Ever noticed how you just get used to dating things correctly and suddenly it’s time to change again? Can it really be the end of 2014 already? Well, in just a very few days we will indeed tear off that last page of the calendar and welcome 2015 with all the promise of the new year that is to come. How exciting!!! And, it is a particularly exciting time of year for Blakeford as we complete another year of bringing the best in senior living and aging services to the Greater Nashville area and as we look forward to even bigger and better things in the new year.
So many new and exciting things were a part of 2014 for Blakeford. Our year began with the completion of a longstanding goal for the organization. On February 28, 2014 we were awarded a full five-year accreditation by CARF-CCAC. The accreditation was awarded to both our continuing care retirement community, Blakeford at Green Hills, as well as for our home and community services provider, Blakeford At Home. It was an exciting accomplishment, yet it marked just a beginning point in our ongoing commitment to bringing the best practices in senior services to Middle Tennessee.
That ongoing commitment also led to the adoption and implementation of a new service vision for our organization during 2014. It is our desire to provide “Exemplary Service, Every Time”. Those words sound quite simple. Yet, they can be much harder to execute and live into on a daily basis. However, we are committed to that service goal and will strive to achieve it in every interaction. We are even investing time in training our team on how to recover when we don’t live into that service vision completely. Every team member of Blakeford now completes several hours of organizational orientation that helps them to see and embrace our service culture. That training and commitment will continue to expand as we embark on a new year.
Blakeford also continues to be the premier innovator in options and services for Middle Tennessee seniors as well. In May of this year we launched our newest offering, LiveWell By Blakeford. This component of Blakeford is designed to work with healthy, active seniors who want to create a proactive plan for aging well while staying at home. There are fewer than 25 similar offerings in the country today and Blakeford is the only provider of this option in middle Tennessee. The launch of LiveWell has well outpaced our expectations and we certainly look forward to continuing to grow this innovative service in 2015.
And, that was not the extent of innovation at Blakeford in 2014. We introduced expanded wellness services throughout our continuum, a new care management module within our Independent Living community through our Community Care Coordinator, a new emphasis of spiritual wellness and chaplaincy services, and much, much more. All this while continuing to bring all the wonderful services and events that make Blakeford such a special organization.
Much more is on tap in 2015. Shortly after the beginning of the new year we’ll be launching a new website that will bring you great information about all Blakeford offerings, events and new innovations. I think you’ll find it to be a fantastic source of information! And, we’re going to have some big announcements in 2015 as well. So be sure and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and/or YouTube for the latest things happening at Blakeford.
Blakeford is more than just a place or a company. It’s a community! It’s a community comprised of residents, clients, families, friends, loved ones, team members, board members, business partners and neighbors. It’s in that togetherness that Blakeford becomes special. I’m grateful to be a part of this great organization and particularly that we’ve been able to celebrate so many accomplishments in 2014. And, I am confident 2015 will be even better! ENJOY!!!
Van Cluck serves as chief executive officer for Blakeford, Inc. where he oversees the strategic direction for the corporation which includes Blakeford at Green Hills, Blakeford At Home, and LiveWell By Blakeford.