Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer
Legend Senior Living Council Road offers both Assisted Living and Memory Care residences. They are dedicated to providing the highest levels of personal service and a warm, comfortable and actively social environment that will enrich your life.
Whitney Craig, LPN is the Assistant Health Care Director of Legend Senior Living. Whitney became a nurse because she wanted to make a difference in the lives of the elderly. “It is so rewarding to be able to bring joy to my residents and walk through their last chapter of life with them. For a lot of people coming here, it is their stop in their life and I am blessed to be able to make each day matter and count,” Whitney said. “I love working for Legend Senior Living because it is truly centered about the needs of the individual resident. Each plan is specific in making sure that the routine they lived at home can be mirrored and mimicked in their care here,” Whitney commented.
Whitney has been a nurse for six years. “When I was little, I wanted to be a nurse, just like my mom,” she said with a smile. “Actually, my mom was a great mentor to me when during nursing school, plus my clinical instructor, Tammy McKeen, who is an RN. They gave me encouraging words along the way. My very first job was at Baptist Village of OKC, when I started working there at the age of seventeen as an activities assistant and worked my way up.”
Being the Assisted Health Care Director gives Whitney many responsibilities. “We usually see about fifty residents daily. Together, my staff and I meet the needs of the residents. As a team player, we make each day meaningful for our residents. We also have excellent communication with doctors and families to make certain that everyone is on the same page.”
Asking Whitney what her biggest reward of being a nurse is, she replied, “I actually get to leave all of my personal life and stress at the front door, focusing on caring and meeting the needs of my patients and residents. When I go home, I realize how little my problems are compared to some of the problems my patients/residents are facing, especially during this Covid pandemic.”
The advice that Whitney would give to someone interested in going into the medical field? “Make sure your heart is in it for the right reason. This is the field of servanthood and the willingness to put your residents and their families in front of your own needs.”
Whitney is a faith-filled person focused on the mission of caring for others, not just at work, but in the community of OKC. “My family, nephews and nieces gave me the nickname of Wing It. I have mastered the art of going with the flow, doing whatever needs to be done at that moment. I truly love being able to help out in any way that I can. I am focused on taking one day at a time and choosing to make each day better that the day before. I want to make sure every day counts with every word I speak and every action I do, seen or unseen, that it is done with purpose and glorifying God.” Whitey is proud of the fact that she was employee of the year in 2019 for Senior Living at Rivendell Memory Care. Whitney is dedicated to caring for others.
Coronavirus changed the direction of my life in 2020 in a major way. “I spent the spring of 2020 in Newark, NJ, one of the hardest hit areas. After returning home from NJ, I was blessed to serve on the frontlines again in a small town in Oklahoma, but this time, I was honored to serve side-by-side with my mom, caring for the elderly population affected by Covid-19.” Whitney explained. “My spring and summer were dedicated to serving the elder away from my home and family, which meant FaceTime was the only way of spending time with my family during those difficult and challenging times. After everything, I learned with all of the experience gained I was able to return to where my heart belongs at Legend Senior Living communities in both Moore and Oklahoma City. I made sacrifices due to Coronavirus but it was all worth it by serving others.”
Summing up her life in three words, Whitney said, “Optimism, determined and changed.” For more information visit: https://legendseniorliving.com/
