VITALIA Senior Residences® at Stow Celebrate National Nurses Week

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th and ends on May 12th, Florence Nightingale’s birthday. These permanent dates enhance planning and position National Nurses Week as an established recognition event. As of 1998, May 8 was designated as National Student Nurses Day, to be celebrated annually. And as of 2003, National School Nurse Day is celebrated on the Wednesday within National Nurses Week (May 6-12) each year. The nursing profession has been supported and promoted by the American Nurses Association (ANA) since 1896.

What we love most about our Director of Wellness, Katrese Barta Strong, is she is a big team player. Not only does she care for our residents, communicate with our families, and lead a great team, but she participates in every one of our silly themed days, making the best out of every situation.

Katrese is described by our residents as, “accommodating; never says no to helping when going to see her in her office”; “very helpful, friendly and kind”; and “ask and you shall receive.”

The following is from a family member describing their experience with Vitalia Stow:

From the first day we visited Vitalia and met Annie to our last day today we have felt nothing but love, compassion, and a sense of commitment for the betterment of all of the residents, not just Marge. Vitalia itself is a wonderful facility, but it’s the people that make it so special. I hope you and your awesome staff understand how appreciated you all are. What you do matters when it comes to the responsibility of caring for someone’s loved one. We never once worried about the care that Marge was receiving at Vitalia, and I can’t emphasize enough how important that is. Many times, Carol would come home in tears after visiting her mother, but they were tears of happiness knowing that her mother was being so well cared for. It is an indescribable comfort.

I wish you and the entire staff all of the best going forward. Keep doing what you do because you are all exceptional at it.

We do not have a large wellness team, however, the nurses we have go above and beyond with staffing, making sure residents get the care they need, and never leave without making sure all tasks are completed. They are truly dedicated. The wellness team stepped up to support the community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They never complained about all the changes COVID-19 brought along the way. All wellness