October 15, 2019 —While residents are the true heart and soul of Kendal at Lexington, the staff members are an undeniably integral part of the Kendal family — and each individual role is essential to the daily operations of the community. Today, we’re catching up with Director of Resident Services Karen Jackson to learn more about the day-to-day responsibilities of her job.
Karen arrived at Kendal more than six years ago, after a 15-year stint at Carilion Clinic. In addition to being a licensed Nursing Home Administrator, Karen is also a Certified Professional of Aging Risk Management. With her background in social work and business administration, she was the perfect fit for the Director of Resident Services (DORS) position.
A Typical Day?
So, what does an average day look like for Karen? Well, as the Director of Resident Services, she oversees social work responsibilities for the entire Kendal campus — from the skilled nursing center, to the assisted living center, to residential independent living. She also oversees resident life programming for the Borden Health Center, the Webster Assisted Living Facility, and the Fitness Center. And last, but certainly not least, she serves as the Risk Manager for the Kendal campus.
With all of that on her plate, it’s no surprise that Karen’s days are typically far from ordinary. “My day varies based upon our census and the needs of the residents we are serving,” she says. “Most days include following up on calls and emails from independent living residents, supporting residents with identified needs and attending various meetings such as the daily stand-up meeting with the interdisciplinary team to talk about challenges any residents have faced since the previous day.”
All About Residents.
And for Karen, it’s all about the residents. When asked about her favorite part of her role at Kendal, she says the answer is, hands down, the residents. “There is such a wealth of knowledge and skills that can be gained by interacting with our residents when you take the time to get to know them and let them share their personal stories,” she says.
One of the parts about being the Director of Resident Services that Karen enjoys the most is the role she plays in helping Kendal residents maintain their independence for as long as possible. “Kendal supports aging in place, and the team tries very hard to help individuals and families maintain their dignity and privacy — yet support them should they need more help or to move through the continuum,” she says. In fact, Karen says it might surprise people to learn just how involved she and the Clinic Manager can become in assisting a resident to remain safely independent for as long as possible.
Addressing Non-Clinical Needs for the Whole Community.
Beyond helping residents with transitions through the community and providing one-on-one support sessions during tough times, Karen also supports community education efforts for emergency preparedness, safety, risk and compliance. To sum it up, Karen says, “The Clinic Manager addresses medical and physical needs, while I support other identified non-clinical needs.”
With six and a half years of service under her belt, Karen is looking forward to the next phase of the Kendal community — namely, the impending completion of the construction and campus renovations. “I think the neighborhood concept and the amenities we are adding will provide the staff with meaningful ways to enhance the great support we already provide across all levels of care,” she says.
Thanks for giving us a peek into your position, Karen!
To learn more about life at Kendal at Lexington, call 888-467-6115.