Fall is my favorite time of year. The leaves change, the weather cools down, and there is a palpable excitement in the air as people eagerly anticipate spending time with family and friends for the holidays. Whether it is the maturity of getting older or the profound respect and understanding that comes from being vulnerable and new, as we are at Cascadia, I feel even more grateful than ever this year.
At Cascadia we believe in families. We believe that, at its core, building strong families within our facilities and in our homes, is one of our biggest and most important accomplishments. Without trust, compassion and patience within these units, we are not allowed the opportunity to be the extraordinary people we want to become and deliver the outcomes we strive for. Hiring the right people and empowering them to own their environments allows for innovation, creativity and accountability. All of these things, drilled down to their base, engender extraordinary outcomes in all areas.
All of the amazing people we serve in our facilities have very unique and colorful life stories. Honoring those experiences and the uniqueness of each of them is important to us. We believe in celebration- whether it is the life stories that our residents continue to write or the small accomplishments our team does to enhance the lives of the ones we are entrusted to serve, we passionately celebrate all of them. The journey of life comes with many challenges and setbacks, but we see the joy in the small things, the simple gestures, the moments of victory and the elation of even the slightest progress. We celebrate life and all that comes with it.
As I reflect upon the past year and the families we have started to build in our facilities, home office and with our colleagues, we celebrate the opportunity to serve this great industry and work with amazing individuals. To all of those who have played a small and or significant role in our growth this past year, I raise a glass of sparkling cider to you and say from everyone at Cascadia – Thank you! We look forward to 2017 with anticipation for the new lives we will touch and the new relationships that will be formed. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, may you celebrate joy and happiness surrounded by family and friends!