Daniel Okyere / Care Partner of the Quarter – Menomonee Falls
“Daniel is an awesome employee; I wish we could replicate him!” Menomonee Falls nurse Kendahl Holmblad exclaims, “He’s reliable, dependable, he is so caring and thorough, everyone loves him.”
Certified Nursing Assistant, Daniel Okyere started working at LindenGrove’s Menomonee Falls campus on June 30th, 2020. “The staff here are very helpful – if you need help, you can reach out to anybody,” he says, “In this type of job, you need teamwork.”
Born and raised in Africa, Daniel learned at a young age the importance of family and caring for his elders. “In the community where I lived, we were taught how to respect and treat elderly people. I’ve been brought up with that mentality,” he explains “I stayed close to my grandpa who also taught me a lot. I used to help my grandpa and I take that attitude with me; an elderly person is like my mom and also my grandpa.”
In 2000, Daniel won his opportunity to live and work in the United States through the Diversity Visa Lottery. Upon arriving in New York, he had to choose a place to live, his brother resided in Wisconsin and not knowing anyone else, Daniel moved to the area. “When I first got here, my brother got me a roommate,” he says, “and my roommate worked as a CNA.” Daniel had been working at a job that required him to catch the bus very early when his roommate suggested he apply to become a CNA and they could carpool to work. However, after the first week he thought “No, this is not for me” and went back to his old job. After taking some time to reflect, he reconsidered, “Back home in Africa, we don’t have nursing homes there, so basically it was hard at the beginning, but I went back and then I started to do what I’m doing now and with my past experience, this is just like my grandma, just like my father, let me just do what I used to do. So, I have that mentality and it worked out for me.”
Although it’s not always an easy job, Daniel strives to do his best. “Sometimes we have some challenging times because some of the residents can give you a hard time, but if you have the mindset and you see the person as your own mother, your own grandma or grandpa,” he shares, “you treat them the way you want to be treated.” Co-workers agree “Daniel is so caring with all of the cares that he provides, and he is very thorough with what he does. It’s like he treats every resident as if it was his loved one and you can see it in his care,” nurse Kendahl Holmblad explains, “he’s just awesome.”
Former Menomonee Falls Administrator Amber Donovan shares her reason for nominating Daniel as Care Partner of the Quarter, “The residents always have wonderful things to say about Daniel. He’s very attentive to his patients and to the nurses. His name has come up in care conferences as families also recognize him as a wonderful caregiver!!” Nurse Kendahl Holmbland adds, “He’s a great guy and a great co-worker and teammate. It’s hard to find people like him.”
Congratulations to Daniel Okyere for being chosen as LindenGrove Menomonee Falls Care Partner of the Quarter! Well deserved!
