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Bridges staff goes above and beyond during winter storm

Bridges by EPOCH at Hingham staffThe Blizzard of 2015 hit us hard in Hingham, but thanks to the dedication of our staff, we made it safely through the storm. Nearly 30 members of our team braved the high winds and snow to care for our residents at Bridges by EPOCH at Hingham. Many stayed overnight for several days and stepped outside of their traditional roles to make sure every department was covered—resident care, maintenance, front desk management, activities, food service and more.

“We didn’t skip a beat,” our Life Enrichment Director Sarah Turcotte said. “Thanks to our team’s compassion and commitment, we weren’t simply surviving—we were thriving.”

Our activities program took a really big blow from the storm; we had to cancel trips and our scheduled entertainers and presenters had to cancel as well. But we didn’t want to disrupt our residents’ daily routines, which are integral to managing memory impairment and ensuring they receive the mental, physical and social stimulation they need. Staff helped organize new activities to replace those that were canceled. And our Food Service Director Garry Levesque and Sarah set up many relaxing programs for residents so they could socialize and keep their minds off the storm. Residents enjoyed a hot chocolate and cookie social, snow-storm related word games, game hour and movie matinees with popcorn.

Our maintenance manager John Palermo was a huge help, shoveling the drive and walkways through the night, setting up sleeping areas for staff and more. “John’s really amazing,” Sarah said. “He was really instrumental in everything we were doing here. He’s been here for every storm and always stays through the night.”

But our whole team really worked together. They took turns helping John shovel and took shifts sleeping to make sure their fellow team members were well rested so they could give our residents 100 percent. Garry set up a headquarters in our multipurpose room where our team could convene, catch up and rejuvenate.

“It’s such a proactive group that genuinely cares what happens to residents if they weren’t here,” Sarah said. We feel so lucky to count them as part of our family here at Bridges by EPOCH at Hingham. Here are some of the standout employees we’d like to recognize:

  • John Palermo
  • Mike Burt
  • Garry Levesque
  • Mike Anderson
  • Marie DeMarco
  • Jamal Cameron
  • Mike Parker
  • Nadine Shweiri
  • Janet Hurley
  • Kelli Mitchell
  • Sarah Turcotte
  • Kate Mullen
  • Irene Edwards
  • Jasmin Hennebury
  • Martha Tripp
  • Linda Anderson
  • Emilia Bondoc
  • Lisa Beck
  • Keelyn Callahan
  • Diane Lester
  • Susan Reno
  • Jenifer Hoffman
  • Maria Galecia
  • Liz Fornaro
  • Jillian Rosenburg
  • Melissa Owen
  • Shawnee Verna
  • Myrlene Janvier

To each and every team member who lent a helping hand during the storm, thank you!

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