Principles for the Future
By Dr. Ron Mackey, Acting BHHM President
In this season of transition, we are blessed to have a strong set of principles to guide us forward. As a part of Dr. Rodney Harrison’s retirement planning, he developed a series of principles to guide us to the future – to what would come NEXT. I would like to share these principles with you and ask that you join us in praying that we would flesh out these principles.
Neighbors Matter – Dr. Harrison was fond of the phrase, “Every empty room is a missed ministry opportunity.” Baptist Homes is incomplete without neighbors to serve in the name of Christ. We are blessed today to serve more neighbors in more places than ever before. Just prior to this newsletter, we had reached a new record number of neighbors – 389. We believe we are called to serve aging humanity by providing them with a meaningful living opportunity for their last years. We are more than buildings, budgets, and board meetings – we are the sum of the people for whom we care. These “neighbors” are our responsibility. We are responsible for caring for them physically, emotionally, medically and spiritually.
Economic Stability – In an ever-changing senior healthcare market, economic stability is vital. We have made and will continue to make hard choices to become economically stable as a mechanism of securing our future viability. Of course, a growing census is vital to our viability, but so is wise stewardship of the resources and assets within our control.
EXceptional Care – Providing great care for our neighbors is vital to those neighbors and to their families. Many of our neighbors’ families live several hours from where their loved ones are being cared for. The stress of that distance is mitigated with the knowledge that their loved one is living in an environment of compassion and excellence. It is our commitment to set the standard for Christlike care for the aging. We strive toward this goal daily.
Team – Everything rises and falls on leadership. Our campuses are led by godly men and women who supervise quality staff. Staffing has been an incredibly tough journey over the past few years, as we’ve navigated the ravages of COVID-19, the great resignation which saw over 500,000 nurses leave the nursing profession, and the turmoil of staff turnover. We are working diligently to provide a work environment that is rewarding in every way so that our staff truly become a team as they serve the aging neighbors on their campuses.
These four principles are guiding us well and we believe they will continue to serve us well as we move forward into the future that God has designed for us. As you pray for us, may these principles help inform and guide your prayers on our behalf.
