In November, Community Care recognized five employees with CCI Employee Excellence Awards for their contributions to the organization throughout 2020.

Employees are recognized for providing excellent customer service, exemplary achievement and performance, and initiative and innovation. In 2020, nominees were also considered for their contributions to the organization throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each award winner received a $1,000 prize and a certificate. Congratulations to our CCI Employee Excellence Award winners for 2020:

Dallas Brown – Clinical Business Data Analyst
At any organization, there are individuals working behind the scenes whose contributions, however significant, often go unnoticed. This is not a statement about these people as individuals, it is just the nature of their work. Dallas Brown knows this better than anyone. While he does not interact with our members, or even many of our staff, the work Dallas has done for Community Care has made a profound impact on our organization and its bottom line. Thanks to his positive and collaborative approach, Dallas has earned the respect of leaders throughout the organization, while creating tools that help them better serve our members. As important as data is to any organization, it often baffles people; it is rare gift to make it understandable and useful in driving change and improving outcomes.

Peggy Eckart – Infection Prevention-Control Coordinator
You can tell a lot about a person who is willing to come out of retirement when duty calls. They are willing to put aside their own needs for the needs of others. Thankfully, Peggy Eckhart is that kind of person and we all owe her a debt of gratitude. Peggy was “semi-retired” when the threat of COVID-19 became a reality. She came back full-time to help us weather the worst of the storm. As the cornerstone of our pandemic response, Peggy helped everyone at Community Care better understand the virus to confront something we had never experienced before. By staying calm when emotions ran high, Peggy kept the focus on our most important obligation, keeping everyone healthy and safe.

Kerri Livermore – R.N. Clinical Director
When thinking about what Kerri Livermore did during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the phrase “service above self” comes to mind. Thanks to Kerri’s tireless efforts, she rallied her team at Our Lady of Angels convent to work through some stressful and exhausting weeks caring for the sisters hit worst by the virus. This was no small feat, considering Kerri had her own bout with the virus. Even while she recuperated, Kerri made herself available to the staff at OLA. Her passion and commitment to providing excellent care to the sisters is clear; her dedication to her staff is a testament to her leadership; but her ability to go beyond the role of nurse and leader, to be there for her staff, is a credit to her as a person.

Blanca Quiles – Home Care Manager
Within two years of joining Community Care, Blanca Quiles became manager of our Home Care Department. Since then, she has made a profound impact on the lives of nurses, patients, families, and caregivers. Blanca is considered the backbone of her department. She leads with consistency, compassion, and dedication, all hallmarks of a born leader. In addition to her “wicked” sense of humor and her overall positivity, Blanca also uses her bilingual skills to guarantee that our members’ voices are heard. It is clear why she was nominated for this award.

Dr. Carol Wood – Primary Care Physician
The past year has been a challenging one for everyone at Community Care, especially for our front line staff and our members and never more so than at our convent sites like Sacred Heart. Through her unwavering support and tireless efforts, Dr. Carol Wood found ways to best care for the sisters while maintaining a safe environment for staff. Her actions early in the pandemic likely helped to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and lower the numbers of sisters who fell ill. While Dr. Wood does not do things in hopes of recognition, her exemplary efforts under the incredibly difficult circumstances of the past year are worth noting.

 

Interested in joining our team? Our employees are our most valuable resource and the key to our success. Visit our careers page to learn more about working at Community Care.

At Community Care, your contributions will enhance lives and provide hope to the members we serve. Here are some of our current job opportunities.

In December, BizTimes Milwaukee recognized Community Care in its special “Notable Heroes in Healthcare” section. More specifically, the recognition was for our leaders and staff who provide care for retired Catholic sisters in several Milwaukee-area convents. 

It goes without saying, 2020 was a difficult year, especially for anyone working in healthcare. Throughout the pandemic, our staff showed just how committed they are to providing the best possible care to our members.

From BizTimes Milwaukee: As the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic set in, colleagues at Brookfield-based Community Care Inc. – particularly those assigned to the Milwaukee-area convents that Community Care serves — met the challenge of caring for members under incredibly stressful and challenging circumstances.

Some Community Care employees care for retired Catholic nuns from the Schools Sisters of Notre Dame, the School Sisters of St. Francis, and the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi.

When COVID-19 first entered the convents in February, little was known about coronavirus. The sisters, most of whom are in their 90s, Live, eat and worship together. While fundamental to their way of life, communal living also created risk for the sisters.

Staff had to find new and creative ways to engage the sisters —physically, mentally, and spiritually. With each new development, the Community Care staff became stronger and more confident. They have always been extremely protective of the sisters, but never more so than during this crisis.

The pandemic brought the staff and sisters closer together. It also strengthened the bonds between the caregivers. Despite long hours, challenging conditions, and the fear this pandemic caused, the sisters’ care remained the priority.

Come join our team of heroes. Check out our job openings.

We offer wide range of rewarding opportunities anyone who enjoys team collaboration, wants to be part of a mission-driven organization, and shares our mission to help elderly individuals and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities continue to live as independently as possible in the community.

In January, Community Care’s medical director, Rakhshinda Almas, MD, completed her COVID-19 vaccine series, becoming the first member of our staff to do so. Dr. Almas chose to share her story about getting vaccinated to encourage others to do the same

From Dr. Almas: As we start the new year, I wanted to share my experience getting the COVID-19 vaccine, in hopes that it would inspire you all to do likewise. I got the vaccine because I care not only about our members and co-workers, but also about my family’s health and mine. I want to keep everyone safe from COVID-19, as I know you do, too.

The COVID-19 vaccine is an important tool to help stop the spread of coronavirus and end this pandemic.

I received my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on December 17. I barely felt the injection and had no immediate side effects. The next day when I woke up, I noticed some soreness at the injection site and some stiffness of the upper arm. This was not any different from the minor side effects that I noticed with the flu vaccine, which I received earlier this year. I noticed some minor body aches, but nothing that prevented me from carrying out my daily activities. A dose of acetaminophen did wonders.

On January 5, I received my second dose, again with no additional side effects.

I understand you may have questions about the vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines are held to the same safety standards as all other vaccines. You may experience some side effects, but those are normal signs your body is building protection. The most common side effects are pain at the injection site, fever, and chills. These side effects tend to be mild to moderate and go away on their own within 1 to 2 days.

After vaccination, everyone should continue to follow all the current guidance to protect themselves and others, including wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds, following facility guidance on visitation and infection control, and cleaning hands often.

After I received the vaccination, I enrolled in the V-safe program and I encourage you to do the same if you have a smart phone. V-safe is a tool you can use to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) if you have any side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. I got a message daily from V-safe to check if I was having any side effects for the first few days and weekly afterwards. If you report serious side effects, someone from the CDC will follow up with you.

By getting vaccinated, you can serve as a role model in your community and can positively influence vaccination decisions of coworkers, residents, friends, and family. I want you to feel confident in your decision to get vaccinated.

If you would like to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the Center’s for Disease Control and Prevention.

On January 13, Community Care hosted the first of three COVID-19 vaccine clinics for front-line employees. Over the course of three days, approximately 50 employees received the first dose of their vaccine. Like everyone else, we are cautiously optimistic that this will help bring an end to the pandemic.

Community Care is following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) on vaccinating individuals who are considered at greatest risk of contracting COVID-19, which includes our employees who have direct contact with members.

While Community Care is not requiring employees to get the vaccine, we are strongly encouraging everyone to do so. Our goal is to make the vaccine available to every employee who wants to get it.

Our marketing and outreach specialist Tyler Kroll was on hand at our first COVID-19 vaccine clinic and produced this short video to document the occasion. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Community Care cancelled plans to host an in-person anniversary celebration. Instead, employees were solicited for short video messages that were turned into a high-tech anniversary card.

 

These are extraordinary times. We are fortunate to have a wonderful team of dedicated people who continue to care for our members, in the face of this public health crisis. Watch Kenneth's message below:

 

Check out the Q&A with Kenneth Munson, CEO of Community Care, in the Milwaukee Business Journal 

 

June 3, 2020 - Kane Communications - Leadership Needs A Compass Amid Chaos

December, 18, 2017 - Biz Times - 2017 Health Care Heroes Awards Dr. Mary Gavinski 

November 25, 2017- Milwaukee Courier - 40 Years Strong

November, 2017 - BizTimes - Community Care Inc. 40th Anniversary Breakfast

October 20, 2017 - BizConnections - Nonprofit Spotlight

July 6, 2017 - FOX6 News - A Whole different perspective: Virtual Dementia Tour Sheds Light on The Disease Affecting Millions

June 22, 2017 - Journal Sentinel - New Hires, Promotions at Wisconsin Companies

March 23, 2017 - Wisconsin Gazette - Wisconsin Non-Profit Community Care Celebrates 40-Year Anniversary