Deanna "Dee" Foster Puts Residents First

While vacancies for bedside care positions – CNAs, LPNs, etc. – at long-term care facilities have been in the spotlight for a long time now, the job of creating and maintaining a homelike atmosphere for our residents goes beyond clinical services. And staffing challenges are part of the landscape.

Everything from the food served by nutritional services, to the care with which our environmental services team keeps our state-of-the-art long term care facility, The Alice Center, clean and orderly makes a tremendous impact on residents’ comfort and state-of mind.

That’s why finding the right people is critical, says Bob Dupra, Alice Hyde’s Environmental Services (EVS) Manager – and why he’s so thankful to have Deanna “Dee” Foster, on his team. For more than a month, Dee – who normally works at the hospital – has been filling in down at The Alice Center, where she has used her many years of nursing home experience to delight residents and support her colleagues as they maintain a clean, comfortable home for residents at The Alice Center’s Skilled Nursing Facility.

“I like working around the residents, because I get to know them,” said Dee, who worked for a dozen years at Franklin County Nursing Home prior to joining Alice Hyde, where she has worked for more than a decade. “You get attached to some of them.”

Dee said her secret is simple: she likes to bring joy to residents and “make work fun” through humor and lightheartedness. Bob and Zara Valley EVS Supervisor at The Alice Center, say the other piece of Dee’s magic is that she’s a master prioritizer who identifies the most important task almost immediately – whether it’s making sure residents’ eating tables are clean and orderly, their bathrooms are spick and span, or individual preferences that bring a special touch to their personal spaces.

“I really like coming to work and being around people,” she said. “At The Alice Center, it’s important to remember that it’s the residents’ home. You’ve got to talk to them and listen, know what they like and how they like their rooms to be kept.”

“I can’t tell you how thankful our team is for Dee’s willingness to step in and help fill these unexpected vacancies,” said Bob. “We’ve heard nothing but praise for her and everything she’s done.”

Zara echoed those sentiments, and pointed out that Dee’s ability to switch back and forth between the long-term care and hospital EVS teams isn’t as simple as it may sound to many folks.

“Going back and forth and keeping on a roll like she’s been doing is not simple or easy. She’s been a great asset,” he said.