The Hearts of Senior Living

As water reflects the face,

so one's life reflects the heart. Proverbs 27:19

When I was a young girl, my grandmother made me memorize Proverbs 27:19. It was so important to her that my life reflected my heart, and my heart reflected the heart of God. Sometimes she would paraphrase the verse by saying, “Pretty is, as Pretty does!” She always reminded me that people see what is on the outside, but God truly sees your heart.

My grandmother was a Social Worker. I spent many days helping her pass out food and clothing to Seniors in need. In the hills of Appalachia, many seniors are isolated, and their homes and their health have been neglected. Many programs have been created to assist this aging population. My grandma operated many of these programs in our county and the surrounding areas. She was a Servant Leader. She taught me to never judge people or situations by how they look from the outside, but to always look at the heart.

I chose a very different career path than my grandmother, yet very similar. In Senior Living, we serve people every day. Our residents and staff are the lifeblood of our business. I learned very early that to be a great company, and to succeed in this industry, we must put service before self. We must be humble and compassionate leaders, who are deeply involved with our business, and with our people. We must be leaders who lead from the heart.

As I look at this picture, I see faces I work with daily- faces whose lives and service reflect their hearts. While, the photographer captured a professional portrait, she could never capture beyond the physical. She could never capture the hearts that bring encouragement and confidence to everyone they encounter; Hearts that are dedicated to the residents and employees they serve; Hearts full of compassion. These are a few of the faces and hearts that make Fellowship Square and Christian Care thrive! I am blessed to be a part of their team.

~ Jami Gross, Executive Director