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.