Drew Dixon
The Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) is marking National Assisted Living Week by honoring caregivers who have gone above and beyond their required duties.
National Assisted Living Week began on Sunday with National Grandparents Day and runs through Saturday. FHCA, based in Tallahassee, will highlight some of the state’s top caregivers in assisted living by marking their excellence on social media posts and other public awareness platforms.
“This year’s National Assisted Living Week is especially meaningful as we celebrate alongside our partners at the Florida Assisted Living Association,” said FHCA CEO Emmett Reed. “Assisted living communities are more than just a place where residents live; they are places where caregivers, residents, family members, and communities share deep connections. This week, we want to honor the dedicated caregivers who are making a positive impact on the lives of their residents.”
Many caregivers will be recognized in Florida through the FHCA efforts. Some, such as Melissa Wojewnick, are being honored for their longevity in the field. Wojewnick became a caregiver as soon as she graduated from high school and she would eventually work her way to Executive Director of the Cypress Palms assisted living facility in Largo.
Wojewnick said she values establishing meaningful relationships with the residents in the facility.
“The fulfillment I experience from positively impacting their lives is truly unmatched,” Wojewnick said.
In West Miami, Maible Fundora works at The Pointe of North Gables where she is an administration coordinator. She also climbed the ladder at the facility, where she began as a receptionist.
“I enjoy forming relationships with the residents, providing care and support so they can live with dignity,” Fundora said. “This is an incredibly rewarding career where you can make a real difference.”
There are about 700 nursing centers that provide treatment and care for an estimated 70,000 elderly people in the Sunshine State. A total of 106,000 seniors live in 3,000 assisted living facilities in Florida.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, some 32% of the total population in Florida will be 60 years or older by 2030.
