Ascension Benefits Recognized Everyday Heroes who created new systems and processes at Menno Place
Karen Baillie welcomes Jon Chescoe of Ascension Benefits, Inc. with a gloved and physically distanced hi-five!
Jon Chescoe – Ascension Benefits – Thank you for being here today. Today is about recognizing the extraordinary efforts of people working on the front lines during a very challenging time. We are here to recognize those who have worked for more than a paycheque and more than a job. The people we are recognizing have worked in service to someone other than themselves and created entirely new systems to provide continued excellence in care for seniors.
While these people probably don’t think they have done anything particularly special, without them, this community isn’t nearly as strong as it is now. The stress and uncertainty brought on by COVID-19 is a little greater and the impact of loneliness and anxiety is a little deeper. These are the things people do when they care.
We have had the privilege of working with great organizations like Menno Place for some time now. Our company, Ascension Benefits felt is was important to recognize those who have made a difference during the COVID-19 pandemic. With that in mind, I would like to introduce some of the heroes of Menno Place. We will start with the teams, then the individuals.
See the photos and successes in creating system changes listed below.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to these stories. I hope you leave here feeling refreshed and encouraged. We know that there are many more heroes here that we haven’t been able to recognize. If you know one, make sure you recognize them for a job well done. Have a great afternoon.
The Personal Protective Equipment Miracle Workers
Congratulations to: (L to R)
Bas Kervel – Manager, Facilities and Materiel Management
Renate Steffan – Stores
Robin Friesen – Stores
With only 34 pairs of goggles for 675 staff members. Bas, Renate, and Robin developed a procurement system that is as nimble as it is effective. They incorporated community donations with purchases and received the product necessary to protect all staff. The entire management team cheers when hand sanitizer arrives and jump for joy when gloves are delivered. The ingenuity and energy of this team does not seem to waiver nor get discouraged even when faced with significant challenges. They have brought us all hope with their committed and effective work!
Live Streaming Team
Congratulations to: (L to R)
Back row: Ingrid Schultz and John Dyck (Chaplains)
Front row: Timea Derbyshire (Recreation Therapy) and Ingrid Stahl (Chaplain)
This team started an entire television station at Menno Place! While the station has been active for about a year, the impetus to create their own programming started when COVID-19 took away opportunities for the chaplains and recreation teams to hold group meetings. This team worked together to create from scratch a weekly schedule of shows on various topics such as Morning Prayer, Devotions, Church services, Bingo, lunch announcements, Hymn Sings and Chair and brain exercises. Each member of the team had to learn very sophisticated technology and become comfortable speaking to hundreds of people while having no live audience. This team has worked tirelessly to entertain and lift the spirits of 350 Independent and Assisted Living Residents. There is constant encouragement and fun happening on Channel 10!
Zoom Call Initiative
Congratulations to: (L to R)
Rebecca Popovici (Recreation Therapy)
Danielle Kinvig (Communications Coordinator)
Danielle and Rebecca had a goal of creating a way for residents to connect with loved ones during COVID-19. While the technology was available through Zoom, there were obstacles that this resourceful team needed to overcome. With such a large campus of care, aligning technology and coordinating schedules proved to be very challenging. Also, bookings needed to be seamlessly communicated so the Recreation team could engage the correct resident at the correct time. Danielle and Rebecca worked tirelessly to train the team and launch this amazing system! Now they have a complete online booking system to support Zoom calls in any resident’s room. With their efforts, 247 Zoom calls were successfully completed in the first 3 weeks of implementation!
Change-up of Dining Experience
Congratulations to:
Angela Ross-Fehr (Manager, Dining Experience)
Angela spearheaded the changes that took place at the Menno Apartments to ensure efficient and safe meal delivery for all residents. Menno has 4 apartment buildings with 350 Independent and Assisted Living residents. The dining experience moved from shared dining room meals, to multiple mealtimes, to having hot food carts serving residents in their individual apartment suites. Angela orchestrated all of the necessary changes even though that meant long hours and no time off. In addition, Angela re-purposed her team to receive and deliver groceries for residents. Staff who used to do dining room and dish clean up were now going door-to-door to bring packages, mail, memos and deliveries to the residents. And the fact she did it all with a smile on her face is the cherry on top!
Tech Wizard
Congratulations to:
David Janzen (Maintenance)
David Janzen is the brains behind the Menno Place livestreaming television station. He liaises with Telus Optik, he is the tester, the fixer, the troubleshooter, and the visionary. Dave works on his days off, before his shift, after his shift and is always on-call. Without his expertise, the team that delivers the LiveStream content to Channel 10 would have been overwhelmed by the technological aspects of running the station. Dave says, “it can be done”, and with that he experiments, collaborates, learns and creates the required outcome. His efforts and commitment are now touching the lives of hundreds of residents each day through the Menno Channel 10 TV station.
