Women in Business: Being Part of a Big Family – Austin Daily Herald

Clara Stitt loves the community approach to long-term care at Comforcare

Typically, a teenager’s summer job involves earning money to go out with friends, buy the latest gadget, or put gas in the car.

But for some, summer work leads to a successful career and doing something they truly love. Such is the case with Clara Stitt, administrator of the Good Samaritan Society – Comforcare here in Austin. At age 16, she began working at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in her hometown of International Falls.

Since then, she hasn’t looked back.

“I was kind of deciding how I was going to continue to work as a long-term care nurse,” Stitt said. “Is this the business side of things? What other vacancies are available? I was more suited to that kind of business acumen.”

Stitt eventually earned a degree in health care management and completed a six-month administrative training internship at Good Samaritan in Howard Lake, Minnesota.

Her husband works at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, and it seemed like the right time for her to come to Austin, where there was an opening.

“I always knew I wanted to do something good and give back to people and make a difference and not just be a number,” Stitt said. “Where I could get to know the residents and their families, and working in a small nursing home allows me to do that.”

Those who look from the outside see an administrator who cares deeply not only about the residents, but also about those who work at Comforcare.

Stitt said the main thing for her in this role was getting to know both of them.

“I get to meet people and listen to their stories,” she said. “Really, I think it is what it is. Listen to people’s stories. My personal philosophy: Our job is to be there for people when they need it. Be close to the community.”

“This is really something I’m passionate about,” she added.

Stitt said she sees her job as providing for both residents and staff. Residents have everything they need to live productive lives in the facility, and staff have everything they need to achieve that goal.

Stitt recognizes that nursing homes can be stigmatized, and she actively works to ensure this doesn’t happen at Comforcare.

“It’s important to know them deeply as people, and for them to know me too,” she said. “We really, I feel like a family. This is my family, my extended family, the staff and the residents here.”

Achieving this goal requires Comforcare’s focus on the community. There are no units. Instead, there are neighborhoods, and those living in Comforcare are often considered neighbors.

For Stitt, the highlight of her day is getting work done in the office and then traveling to nearby areas. It’s in this role that she feels like she can really dive into what she really enjoys about her job.

“This is my bread and butter. When I can go and sit with the residents,” she said. “When I can talk to them. This is a big part of my job. Serving customers and seeing how things are going and what is needed. I can’t know what’s needed if I’m just sitting at a desk.”

“My roots are really one-on-one care with residents,” she added.

An important component of this type of care is finding a place where the surrounding community is involved in what Comforcare does.

Throughout the year, Comforcare often organizes events to which the public is invited to visit the facility. There will be a Halloween party on October 31 where kids can bring their family to trick-or-treat.

“These are community members who are here in our nursing home,” Stitt said. “For various reasons, they can’t always go out, so I want to do everything I can to bring the community here, get them involved and find out what’s going on here at Comforcare.”

Another component is allowing residents to make their own choices in their lives, which again involves a community-focused approach. While there is always a transition period between leaving home and entering a facility like Comforcare, Stitt and his staff must smooth the transition so that they move to a place that is comfortable for them.

“We’re trying to come up with activities; different things,” Stitt said, pointing to the chickens roaming the common outdoor area as a recent addition. “But it also gives you comfort in what you did in your younger years, and I think it makes people more comfortable as well. Really love your home as much as you can.”

In essence, this environment gave Stitt a place she truly loved.

“I love my job,” Stitt said. “I don’t think many people can say they love their job. I love the opportunity to have a direct impact on so many people, and in this job I am fulfilling my personal mission. Helping people do the right thing.”

“This is my life’s work,” she added. “That’s it for me.”