We are beyond grateful that you have chosen to be a part of our Providence team. We hope you’ll enjoy the stories you’ll find inside, and we thank you for helping us fulfill our mission as we serve older adults.
THE PROVIDENCE
Employee Newsletter
VOLUME 1 | 2024
Victorian Village Memory Care Remodel BY JACKIE TERPSTRA, VICTORIAN VILLAGE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Every year, Providence Life Services assesses campus needs
The best part about having memory care on campus is that it helps keep families together. That’s something people love about our community—the ability to live in different areas. We have cases where one spouse lives in Memory Care and the other lives in Independent Living, and they can still spend time together on campus. We provide the ability for residents to be with their loved ones even if they’re in different levels of care. During this remodel, we have really focused on making the Memory Care community a fun, safe, happy place to live and work. We know that if our employees have high morale and are energized by the atmosphere, that has a positive impact on the residents and their family members. Part of the project was to make it a more home-like environment, to use things that are very important on a memory care floor. We will enhance the living spaces for residents with cognitive
Living Room Area
and works to improve our buildings to help us offer the best possible care to those we serve. This year at Victorian Village, we’re remodeling our Memory Care community at the Victorian Inn! We are so excited to be able to offer our residents a gorgeous place to live where they can enjoy a comforting, vibrant atmosphere. We’ve put thought into every detail of our Memory Care neighborhood, and you can see it on our residents’ faces. Time and time again we hear from folks touring, or from vendors who visit multiple communities, that when they come to the Inn, residents seem very happy and are smiling and engaging with visitors. We know we have incredible staff, so the remodel will help us add to the skill our employees bring to campus.
Living Room Area
Living Room & Library
VICTORIAN INN | The Memory Care Remodel will be a welcome refresh!t
Answering the call to enhance the lives of those we serve in the name of Jesus Christ. | PROVIDENCE MISSION
impairments to include soft, soothing colors. We have also specially chosen furniture and LED lighting so that it is adjustable, to create a calming atmosphere. Our staff agree that these are fantastic upgrades. Ariane Wilson, Victorian Village’s Assisted Living Program Director, says, “The programming and environment here allow the
residents to reconnect with some of their life roles and some of those activities that they really engaged with throughout their whole lives.” We are thrilled to see our finished product! Wherever you are working in the Providence Life Services family, thank you for using your skills to enhance the lives of the people you serve in the name of Jesus Christ.
Resident Corridor/Dining
Remodeling is a helpful feature, but you are the real key to the services we offer,
and for that, we thank you!
Thirty Years of Care Providence at Home Celebrates Milestone
Providence’s first-ever home healthcare division was es- tablished 30 years ago to respond to the changing needs of our community and has continued to grow and evolve over the past quarter-century. Although house calls from visiting nurses were common practice as early as the nineteenth century, the home healthcare model as it is known today emerged during the healthcare reforms of the 1990’s. Changes to insurance payment systems resulted in the traditional hospital stay being drastically shortened. Patients needed follow-up care, and Providence was there to meet the need with nursing services, physical therapy, and other forms of help in people’s homes. In 1994, Providence Home Health Care was licensed by the state of Illinois to provide in-home care for people who were not ready to move in to a retirement or care com- munity. The division recorded 1,500 home visits in its first year, far more than anyone had envisioned in such a short time – emphasizing the need for care that met people right where they lived.
Two years later, Provi- dence added private duty services to its offerings, making life easier for older adults by providing bathing, dressing, light housekeeping,
A N
and other non-skilled assistance. They con- tinue to offer these types of services today through the Campus Care programs in Illinois and Indiana, allowing Providence At Home divi- sion to serve people in their own homes, in our retirement communities, and in skilled nursing and assisted living venues — wherever we are needed. Congratulations on 30 great years, Providence at Home! We look forward to many more years of your service and care.
2 Volume 1 | 2024
Getting Great Reviews: Why Current, Positive Reviews Make a Difference
Providence Life Service Talent Acqui- sition Specialist. “Prospective employ- ees relate to current or former em- ployees that are already in the same position or industry.” Research shows how important re- views are. Martin Konn from Indeed. com says that prospective employ- ees research employee reviews to assess company culture, identify red flags, and learn more about company benefits and perks. Also, according to the top 12 tips from “Where You Live Matters,” four of the top 12 tips involve researching websites, reading online reviews, reviewing social media channels, and using social media to ask questions about other’s experi- ences with senior living communities or asking for recommendations. If you are talking to a resident or fam- ily member who gives you a compli- ment, encourage them to leave us a review on Google or Facebook. And if you are having a great experience as an employee and want to help attract other quality staff, consider leaving a review on Indeed to make sure every- one knows Providence is a great place to work.
Before you try out that new restau- rant that opened up near you, do you ever do a quick web search and read reviews first? Sometimes seeing neg- ative reviews completely change your mind, and you decide to find a differ- ent place to eat without trying the restaurant for yourself. After all, you have plenty of options! It’s the same for senior communi- ties and services. Before a prospect or their adult child calls us or comes for a visit, they often do a quick web search. When a prospective employee is researching workplaces, they may hop on Indeed or GlassDoor to see what our staff’s thoughts are. When people search our communities, they want to see reviews that show the positive experiences that our res- idents and employees tell us about so often. They also look for recent reviews so they know that our current employees and staff enjoy their time with us. “It’s important for employees to leave reviews because it provides an authentic insight for prospective employees,” says David Montenegro,
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Leave a Review on Indeed with your phone
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Leave a Review on Glassdoor with your phone
The Providence Call 3
Walking in Faith Victorian Village Administrator Shares Her Lifelong Passion Working with Seniors
at Victorian Village Health & Wellness Center. Jamie’s close-knit family lived within blocks of each other in South Holland, Illinois, making intergen- erational get-togethers a common occurrence. From a young age, Jamie’s heart was leading her toward a career in social service for older adults. During college, Jamie worked at a senior living community while also completing a social work internship with seniors. “I was learning so much about healthcare and the tough decisions people have to make during a dif- ficult time,” Jamie says. “I made me realize that I could be the person to help make that time a little easier for people.” After over a decade work- ing as a social worker with older adults, a supervisor encouraged her to take the Nursing Home Administra- tor exam.
“I didn’t know if I really knew enough, but I took the prac- tice exam and only missed one question,” Jamie says. “I realized just how much I’d learned on the job.” Making the move to admin- istrator just made sense. “I wanted to make a differ- ence and improve people’s lives,” she says. “I knew I could help the patients, and also families and staff. As a social worker, I was helping them get the right care, but as an administrator, I’m able to get more into their lives and be more helpful and more hands on.” After 26 years working in long-term care, the Prov- idence family was blessed when Jamie began working at Victorian Village Health & Wellness Center at the end of 2023, and she loves the Small House environment. “It’s set up for person-cen- tered care, and I love the home-like environment,” she says. “It’s obvious the staff is the extension of the residents’ family.”
Working in healthcare may have its share of challenges, but Jamie knows how to balance her life. She and Jeff, her husband of 22 years, have two sons (one in high school and one in college), and she also has Murphy, her dog, who she takes a walk with ev- ery morning, leaving her phone behind. “That walk helps calm me before I start each day,” she says. “That’s my peace of mind so I can just sim- mer down.” Jamie’s faith is also key to the challenges she faces as she walks through life. “I believe God gives you the strength to get through anything,” Jamie says. “He’ll lead you down the right path. Sometimes it might feel like it’s not the right path, but I’ve learned that just may be the lesson He’s teaching you, just to follow Him and let Him work out the details.”
JAMIE KRIEPS Healthcare Administrator, Victorian Village Health & Wellness Center
When other 16-year-olds were off participating in typical after-school ac- tivities, 16-year old Jamie Krieps spent her after- noons at her great-grand- ma’s house. “She was in her 90s and from Poland,” Jamie ex- plains. “Because she had dementia, she had reverted to only speaking Polish, and I didn’t understand one word she said.” But that didn’t stop Ja- mie from serving her great-grandma; rather, it sparked a passion that led her to her current position as Healthcare Administrator
4 Volume 1 | 2024
Twenty-Five Years of Community Victorian Village Celebrates Silver Anniversary U e b r a
VICTORIAN
VILLAGE
It was 1995 when Providence Life Services began planning an Assisted Living community in Homer Glen, Illinois. Four years later, the first residents moved in to the Victorian Inn for Assisted Living. This was the first phase of the Victorian Village community, which would grow to include Retirement Living in the Grand Victorian, Townhouse Living in the Victorian Courts, and Memory Care, Skilled Nursing, and Rehab in the Victorian Village Health & Wellness Center. In fact, the Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation services that we added to our campus in 2014 are a new model of care. “Small House” care combines the professional skilled care of an institutional setting with the comfortable, “fam- ily” feel of a residential home. Victorian Village was the first community in Illi- nois to offer this kind of care. This past year, Victorian Village continued it’s “first” mentality by being the first Memory Care program in Illinois to achieve accreditation from the Joint Com- mission. This year, Victorian Village is remodeling the Memory Care community to make it even more inviting for our residents. Today, Victorian Village offers a full continuum of care: retirement living in our Victorian Courts townhomes and Grand Victorian apartments, Assisted Living & Memory Care in our Victorian Inn, and long-term skilled nursing care and short-term post-acute rehabilitation in our Health & Wellness Center. Congratulations, Victorian Village, on 25 years of excellence!
Y
Y
25 years of helping people feel healthier, safer, and stronger
With You, for You!
The Providence Call 5
Benefits Spotlight FSA v. HSA: What does it all mean?
What can I use my HSA or FSA debit card to pay for? There are thousands of eligible items, including: • Copays and coinsurance • Doctor visits and surgeries • Over-the-counter medications (first aid, allergy, asthma, cold/flu, heartburn, etc.) • Prescription drugs • Birthing and lamaze classes • Dental and orthodontia • Frames, contacts, prescription sunglasses, etc. But what is the difference between these two options, and would either of these accounts benefit you?
Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts are two different benefits whose titles are often misun- derstood and used interchangeably. However, both offer benefits unique to their participants. The following Ben- efits Spotlight should help dispel some of the myths and misunderstandings. If you are an employee who is eligible to participate in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance plans, you can choose a plan with HSA (Health Savings Account). Another benefit that Providence offers to all bene- fits-eligible employees is participation in an FSA (Flexible Spending Account). How are an HSA and FSA alike? Both of these accounts are a way for you to set aside money to pay for health-related expenses, pre-tax. For either of these plans, you will receive a debit card that you can use to make qualified purchases or to pay for qualified care costs.
6 Volume 1 | 2024
HSA You must be enrolled in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) in order to enroll in an HSA. You’re not eligible for an HSA if you’re claimed as a dependent on someone else’s taxes, covered by another plan that conflicts with the HDHP, or if you or your spouse are contributing to a medical FSA. An HSA is a benefit that allows you to choose how much of your paycheck you’d like to set aside, before taxes are taken out, for healthcare expenses or use as a retirement savings tool. This plan offers tax savings that a 401(k) and IRA don’t, making it a powerful option for diversifying your retirement portfolio. Think of your HSA as a personal savings account. Any un- spent money in your HSA remains yours, allowing you to grow your balance over time. Funds are available to use for eligible purchases once that money has been deposited. When you reach age 65, you can withdraw money (with- out penalty) and use it for anything, including non-health- care expenses. The HSA’s unique, triple-tax savings means the money you contribute, earnings from investments and withdrawals for eligible expenses, are all tax-free, making it a savvy savings and retirement tool. You must be enrolled in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) in order to enroll in an HSA. You’re not eligible for an HSA if you’re claimed as a dependent on someone else’s taxes, covered by another plan that conflicts with the HDHP, or if you or your spouse are contributing to a medical FSA.
FSA A medical FSA is a benefit that allows you to choose how much of your paycheck you’d like to set aside, before tax- es are taken out, for healthcare expenses. This saves you money by reducing your taxable income. Your funds are available on Day 1, so schedule that surgery, buy those eyeglasses or finally get those braces! All of your FSA funds are available to spend right away. Use your benefits debit card at the point of purchase. Think of it like a discount on healthcare expenses at stores such as Amazon, Target, CVS, Walmart, Walgreens and more. Dollars you contribute are taken out of your pay- check before tax. You are eligible to enroll if you have health insurance through Providence and if you or your spouse aren’t ac- tively enrolled and contributing to an HSA. When can I opt in to this benefit? You can take advantage of an FSA or HSA during Open Enrollment. Speak with your HR manager for more information.
The Providence Call 7
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USING RIGHTWAY IS LIKE HAVING A DOCTOR IN THE FAMILY “It’s so convenient to have an expert answer questions that would take me numerous calls, too much frustration, and too much time away from family!” JILL R. ON FINDING AN IN-NETWORK ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON
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8 Volume 1 | 2024
Thank you to all of our employees whose generous financial contributions help Providence Life Services continue to fulfill our mission to enhance the lives of those we serve! Employee Giving
2023 Employee Giving Participants Tim Abbring Kiersten Baker Julie Benda Janna Boger Dr. Michelle Buikema Hyun Clark Luis Colon Tom Corley Beth Cunningham A Friend of Providence Victoria De Boer Bill DeYoung Michelle Dykstra Rev. Gerry Erffmeyer A Friend of Providence Carl Goodfriend Cathy Hamstra Schipma Sherryl Kamphuis Timothy Kamphuis Jacqueline Kamps A Friend of Providence Denise Kielanowicz A Friend of Providence Meghann Klotz
Hilda Kuiken Larry Otte Joan Schutt Richard Schutt
A Friend of Providence Carl Goodfriend Cathy Hamstra Schipma Sherryl Kamphuis Timothy Kamphuis Jacqueline Kamps Lisa Keaveny A Friend of Providence Larry Otte Joan Schutt Richard Schutt Alexandra Shloss Scott Studebaker David Sullivan Megan Tengerstrom A Friend of Providence Amy Unger Barry VanderGenugten Carla VanTil Rick VanDyken A Friend of Providence Johanna Zandstra”
Alexandra Shloss Scott Studebaker David Sullivan Megan Tengerstrom A Friend of Providence Amy Unger Barry VanderGenugten Carla VanTil Rick VanDyken Johanna Zandstra
2024 Employee Giving Participants to-Date Kiersten Baker
Julie Benda Janna Boger Michelle Buikema Luis Colon Bill DeYoung A Friend of Providence
Michelle Dykstra Gerry Erffmeyer
The Providence Call 9
We AppreciateYou! Congratulations on your work anniversaries in January, February, and March of 2024!
Hard work, loyalty, and diligence are the cornerstones of great employees. We thank our Providence Life Services team for their dedication to the organization. You are truly valued for your contributions!
Park Place of Elmhurst EMPLOYEE Na’Zariah Coleman
Provinet EMPLOYEE Mario Romo Zachery Lake Michael Lesyna Angela Pruett Rafael Janania Kyle Kasmer Athena Springer Jeremy Mendoza Bridney Yarbough Scott Sweeney Christine Flynn Carol Sendra
Corporate EMPLOYEE
ANNIVERSARY
ANNIVERSARY
ANNIVERSARY
1 2 2 2 3 3 5 9 9
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4
Melody Claudio
5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 8 9 9
Ann Lafferty
2 2 8
Kristen Flowers Brenda Green
Jacqueline Deardurff Jonavie De Guzman Veronica Gomez Guadalupe Reyes
Connor VanderGenugten
Carla Van Til
Marionette McNutt Madeline Page Matthew Pierce Fatima Robledo Maria Salazar Brianne Scherer Dreah Simmons Biby Thorakkal Kevin Villalobos Dominic Claudio Floralucia Purata
Heather Gomez Amber Williams
13 16 17 19
Geline Santiago
Julie Benda
Robert Garro Jose Ortega
Gina Elberson
Home Health EMPLOYEE Kinyatta Sheppard
D’Athena Porter Brenda Wade Benjamin Danish
10 11 11 12 12
ANNIVERSARY
1 1 2 2 4 5
Tiffany Jones Laura Walsh Jibin George
Kim Stevenson Tami Homan Patricia Hunt Rosann Prosser Lisa Augustyniak Mary Mugg-Seely
Laura Palys Robin Pryor
Kristen Voss
Sharon Gonzales
Royal Atrium Inn EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARY Gwen Treffers 1 Susan Kreter 1 Sandra Smith 1 Mary Dewitt 3 Kari Kruis 3 Richard VandenBerg 3 Sherryl Kamphuis 4 Catherine Knoepke 9 Patti DeWeerd 17 Connie Breuker 21
Christian Chalcak Kathleen Hickey Esteban Saenz Murlena Williams Kimberly Hoang Daniel Lopez Sharonda Love
Craig Kinsey
10 10 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 12
Cassandra Stewart George Carrasquilla
11
Lora Gagliardi Milanka Nikolic Guadalupe Brito
Hospice EMPLOYEE Chad Hobbs
ANNIVERSARY
1 1
Kellie Evans Alex Jimenez Pablo Silva
Ginger Wollenweber
Karen Sugay
April Narjes
11 13
Rolando Villanosa Sharlene Angelic San Miguel
Annette Chiappetti
David Tiemersma
5
10 Volume 1 | 2024
We AppreciateYou!
Royal Park Place EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARY Brianna DeSappio 1 Douglas Hoeve 1 Caleb Kamphuis 1 Kimberly VanDis 2 Kimberly Haskill 9 Jacqueline Kamps 9 Diane Kloosterman 17
Carole Severin
2 2 2 3 3 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 8 9 9
Kimberly Mewborne
5 6 6 7 7 9
Gale Tan
Tina Fuller
Jacquelyn Terpstra
Ian Rodriguez Patricia Mattes Darlene Trimble Dana Brumfield
Catherine Heatherington
Soretta Miller
Iwona Danowski Michelle Foster Jamesia Jackson Zajasah Wilson Nicole Boersma
Elizabeth Cunningham
23 32
Betty Minard
Victorian Village EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARY Allan Estrella 1 Rebeca Hernandez 1 Michael Kooy 1 Maria Limon 1 Natalie Pieper 1 Rommel Rosaldo 1 Hannah Carlson 2 Dawn Collins 2 Marla Epps 2 Lamia Garcia 2 Zatora Hughes 2 Michelle Lewandowski 2 Wendy Malecky 2 Mylyn Ines Providencia 2 Karina Roik 2 Deyasha Sago 2
Park Place of St. John EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARY Jade Czarny 1 Melissa Ketner 1 Marian Cuevas 2 Wendy Dykstra 2 Brianne Homrich 2 Dina Johnson 2 Karen Newman 2 Michael Rajski 2 Lizette Serrano 2 Paige Seymour 2 Colleen Vander Woude 2 Shawnae Cunningham 3 Pawarisa Kennedy 3 Brittney Cooper 4 LaDarra Jones 4 Laura Jania 5 Loran Jacobs 5
Cathy Brann
Denise Santacruz Cynthia Grandberry Melanie Patterson
Wendy Bouse
Irma Rios
Julie Johnson
12 15 16 19 19 25 25 30 36 37
Felicia McCondichie
Ariane Wilson Craig Rejniak
Krystyna Szerlag Thomas Butler Pamela Richardson Regina Leiterman
Diane Giglio
Evangelia Skipitaris
The Providence Call 11
Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage Paid Bedford Park, IL Permit No. 636
18601 NORTH CREEK DRIVE, SUITE A | TINLEY PARK, IL 60477 Providence LIFE SERVICES
Open Enrollment Information Our Open Enrollment period for benefits begins April 1st and ends April 15th . Don’t forget to opt in to the benefits that you want. This includes:
• Health Insurance • Dental Insurance • Vision Insurance • FSA Healthcare • FSA Dependent Care • Voluntary Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse, Child
• Short-Term Disability • Accident Insurance • Critical Illness Insurance • …and more! Keep your eye out for enrollment information, and remember— you MUST enroll during the open enrollment period to take advantage of these benefits. Questions? Reach out to your HR Manager.
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View the Benefits Guide with your phone
A Providence Life Services periodical that provides information and inspiration to those who are answering the call to enhance the lives of those we serve. THE PROVIDENCE
www. ProvidenceLifeServices .com 18601 North Creek Drive, Tinley Park, IL 60477 | 708.342.8100 PROVIDENCE LIFE SERVICES IS A 501(C)3 NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
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