The Work We Do: Wesley Gardens

At Wesley Gardens nursing home in Rochester, NY, 1199ers care for a broad range of patients—from seniors on a memory care unit to young adults in physical rehabilitation. As at nursing care facilities across the country, Wesley Gardens workers struggled during the pandemic. They were and remain dedicated to keeping themselves and their residents safe.

Though some became sick or had to care for family members affected by COVID-19, Wesley Gardens workers persevered. They came to work every day and cared for the residents who need them, Today, as vaccination numbers go up and New York State is re-opening, Wesley Gardens workers can welcome visitors back in the facility, while continuing to be vigilant about safety and protection. 1199 Magazine visited Wesley Gardens recently to talk with workers about their work and their experiences moving through the pandemic.

1. “I worked in long-term care for 13 years and then went to the rehab unit. It’s totally different and very satisfying bringing patients back to their baseline,” says Marcella Taylor, a CNA at Wesley Gardens for 22 years. Taylor views their re-opening and getting vaccinations with cautious relief. She chose to get vaccinated and is glad she did. “In the beginning it was scary—you hear so much about both sides,” she says. “But I have an elderly mother and children and grandkids. I wanted to protect myself and my residents.”

4. CNA Kayla Linton (far right), shares a hug with co-worker Rylee Weber, a housekeeper at Wesley Gardens. “The residents are so much happier now. They get to see their family and friends. They can come out of their rooms to socialize and participate in activities,” says Linton. “Things are so much better now that everyone is getting vaccinated.”

2. Katherine Bell has been a CNA at Wesley Gardens since March. Before then she worked as a home health aide. Bell loved that work, but says she prefers working with a larger staff and more patients. “People don’t know how much we do every day,” she says. “They think we are just here to wipe people’s butts, but to do this work you need to be a loving, caring person. You need to want to help people. There’s so much more to what we do every day than people see from the outside.”

5. Cook Derrick Bigham prepares meals for Wesley Gardens residents.

3. “I enjoy talking to the elderly people. I know that this is someone’s parent I am taking care of, and if it were your parent, you would want the same things. We did a lot for them during the pandemic. We provided comfort and conversations to keep everyone going,” says Shawanda Norwood, who works in Wesley Gardens’ Dining Services Dept.

6. Natasha Stephens has been a CNA for 21 years and has worked at Wesley Gardens for the last two. Stephens works on the institution’s dementia unit, a job she says is challenging and often emotional: “It can definitely be trying. You have residents you have to monitor very closely,” she says. “But I love them, and I love dancing and playing music with them. Having grandchildren has definitely prepared me for this work.”

1199 Magazine | July - August 2021