A clean start for quality care
Gloria Guerra and Rosie Gutierrez have been Banfield Pavilion housekeepers for almost 12 years. In that time they’ve formed lasting relationships with residents and staff as they work hard to maintain a clean, safe and healthy home for seniors with complex care needs.
“I’m hire five days a week so it’s become a second home for me,” says Gloria. “Some of the residents have been here as long as I’ve worked here, and we have gotten to know each other well. I understand what they need before they have to ask.”
“She’s such a good worker,” a resident says about Gloria. “She responds quickly to my requests and I like to talk and laugh with her.”
Gloria and Rosie are important members of the team that care for 156 residents at Banfield Pavilion. Together, they help contribute to the care and wellbeing of frail elderly residents who have trouble caring for themselves.
“They have very good connections with the residents,” says Frances Leatherdale, a registered nurse at Banfield. “Very often they’ll go over and above what is expected of them and do the little things — like add an extra blanket at resident beds – to make our residents feel well taken care of.”
New ways of working together
Gloria and Rosalie were recently hired by Crothall Healthcare, our new service provider for Environmental Services (EVS), formerly Housekeeping. Recognizing that Crothall staff and housekeepers like Gloria and Rosalie are integral members of the larger care team, our new partnership will rely on more collaboration at the frontline.
“Even before, Gloria and Rosalie would work directly with the nurses,” says Ann Marie Johnston, resident care coordinator. “You never have to worry about a room thanks to them. They always check and re-check everything.”
It’s that kind of partnership that we’re building on throughout Vancouver. At the unit and department level, cleaning assignments are now made directly with housekeepers, rather than going through the call centre. In addition, Crothall staff will participate in joint rounding and attend daily huddles or check-ins to ensure continuous improvement.
Our partners in care
Throughout September, a number of Vancouver sites, including Dogwood Lodge, GF Strong, and George Pearson Centre, among others, have organized Welcome Events for Crothall employees. The events kicked off a fresh new start and introduced new Crothall team members to their VCH partners and sites.
“We also want to show our appreciation for all Crothall housekeepers and staff,” says Shelly Fleck, director of special projects. “We think of them as members of our team, too. They’re our partners in care and, together, we can provide even cleaner and safer environments for patients, clients and residents.”
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