Every Friday night at Good Samaritan Society – Fort Collins Village in Colorado, activities assistant Jenna Steckline breaks out her guitar and dazzles residents with their favorite tunes.
“An easy way for me to instantly connect with people is through my music,” Jenna says. “(Residents) want something on a Friday night just to kind of let loose.”
Taking residents’ requests, Jenna strums and sings hits from Patsy Cline to The Supremes and more. From “You Can’t Hurry Love” to “Brown-Eyed Girl,” music fills the halls and brings familiarity and happiness.
“I feel in tune with the outside,” long-term care resident Dorothy Gallegos says while listening and singing along. “I feel whole again. It’s wonderful that Jenna is doing this.”
A little shy and new to Colorado after graduating from Kansas State, Jenna didn’t find it easy to sing in front of others at first. A push from activities manager Riley Scott led to the creation of what has become a weekly staple, Jenna Jams.
“When I found out Jenna liked to play guitar and sing, even though she might have that more introverted personality, I said, ‘How comfortable are you being thrown in front of some residents?’” Riley says.
Jenna adds, “It slowly built my confidence up and has helped me come out of my shell a little bit.”
Now, if Jenna misses a performance, Riley jokes that staff members hear about it.
“The music just connects somewhere and they know every lyric,” Jenna says.
Riley adds, “We all know music is very important to residents, especially with cognitive deficits, so they really light up. They smile and sing along and some who usually just sit there will interact.”
Recently graduating with a degree in social work, Jenna is finding her calling supporting older adults.
“I can’t say enough about Jenna. I just love her. She’s great,” resident Walt King says. “She just has the nicest personality.”
National Ever Forward Employee Champion
Barely into her career in senior care, Jenna is being named the National Ever Forward Employee Champion for Good Samaritan.
“It’s her heart. That absolutely is why she was nominated,” Riley says. “If you can’t find Jenna, it’s usually because she’s with a resident. Which just makes my heart really happy because you feel it on the floor, the presence like that is unmatched.”
Known for jumping at any opportunity to help her team, Jenna also works in social services and operates the front desk.
“Jenna deserves this award because she loves her residents,” says Randy Fitzgerald, Good Samaritan Vice President of Operations in the region. “Fort Collins Village has made a remarkable improvement this past year. They are now a five-star facility.
“People like Jenna are the reason. She is so committed to her work.”
Adapting activities increases participation
Adapting activities for residents who hesitate to join is another strength for Jenna and her team.
“What don’t you like about that? Why aren’t you coming?” Jenna will ask.
One way to get people interacting is going door to door in the nursing home with the building’s bunny named Buddy.
“Buddy was a very easy way because everybody wants to talk to you when you have a fuzzy rabbit with you,” Jenna says. “The Buddy visit is their one-on-one time. They don’t even have to talk to me if they don’t want to. They can just talk to Buddy.”
Riley says each activity should be enriching “the lives of our residents. Quality of life is something we strive for and it’s important for person-centered care.”
Being able to learn on the job is important for Jenna. She hopes to pursue a master’s degree in social work in the future.
“It’s really clear that she wants to grow and loves what she does,” Riley says. “The desire to serve is fading away in some aspects. When you get an individual who has a desire to serve and does it well, they should be recognized.”
Caring environment grows great culture
Still processing the recognition, Jenna says she comes to work each day with a smile.
“It’s telling me that I’m at least doing something right,” Jenna says. “You feel happy and you feel motivated to show up to work every day because you’re like, ‘I’m just working with my family. I’m working with the people I love and care about.’”
Independent living resident Isabel Montgomery feels the love. The 91-year-old chose to move into an apartment seven months ago and immediately connected with Jenna.
“She has this giving spirit that just flows. It’s not put on. It flows. Her love, excitement, everything she does for others,” Isabel says.
Isabel credits the activities department and her new friends with filling her social calendar with fun gatherings.
“Lots of things to do. My kids call me and say, ‘Mom can I come over?’ Well, not right now honey, I’m busy,” Isabel says with a laugh.
She adds Jenna is “a dear, dear friend to me and I get excited about anything new in her life.”
Feeling appreciated and accepted, Jenna is glad to have found a team and a culture she trusts.
“I’ve just felt so supported. I felt like I found my family out here,” Jenna says. “When you go out of your way to do certain things throughout your day, it’s nice to know it counts for something.”
