ComfortCare Homes recognizes, celebrates...

ComfortCare Homes recognizes, celebrates long-term employees

“Of all the healthcare fields, this is where longevity matters most”

(Wichita, KS) March 25, 2024 – Like many businesses, ComfortCare Homes celebrated their employees on Employee Appreciation Day in March. The longevity of several of those employees has been a critical component in the overall sterling reputation of the dementia care company which was once again named Wichita’s Best in 2023.

“When you’re talking about people and families facing an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis, you want to know they’ll be in an environment where consistency is king,” said Penny Jacobs, who has spent 9 years with the company as a Med Aid.

Staci Grimes, a fellow Med Aid who has been with ComfortCare since 2009, agreed.

“It’s important to know their (a resident’s) past because knowing the past leads to a more secure future,” she explained. “Yes, they have cognitive impairment, but familiarity still matters. In fact, I would argue that of all the healthcare fields, this is where longevity (among staff members) matters most.”

While longevity may matter, it isn’t always a reality in the field. Turnover in healthcare has been a consistent problem for decades, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the years following.

“That’s why this place is special,” said Debbie Goodwin, director of nursing, who has spent more than 14 years at ComfortCare. “The company culture, combined with the fact that residents live in a true home environment, not a facility, makes all the difference. I’ve never seriously considered leaving.”

Jacobs echoed those same sentiments.

“It’s a small, personalized company,” she said. “For a job as important as the one we do, knowing the company authentically cares about us is priceless. You can’t fake that.”

The three ladies, along with several other employees who have spent 8 years or more with the company, say they continue to thrive at work which leads to thriving residents, despite a dementia diagnosis.

“It’s hard because we see them through from the early stages of their journey until the end,” said Grimes. “But there’s joy in that journey, as hard as that may be to believe. We see them experience joy every day and knowing we play a role in that means everything.”