“Our mission is to dramatically improve the quality of life for those residing in local nursing homes,” said Ryan Ray, founder and executive director of the task Force.
For this new award, caregivers at any local area nursing homes could be nominated, not just those from the ones the task force works with.
The group received 16 nominations from nine nursing homes — Southbrook, Good Shepherd, Northwood, Northwood Assisted Living, Villa of Springfield, Oakwood, Masonic Community, Springfield Assisted Living and Forest Glen.
Rose Bagford of Forest Glen was chosen as the award winner by a nomination panel of seven from the task force. An award dinner was held last week, with about 60 in attendance, in which Bagford received a trophy crafted by 2024 Springfield CTC graduate Gavin Jones, and $1,000.
“We feel it’s long overdue that we recognize those who so beautifully care for some of our community’s most vulnerable. We’re desperate to raise the value on these incredible people’s roles and the important work they do in Clark County,” he said.
The other 15 nominees were Sarah Steele, Megan Ray, Samantha Vanvoorhis, Jodi Mercer, Brittany Lanum, Doug Feltner, Nathania Samuel, Sierra Allen, Feather Harrington, Gentry March, Jennifer Welliver, Rosa Thompson, Andrea Jones, Dasie Thompson and Michael Thompson.
“It was no easy task to land on a winner. All were so very worthy. But, we unanimously arrived at Rose Bagford as our first ever Chrysanthemum Award recipient,” Ray said. “Her brand of caregiving is a way of life, not a job. She undeniably improves the quality of life for not only her residents, but for her peers, too. She so perfectly exemplifies what this award is all about.”
The task force has been successful with the help of the community and partnerships, Ray said. The first year, they took on just Springfield Manor “in hopes to learn and minister with excellence.” From there, they’ve added one home each year.
Ray said the group has a five-fold plan to improve nursing home quality of life, through improving living space; visitation; furnishing needs, wants, and wishes; connect neighboring schools and churches; and elevating staff morale.
Over the past four years they have installed a large raised garden bed at one home, a Veteran Honor Garden at another, upgraded two activity rooms, organized and ran a Christmas Campaign called “Gifts & Presence” each year, held parties for nursing home staff of all shifts, and granted wishes and experiences for residents under Hospice care.
Ray and his wife Britley are co-directors of Life Untethered, which started last year and has two programs — the task force and Raining Angels.
They said the goal is to “help people live life to its fullest, accomplished by helping people sever the tethers to things that hold them down and back, and by placing an emphasis on serving our others,” as well as “creating a safe space for corporate gathering for those who love Jesus but find it difficult to step inside of a church building.”
For more information, visit the Clark County Senior Citizens Task Force page on Facebook or www.lifeuntethered.org.
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