Loyalty from the start

There aren’t many employees who can say they not only witnessed their care center being built, but that they have worked there from the very first day that it opened. A 30-year veteran in the industry and an asset to Consulate Health Care, Brenda is a staple of New Harmonie Healthcare Center in New Harmony, IN.

It all started when Brenda began working as a receptionist at another care center where her mother worked. She was just out of high school, and wanted to get her feet wet in healthcare. After getting married she moved, and that is when she discovered New Harmonie. The building was just being developed near her house, and when she saw an ad for a business office manager, she knew it was the perfect fit. 29 years later, she is still working there as a human resources coordinator.

One of the reasons that Brenda has stayed at New Harmonie for so long is because of the fast-paced atmosphere. After all these years, she still finds that her work changes every single day. From government regulations, to processes, to residents, things are always changing. Brenda said, “I just stay aware, and do my job with the highest level of integrity that I can and people respect that.”

In addition to the ever-changing scope of work, Brenda really enjoys the small building and the small community that she works in. Everyone knows just about everyone there and it is very homey to her. She said, “When you come in the morning, there’s always a resident at the front porch to greet you by name. They know you, and it’s enjoyable to come to work every day.” Her co-workers and team are all a family and many of them have also been there several years. The teamwork and close-knit group is what keeps Brenda coming back to work each day.

Brenda takes great pride in the work that she does. She has great connections with her residents, and really enjoys getting to know them as not just the “resident down the hall”, but who they are as a person. Knowing her residents as individuals also allows her to show her integrity. Brenda said, “If you don’t display integrity, people are not going to respect you.” To Brenda, the most important part of her job is the fact that she is dealing with people’s lives, their needs, and their family’s needs.

Because of the sincere passion Brenda has for her residents, she has been able to have several deep relationships with them. Recently a resident passed away who had been in rehabilitation with Brenda’s own father prior to becoming a resident at New Harmonie. He was very special to Brenda because he was a roommate with her father during his rehabilitation. She really got to know him when she had to take care of him at New Harmonie. These are bonds that Brenda holds dear to her heart.

Brenda is known for always being able to remain calm under pressure.  Having seen many types of situations throughout her career, Brenda has learned to see two perspectives to every story and also that you can always find a solution that is good for each individual. She said, “It goes back to the phrase ‘treat people like you’d like to be treated.’”With this mentality, it’s no wonder Brenda has been able to be so successful in her work. Although right now Brenda has no intention of leaving New Harmonie, she does hope that when that day comes, that she will be remembered for doing her job with the highest level of respect and integrity. We have no doubt that is how she will be remembered! Thank you for your loyalty and time at New Harmonie Brenda. We wish you the best!