Category Archives: Living Legend

How was your summer? The residents here at Chautauqua have had a blast!

A HUGE shout out to our own Alexandra Villafrank, who took no haste upon her return as the Director of Activities, leaping right into providing our residents with outstanding, memorable moments!

Residents and staff alike have appreciated all the great times Alex has brought to the Facility, kicking off summer with a delicious picnic for all during the hot days of summer, making ice cream in a bag, and drinking lemonade on the porch, “Great Times and Tan Lines” party where drinks were served from the new bar, don’t get us started on the weekly socials with decadent food and great trivia fun and lest not forget the many National Days celebrated, an endless list of splendid good times!

Alex, you’ve brought much light and love to all at Chautauqua, and we couldn’t be more honored to have you a part of our Living Legends family! 💚😎🏆

Congratulations to our friend and Director of Rehab here at Chautauqua, Chris Maloney, on passing her exam to become Wound Care Certified! Great work becoming even more Legendary 💚😎🏆

We’re recognizing our Legend of the Month here at Susquehanna, Tina Starchok! Thank you for all you do to make our facility a great place to live and work! 💚

Check Out These Deets:

💠 Starting position: Hairdresser

💠 Current Position: Hairdresser

💠 Years at Susquehanna 42!

💠 Best memory from working at Susquehanna : The way everyone pulled together when we had a flood, we were all here through the night doing whatever had to be done.

💠 What is an important characteristic of a Living Legend? You need to be patient and show respect for the residents you care for.

💠 What is something people don’t know about you? I danced on the March of Dime telethon when I was five years old.

💠 What is your hobby or something you enjoy doing outside of work? Spending time with my grandkids and Flea Markets.

💠 Favorite quote…. “Life is not measured by the breaths we take… But by the moments that take our breath away.

Susquehanna Nursing & Rehabilitation Center is pleased to recognize Bethany “Beth” Atwood for Living as a Legend! Beth, thank you for all you do to make our facility a great place to live and work! 💚

Check Out These Deets:

💠Starting Position: Human Resources Assistant

💠Current Position: Human Resources Manager

💠Years at Susquehanna: ~3.5 Year at Susquehanna, ~5.5 as a Living Legend

💠Best Memory from working at Susquehanna:
Watching employees grow and flourish in roles that highlight their personalities and creating memories with residents, listening to them reminisce about the “good old days”.

💠What is an important characteristic of a Living Legend:
Empathy. Being willing to step back and acknowledge the space where we must meet one another; placing the needs of others before oneself and acknowledging the humanity and dignity of every single person that walks through our doors.

💠What is something people don’t know about you:
I used to be an assistant coach for a college basketball team.

💠What is your hobby or something you enjoy doing outside of work:
I love reading, hiking, spending time with my family and fur babies, and just being outdoors.

💠Favorite quote:
“The best teams are made up of a bunch of nobodies who love everybody, serve anybody and don’t care about becoming a somebody.” – Phil Dooley

As the Chief Experience Officer, Patrick is responsible for creating a better working experience for every employee.

We sat down with him to get a glimpse about what makes him a Legend!

What is your history with the company?

• I started with the company in 1994 when I was 16-years-old and worked as a Dietary Aide at Autumn View for 13 years. During that time, I finished high school, undergraduate school and graduate school.
• In 2007, I was promoted and began working as a Project Manager at McGuire Development Company and was working toward my Nursing Home Administrator licensure.
• In 2014 I was appointed as the Administrator at Garden Gate where I worked until 2021. During this time I also acted as the Executive Director of Catholic Health’s St. Joe’s Post Acute care facility, which was the first COVID only LTC facility in NY.
• In 2021, I was promoted to Vice President of Enterprise Integration and Facilities Management and in 2022 I was appointed to the position of Chief Experience Officer.

What makes you you?

• I like to think of myself as a relatively unique person when it comes to the way I think and the way that I see the world.
• My family is a big part of what makes me who I am, and so is the McGuire Group. The support I have received from both my family and TMG has allowed me to reach many of my personal and professional goals.
• Music is another huge part of who I am. Writing, recording and performing the music that I love (extreme metal) helps define me as well as given me a place to “escape” the everyday challenges of life. Without my music, I don’t think I would be the person I am today.

What do you bring to the job that’s unique?

• I’m a very inquisitive person by nature. I love learning new things and challenging the status quo. These traits allow me to naturally think outside of the box, and if there was ever an industry that desperately needed creative, outside the box thinking it would definitely be long-term care.
• My desire and ability to question and challenge the way we do things is a far cry from the standard operational thinking that traps many people in this industry.
• Coloring outside the lines is something that truly excites me.
• This “freedom” from the highly detailed level of operational thinking allows me to create a unique vision of the future for our organization.

What do you do to make the workplace better for others?

• My entire role is based around the idea of creating a better working experience for every single one of our employees.
• The opportunity to work toward building a better working experience for everyone is my “why,” my purpose. It’s the driving force behind everything I do within our organization.