Getting
to Know You
By
Debbie Bailey, ACC
Many
of you reading this article had the opportunity to meet
and share ideas at the NAAP convention in Alexandria,
VA. For some, this was not a new experience. But there
were also many who were first-time attendees. Attending
a NAAP conference was not a new experience for me. However,
my new role as a NCCAP Board member was completely foreign.
As
the new kid on the block, I experienced feelings that
the residents whom we serve may feel as they enter into
a new lifestyle. Obviously, it is quite a leap to compare
being a new board member to being a new resident. However,
there are many interesting similarities that merit some
conscientious thought. There are numerous reasons why
people chose to become acquainted or not with a new
person. The motivators range from being very subjective
to being very objective. Regardless of what we may say,
we have all been guilty of clinging to that first impression.
Although we try not to be judgmental, it is part of
the equation of being human. Just as some people will
naturally speak when on an elevator, others will stare
at the elevator panel until their number finally lights
up and...whew...they are relieved to get to exit! To
varying degrees, we all exhibit these common behaviors.
One
point of this article is to challenge each of you to
treat long-time residents as if they were brand new.
How can you make your comments really fresh and sincere?
And second, for the new kids, how can they immediately
feel like well-established family members? We all know
there are ways to do this if we make the choice and
we take the time.
At
the convention, I found myself in the awkward position
of not having my wallet in my NAAP bag when I got to
the cash register to pay for a hot dog. Immediately
after I exclaimed my statement of surprise, a kind lady
spontaneously handed me a five dollar bill and casually
said, "Don't worry about it!" That kind of
unmerited favor should be the attitude that we all adopt
for everything we do. I want to publicly say,"
thank you," to Linda, the lady who gave me the
money. Thank you that it did not matter whether I was
"new" or "old."
As
an "old" kid, on a "new" block,
and while serving as the Vice President of the NCCAP
Board of Directors, I pledge to seek fresh ways to listen
and respond. I look forward to knowing you. NN
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