(From left to right: Kim Martindell, Jerry Maco, Jack Martindell.)

The Martindell Award is a special honor granted each year to a deserving, non-management ERS team member who exemplifies excellence in caregiving and who strives to care for our residents in special and meaningful ways.

After several months of receiving and vetting many nominations, this year’s award winner has been chosen. But first we’d like to tell you a bit about the award’s founder and namesake and the meaning behind it.

Honoring those who promote dignity in aging

The Martindell Award is named for retired Procter & Gamble executive and former ERS Board Chair Patricia “Trish” Martindell, who established it several years ago as part of a generous endowment. She founded the award as a legacy to her late father, John Wahlberg, who resided at Deupree Health Center (now named Deupree House).

Martindell was inspired by her father’s caregivers and by their devotion to service. The compassionate and skilled ERS team members who helped him made a lasting impression on Martindell by the way they enabled her father to live out his last years with dignity, purpose, choice and freedom.

Martindell joined the ERS Board in 2001 after serving as the Chair of the Family Council at Deupree Health Center during her father’s residency there. She served as ERS Board Chair from 2010 to 2011.

In addition to her hard work and thoughtful leadership at ERS, Martindell served for 21 years as a volunteer and board member for the Cincinnati Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Sadly, Martindell passed away unexpectedly in August of this year. The award lives on not only as a legacy for her father, but as tribute to her and to the values she held which we, as providers of person-centered, dignified senior care, also share.

Martindell’s husband, Jack, and step-daughter, Kim, were on hand to present the award to our winner this year. And we’re pleased to announce that winner now.

Congratulations, Jerry Maco!

Jerry Maco works at Deupree House. He has served there as a Maintenance Technician since 2005; prior to that, he worked as part of the maintenance team at our Marjorie P. Lee Retirement Community.

Among the sentiments expressed in his nominations this year by colleagues, and by Deupree House residents and their family members were, “enthusiastic in his work,” “goes above and beyond to make sure the job is completed properly and always with a smile,” “always ready to help,” “warm, loving and caring,” “a part of the family,” and “grateful to have him in my life.”

Such compliments speak to Maco’s caring attitude and dedication not only to his job, but also to the welfare of our residents. In recognition, he received a $1,000 check, presented by Jack and Kim Martindell.

Please join ERS, the staff and residents of Deupree House — and the family members who can rest easy knowing that people like Maco are looking after their loved ones’ needs — in extending to him hearty congratulations.

In addition, in coming weeks, all 2016 Martindell Award nominees will be notified of their having received nominations this year, so that they know how much their work is valued by everyone at Deupree House and across our organization.

The Martindell Award will return next year

We love to hear how our staff members have made a positive difference in residents’ and families’ lives. And if an ERS staff member has made your stay, or your loved one’s stay, a loving, dignified care experience, we want to know.

Please consider taking time to recognize your favorite staff member for the 2017 Martindell Award when we open nominations next summer!