Kearney acknowledged for excellence in seniors’ care
The Rotary Club of Penticton Sunrise presented Jean Kearney with the Unsung Citizen Award at its meeting on Tuesday. The award honors Penticton residents who have quietly undertaken selfless humanitarian deeds that serve to enhance the social fabric of the community.
For embodying Rotary International’s “Service Above Self” motto, the recipient is also granted “Paul Harris Fellow” recognition, named after Rotary’s founder. Thus, Kearney joins Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa and Kofi Annan, among other esteemed global figures.
Kearney is being acknowledged for her commitment to serving senior residents of the Good Samaritan Village By The Station care home. In her 15-year tenure as recreation, volunteer and adult day program co-ordinator, Jean has been the driving force behind the Village’s acclaimed model of elder care.
Her energy and enthusiasm have been contagious, drawing residents, family members, volunteers and staff into her many creative endeavours, involving daily programming for the assisted living and long-term care communities as well as the dementia cottages.
As adult day program leader, Kearney has also touched the lives of thousands of Penticton seniors and their families, offering the 100 clients each week social recreation programs that help keep them engaged and active and able to live at home longer. She has also worked closely with and supported their family caregivers.
Kearney’s pursuit of excellence in patientcentred care, with emphasis on creating a loving and compassionate home-like environment, often compels her to venture well beyond her formal job duties.
A few years ago, her creative juices led her to consider introducing a music therapy program, primarily geared to meet the special needs of dementia residents. As its cost fell outside the Village’s capital budget, she raised the funds herself, securing buy-in from the sister Rotary Club of Penticton and Penticton and Friends Charity Golf Tournament.
Music therapy is now viewed as a huge value-added activity, crucial to the success of the Village’s celebrated social program. For resident music therapist Debi Johnson, “seeing a toe tapping or someone who is slumped over in their chair, but their mouth is moving to the words of a song,” underscores the real-life significance of the program.
The importance of this activity led hockey legend Ivan McLelland to team up with local author Gary Doi to contribute funds, partly through the sale of the most recent book, “Who Knows What,” in Doi’s popular Inspiring Hope book project.
Those who come in contact with Kearney are blown away by her “limitless capacity for spreading joy and cheerfulness, akin to a 1,000-watt lightbulb,” said Johnson.
“Jean’s footprints are all over so much more behind the scenes,” added Doi, while McLelland fondly described Kearney as “a great lady, so bubbly and caring, who treats everyone the same.”