At Greystone Health Network, we pride ourselves on being passionate people providing compassionate care. We hold our Culture of CARE close to our hearts and live by it day in and day out. We go the extra mile to lift our residents up when they are at their lowest. It’s what makes the Greystone difference.

A few weeks ago, CEO Connie Bessler had the chance to sit down with a very special Greystone associate, Hope. Hope is a Certified Nursing Assistant at Lexington Health and Rehabilitation Center, and she embodies everything that our company stands for.

Growing up with a diabetic father wasn’t easy, but Hope made the best of it. She spoke fondly about the copious amount of time she spent with her father while caring for him. However, things turned from bad to worse when he was diagnosed with kidney cancer.

Hope became his nurse, learning to do his dialysis from home and tending to his saline bag. The insurance would only cover a dressing change twice per week, but her father needed one twice per day, so Hope learned how to do that too. She quickly discovered her passion for helping others and her compassion for those needing medical care.

Then, one day, Hope’s father had a heart attack and became comatose. She kept him on life support for six days, and when she made the decision to unplug him, she sat with him for six hours until he passed.

“He kept a great spirit,” Hope said, “He never cursed God.”

Soon afterwards Hope found herself at a low point and wanted to turn things around. She was a single mother living in an abusive relationship. With help from CASA, Hope got a job loading the delivery trucks at the Tampa Bay Times and was placed in a transitional housing program. She enrolled at Southern Technical College and earned her CNA, HHA, med tech and CPR certifications. That’s when the job search began.

“They all wanted at least one year of experience,” she said. “Lexington gave me a chance.”

There are no regrets on our end after hiring Hope. The compliments from our Lexington residents continuously come in. She has a kind heart, plenty of patience and way of providing dignified care.

“It’s nice to get paid, but I’m there for the job,” she says. “I’m there for the residents. They need someone to let them know that they are still a person and should be treated with dignity.”

Hope is now enrolled in St. Petersburg College’s nursing program to earn her RN, and hopes to eventually work as a nurse in wound care or hospice care. She will begin classes in January while keeping both of her jobs at Lexington and the Tampa Bay Times.

Hope expressed much gratitude towards a nurse at Lexington who has become a mentor to her, Kelly. Kelly is always keeping her goals in check, cheering her on and helping her realize her dream of becoming a nurse.

We are so proud to have compassionate associates like Hope as part of our Greystone family, constantly striving for growth and excellence.