Last Updated on September 4, 2023
It is an honor and a privilege to be the 40th Residents’ Council President at Charlestown. Our theme for this year is PARTNERSHIP.
The word ‘partnership’ has many meanings. The meaning I want to focus on is that it takes a team of people working together, as equals, to create the harmonious, fulfilling, and safe environment that we all want for our community.
We need to partner with the Administration, the staff, the Board of Directors, within our Residents’ Council itself and, especially, among ourselves – the residents. During this past Council year, we materially improved our partnership with the Board by sitting together at our quarterly meetings instead of opposite each other, and by the President and Vice President being asked to participate on the Board’s Resident Life committee. Our partnership with Don Grove (Executive Director) and Leslie Johnson (Associate Executive Director) is strong. They actively seek our advice and support and, in turn, respect and promote the assistance we give them.
As an enthusiastic and dedicated Residents’ Council, we aim to be your voice in all these partnerships. We are fortunate to have active staff liaisons attend virtually every one of our Council committee meetings. This means that there are senior managers and/or supervisors in attendance who hear the thoughts and concerns of the resident attendees. They either answer the issues that come up or make note of those issues and reply, or take action, in a timely fashion.
Speaking of our committees, every resident is invited to participate in any of our committees. All you have to do is attend a meeting and, if interested in the work of that committee, ask the Chair to put you on their email distribution and you’re on. One of our goals is to increase the membership of our committees. You might say “where do I find out about when/where the meetings are?” Our monthly Council calendar is posted on the bulletin boards; you can go to My Erickson and get the information under either the “Activities,” “What’s Happening” or “Residents’ Council” icons; or you can attend our monthly Council meetings where the chairs of the committees discuss their activities. So, this is how YOU can help us in our partnership effort – join a Residents’ Council committee.
During this Council year, we will be working (on your behalf) on programs to strengthen the connection between continuing care and independent living, to establish a falls prevention program, and to raise awareness and action around the sustainability contributions our community can make to reduce the impacts of climate change. There will be plenty more to come on these and other programs that are in the pipeline. Our mission is to serve you.
John Remias, President
Residents’ Council 2023-2024