- April 23, 2024
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Margaret “Peggy” Wise was among the first six people to take up residency at Windsor of Palm Coast in 2000. Five years later, she stands alongside Lorene Burns as one of the longest standing residents. Both rented apartments before the doors had even opened.
“We were watching it be built and we got really interested when the plans came out, nothing really compares to it in Palm Coast,” Wise said, as she sat in her apartment, her dog, Coco, sat on the floor next to her and her newly discovered Kindle lay on the couch nearby. Having been a high school librarian, Wise spends much of her time reading.
Windsor of Palm Coast celebrated its fifth anniversary with 250 people from the community Friday, March 27.
“We’re really thankful for the huge community turn out,” said Andrew Gall, residence director. “We’re proud of the community relationships we’ve been able to maintain over the years.”
Throughout its five years of service to the community, Windsor welcomed 343 residents into its facility and has been at full capacity for the past six months. Gall attributes that success to the high standards that the facility adheres to, specifically the high caregiver to resident ratio.
“Senior living is an industry of change and it’s really difficult to maintain success over the long run,” Gall said. “We were full within six months of opening our doors, and we’ve stayed close to capacity over the years. That’s real difficult to do in this business. Stringent standards really speak to the quality of our staff and what we do. The only way we can do that is if you have really good people.”
In his speech at the March 27 event, Gall spoke about the quality of staff at the Windsor, noting that he has watched the team spend midnight hours sitting next to hospital beds, long after their shift has ended. He said he has watched them lay in bed next to residents whispering words of comfort, humming or singing a favorite tune.
“The call of a caregiver is a call to the heart,” Gall said. “The call of a caregiver is a matter of trust. In the twilight of life, all faith is placed in the hands of the caregiver. Needs must be met, attention must be given, and there is no time for selfishness, personal need or want.”
For the residents like Wise, who said she is capable of taking care of herself, having a caring staff available gives her security.
“It’s the little things,” she said.
