. She will NEVER act frustrated or upset that you called. She supports good decisions and teaches when one needs to learn.”
