To Encore Board Members,

I have recently been discharged from Big Bend Woods Health Care Center and can honestly say as it is good to be back with my family, I miss the other “family”  I had come to love. I had seen a sign there if I had seen anyone do something special for me or anyone, please turn in their name. I have to say I would have had to turn in everyone. I have never seen or worked anywhere where every single person showed such compassion and heartfelt warmth, going totally above and beyond the “call of duty”. They are professional, but do it with love and honest concern. You are Blessed to have all of them. They not only treated me this way, but everyone I seen them with or heard them with. They are fabulous. All the way from Jane Mueller, and I can’t forget Nate!!

Respectfully

N.S.
_____________________________________________________________________________


Hi Matt,

I am writing this note to tell you how nice, kind, and special your administrator, Ken Klump, is at Big Bend Woods Healthcare Center.

My husband just passed away at the nursing center. He was there over three years. His name “Joe” B. I just want you to know how wonderful Ken was through out those years. Every time something came up with my Joe, Ken was would always listen and fix the problem if he could. If he couldn’t fix it, he would explain why to my satisfaction.

When Joe was sick and not eating, Ken would talk to Joe and see what he would like to eat. Whenever, Ken was passing in the hall he would stop in and say “Hi”, and ask if everything was ok.

So when you are making an evaluation of this man – it should be PERFECT! I have not seen any better. These words are from the bottom of my heart.

Sincerely Yours.

Mrs. Joe B.

_____________________________________________________________________________


Dear Ken and Staff

    My brother Fred died recently at your facility.  Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to visit him there.  But I called him several times to talk with him.  Each time members of your staff attempted to bring my brother to the phone and on some of the calls he was just too sick to get out of bed.  Each time, the staff member was very polite and on one occasion even offered to give me a call in California when he was able to get up.
    My sister, Mrs... Pat Wood visited Fred most of the time and everyday of his last week. She doesn't drive and her adult children, with families and jobs of their own, drove her to the facility. Each week Pat would relay to me how he was doing and always spoke of how wonderful your facility and staff are.  The last day of his life, her family was not able to provide the ride and I understand that a member of your staff picked her up and drove her to see Fred after he was no longer responsive and she said her good bye, and they drove her home. This is unheard of and I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am.
    I guess what I am really writing about is to express to you and your staff what exceptional people you folks must be. My wife teaches and tests what is called here in California, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) classes at the local junior college. The same function must exist back there, maybe by a different name. I have seen enough of these facilities in the Santa Barbara area to have some idea of how tough the CNA job is and how under appreciated they are in most places. These are the lowest paid and least respected people in most facilities. They are the ones that do the work!!! day and night, weekends and holidays and in the end make or break the facility regardless how expensive it is. I also have observed that the people who do the work give their best performance when there is a very positive atmosphere, appreciative supervision and management that respects them. This too is rare and unappreciated. 
    Because of his affliction ( he had schizophrenia), Fred had a very hard and miserable life from what I saw of it. He was a very kind and gentle soul and maybe his was the way to live. From what little I observed and all that my sister told me, your staff gave him the very best care available anywhere. Besides the basic care that they gave him, they were respectful of his dignity and were very kind to his family. That takes a special kind of person.
 
Please, express my most sincere thanks to all of your staff for all that they have done for Fred and my family.
 
Wayne R.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for the Beautiful Peace Plant you sent.  But most of all Thank you for all the loving care you gave a very stubborn man.  You can take pride in knowing that he was able to walk again for a short while, when they never thought he would when he first arrived there.  The loving Christian care given to him in his last months will always be remembered. Your support for the the family was greatly appreciated.

Thank you again

The Miller, Jansen, Joslin, & Harouff Families

_____________________________________________________________________________


To All Who Took Care of “Bernie”