Christy Hallenbeck Ask is just a few months into her new job as Director of Mission Integration and Senior Pastor at the Good Samaritan Society.The 36-year-old is also a new mom.Ive been a mom for just under a year. It is the most profound experience of being connected to another human, Pastor Christy says.That human is her daughter Anja. In an effort to protect herself and her family during the pandemic, Pastor Christy is making the personal choice to get the COVID-19 vaccine.I am a nursing mom, Pastor Christy says. I talked to her pediatrician and he said that this was safe and that it would be safe for my daughter. I did my research and decided this was the right thing.Do your researchMedical professionals at the Society and Sanford Health are encouraging breastfeeding moms and pregnant women to get the safe and effective vaccines.Part of my call I believe is to do what I can to end this pandemic, Pastor Christy says.For moms who might be on the fence about the shot, she urges them to ask questions.I get it and yet I urge anyone who is uncertain to do their research. Talk to doctors, to medical experts about this decision. I think theyre going to hear that this is far less risky than getting COVID, Pastor Christy says.Feeling hopefulChoosing to get the vaccine is bringing a lot of hope to Pastor Christys home. Shes excited about what it means for her future with her immediate family and the one she serves with at work.This is a historic moment for me and my own life. I think decades down the road, I will tell my daughter about this day. Its also a huge milestone in the life of my calling with Good Sam and the whole world, Pastor Christy says.Months spent reaching staff members and residents spiritually on virtual devotions and meetings can now shift to more in-person gatherings thanks to a high number of vaccinations at the Society.This is how we end this pandemic. Its a shot of hope for me and for my family, to think that my little bubble and world is getting just a bit safer, not even just a bit safer, a whole lot safer. Im also getting to contribute to the hope of the whole world by seeing an end to this pandemic.Hope is the word I hear over and over and over that is palpable in the experience of coming here. Its an honor to be a part of it, Pastor Christy says.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says COVID-19 vaccines can be offered to pregnant and breastfeeding women. It urges people to talk with their doctors about getting vaccinated.

Vanetta Bauman, LPN, is celebrating more than 40 years as a nurse at the Good Samaritan Society.Its very, very rewarding, Bauman says.The licensed practical nurse currently works in assisted living at Good Samaritan Society Hastings Village in Nebraska. While her roles have changed over the years and taken her to different locations, shes actually right back where she started in 1980 working in the same building.I enjoy the elderly a lot, Bauman says. Enjoy their stories. Helping them and their thankfulness for everything you do.Keeping residents safe this past year took a lot of hard work. Bauman says the pandemic has been rough on nurses and Society staff.It was a struggle but a good year because we made it work. We did what we were supposed to do and we kept them safe, Bauman says.'Doing for others'A passion for providing that care is why she sticks with nursing. Its a calling.I think because I enjoy doing for others. Working to make it better. Keeping teamwork. Im a people person. I want to make sure everybody and everything is happy, Bauman says.For anyone starting out as a Society nurse or interested in the field, she has some sage advice.You need a lot of patience and empathy to stay connected to the residents, Bauman says.Fulfilling careerMarcie Schulz, MBA, MSN, RN, is the director of nursing at Good Samaritan Society Sunset Drive in Mandan, North Dakota. Shes only been at the Society for five months but she has 23 years of nursing experience.Going home at the end of the day and knowing that you helped somebody is fulfilling. It warms my heart and fills my heart, Schulz says.From hospitals to nursing homes, she wouldnt trade her career for anything.Schulz encourages young nurses and those interested in the work, I say, Go for it. Put your heart and soul into it because its a very rewarding career.Rewarding because of the relationships you build with your patients and residents.Compared to the hospital, I like that we get to keep our residents. We have the same people and they become your family, Schulz says.Learning about a residents favorite pet or sharing some gifted candy, she loves all of that. Schulz also admires the 168 people working in nursing services at her location.Our nursing staff here is phenomenal. They constantly are going above and beyond and making sure our residents are taken care of. Ive just been welcomed into this organization and Im proud to be the director of nursing here at Sunset, Schulz says.Residents 'take your heart'Jo Neis, RN, works with Schulz. Remarkably, shes served at the same nursing home for more than 40 years. With a name that sounds like nice, she strives to be a kind, compassionate nurse every day.Most of the time. Sometimes I have to get some spunk in me, Neis says.Her maiden name, after all, is Feist.When I came out of nursing in 1979, there were no jobs available, Neis says.That has since changed. Nursing has been a constant in her life and shes glad she chose long-term care.You get to know your residents. They take your heart, Neis says.Those residents arrive for care in a variety of situations.We get them directly, very sick, from the hospital, Neis says.Her advice to aspiring nurses: Pick your field and give long-term care a chance.'Core of what we do'Nurses play a major role in how the Society operates, according to Rochelle Rindels, MSN, RN, vice president of nursing and clinical services.Nursing is the core of what we do. Were a health care company and nursing care is the majority of the services we provide. Our nurses are extremely important to the organization, Rindels says.Rindels' own nursing career began when she was an LPN at a long-term care location.I think some of the advice I got starting out as a young nurse came from my dad and one of my nursing professors. Just to continue to educate myself and learn more about nursing. Learn about the different types of nursing. Gain different experiences. Keep going back to school because I started out as an LPN and went back for my RN degree. That has always really stuck with me, Rindels says.Between time serving at Sanford and the Society, she gained experiences in inpatient, ambulatory, procedural, academic and quality departments.Rindels says this past year hasnt been easy for nurses. It is, however, easy to be thankful for the work they do every day.To our nurses, thank you for everything that you do and continue to do, Rindels says. "We know that youre not just a nurse but youre a parent, a friend, a sibling, a student and yet you continue to dedicate your time to caring for those that have been placed before you. Thank you for being a Good Samaritan nurse."

High COVID-19 vaccination rates and safety measures at Good Samaritan Society locations across the country are helping residents safely get back together with their friends and family.Seeing friends againDon and Etta Smith live in an independent living cottage at Good Samaritan Society Lake Forest Village in Denton, Texas. Now that the campus dining room is open, the married couple is enjoying lunch with neighbors again.Just to catch up on what people are doing and what theyre thinking and what they have read during this time, Etta, 78, says.The two have mostly kept to themselves during the pandemic.The dialogue is fun and we didnt have it for a year, Don, 84, adds.Don and Etta have each had their first and second doses of aCOVID-19 vaccine. Don jokes he only had to walk 60 paces to get his shot during on-site vaccination clinics in January and February.Did I mention this is a good place to live? Don says.Both had very few reactions to the vaccine and urge others to roll up their sleeves.We had no trouble. The arm was so little sore that you would hardly notice it, Etta says.Fighting backNot too far away, Good Samaritan Society Denton Village sits on the north side of the same town.Senior Living Manager Gwen Dorwaldt says her location had on-site vaccination clinics earlier this year as well.It was wild, Gwen says.Thats because staff members and residents were excited for the opportunity to fight back against the coronavirus. Gwen says the vaccine is bringing hope for an end to the pandemic. Her mother, who just celebrated turning 91, lives at Denton Village and has been vaccinated.When I went to the luncheon for the birthday lunch, we almost cried. Just thinking about, its been a year since weve had one of these lunches. Arent we thankful that were here and were safe, Gwen says.Looking back, Gwen admits she hesitated at first to get the vaccine herself. After some research and deep thought, she realized it was the right thing to do.I would never be able to live with myself if I thought that I caused any harm to anyone else. So, I think that was a deciding factor for me. Working in a field like this and as a leader, its my duty to be as safe as possible, Gwen says.The Smiths admire the effort.Etta is grateful for Society staff working to keep everyone safe.We certainly appreciate Lake Forest (Good Samaritan Society) and what they are doing for us, Etta says.

Gratitude is good for physical and mental health, but is it possible to incorporate it into daily life? It begins with small, intentional steps.Bill Gran, a spiritual ministries senior consultant and pastor at the Good Samaritan Society, began incorporating gratitude into his life several years ago after listening to a speaker talk about it. The speaker mentioned a friend who replied with, Im grateful, rather than Im fine, when asked how she was doing.After that day, Bill decided to focus on gratitude. He started by expressing it when greeted by co-workers. If he was having a hard day, hed say, Im kind of sad today, but Im grateful. If something fun was happening, hed say, Im really excited and grateful.Bill reasoned that even if hard things were happening, there were still things to be thankful for. After reading Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, he was struck by how often she talks about trust and thanksgiving. When reading Psalm 100:4, he realized worshipping God was done through thankfulness.Around the same time, Bill was also asked to lead a retreat that centered around the book, Attitudes of Gratitude by M.J. Ryan. In it, she names the gifts of gratitude and how gratitude helps us feel good and increases health.After the retreat, Bill began weaving gratitude more and more throughout his day and saw that it had a snowball effect. Today, its his way of life and gives him an awareness of God at work.When were grateful, it leads us into being aware of what Gods blessings are." Bill Gran, aspiritual ministries senior consultant and pastor at the Good Samaritan Society.Practicing daily gratitudeOn his walks, Bill likes to sing. Usually, its one of his favorite hymns, For the Beauty of the Earth. He says its a reminder of all hes grateful for.During his morning prayers, he incorporates gratitude as he prays for family and friends. He also thanks God for the people who frustrate him.As he leaves the house, Bill sees a note on his bathroom mirror that reminds him to be thankful.During the workday, Bill prays before eating lunch and before starting meetings. He makes it a point to ask meeting attendees what their concerns and joys are so he can pray for them. The items on his desk and bookshelf in his office, also serve as reminders to be grateful.Even his email signature points to gratitude. It reads: BG (Bill Gran & Blessed and Grateful).Each evening, Bill says he thinks about one thing he accomplished and one thing that brought him joy.I think gratitude has changed me, he says. Its not that hard things dont happen, but it provides balance and Ive realized I go to sleep more peacefully.Making gratitude a habitBill says that most people can get stuck in an either/or mentality when it comes to gratitude, not realizing that its always a possibility.He adds that incorporating gratitude into daily life begins when you realize what a difference it makes. Its not about being happy all the time, but rather recognizing things youre grateful for despite your current feelings.You can get stuck in the negatives, Bill says. But once you begin to practice gratitude, youll discover the blessings and keep doing it.Some of the benefits hes experienced include being more mindful of the present and the gifts each moment offers.I think gratitude has changed me and changed the people around me, says Bill. Thankfulness enables me to be aware of Gods presence and see his blessings.Our team provides spiritual care and guidance to those we serve.

Andrea Kecks teenage sleepovers looked a little different than most.A friend and I would stay with my grandmother and care for her, says Andrea. We thought it was the best thing because it was just like having a slumber party.Growing up, Kecks grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, a type of dementia that causes memory loss, confusion and can affect other cognitive abilities.With her grandmother living just across the street in Crossville, Tenn., Andrea was a frequent visitor. Then, as she got older, she was able to lend a helping hand, assisting her grandmother with tasks from getting dressed to eating.It was a responsibility that Andrea felt privileged to be a part of.That experience has always been special to me, she says. I thought it was cool that I was responsible for making sure she was clean, feed and loved.Answering the callCaring for others is something Andrea has always felt called to do. Its a calling that even as a teenager, required patience, compassion and a desire to understand the challenges that come with different health needs.Andrea began putting these traits into action not only with the care she provided to her grandmother, but also with the care she gave to one of her grandfathers, who had Parkinson's disease.When Andrea began to think about a future career, she realized that by becoming a nurse, she could care for others just like she had for her own grandparents.Originally I wanted to be a teacher, but I really believe my desire was to provide care that I knew so many people didnt get and I could provide, whether it was at the nursing home or at the hospital as a nurse, she explained.Joining the Good Samaritan Society After earning her nursing degree, Andrea first worked on a variety of hospital floors, from surgery and cardiology to oncology, and then as a home health hospice nurse.When Good Samaritan Society Fairfield Glade opened, she decided to apply as a floor nurse and pursue an area of nursing she had always wanted to return to caring for the elderly.I realized that getting my feet wet as a nurse in the hospital prepared me well for a nursing facility because there are so many different health conditions you have to take care of, she says.Today, Andrea is the nursing manager at the senior living community, an opportunity she credits to her diverse nursing experiences and to others who saw in her the ability to lead a nursing team.I had to step outside of my comfort zone because I wasnt sure that I could do a manager role, but I wanted to try, she says. The Good Samaritan Society challenged me to teach other nurses and help them get the information they need to be successful, and Ive really enjoyed it.Since starting her position, Andreas focus has shifted from spending her time on the floor as the go-to person, to educating and empowering her team, knowing that when they have the information and training they need to excel in their nursing abilities, they also excel in the care they provide to residents.I want my staff to succeed, our care to succeed and for our residents to receive the care that I would want my own parents and grandparents to have, she says.A total 360When the COVID-19 pandemic began impacting the center earlier this year, Andrea describes it as a total 360-degree shift in the nursing world. What became a challenge in addition to new safety procedures and personal protective equipment was keeping residents connected with their families.The location soon began helping residents use FaceTime and arranging window visits, but knowing how important meaningful conversations are to well-being, Andreas staff become especially attentive to one-on-one resident care.When their real families werent around, we had to become part of their family, says Andrea.Since joining the nursing profession 16 years ago, Andrea says its been a fulfilling career helping others in need.And seeing my staff blossom in their roles as new nurses and certified nursing assistants as just been an awesome experience, she says.