Ceca Foundation was founded by the Matthew and Rosemary Lawlor family in honor of Mary Lawlor to recognize caregivers and celebrate their exceptional acts of care. |
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First International Ceca Award |
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Ceca Foundation was pleased to present the 2022 International Ceca Award to Dominic Figueroa (center) in recognition of compassionate care and excellence in nursing. Ceca Co-Founder Matthew Lawlor (left) and President Nate Hamme (right) presented a commemorative plaque and cash award during a special ceremony as part of the sixth annual International Nurses Day Celebration, hosted by Nurses With Global Impact. The event recognizes nurses from around the world from different cultures and venues that are working toward securing global health and strengthening healthcare systems across all communities near and far.
Dominic was honored for his selfless love and empathy in rushing to Poland to help Ukrainian refugees coming across the border. He was serving as an orthopedic nurse at a hospital in California when the conflict began, and he soon made the decision to take an emergency sabbatical, then traveled at his own expense to where he felt he was most needed.
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The Intersection of Healthcare and the Homeless |
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Ceca Foundation was thrilled to work with Ignatian Volunteer Corps (IVC) to bring an elite group of professionals together to talk about the intersection of healthcare and the homeless.
The day included a keynote presentation from Dr. Helen Riess (Founder & CEO of Empathetics, Inc. and professor at Harvard Medical School) and an expert panel moderated by our Co-Founder Matthew Lawlor. The panel included Rosalyn Carr Stephens (AmeriHealth Caritas), Berinna Doggett (SOME, So Others Might Eat) and Steve Nash (Stoddard Baptist Global Care).
The event also provided an opportunity to reunite Sister Carol Keehan, D.C. (Former President of the Catholic Healthcare Association) and Patricia Murray (Dietary Manager, Ascension Living Carroll Manor), who was able to lift herself out of homelessness when Sister Carol provided a job opportunity in the nursing home's kitchen—where she has been for the past 25+ years. Homelessness continues to be a major topic on a national scale, and it was an honor to bring together these experts with the many healthcare professionals from the field who attended to have a dialogue about this important issue.
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Senior Care Needs a Business Model Overhaul |
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In a Seniors Housing Business article, Ceca President Nate Hamme shared what steps need to be taken to ensure that caregivers can be retained, engaged, and supported so that the industry can move forward in a positive way. In the article, he addresses the many environmental factors that have contributed to the problem, including demographic shifts, pandemic-related early retirements, and widespread turnover and staffing challenges. The piece came on the heels of President Biden’s State of the Union speech in March, where he proposed new reforms for the senior living industry.
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Recognizing the Importance of Caregivers |
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Our Co-Founder Matthew Lawlor had the pleasure of talking with Art Taylor of BBB Wise Giving Alliance in an episode of the Heart of Giving Podcast. They talked about why Ceca Foundation was created, the current and impending challenges being faced by caregivers in our healthcare communities, and the impact that Ceca is making to improve the situation.
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The Labor Shortage & The 5 Things We Must Do To Attract & Retain Great Talent |
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Ceca President Nate Hamme was interviewed for Authority Magazine about what healthcare communities and other businesses can do to attract and retain great talent. The labor shortage is impacting nearly every industry worldwide, and healthcare has been one of the hardest hit, and he encourages leaders to remember that a little recognition can go a long way!
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ASHHRA published an article in its HR Pulse journal written by Nate Hamme titled, "Finding Love in Work: The Key to Effective Employee Appreciation in Healthcare." Nate compellingly argues that, given the need for qualified workers in all job roles, it’s clear that healthcare organizations need new and effective strategies to build employee resilience, cultivate compassion, and promote retention. Employee appreciation is a critical tool for leaders that nets organizations, and employees, multiple benefits—and in healthcare, can have a significant impact on creating positive human experiences.
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Ceca Foundation is excited to introduce the Ceca Award at several select healthcare communities including: Artis Senior Living, Edenwald Senior Living, Focus Healthcare, Goodwin Living at Home, Keswick Multi-Care Center, MediLodge of Okemos, Seabury at Springvale Terrace, and Sterling Care Riverside. In part, through a generous grant from the Edward N. and Della L. Thome Memorial Foundation, and in collaboration with The Health Care Association of Michigan, LeadingAge Maryland and LifeSpan Network, we have been able to expand our reach even further and are bringing the Ceca Award to thousands more deserving caregivers across the country. Join us in welcoming these newest partners!
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Partner Spotlight - West Virginia Caring Earns Prestigious Honor |
Ceca healthcare partner West Virginia Caring was named a 2022 Hospice Honors recipient by HEALTHCAREfirst for the 2nd year in a row. Hospice Honors is a prestigious program that recognizes hospices providing the highest level of quality as measured from the caregiver’s point of view, and WV Caring is more than deserving of the award.
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Program Highlight - Partner Roundtable |
Our 2022 Partner Roundtable was held in June, bringing several Ceca Award partners together for an afternoon of learning and discussion. During the session, the Ceca Program Team shared a variety of updates and new resources. Special thanks to Brittany DiSciullo and Patricia Povlitz, from long-time Ceca partner Goodwin Living, for sharing best practices on increasing program participation through resident and guest nominations and other successful strategies they use regularly.
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We’ve had a busy Spring and Summer with presentations for ASHHRA (followed by an interview on The Bo and Luke Show™), California Association of Health Facilities, Georgia Health Care Association, LeadingAge Maryland, Ohio Health Care Association, and The Healthcare Council. Efforts are also underway in managing recognition awards for LeadingAge Maryland and DC, LifeSpan Network, Missouri Health Care Association, Ohio Health Care Association, and Pennsylvania Health Care Association during their upcoming events. We're thrilled to be back out on the road forging new partnerships, meeting new friends and recognizing deserving caregivers across the country!
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The Ceca Blog features two more inspiring caregiver stories from Vidya Ravikumar (Stoddard Baptist Global Care)—a dietician who uses ethnically- and culturally-inspired cuisine to connect with residents and make them feel at home; and Ashley Crawley (Focus Healthcare Solutions)—an in-home caregiver who has found a way to tailor her care to each of her clients in a special way that makes them feel empowered and as independent as they can be.
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Ceca Foundation is located at 1875 K Street NW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20006
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