The Brookhouse Home for Women is the recipient of the 2022 Outstanding Team Award from LeadingAge, an organization representing the mission-driven, not-for-profit providers of health care, housing, and services for older persons in Massachusetts.
The Outstanding Team award was presented to the management team at the 2022 LeadingAge MA 68th Annual Membership Meeting on October 12 in Worcester, MA and delivered personally to the Brookhouse Home by the president of LeadingAge Massachusetts Elissa Sherman. Additionally, Brookhouse Home’s activity director Marsha DiCesare was recognized by LeadingAge for her nomination in the Heart and Hands category and staff nurse KellyAnn Watkins was recognized for her nomination as Emerging Leader.
LeadingAge praised Brookhouse Home for its high standards and best practices under the leadership of its Administrator Judy Kane. The award highlights the respect the team each has for each other who were all noted for their outstanding efforts.
From left Julia Coffin, Paul Murray, Laurie Fullerton, Judy Kane, Susan Santos, Marsha DiCesare, and Dennis Cox
“For Brookhouse Home to look as beautiful as it does, run as well as it does, provide the best care for our residents, and make our residents happy and proud to be here, this team has to be firing on all cylinders,” said Administrator Judy Kane. “If one department is suffering for any reason, the others jump in and help. The reputation of our rest home is stellar, in the community, in the healthcare industry, from our residents and families’ perspective. It would not be that way if this was not a well-run home. A well-run home takes many people to do their jobs well. That is what we have here.”
As an example, Brookhouse Home is in an historic district in a historic 200-year-old home. The home recently underwent some major upgrades, one especially challenging. The entire property had always used knob and tube wiring. This old wiring could not support a sufficient HVAC system. Through generous, sustaining grants from the Cummings Foundation, Salem Historical Preservation, Essex Community Foundation, and others we embarked on the project of upgrading to 600-amp electrical service, which meant all new panels in the basement and new wiring at every outlet in the home, also removing the old. The upset to the house would have been major if it weren’t for the diligence of all departments to keep the residents comfortable, safe, and happy with minimal interruption.
The Brookhouse Home management team has six positions including the Clinical Director, Building and Grounds Director, Activities Director, Food Service Director, Marketing Director, and Business office Director who are under the leadership of the Administrator.
“This group really works as a team,” said Judy Kane. “The award highlights the mutual respect each team member has for the others.”
About LeadingAge
LeadingAge Massachusetts, is the only organization representing the full continuum of mission-driven, not-for-profit providers of health care, housing, and services for older persons in Massachusetts. Members of LeadingAge Massachusetts provide housing and services to more than 25,000 older persons in the Commonwealth each year. Their mission is to expand the world of possibilities for aging by leading in innovative practices that transform how we care for our aging population, spear-heading cutting-edge initiatives to develop services that meet older adults’ needs and preferences and advocating to advance the interests of the aging consumer. LeadingAge is affiliated nationally with LeadingAge, an association of 6,000 not-for-profit organizations dedicated to expanding the world of possibilities for aging. LeadingAge advances policies, promotes practices and conducts research that supports, enables, and empowers people to live.
About Brookhouse Home
Brookhouse Home is a residence for 36 senior women, licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health as a Level IV Residential Care Home. Our residents live in a familiar home setting which enables them to maintain their independence, their privacy, and exercise their personal choices while receiving supports by our responsible staff. Included are all home cooked meals, medication management, laundry, and housekeeping services. Resident life for the women in our care is stimulating and active with programs specially designed by our dedicated Activities Director. As a Non-Profit, 501C 3 home, we can assist residents in being enrolled in Medicaid or Transitional Assistance so regardless of financial resources or income, Brookhouse is a viable option for all senior women.
