Memory Care Nurse Shonda Wimbush Demonstrates Her Passion for Geriatric Nursing
Lenbrook offers memory care support to residents in its Medicare-certified Health Care Center as part of its comprehensive service offerings on the campus. Memory Support is a specialized area where residents receive customized care to meet their needs and live their best lives.
There is a special calling for those associates who work with residents with advanced cognitive challenges.
Lenbrook is so fortunate to have an amazing team of associates who work with these residents daily to enhance their lives in a caring community. The Unit Manager, Shonda Wimbush, leads this team with a passion for the residents and their families.
As a little girl, Shonda and her twin sister spent a lot of time in the hospital with chronic asthma. During these episodes, Shonda highly admired the very caring nurses who came in to provide care and medical treatment for them. Those early healthcare experiences and caring nurses ignited a fire in her to become a nurse too.
“The nurses in their white uniforms and hats made a positive impact on me, and I knew from a young age that I wanted to care for people just like they cared for us,” Wimbush said. “Their care and comfort helped to make time in those enclosed respiratory tents much less scary.”
After graduating from high school, Shonda accomplished her nursing goal. She has worked for 31 years as a nurse, spending most of that time in geriatric care, which she considers her calling. She started at Lenbrook almost five years ago as a floor nurse in Memory Care and was promoted to Unit Manager two years later.
“I am passionate about caring for residents who can’t advocate for themselves,” she said. “At Lenbrook, we get to know our residents and their families. With our low resident-to-staff ratio, we can spend more time talking, singing, and giving hand and shoulder massages which they love. They might not remember our names, but they recognize our faces, smiles, and the tone of our voices. Some of the family members live in other states as well as other countries, so they depend on us to ensure the overall care needs are met and exceeded in their absence. I speak with them by phone routinely to give care updates. We also provide Facetime calls so that they can see that their loved ones are cared for and happy.”
Shonda is also passionate about acknowledging others when they have done a good deed or job. She frequently uses the RITE Rewards program to highlight associates who go above and beyond their job duties. Recently, she shared her thanks to other Healthcare associates and the Chaplains for the care that was provided when a colleague experienced a medical emergency.
“Everyone immediately jumped in and provided care until 911 EMTs arrived,” she said. “The Chaplains staying on the unit afterwards and initiating a group hug and thoughtful prayer for all involved was exactly what we needed! It helped us to move forward and continue providing excellent care for our residents!”
That thanks demonstrates a big part of Wimbush’s spirit. “I am a true believer in giving people their roses while they can still smell and enjoy them. I never want to miss an opportunity to thank someone for what they do for me. The Chaplains talk with us, pray with us, and have left a note at the nurses’ station to call when needed. We appreciate that.”
The care offered by the Chaplains is only one example of why Shonda loves working in Memory Care. She is very excited about the huge renovation that Lenbrook has planned for the unit and expressed how valued they all felt when the design team asked for their thoughts and opinions on what was needed to better support the residents who live there.
“We welcome everyone to come for a visit to see the care that we provide,” she said. “We aim to give the best experience possible to our residents and family members. Working in Memory Care is the BEST!
Lenbrook is proud of the amazing associates that are called to work in the community. Our mission is to enable residents to enjoy good health and personal fulfillment to the fullest extent possible through our many programs and services. Please watch for other blogs showcasing some amazing team members who impact residents’ lives daily.