 | Roselyn Schmidt, R.N.,
partnering with husband Don and son Kent, designed, own, manage and operate Chaucer Estates, Retirement and Assisted Living. Since 1967, the Schmidt's have owned five nursing homes, managing and operating the facilities as a family. In 1986, they built Andover Health Care, and in 1995 became part owners of Park West in West Wichita, until the 1998 flood, leading them to create Chaucer Estates. Most recently, the Schmidt family has opened their newest retirement and assisted living facility in Overland Park, KS, "Rose Estates". Since 1955, Rose has enjoyed a vast nursing career, raised six children, and presently serves as Admissions, and oversees marketing at Chaucer Estates. You can reach Rose at (316) 630-8111, or visit Chaucer Estates at 10550 E. 21st North, in East Wichita. |
Senior Living
2004-12-01 09:19:00
Health care providers are special
: Tell me what it takes to make a health care provider so special?
ANSWER: Let me answer by telling you about one of our valued employees, Judy Montague, and I think you will see just what makes health care providers so special. Originally from Medicine Lodge, KS, Judy and her husband Frank have three children and five grandchildren. Judy calls herself a late bloomer in referencing her career, but her hands-on training began long before her health care provider title. Judy stayed at home to care for her children until they were out of school, and then began working as a Nurse's Aid. Judy and Frank's oldest daughter, Michelle was born Down Syndrome. Judy found that caring for a daughter with special needs, while also caring for her mother who lived with them; was silently preparing her for a career as a health care provider. After working as a Nurse's Aid in a small nursing home, Judy pursued her goal of becoming a Certified Nurses Aid (CNA), then on to becoming a Home Health Aid, and finally securing a position as a Certified Medication Aid (CMA). Four years ago, Judy became a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and currently serves as the Assistant Director of Nursing at Chaucer Estates, owned by the Schmidt family. When asked if she had any plans to retire, Judy quickly replied, "I haven't been in this field long enough to consider quitting!" Judy joined the Schmidt family in the early 1990's at Colwich Health Care, and traveled with the Schmidt family to begin their new facility, Park West Plaza in January 1997. Her most memorable experience in nursing came Nov. 1st, 1998 when heavy rains led to flooding and the eventual evacuation of the residents of Park West. "I was listening in the morning to KFDI at home, and following the news of the rising water. I heard about the flooding in the Park West neighborhood and headed there to see if I could help. When I arrived, the water had just begun entering the facility, and was just a couple of inches deep. We (the Schmidts and staff) waited and watched as the water continued to rise, praying that it wouldn't continue to rise in the building, which it eventually did. Firefighters and volunteers began arriving with boats and equipment. Our only thoughts were to get the residents out and to safety with as little stress to them as possible. Rose Schmidt, wading through the rapidly rising water, was the first to jump in a boat, helping to transport a 101 year-old resident, shivering in a blanket, to safety. This routine continued, loading residents in boats, transferring them to waiting vans, and transporting them to Chaucer Estates, clear across town. I remember one resident who was 90 years-old and this was her first boat ride! It was absolutely amazing the strength and resilience this group of elderly residents displayed. After all residents were evacuated, our attention turned to retrieving medical charts and throwing them into big trash containers to transport to Chaucer. We had to gather medications, resident medication schedules, and patient charts. All would need to be straightened out immediately in order to ensure the health care of the residents by bedtime…which was another immediate need. Chaucer Estates was only a few months old at the time. It had approximately 30 residents, and here we were delivering a hundred more, cold and scared. Mattresses and beds were being donated and delivered from as far away as Salina. The Red Cross was there with food for residents and volunteers. It seemed like the entire community answered our call for help. It was 12-14 hours after I had heard of the flooding that we finally had everyone settled in. By the next day, families of the residents were allowed to return to Park West to retrieve some personal belongings for their loved ones, as Chaucer Estates would became their home away from home for the next 4-5 months. After complete renovation, most of the residents returned to Park West, but some chose to remain at Chaucer." The flood of 98' was Judy's most memorable experience in nursing, but the event also solidified her relationship with the Schmidts. When they decided to end their partnership at Park West to concentrate solely on Chaucer Estates, Judy chose to go too. "I've learned to appreciate working in a private family owned facility." Using the Schmidts as an example, Judy continues, "Family owned businesses pay close attention to details, they offer a personal touch and adhere to higher standards. The level of care is the very best you will find. The Schmidts honor me, as well as the rest of the staff, with complete ownership in our positions. If we see something that needs to be done, we just do it, because that's the way Rose and Don (Schmidt) would handle it. They love the assisted living industry, they love the residents, and they share the love and pride of the facility itself. I've learned to live my career with the Schmidt Family Philosophy, 'The resident always comes first.'"
