People of Perley - Chris Smith
It seemed inevitable that Chris Smith would establish a career at Perley Health. The Housekeeping Supervisor first visited Perley with his father, 25 years ago, to visit his grandmother. Chris remembers roaming the facility and playing “the floor is lava” with his siblings, on the way to the vending machine.
At 18, Chris started working at Perley as a Food and Nutrition Aide, after his brother gave supervisors his resume. He became Supervisor in 2020. His father now lives at Perley, and Chris' children form a fourth generation of Smiths roaming the halls.
Leading and guiding Housekeeping staff has been rewarding. The housekeeping team works closely with Perley Health's Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) team, training in best practices across a range of healthcare settings. Housekeeping also offers frontline staff courses from the Canadian Association of Environmental Management, for everything from ergonomics, to pest control, disinfecting and product selection. Such opportunities for skills training and growth help staff to stay sharp, and advance in their careers.
During the COVID-19 epidemic, the Housekeeping team faced unprecedented hurdles, along with everyone at Perley Health. Staff made personal sacrifices to face the challenge, Chris says. Everyone pulled together to support one another, and managers worked the floors. Anxious residents and their families saw that care and cleanliness remained priorities.
Chris' early impressions of Perley Health as a positive and caring place has grown, as his own children spend time there visiting family. “It's nice to have four generations of Smiths come in through the Perley,” he says. “And who knows, maybe more.”
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And the difference is YOU!
"Every day we get to help residents and it gives you a sense of pride that you know you're making a difference in somebody's life.” - Chris Smith, Supervisor, Housekeeping