I’m excited to join the Westminster family and our whole country in celebrating the dedicated women and men who have chosen the profession of nursing, all throughout the month of May. More than 300 Licensed and Registered Nurses support the Westminster Mission throughout our communities, sharing in our commitment to the quality of our residents’ lives and their wellbeing.
Next Tuesday, we will celebrate Florence Nightingale’s 200th birthday. Nightingale served during another time of great tumult, treating British soldiers during the Crimean War and later founding the modern nursing profession in England. Nurses are still called to their profession today the way they were two centuries ago — driven by a desire to serve and a willingness to sacrifice for those in their care.
We especially celebrate the nurses of Westminster Communities of Florida. As a faith-based, not-for-profit senior living organization, “Nurses Make A Difference” is something we live every day. During our time of global pandemic, the nursing team’s inspiring dedication amid endless challenges and restrictions, has ensured the residents’ safety and wellbeing. Right now, they are not just caregivers but a source of emotional and social support to the residents we serve.
They also inspire us to consider additional education and training to join the profession of nursing – often at great personal sacrifice. Women and men from all departments have been moved to respond to the call.
All throughout May, as we celebrate National Nurses Week and National Skilled Nursing Care Week, we will share the stories of our team members, our clinical support team, and residents who are retired nurses how their profession has moved them and why nursing matters right now. Each has said the same thing, in different ways: They have responded to the call to serve our Mission of the Heart. I look forward to sharing their stories with you.
I am so grateful for the nurses who choose to serve the residents and families of Westminster Communities of Florida. On behalf of all of us, thank you!
Gratefully yours,
Garry Hennis
Chief Operating Officer
