This week marks the beginning of the 40th Annual National Nursing Assistants Week (June 15th – 22nd), a week that celebrates those too often unsung heroes who serve as the cornerstone of care at every assisted living & memory care community: Career Nursing Assistants (CNA’s). These loving, compassionate, & endlessly patient individuals are the ones that spend the most time with our residents, providing assistance with all aspects of their daily life & care, aiding in activities, sharing conversation, & developing the special bonds that make them the heart & soul of our residents’ community experience.
Words cannot adequately convey the importance of each and every CNA in setting the tone & maintaining our standard of excellence in care, as well as creating & cultivating a positive, enriching lifestyle for our residents each & every day. These “Care Specialists” have earned their hard-won expertise by devoting their career & lives to focusing on the wellbeing of others. We love National Nursing Assistants Week because it gives us the opportunity to plan activities & events that celebrate our CNA’s & show our appreciation for the amazing compassion & care they diligently provide day in & day out.
Our Schonberg communities choose to celebrate National Nursing Assistants Week in a variety of different ways, with events & gifts that are unique to each community & the preferences of their own CNAs. Some communities create a fun “theme” for each day that allows both residents & CNAs to let loose & showcase their individuality & creativity through themes like “Pajama Party Day,” “80’s Day,” & “Rep Your Favorite Sports Team Day.” Themed days also provide a great opportunity for CNA’s to further strengthen bonds with their residents over shared interests each theme uncovers, such as the fact that they are both die-hard Broncos fans or that Madonna is their favorite 80’s icon. Other ways we show our CNA’s the appreciation they deserve include providing snack stations throughout the week (Breakfast Bites, Ice Cream & Pizza Parties, catered lunches, etc.), daily drawings for door prizes like gift cards or restaurant/spa gift certificates, & special gifts from the community, like a customized thermal mug filled with candy.
There are countless ways to celebrate the CNA’s that serve as the vital front lines & foundation of a community’s care program, and we encourage everyone who benefits from the hard work and dedication of a CNA to find their own special way to say THANK YOU this week for all the big & small ways that CNA’s improve the lives & health of yourself, your loved one, or the residents that your community serves. We most definitely will be!