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GOOD NEWS
Crockett County’s Jennifer Harber
is 2004 Caregiver of the Year
In 1972, Gerald Harber took over the management of Crockett County
Nursing Home and moved his family into the long-term care facility.
His daughter Jennifer’s bedroom was right next door to the kitchen,
and she would wake up each morning to the smell of frying bacon.
Eventually, Jennifer Harber married and moved on. She never dreamed
that one day she would return to the nursing home as dietary manager
and be responsible for cooking the bacon and then some.
At the age of 25, Harber walked back through the doors of Crockett
County Nursing Home to start work. Using the skills her father had
taught her – how to love, provide for and dedicate her life to the
elderly – she has worked as housekeeping supervisor and activities
director. In November of 2000, she became a Certified Dietary
Manager (CDM). Today, she manages the laundry department in addition
to the dietary department.
According to Administrator Sherma Crutchfield, Harber goes beyond
her duties to make sure her patients have anything they want to eat.
She directs the dietary staff to prepare homemade meals and
desserts.
“You will find Jennifer in the kitchen cooking and making extra
things for the patients,” Crutchfield says. “She never misses work
and will work holidays so she can make these days special for the
patients.”
According to the kitchen staff, there is nothing Harber won’t fix
for patients. When one Hispanic patient at the facility celebrated
her birthday, Harber bought authentic Mexican food, so her day would
be special. Some other special requests she has accommodated include
barbecue goat, pigs’ feet and souse.
“Jennifer will do whatever it takes to encourage patients to eat,"
Crutchfield says. "If it means buying those special items, that’s
exactly what she does. I have never met anyone like Jennifer, and I
am proud that she is my dietary manager.”
Because she dedicates her life to Crockett County Nursing Home – the
patients and staff – Harber was selected as the facility’s Caregiver
of the Year, and Crutchfield nominated her for district and
statewide honors. In September, Crutchfield accepted a plaque on
Harber’s behalf during THCA’s 57th Annual Convention & Trade Show at
the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. Harber was honored
as the Jackson District Caregiver of the Year along with winners
from Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville and East Tennessee.
Staff at Crockett County held a reception in Harber’s honor on
Friday, Nov. 19 – Nursing Home Caregiver Appreciation Day in
Tennessee. Her family, including son Clayton Alexander, daughter
Millicent Cathy and stepmother Perrylin Harber, helped make the
celebration special. The facility’s beautifully decorated dining
room was packed with approximately 100 onlookers.
The standing-room-only crowd included Alamo City Mayor Tommy Green,
Tennessee General Session Judge Shannon A. Jones, Karen Utley from
Jackson-Madison County General Hospital, the Crockett County High
School nursing education class, former co-workers, friends of her
family and administrators from Bells Nursing Home, Dyer Nursing
Home, Humboldt Nursing Home and Obion County Nursing Home. The event
was covered by The Crockett Times.
To kick off the ceremony, Crutchfield welcomed everyone to Alamo and
Crockett County Nursing Home. She introduced THCA’s Lance McKerley,
who explained the association’s Caregiver of the Year program. State
Rep. Craig Fitzhugh (D-Ripley) spoke of Harber’s long history at the
facility and of her commitment. He presented her with a plaque,
flowers and a “ticket” signifying a three-day Carnival cruise.
“Jennifer’s father died in 2003, but he would be so very proud that
his tradition of dedication lives on in her,” Fitzhugh said.
When asked if she would like to speak, Harber simply said, “Those of
you who know me, know that I am not a big talker. So, I’d just like
to say thank you.”
In closing, Crutchfield embraced Harber and presented her with a
dozen, red roses. She invited everyone to stick around and enjoy a
reception, complete with cake, mints, nuts and punch.
2004 District Caregivers of the Year
Each year, THCA honors one person from each of its six geographic
districts as District Caregivers of the Year. Jennifer Harber, the
statewide Caregiver of the Year, was chosen from the six 2004
district winners.
This year’s district winners include a CNA who has provided
exceptional care for her patients for more than 30 years; a woman,
who, in addition to her duties as a CNA, takes patients to doctor’s
appointments, funerals and other functions; and another who
frequently gives of herself to make the final days of her patients’
lives the best they can be.
The following district winners were honored at THCA's 57th Annual
Convention & Trade Show in Nashville in September:
 Memphis District, Judy
Hutsell, Saint Francis Nursing Home;
Nashville District,
Geraldine “Cookie” Jenkins, Quality Care Health Center;
Chattanooga District,
Cyndia Baine, Life Care Center of Cleveland;
Knoxville District,
Dorothy Edmonds, Jefferson County Nursing Home; and
East Tennessee District,
Linda Bunton, Appalachian Christian Village.
Past Caregivers of the Year
In 1999, members of the Tennessee Health Care Association developed
the Caregiver of the Year award as a way to recognize and pay
tribute to the selfless individuals who go the extra mile daily in
the state’s nursing homes.
The statewide award is presented every year on Nursing Home
Caregiver Appreciation Day in November. District winners are honored
in September at THCA’s Convention, and numerous facility Caregivers
of the Year are honored each year by the staff at their own
facility.
In the first year of the award, the THCA Public Relations Committee
selected JoAnn Payne of Quality Care Health Center in Lebanon
from a pool of 99 nominees as the inaugural statewide Caregiver of
the Year. In a special ceremony, Dr. Fredia Wadley, commissioner of
the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH), presented the award.
Nancy Noles, of Knollwood Manor in Lafayette, was honored in
a special ceremony as THCA's 2000 Caregiver of the Year. State Sen.
Charlotte Burks (D-Monterey) presented the award to Noles.
In 2001, Kathy Burnett, activity director at Country Place
Health Care Center, was awarded the honor. Tennessee first lady
Martha Sundquist presented Burnett with her prize at Country Place
in Crossville.
In 2002, Glen Bunton, a CNA at Appalachian Christian Village
in Johnson City, was recognized as Caregiver of the Year. Stacey
King, a local television news personality on WJHL-TV, Channel 11,
presented the award.
THCA’s 2003 Caregiver of the Year Addie Brewer, a LPN/floor
nurse at Highland Manor Nursing Home in Portland, accepted the award
from Judy Eads, assistant commissioner for the Tennessee Department
of Health (TDH).
For more information on Caregiver of the Year, contact THCA's
Communications Department or send an e-mail to
info@thca.org.
“Good News”
is a feature designed to spotlight some of the many
positive aspects of long-term care in Tennessee. Know of a “good
news”
item?
Contact THCA’s Communications Department at info@thca.org.
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