When a new resident moves into Westmount Gardens, Mary Cassell is there to greet them and make them feel welcome at the London, Ont. long-term care community.
Mary is Westmount Gardens' “resident ambassador” and it's a job she takes seriously and enjoys, says Adnan Resh, the home's life enrichment manager.
From the day she moved into Westmount Gardens more than a year ago, Mary has wanted to help others and take on responsibilities, so the job of resident ambassador was a perfect fit for her, he adds.
“When I first told Mary about this responsibility, she thought that was the greatest idea ever and was on board right away,” Adnan tells S&R Today.
In order to give new residents the most informative facts about Westmount Gardens, Mary worked with team members to familiarized herself with the home's auditorium, chapel, courtyards, balconies and other areas.
Mary has been resident ambassador since late autumn and was “eager and excited” about the opportunity, Adnan says.
The first task assigned to Mary was being the greeter to all new residents moving into the home on their first day. Mary is literally there the minute new residents move into the home. She's told ahead of time when a new resident will be moving into Westmount Gardens so she can prepare to be there and help them.
“Mary will know what unit and room the resident will be moving into, so she will familiarize herself with the room and unit to know where they will be living, usually a few days or the day before they move in,” Adnan explains.
“Mary will wait in the cafe for the resident to arrive and will greet the resident and their family.”
Once she meets new residents, Mary, along with one of the nurses, will walk with them and their family members to their home neighbourhood and room, talking along the way about the residents' council and family council, and introducing them to other residents and team members.
Mary will check in later in the day to see if everything is going well for the resident and ask if they have any questions. She does this part on her own, Adnan says.
Another task that Mary has recently started is joining staff members when they give tours of Westmount Gardens. Adnan says having a resident join the tours is another step that helps newcomers feel welcome.
He adds that Mary is making an important difference that's helping new residents adjust to life at Westmount Gardens, adding many residents are nervous on their first day.
“Having a resident present from Day 1 and letting them know she is here for them when needed goes a long way,” Adnan says.
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