Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

^{Left to right: Marguerite Lorig, Amanda Hilliard, Bob Speelman}

_{October 18, 2019}

NOTE: This story was taken from the blog of Foundations Health Solutions leader Bob Speelman. Each week Bob works at one of our Foundations Health facilities in different roles. Whether working in housekeeping or as a nursing assistant, he sees firsthand how we embody the vision of our founder and nursing home developer, Brian Colleran, to be "A Culture of Care."

I spent the day at Brunswick Pointe, our five-star, 90-bed facility in Brunswick, Ohio. Amanda Hilliard is the administrator there and is doing a fantastic job leading this team. One of those team members is an STNA by the name of Marguerite Lorig. Marguerite is 53 years old, has a son that lives in Texas, and a daughter that is getting her Ph.D. in Veterinary Medicine at OSU.  

Marguerite has been an STNA for 3 years. Before being an STNA, Marguerite worked for a brokerage firm in Cleveland for 17 years. Marguerite felt a calling to do something different, so she started to become a medical assistant and decided to become an STNA instead.

Working alongside Marguerite was an amazing experience. Her love and compassion for her residents and her coworkers were inspiring. She has definitely found her calling - and her residents and coworkers agree. Talking about Marguerite, one resident said, “She is so kind and sweet and makes me feel so special.” Another resident said, “Marguerite is so compassionate. She does the extra things that really lets you know she cares. She takes her time with me, and when she’s showering me, she even washes between my toes and makes sure I’m good and dry afterword’s. It’s obvious she loves us.”

Once Marguerite was taking a resident’s request for lunch and the resident wanted a hamburger for lunch instead of the regular meal, Marguerite accidentally marked a grilled cheese sandwich. When the mistake was discovered, Marguerite went to the kitchen to get it corrected, but they were out of hamburger. Marguerite felt so bad she ran to McDonald's and got the resident a burger.  

Marguerite volunteers at a local homeless shelter as well as volunteering at a local animal rescue. Marguerite is also a Eucharist Minister at St. Ambrose Catholic Parish in Brunswick. What is a Eucharist Minister, you ask? In the Catholic Church, it is a layperson who assists the priest in administering the sacraments of holy communion, the consecrated bread and wine. They may also take the sacraments to those who are ill or otherwise unable to attend Mass.

All of a sudden, it hit me. This is what Marguerite is doing every day. She is living out Christ’s love daily, she is living out this holy sacrament. This is her ministry. “Give us this day our daily bread.” Marguerite is being Christ to our residents and coworkers every day. Just as Christ took… blessed… broke…and gave…. So too does Marguerite, as a living example and testimony: “Do this in remembrance of me.”

“Thankfulness is the beginning of Gratitude.

Gratitude is the Completion of Thankfulness.

Thankfulness may consist merely of words.

Gratitude is shown in acts.”
Henri Frederic Emiel

Bob Speelman, STNA

Each week, Bob Speelman visits a Foundations Health Solutions nursing home. He works alongside a variety of departments to ensure Foundations Health is excelling in the vision of founder Brian Colleran's "Culture of Care." Foundations Health continues to practice the principles nursing home developer Brian Colleran instilled, such as resident and family satisfaction, positive employee culture, and investment in the community.

Bob's Blog