Keeping a hometown feel

Tiffany Johnson of Greenfield loves that her work allows her to make an impact in health care every day — and that she now gets to do it exclusively in her hometown.

Johnson began as administrator of Greenfield Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in February and has hit the ground running, getting up to speed on the rules and regulations that come with long-term care. She said aside from nuclear power plants, long-term care is one of the most regulated professions.

Johnson, who previously worked at the local hospital and then for a hospice provider, is currently an administrator in training. She is working under the guidance of Bo Geidel, a former administrator at the Greenfield nursing home, and will undergo testing before the end of the year to become a licensed administrator.

“It’s a lot of regulations, but we have a really good building, staff, and we have really good department managers who have been here a long time, who know their stuff — and that’s huge,” Johnson said. “I wanted a new challenge and wanted to be back in my hometown every day. With my years in health care, I’ve seen a lot of nursing homes close. Having Greenfield Rehab with a good reputation of quality care is huge. When families have to drive farther to see their loved ones, they don’t go see them as often. I want to keep the residents here.”

One of Greenfield Rehab’s primary strengths, Johnson said, is its experienced and caring staff. She said many employees have known residents for much of their lives because of their shared ties to the community, which benefits everyone involved.

The nursing home and attached assisted living areas are both near capacity. Forty-two of the nursing home’s 46 beds are occupied, and 18 of 20 assisted living apartments are rented. Johnson said one goal is to maintain those strong census numbers. To do that, she hopes to boost marketing efforts and increase the facility’s visibility in the surrounding community.

This week is National Skilled Nursing Care Week, which “celebrates residents, staff and volunteers in skilled nursing centers, highlighting compassionate care, connection and community,” according to the week’s website. Greenfield Rehab has activities planned each day for residents and staff and invites the community to a barbecue from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, May 15. Several outdoor updates have been made to the facility, and officials would like the community to see them up close.

Johnson said there are many opportunities for the community to partner with Greenfield Rehab and brighten the days of residents who live there.

“We want community members to come in. If there are organizations that want to volunteer to do an activity, these residents are stuck in here all day, so seeing new faces and interactions is huge,” Johnson said. “We’ve gotten some youth groups to come in and some of our volunteers back in. We are open to that, and that breaks up the day for our residents. Having new faces is nice.”

Greenfield Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center employs more than 70 people, including 45 full-time employees.

Johnson may be reached at greenfield@tutera.com.