Thanks to the tireless efforts of our dedicated employees, board members and residents, 2018 was a productive year for Morningside Ministries, and 2019 is shaping up to be even better. As the first month of the new year has come to a close, I’d like to share with you all a few details about Morningside’s current areas of focus.
In the fall of 2018, Morningside employees learned about the newly developed Core Anchors and studied what it means to provide exceptional customer service to clients and to each other. Many of our most talented team members were brought together and asked why they work at Morningside. Their answers revealed a clear connection to our mission statement, and a strong desire of these team members to enhance the dignity and quality of life of others. Based on the common themes of putting people first, acting timely to address the needs of clients and teammates, and of communicating respectfully, three core anchors were developed as follows:
People First-Always
Compassionate Action-Now
Respectful Communication-Everywhere
Moving forward, Morningside’s Core Anchors will guide who we hire, how we communicate performance expectations, and how we hold each other accountable.
A newly designed career ladder will be rolled out in 2019. The career ladder will give high performing employees an opportunity to advance within the same range of their work. There are help wanted signs all over San Antonio, and this is an extremely tight labor market. We must be an employer of choice, and a revamped career ladder is an exciting step forward.
We will continue enhancing the services and amenities offered at Morningside’s two communities. We anticipate steady growth for Morningside’s home health agency, mmCare, and will continue making accommodations so that every skilled nursing resident can have a private room. A $50,000 grant awarded to Morningside by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid in 2018 will be used to create a more person-centered dining experience for residents living in skilled nursing and assisted living. Food service team members are receiving enhanced training in food preparation and presentation.
We recently celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King on January 21st. Dr. King once stated, “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” The work we do deserves our very best, and I firmly believe these areas of focus reflect Morningside’s commitment to enhance the dignity and quality of life of older adults, their families, and their caregivers.
Sincerely,
Patrick Crump
President & CEO
