Nazareth Home has exciting news! We’ve partnered with It’s Never 2 Late (iN2L) for a groundbreaking palliative care program called Connected Affirmation Project (CAP). The CAP program is the first of its kind in the U.S. and affirms the life of elders by utilizing iN2L technology to help tell their life-stories and create a legacy keepsake for families.

iN2L technology allows elders to use interactive tablets to stimulate intellectual curiosity with easy access to the Internet, view personal photos and videos that prompt joyful memories and stay connected with family and friends. It also educates and fosters communication about palliative care with residents, their families and Nazareth Home staff.

Partnership with PayActiv reinvents financial wellness for employees and sets a precedent for employers across the nation

Nazareth Home was recently featured in a short film produced by PayActiv called, “It’s About Time,” showcasing the importance of timely access to earned wages and the opportunity to promote financial wellness for the American workforce. PayActiv, a holistic financial wellness platform, offers a payroll solution to businesses to ease the financial stress of employees between paychecks. The success of the program at Nazareth Home sets a precedent for other employers across the country.

In 2016, Nazareth Home began an innovative partnership with PayActiv to give employees immediate access to earned funds from their paycheck, helping to relieve any between-paycheck financial stress while providing them personal empowerment. Nazareth Home credits PayActiv with changing the way it supports employees and their financial wellness.

“When Nazareth Home acquired the Clifton Campus, many of the nursing positions were filled with good people who were working for a staffing agency. We wanted them to become our employees,” said Mary Haynes, president and CEO of Nazareth Home. “As I spoke with them, however, I learned they didn’t want to switch because the staffing agency paid them at the end of each day, and they needed that to make ends meet.”

The documentary, “It’s About Time,” looks at pay timing and its correlation with epidemic financial stress being experienced by millions of working Americans. Living paycheck to paycheck is the reality for many people. Those who find themselves in that situation face a tough choice — go without, put the expense on their credit cards or opt for expensive, high-risk loans.

Haynes said utilizing the PayActiv platform was an innovative solution to the problem. “Having worked in long-term care for many years, I was acutely aware of the financial situations team members deal with, and the fact that many were seeking out payday loans, spending their money and never breaking even.”

“The PayActiv financial wellness payroll application used by Nazareth Home is personal, independent and does not make team members “go to” anyone to use their “worked but unpaid” income. Employees use a phone application or an ATM just like using their bank account,” said Sohail Aslam, Co-founder and CTO of PayActiv. “The ability to use earned money on their own timetable is a game changer for employees and their families. People are saving money by not seeking risky loans, along with benefitting from the independence and privacy of meeting needs on their own terms.”

“Finding a solution for our hard-working heroes was important to us. The affiliation with PayActiv has empowered our team and aids in recruitment and retention of staff,” Haynes said. “It’s one of the most valuable strategies we have implemented in years.”

In addition, Haynes added, “The PayActiv solution continues to provide personal value to Nazareth Home, as well as our employees and their families. It brings financial security, dignity and increased savings to our workforce, and we are honored to be featured in a documentary that is shedding light on this important issue.”

To view the film, visit itsabouttimethefilm.com. For each person that shares the video on their social channels, PayActiv will contribute $5 towards a financial wellness fund to help paycheck-to-paycheck workers.

Alzheimer’s disease changes lives for both diagnosed individuals and their loved ones.

Family members frequently take on the caregiver role for someone with Alzheimer’s. In many cases, those loved ones find the experience of providing care to be isolating and stressful. It is a hard road to walk, but in the words of Lao Tzu, “From caring comes courage.”

It’s important to know that caregivers do not have to face this trying experience alone. By joining a caregiver support group, individuals can connect with others who face similar challenges, helping to build each other’s courage. Sharing and finding encouragement along the way is revitalizing.

In partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, Nazareth Home is committed to helping all families who are affected by this disease. Our caregiver support groups offer a place to exchange information, talk through challenges and learn about resources in our community.

Grandparents celebrating 50 years of wedded bliss. Pianists and painters. Survivors of the Great Depression. Honored war veterans. Grandmothers who bake the perfect apple pie. Gardeners who grow beautiful peonies. The lives of elders are rich in history and knowledge, and our community is home to decades of experiences, millions of memories and several lifetimes of learning.

At Nazareth Home, we are touched and inspired daily by our residents and their rich stories. We’re grateful that they’ve allowed us to learn and grow from their experiences and their commitment. We continue to serve so they may continue to write their own stories.

It’s an honor to care for those who have cared for us, and a privilege to provide a place where elders can age with dignity and grace. When you give to Nazareth Home, you’re improving the quality of life for people as they age.

“Gifts are important to Nazareth Home for many reasons but it’s mainly about affirming the lives of the elders who live here and providing an environment where they can thrive,” said Director of Development Michael Buckman.

Nazareth Home’s Hospitality Fund supports our healing ministry. Gifts to this fund assist operations, including our services and programs, and allow us to create an empowering environment where elders can live and enjoy life. You can learn more about our Hospitality Fund here.

Your gift, in any amount, will enrich the lives of elders in countless ways, and support our vision of person-centered care, focusing on each individual’s needs, preferences and abilities. With your help, we provide a home where each elder’s story is celebrated. Thank you for your generosity!

At Nazareth Home, we believe in a person-centered healing ministry, and so do our employees. This is not just a job; it is their passion. Our staff serve, love, respect and provide a helping hand to an aging generation. The work they do at Nazareth Home is treasured and life-affirming. Our staff is called to care for others; therefore, we must care for our staff.

“We work hard to create a workplace that supports happy employees,” said Jennifer Smith, Director of Human Resources. “Our employees feel the type of caregiving they provide at Nazareth Home is a special mission to which they are called. We want to make sure we are creating an environment to fulfill that mission.”

Person-centered care is at the forefront of how we serve elders. It’s also how we care for our employees. Creating a workplace that is respectful, compassionate, empowering and engaging allows employees to focus on the importance of their work and the joy of caring for others.

It’s imperative that we start a person’s Nazareth Home career off on the right foot. New employees attend a Commissioning Ceremony where the Pastoral Care Director and other staff share the beliefs and mission of Nazareth Home. The event also includes a blessing of the hands, signifying the care employees provide is essential. The call to care for others with the use of their hands is a beautiful and meaningful part of their journey at Nazareth Home.

Camaraderie and communication among staff members builds lasting and trusting relationships, leading to improved happiness and productivity. To spark conversations, we have a large world map where staff and elders pin where they were born, have visited and lived. Many lively discussions occur around the map. It’s a great interactive way for staff to engage and learn more about each other and the elders.

We also encourage fellowship among staff members with our weekly employee lunch. Staff gathers to eat a meal on us and enjoy time together, getting to know one another better.

To keep communication lines open we check in with employees regularly to gauge their level of satisfaction. On Shift, a software program for employees, provides a platform to openly offer feedback at any time. Managers also use this platform to provide training and resources and to track our employee reward program.

Keeping our staff healthy and making it easy for them to manage their own health is another aspect of our person-centered care. We offer an annual health fair, blood drives and biometric screenings along with free vaccinations for flu, pneumonia and Hepatitis B.

We have also joined the movement, #BeGolden, through our partner, Catholic Charities of Louisville. This is a national campaign to bring the Golden Rule back to our communities. Part of living the Golden Rule is empathy and putting oneself in someone else’s shoes, including immigrants, which we have the pleasure of working with each day at Nazareth Home. It’s a message of unity, civility and empathy. As a reminder to #BeGolden, photos of the staff’s shoes are being made into a mosaic which will be displayed at Nazareth Home.

We’ve achieved success in building a culture that allows us to provide elders with a compassionate, welcoming, person-centered community. Our team is engaged, passionate and dedicated, providing top-notch person-centered care. Nazareth Home is much more than just a place to work. It’s a place to thrive.