Summit Hills Wellness Coordinator Tonya Ray Named Caregiver of the Year

April 28, 2010 - PRLog -- Tonya Ray, wellness coordinator at Summit Hills retirement community in Spartanburg, has been named the Upstate’s Assisted Living Caregiver of the Year.  Ray was honored on April 15 in Greenville at the Fourth Annual Caregiver Awards, hosted by All About Seniors.

Nominated by Summit Hills’ Director of Healthcare Marketing Mary Gospodarek, Ray was shocked when her name was announced.

“They started playing video footage that I thought looked familiar,” Ray said.  “And when they mentioned our WAVES program, I had an out-of-body experience … I kept looking around thinking ‘really, is this for me?’ ”

Ray’s fellow team members and Summit Hills’ residents are quick to praise her accomplishments.

“Tonya is a true professional,” Gospodarek said.  “It doesn’t matter whether she’s having a good day or a bad day – she’s always 100 percent for our members.”

Summit Hills was recently recognized for its WAVES program, which Ray oversees and implements to benefit residents with Alzheimer’s or dementia.  WAVES combines the therapeutic benefits of warm water with low-impact, aerobic exercise to reduce anxiety and “wandering” behavior while improving appetite and sleep patterns.

The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) recognized WAVES as a “Best of the Best” award winner.  The national program seeks to highlight companies setting the standard for operational excellence in the industry.

Despite the accolades, Ray stays grounded.

“The true reward for me is making an impact on a member’s life,” Ray said.  “My expectation is that if we all work hard enough, our members can become stronger, healthier and happier while they live a higher quality life at Summit Hills.”

About Summit Hills
Summit Hills is an all-inclusive, continuing care retirement community (CCRC) located in Spartanburg, S.C.  The community’s care-free lifestyle helps members live longer, healthier and happier lives by offering an array of amenities including maintenance-free living, daily fine dining, weekly housekeeping, a personalized wellness program and continuing-care health services.  A gated community equipped with a 24-hour staff, Summit Hills offers members an active social calendar that includes special events and group outings.  Residents can choose from a variety of floor plans including single-family cottage homes and condominium-style villas.