The Indiana Health Care Association/Indiana Center for Assisted Living (IHCA/INCAL) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 Senior Living Awards. IHCA/INCAL’s Senior Living Awards program recognizes professionals in nursing facilities and assisted living communities across the state of Indiana for their exemplary contributions and unwavering commitment to delivering quality care to our Hoosier seniors. Award winners are selected from peer and colleague nominations.
The 2021 Senior Living Award recipients are:
- Caregiver of the Year: Holly Restemayer, Mason Health & Rehabilitation Center, TLC Management (Warsaw, Indiana)
- Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) of the Year: Debbie Phipps, Morrison Woods Health Campus, Trilogy Health Services (Muncie, Indiana)
- Nurse of the Year: Barbara Lewis, Adams Memorial Hospital (Decatur, Indiana)
The staff at Mason Health & Rehabilitation Center describe Holly Restemayer as inspirational, one of the many attributes for which she was chosen as the community’s Leader of the Year in 2020, and IHCA/INCAL’s 2021 Caregiver of the Year. Holly began her career as a CNA 34 years ago before going on to complete her Bachelor’s in Nursing. Since that time, she has earned numerous other certifications and taken on new roles, including Wound Treatment Associate, Infection Preventionist, Director of Nursing, Director of Clinical Services, and MDS Coordinator, and she will soon earn her Advanced Care Planning certification, along with becoming Resident Assessment Coordinator Certified. Holly sets the tone of servant leadership and creates a culture of selflessness, regularly picking up front-line shifts and helping lead Mason Health’s COVID-19 unit throughout 2020, providing comfort to residents and family members alike. And notably, as Director of Nursing, Holly’s community saw near-perfect annual surveys and improved from a 2-star to a 5-star rating.
Debbie Phipps is known for her dedication to the residents and her fellow staff members at Morrison Woods Health Campus, treating each individual like family. Over the past winter, Debbie’s car was blocked in by a snowstorm, but she made the 2.5-mile trek to work to “take care of her people.” Debbie is known for her devotion to residents during end of life and for bringing joy through her Secret Santa program at the campus. Debbie also founded a not-for-profit in her local community. Staff consider her a peacemaker, bringing extra comfort to the campus on a daily basis.
Barbara Lewis serves at the Clinical Director for Senior Living Services and is exemplary across her numerous responsibilities, including offering CNA training to local high school students and leading all COVID-related activities for Adams Memorial Hospital. Through her CNA training program, Barbara has trained hundreds of students, which introduces new Hoosiers to careers in long-term care and provides needed support to Adams Memorial Hospital’s nursing home partners. She also teaches dementia certification courses, CPR certification classes, and wound care training, in addition to leading customer service training to help fellow staff members grow in their leadership roles. Her colleagues are continually amazed at the roles she takes on and the dedication she demonstrates.
“I commend this year’s winners for this incredible achievement and take great pride in spotlighting their years of hard work, leadership, and relentless drive to enhance resident experiences every day,” said IHCA/INCAL President Zach Cattell. “It is a privilege to honor these role models of our sector for their commitment to excellence and dedication to making a positive impact on the lives of the residents they serve, as well as their fellow staff members.”
Recipients of the 2021 Senior Living Awards were honored during IHCA/INCAL’s annual Convention & Expo on Tuesday, August 10 at the JW Marriott Indianapolis.