Joyner celebrates 18 years at Licking Residential Care
Photo by Shari Harris
Haley Floyd Joyner and Tina Wade celebrated with strawberry cake on Friday, the former for 18 years of employment at Licking Residential Care and the latter for her 65th birthday. Tina Wade expressed how grateful she was to “everyone for what you all did for me.”
The residents and staff at Licking Residential Care enjoyed strawberry cake Friday, which was served in honor of Tina Wade’s 65th birthday and Haley Floyd Joyner’s 18th work anniversary at the facility.
Joyner began at the residential care center 18 years ago, doing housekeeping, “scrubbing toilets,” as she explained. She quickly advanced to cooking and kitchen work and also became a Certified Level 1 Medication Aide. Rhonda Overby was her first manager, and when Sandy Jennings stepped up from the Activities Director position to the Manager position, Joyner moved into the role of Activities Director. Around 2020, when Jennings moved on, Joyner became Manager. She currently holds the position of Business Office Manager, and Jessica Affholder is the Administrator of Licking Residential Care.
Licking Residential Care had only been in existence for two years when Joyner started. Her great-aunt, Nettie Evans, was the first resident at the facility. Joyner recalls that it was nice having a family member living at the facility when she started there. Over the years, there have been other family members and members of the community she knew who passed through the residence, and Joyner has been proud to be able to help care for them. Currently she has an aunt and a great-aunt at the facility. She explained that she feels responsible for all the residents, as if they were all her family.
“That’s why I’ve stayed here so long,” she said tearfully. “It’s a blessing.”
The staff has also become like family to Joyner, as they move through life’s milestones together. Her youngest daughter was born after she started work at the residence, and her middle daughter worked at the facility off and on for a few years. The staff ranges in age from 17 up, and many think of Joyner as the “house mom,” calling her Mama Haley.
“We have a great staff,” Joyner said.
Joyner believes the community is blessed to have a residential care facility. It is a stepping stone, and allows people to live more independently than they would in a nursing home. Some of the residents do go on to require more care than they can receive in a residential care setting, but a residential facility helps extend their independence as long as possible. Joyner says the most fun she had with the residents in the past year was going with them to the Licking Aquatic Center.
Resident Melvalee Watson said of Joyner, “She’s very understanding, always ready to lend a helping hand when you need it.”
Administrator Jessica Affholder recognized Joyner for her years of service, and spoke of how she has “put down roots” in the facility.
Joyner says she’s not sure what she wants to be when she grows up. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” she laughingly said. She did say she plans to have “a room at the end, wear a big hat and have lots of costume jewelry.”
Licking Residential Care is currently accepting votes for their Valentine King and Queen. When you enter the facility, you’ll see a large table filled with clear glass containers, with each residents’ name and photo affixed to a container. It’s a penny a vote for your choice for Valentine King and Queen. A quarter gets you 25 votes, a dollar earns 100. The residents who receive the most votes will be chosen King and Queen. Money collected will go to the residents’ activities fund. Stop by and cast your vote by February 13th to support activities for the residents.
