Heather began her career at Bethany Village 34 years ago in dietary services, becoming a nurse in 1998. Heather’s love for bedside nursing led to continual learning, training and supervising newly hired nursing staff at the Bethany Rehabilitation Center, and most recently, accepting a leadership role as Restorative MDS Nurse on the Memory Support unit.

Now with an office of her own, staff and residents “may find her small dog, Izzy, sitting in a decked out stroller complete with coordinated outfit, ready to stroll about on Heather’s rounds, bringing a smile to anyone on the unit,” notes Facility MDS Coordinator Jenita Sullenger, who nominated Heather and accepted the award Tuesday on her behalf. “Heather has an uncanny ability to mitigate distressing moods or behaviors that residents [with dementia] can sometimes display. She is the ultimate role model for those around her in these interactions, often using her calm, joyful and sensitive approach.”

Heather’s dedication and enthusiasm for excellence in resident care is evident as she contributes to the growth of the nursing leadership team.

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, Heather!

We counted on staff, family and community votes to help us achieve the title of “Best in Dayton”— and are excited to announce that those efforts paid off!  Bethany Village placed in the top spot for both “Best Nursing & Rehabilitation Center” AND “Best Assisted Living” facility in Dayton.com’s contest.

As part of the voting process, companies must first be nominated and rank among the top finalists in their category. Once top nominees are finalized, community voting helps Dayton.com and the Dayton Daily News select the winners in each category.

To be ranked #1 among the top 6 nominees from across the region in two categories is an outstanding recognition of our staff’s commitment to providing such high quality care and quality of life for residents. Being recognized by the community, supports all that we do every day as an organization.

Six Bethany Village employees, enrolled in nursing school, were awarded Sloan Scholarships ranging between $1,000 and $5,000. This year $22,000 in scholarships were made possible by the late Dr. Malachi W. Sloan II, a retired physician and Bethany Village resident.

Dr. Sloan established the fund to encourage individuals to further their educations in nursing – specifically with an intention to practice geriatric care. Bethany Village employees receiving this year’s scholarship awards were:

• Christopher Haley, Resident Care Technician
• Amy Honious, LPN
• Joshua Hust, Resident Care Technician
• Tatiana Lewis, Resident Care Technician
• Robert Pangallo, Resident Care Technician
• Delaney Reynolds, Resident Care Technician

Graceworks Lutheran Services is pleased to announce the promotion of Lauren Coyle to Administrator of Bethany Village. Lauren is a passionate leader with a heart for providing exceptional care to aging adults.

Prior to joining Bethany Village, she earned her Bachelor of Nursing degree from Wright State University in 2007 and began her career as a nurse on the Oncology Unit at Springfield Community Hospital. Later, she worked as a Case Manager, Team Leader, and Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse for Hospice of Dayton.

In 2016, Lauren started her career at Bethany Village as a Nurse Manager in the long-term care unit. Her humble leadership and passion for providing quality care led to a promotion to Chief Nursing Officer in 2017.

Leading up to the retirement of long-time Bethany Village Administrator John Brinkman, Lauren expanded her leadership skills by completing the Administrator in Training (AIT) program in 2019. In her new role, Lauren will oversee the day-to-day operations of the entire Bethany Village campus and ensure the delivery of Faithful Caring to more than 700 residents at Bethany, including independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, skilled rehab, and memory support care.

“I feel very honored to take on the role of Administrator because I’m able to work with so many hardworking, dedicated, and talented teammates,” Lauren said. “We all bring different strengths to the table, motivating each other to be our best and to provide residents the compassionate care they deserve.”

“It’s always rewarding to support employee growth and to be able to promote from within, supporting the organization’s values and commitment to Faithful Caring,” said Judy Budi, President and CEO. “Lauren is a shining example of a servant leader dedicated to quality of life for older adults as they age.”

Centerville, Ohio (July 26, 2019) – Bethany Village, a large retirement community, has earned the distinction of Bronze Employer of Choice. More than 600 individuals work at Bethany Village. Sponsored by Graceworks Lutheran Services, Bethany Village is recognized as one of Centerville’s largest employers.

LeadingAge is the advocate of non-for-profit services for older Ohioans. The organization recently selected top employers from around the state.

Bethany Village was one of only 23 organizations statewide within LeadingAge Ohio’s 400+ members to receive a prestigious Employer of Choice designation.

The Bronze Employer of Choice designation runs through the end of 2020. This acknowledges a strong commitment to high quality recruiting and retention standards.

Applicant organizations must have a 3-star or better rating on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Five-Star Quality Rating system, and an occupancy rate of 80% or higher for at least one year as of the date of application for newly-opened communities.

In early 2019, Bethany Village opened Crescent Crossing Assisted Living. This new 90,000 square foot building required the additional hiring of 60 staff members. This increased staffing at Bethany Village by nine percent.

“We are working on a recruiting and retention program called Learn, Train, Succeed,” explains Graceworks Lutheran Services President and CEO Judy Budi. “This program helps us identify top talent and ensures we train them to be leaders at Bethany Village for tomorrow and years to come. I am very proud we are known as an Employer of Choice.”

View open positions online at bethanylutheranvillage.org.