Innovations at St. John’s Home Introduced at Town Hall Meetings

St. John’s Home leadership completed the first round of Town Hall Meetings last week after recent changes in key management roles including CEO, VP of Skilled Services, and Director of Nursing. These meetings were held in an effort to foster open communication exchange between organizational departments and create a more unified St. John’s Home for the betterment of residents and employees.

St. John’s Home Vice President of Skilled Services Dan Morphet provided introductory remarks at all sessions by sharing his leadership philosophy that, “If you take care of your residents, take care of your staff, you will always have food on the table.”

Morphet also shared his belief that “building up the staff” will lead to improvements in care. One of his goals is to help St. John’s Home become a reflection “on paper” that aligns with what he is observing as he walks around the community. “We are a four-star facility, and the numbers don’t reflect that — yet,” says Morphet.

St. John’s Director of Nursing Natasha Jackson agreed with Morphet, adamantly saying “We will not remain a one-star, people want to be a part of growth.”

Jackson has been working hard on strengthening and building “innovative connections” with local schools like Bryant and Stratton College, which provide students with on-the-floor experience and a foot in the door.

With all of the changes in recent months, Jackson said that St. John’s is “not giving up on the Eden model,” but rather, focusing on “person-centered care,” as well as working to “engage staff and boost morale.”

“We want to capture the hard work everyone does, every day,” said Jackson.

“We are nothing without our frontline workers, so we have to support them — to support you,” said Morphet.

St. John’s President and CEO Robert Earl said he expects to continue to see positive change within the organization and to be a “four-star facility by the end of 2025.”

The past few months have consisted of streamlining services, combating the staffing crisis that is impacting many state organizations, and restructuring departments. The new year has brought new hires and ongoing collaborations with local institutions like the University of Rochester Medical Center.

“Hope is no longer a strategy and we have been working hard to see changes, so I thank you all,” said Earl.