The Orchards at Bartley is a 100 unit assisted living community located on the campus of Bartley Healthcare. The Orchards has a 50 unit traditional assisted living neighborhood. In addition, a specialized 21 unit memory care neighborhood called Cedar Court is dedicated to Alzheimer’s and dementia residents.
Kathy Gonzalez C.N.A. has been employed for more than 5 years at the The Orchards at Bartley as a Resident Assistant. Her attitude, smile, calm demeanor and genuine love for residents make her one of our most cherished heroes. Kathy always goes out of her way to make a resident feel special and cared for, and she shows exceptional pratience and kindness to our residents every day.
Kathy assisted a resident whose mother had passed away by purchasing a suit for him, and then tailoring it to a fit so that he could attend her funeral. This was especially important, as this resident’s mother was his primary care taker. When the mother passed away, Kathy took on the nurturing and comforting role. She continues to show special attention to this resident and meets his needs as a mother would.
Kathy visits every resident when they are admitted to the hospital to be certain they know they are missed, and that we want them to “hurry home”. She sits by their bedside, holds their hand, and NEVER tells a soul that she has visited as she does not ever do it for recognition, she does it because it is in her heart to do so.
Kathy has special affection for those residents who do not have family close by. She takes each one to lunch for their birthdays, to celebrate and acknowledge their special day. Each morning, Kathy takes extra time to fix our Cedar Court residents’ hair, put makeup and jewelry on our residents, and encourages them to remain independent in their choices for as long as they are able. She shops for residents and takes them out shopping for special occasions on her own time. Kathy makes centerpieces for each dining room table for every occasion throughout the year.
In September of least year, we held a “wedding day” and Kathy baked a tiered wedding cake with white rose icing to add to the festivities. As the residents wore veils and listened to the wedding march, they were able to reminisce about their own weddings and how special the day made them feel.
Kathy has a calming way about her that lets all those who come in contact with her feel special and appreciated. The residents trust her genuine nature and her true and honest approach to everything she does. We value Kathy and the example she sets for all those that work with her on making a difference in the lives of our residents every day. She has been named Employee of the Year for The Orchards for the past two years. On a personal note, Kathy presently works two full time jobs and is paying for both her children to attend college.