Finding their calling
Some moments are forever stamped in our memories, serving as iconic images in our scrapbook of life. Fortunately for Mike and Stacy Fuller such instances have occurred often during their careers as live-in managers.
There’s the resident named Mary Anne, who took Stacy’s hand and whispered “I love you” just before taking her final breath after 93 wonderful years. Or, there’s Betsy, who shared her emotional scars from years of abuse before arriving at the community, thanking the couple by saying, “You make me happy every day.”
“That’s why we do what we do,” Stacy says. “I love every last one of my residents, and they know it. I treat them like family. Their stories and their experiences are too valuable for them not to be respected and have the most wonderful life they can have.”
Without question, the Fullers have found their calling by serving the nearly 135 residents at Shads Landing, an independent senior community in Charlotte, N.C. While both have enjoyed other professions, none has proved as fulfilling.
“We were burned out of the corporate life,” Stacy explains. “Being live-in managers is something Mike and I could do together and make a difference in people’s lives.”
They’ve certainly done that.
“Stacy and Mike go the extra five miles over and beyond their duties to create a home environment for us all,” says one resident. “They do what they promise, so we trust them explicitly.”
Another resident explains: “They make everyone smile.”
As the live-in managers, Mike and Stacy oversee the community’s day-to-day operations and provide a reassuring level of security to residents by monitoring the 24/7 emergency call systems located in each apartment.
Beyond safety and stability, Mike and Stacy also connect with residents on a deeply personal level, providing a loving, welcoming presence.
“Making a difference in the resident’s life is what matters to Mike and I,” Stacy says. “And they make a difference in ours. It’s why we are successful. You can get an apartment anywhere, but who will love you? We treat them all like you’d want your own mother to be treated. They love and trust us. We are like their mom and dad.”
To honor the positive impact Mike and Stacy have had on all their residents, the couple was honored with the 2011 Touch of Excellence Award, presented annually to Holiday Retirement’s top associates who embody the Holiday Touch through a caring spirit, a passion to serve, and a willingness to go above and beyond.