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Celebrate America’s Care Force

WHCA/WiCAL is joining forces with Ceca, to highlight and honor the invaluable contribution of long-term care workers across the care continuum. People are the backbone of the American care industry, with workers providing essential services and compassionate care to millions of individuals every day. Even modern medical advances cannot erase human touch and the impact that it has on the healthcare experience. This is why we are joining forces with major industry advocates in strategic collaboration to advance the missing of Celebrating America’s Care Force.

By recognizing and rewarding the work of caregivers in healthcare communities, we are able to drive not only an enjoyable patient experience, but better quality of care for patients, residents, and families. And we all know that caregivers’ contributions are worth honoring and that the industry is worth celebrating.

Share Your Story to shine a light on the incredible long term care workers!

Ceca Foundation (pronounced see´-ka) was established in 2013 to “Celebrate caregiver” excellence by the Matthew and Rosemary Lawlor family. Their mission is to improve the human experience in healthcare communities by honoring the work of caregivers. The Lawlors were inspired by the exceptional care Matt’s mother, Mary Lawlor, enjoyed in her later years, and by what they witnessed as volunteers at care facilities for the physically and developmentally disabled.

It became clear to the Lawlors that outside of friends and family, those who had the biggest impact on their mother’s quality of life were the nurses, housekeepers, porters and other healthcare staff who were part of her day-to-day world. These staff members provided excellent skilled care, and more importantly, they offered compassion and companionship. This experience had a profound impact on Matt and Rosemary. They wanted a way to honor these special caregivers, and highlight meaningful acts of kindness in a way that would inspire other staff members to do the same.

The Lawlors set about to develop the Ceca Award Program. Matt got it started, modeling the program after a staff-inspired recognition program with a public company that he founded and headed for 20 years. Rosemary used her experience and contacts with a hospital board, and with several community programs which focused on serving the sick, poor, and aged. Their sons pitched-in with technology and human resources know-how. Together they designed the Ceca Award Program as a way for healthcare communities to honor their exceptional clinical and support staff members.

To learn more about Ceca, please visit: cecafoundation.org.