Columbus Nurse Aide Named August 2012 Long-Term Care “Hero”

The state’s largest organization representing long-term care facilities has honored a Columbus, Ohio woman as its August 2012 “Hero of Long-Term Care."

Hubertta Canterbury, State Tested Nurse Aide (STNA) and nursing services coordinator at Abaco Rehabilitation and Nursing Facility, Columbus, was selected by the Ohio Health Care Association (OHCA) as its Hero of Long-Term Care for the month of August, 2012. 

The organization chooses one long-term care employee each month to honor for their service to long-term caregivers, residents and the community.

Canterbury will be honored at the Association’s 2013 Annual Convention in Columbus, and will be featured on the OHCA website during the month of August.

Brenda Wachtel, LNHA, Administrator at Abaco, says that Canterbury is passionate about serving the facility’s residents and the community.

“Hubertta, also known as ‘Birdie,’ is a very valuable asset to Abaco Rehabilitation,” says Wachtel.  “As nursing services coordinator, Birdie does scheduling for nursing, orders supplies and keeps the supply room full, keeps track of costs, goes out on appointments with residents, assists of the floor when needed with patient care, and runs errands for anything that is needed.”

Canterbury has been with Abaco for 16 years, and in that time she has made an impact on the employees, the residents, the facility and the community.  “Not only does the come to work with a smile on her face, but her friendly, positive attitude shines through everything she does,” said Debbie Tate-Calles, RN, Director of Nursing at Abaco.  “She gives 110 percent, invests in her residents and has gone the extra mile with them.” 

As an example, Tate Calles tells of a wedding vow renewal for residents where Canterbury handled all the details for the ceremony, including flowers, makeup and hair.Canturbury has been instrumental to organizing the facility, and Wachtel says that it runs “like a well-oiled machine.”

“I can’t say enough about her great work ethic, her kindness and generosity to the staff and residents, and the overall genuineness that exudes here at Abaco every day,” said Tate-Calles. “Birdie deserves to be honored; she is our Hero of Long-Term Care!”

Abaco Rehabilitation and Nursing Facility  provides skilled nursing care, short-term respite care, rehabilitative care, physical, occupational, language/speech pathology, and clinical management of conditions as well as restorative nursing. The facility is located at 740 Canonby Place, Columbus, Ohio 43223, 614-224-5738. Additional information is available online at www.abacorehab.com/index.asp .   

The Ohio Health Care Association is a non-profit association of more than 700 skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, and providers serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, representing over 50,000 individuals. Many OHCA members also provide a variety of home and community-based services.  OHCA is the largest long-term care association in the state, and the only chartered Ohio affiliate of the American Health Care Association, representing more than 12,000 long-term care facilities nationwide.