Today I spoke for the New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging. I shared this story with them given to me after speaking to a group of administrators at the American Health Care Association.  

I was in training at the beginning of my career. At the facility where I worked, there was a woman in a wheel chair that only stared. The staff said she hadn’t spoken since she became a resident several years before. This lady, Mary, who hadn’t spoken in years became my project. I was determined to get her to talk as there was no documented medical reason for her not to verbally communicate. Every time I saw her, I would get down on one knee and talk to her while patting her hand and smiling at her. After months of trying and without getting a response, I began to treat her the way the rest of the staff did which was to treat her like she wasn’t there.  Then I went to work for another facility and totally forgot about Mary and my goal.  After six months, I returned to my original position. As I stepped off the elevator onto the floor to greet the staff, Mary was there sitting in her wheel chair looking at me. I walked over and patted her hand and started to walk on by. Very unexpectedly, she reached for my arm. “Where the hell have you been?” she asked. I was speechless and floored with emotion. The staff went crazy. After that day, we couldn’t her to stop talking. She had very foul language but we welcomed her communication. She died seven months later. But she died back in touch with her family, the staff, and with me.

When you think you aren’t making a difference, don’t give up. That experience was a defining moment in my career. 

Inspirational speaker Tim Richardson speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, healthcare, and financial services. He is founder of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com

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