From left, Ken Bolin, executive director; Nova Nahill, resident care coordinator; Linda Silvers, resident assistant; and Forrest Preston
"I would do anything I could for the residents – they are my adopted family.” Linda Silvers, resident assistant at Garden Plaza of Cleveland, has proven her words true with her actions.
Ms. Silvers won this year’s Going the Extra Mile customer service award for Century Park Associates’ Southeast Region. The honor was bestowed during Century Park’s Annual Management Meeting, held at the company’s headquarters in Cleveland.
The Going the Extra Mile program rewards associates for extraordinary acts of kindness. Monthly awards are presented in Century Park communities nationwide based on nominations from fellow associates, family members, residents and guests. Each community then chooses an annual winner, from which three regional winners and an overall winner are selected.
A member of the Garden Plaza team for four years, Ms. Silvers shared that she felt God’s call on her as she left her previous job of 17 years to take up this role. As a resident assistant, she helps residents on the community’s assisted living side with a wide variety of needs, from giving out ice water to wheeling residents to activities to helping them get ready for bed.
It’s a job that takes a special heart. Ms. Silvers was nominated for the Going the Extra Mile Award not only for her everyday compassion but also for several specific acts of kindness.
Ms. Silvers grew especially attached to a resident who had breathing difficulties. She knew the resident always tried to go to the first church service of the month at the community so she could take part in communion. When the resident was too sick to go to the service, Ms. Silvers talked to the church members and brought them to her room to allow her to take communion there. When that resident was on hospice, Ms. Silvers also took her personal time to sit with her.
Ms. Silvers has gone out of her way to help isolated residents, sometimes checks in on residents on her off days and serves as a mentor to her fellow associates.
“No matter how much I give to the residents, they give back so much more,” Ms. Silvers shared. “I’m blessed enormously – they mean so much to me.”
Garden Plaza at Cleveland is at 3500 Keith St. NW. For more information, call 479-4447.