ALFA Hero Finalist Called to Serve Seniors

This week’s BMA Blog features our very own David Noles, a devoted dietary aide who is a finalist in a national contest that honors the top senior living employees.

By Amber Springer of BMA Management, Ltd.

From an early age, David Noles felt like he was called to serve older adults.

David Noles and Resident

He has the kind of gentle spirit and loving heart that makes you feel like he really cares about you – traits that make him a favorite among residents at Heritage Woods of McLeansboro, an affordable assisted living community that BMA manages in Hamilton County. The dietary aide can make the simplest meal feel like a 5-star dining experience because of the service he provides, but it’s the way he listens and enriches the lives of the men and women who live at the community that make him stand out.

Last month, David was recognized as a 2014 BMA Shining Star, and earlier this week, he learned that he was on a short list of finalists for the 2015 ALFA Hero Award.

Each year, the Assisted Living Federation of America recognizes five ALFA Heroes as the ideal representatives of the hundreds of thousands of people serving in senior living communities. The search committee received nearly 300 nominations this year, and narrowed the field to only 20 finalists.  The five finalists who receive the most votes will be recognized at ALFA 2015: The Senior Living Executive Conference in Tampa. (You can vote for David every day between now and Feb. 6 via the ALFA website listed below.)

This is the second year in a row that an employee at an assisted living community managed by BMA has been selected as an ALFA Hero finalist. Last year, Elizabeth “Beth” Dreas, a cook from Heritage Woods of Centralia, was one of only five ALFA Hero Award winners in the country.

The national recognition speaks to the love, compassion and dignity that is seen at each of the communities we manage and reminds us of why we do what we do every day. David is the perfect example of how we want to serve all of the men and women who walk through our doors, looking for a home where they can regain their independence and maintain their dignity.

From the moment he came to Heritage Woods, David made his presence felt. It’s not unusual to see residents at the community stop David for a quick chat. They know he is always there to listen to their troubles and offer a funny story to cheer them up.

“We’ve seen many residents come and go since we opened our doors, and David has always shown each of them how special they are,” explained Heritage Woods Administrator Kendra Millenbine.

One resident loved to talk about the small community where she was raised. She told David about the old Indian burial grounds there and said she was convinced that Heritage Woods was built on burial grounds, too, because she’d heard noises in her apartment. They joked about that and when David left that day, he stopped by her place to let out a loud Indian call. “David, is that you?” she asked, bursting into laughter. It’s a story she shared with everyone, often laughing until she cried. One year, the woman’s sisters wanted to send flowers for her birthday. They lived in Kansas, so David went out to buy the flowers to surprise her. She was touched that her family remembered her favorite flowers on such a special day.

When David noticed residents shared his passion for birds and wildlife, he bought several bird feeders and bird baths, so they could watch the birds from the dining room or patio. The group even took an unforgettable trip to see the peacocks, chickens and doves that had taken up residence at his home.

Another time, all it took was overhearing a resident say it’d be nice to see more butterflies, and David sprang into action, helping plant a butterfly bush in the flower garden. Every spring, residents come out to see the beautiful blooms on the hibiscus and all of the butterflies that flock to the plant.

David comes in on his off days to spend time with residents.  He cheers them on when they join in on the games, crafts and other activities offered at the community – and has that same enthusiasm with his coworkers. He is the first to welcome new dietary employees, showing them how to do their job well and demonstrating great leadership qualities along the way. David takes great pride in his work, and it shows. He wants other team members to have the same success.

Outside of work, David is just as committed to older adults. He volunteers with senior groups at his church and donates his time and money to local organizations that benefit seniors. When he hears about an elderly person having difficulties living alone, he immediately shifts gears to tell them about Heritage Woods and the benefits of supportive living. David is extremely humble and shies away from taking credit for all that he does. Instead, he credits his faith and says his only hope is that when he meets his Creator, He will say, “Well done.”

Let’s thank David for a job well done by helping him receive the recognition he deserves as one of the top senior living employees in the country.

There are two ways to cast your vote.
(vote once a day per email – links below)

ALFA Website       ALFA Facebook

After you cast your first vote, you will receive a confirmation email from Wishpond. You must follow the link for your vote to count.

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All affordable assisted living communities managed by BMA Management, Ltd. are certified and surveyed by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. All assisted living communities are licensed and surveyed by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

“BMA Management, Ltd. is the leading provider of assisted living in Illinois
and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”

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Gardant Management Solutions has 20+ years of industry-acclaimed operational history in developing, managing and consulting for senior living, assisted living and memory care communities.