For 14 years, Steve Reves rolled up to a Kansas tire factory and methodically crafted rubber wheels in a somewhat isolating environment.
“It was just me and a machine putting tires together,” Reves says.
He didn’t think of switching jobs until a shoulder injury forced him to consider alternative employment.
Reves’ high school experience, working as a nursing home dietary aide, led him to check out opportunities at Good Samaritan Society – Wamego.
“Definitely not where I pictured myself but it’s where I should have been a long time ago,” Reves says about his new career.
Hired on as nutrition and food services manager more than two years ago, Reves believes he’s found his calling.
“I never knew how much of a people person I was until I got this job,” Reves says.
Leading a team cooking several meals a day for more than 50 residents, it’s important to pay attention to every detail.
“It’s a lot more than just food,” Reves says. “It’s building relationships. It’s making sure they’re getting a proper diet and nutrition.”
Food can be medicine. For residents living in long-term care, each meal is also a major highlight. It’s a chance to get out of their room and socialize with their friends and neighbors.
“I like to make sure the residents are getting exactly what they want. Whatever it takes to do that, that’s what I’m going to do,” Reves says.
Intentional care provides comfort
When Sonia Paz Torres helped her dad Hiram Torres move to the location, she was worried about his dementia affecting his health.
“Didn’t want to go out. He didn’t want to eat. He was very angry,” Paz Torres says.
Paz Torres points out that “in two years, everything has changed. He participates in activities. He goes out for every meal. It has been amazing, the transformation.”
Each meal plan is specific to each resident.
“Hiram is a blast. He’s from Puerto Rico and so much fun,” Reves says.
For Torres, Reves sends Paz Torres the menu each week so she can select what she knows her dad will eat. After losing a few pounds, he’s now gaining weight. She says Reves also goes out of his way to check in with Torres in the dining hall and his room.
“He doesn’t do his job – he goes above and beyond what he needs to be doing,” Paz Torres says. “‘Thank you’ doesn’t cover what I would love to tell him.”
That effort comes naturally to Reves. He loves his residents and passes along that passion to his food and nutrition services team.
“Doesn’t even feel like a job. It feels like extended family. Being home away from home, taking care of people and being around people you love, that’s very rewarding,” Reves says.
Care like that is comforting to Paz Torres, who says not every long-term care center is this reliable.
“You have to hope that they are treating him well,” Paz Torres says about her dad. “I have peace of mind that if I’m here, if I’m not here, he’s going to be taken care of.
“The people in here have been amazing how they have worked with him.”
National Ever Forward Leader Champion
Reves’ positive influence on residents and teammates is why he’s this year’s National Ever Forward Leader Champion for Good Samaritan.
“He understands that everything he does impacts the whole facility,” administrator Angie Barber says.
Barber adds Reves has “set the example for everyone else. You show us every day what good leadership looks like.”
Director of nursing Amy Davis says Reves “truly comes in to do his job because he loves it and it shows.”
Resident Lynda Morris looks forward to seeing Reves every day and thinks he’s a special presence.
“He could work at any restaurant he wants but he chose here,” Morris says.
Known as an introvert and somewhat quiet, Reves is praised for the time he spends getting to know residents and their preferences.
“He’ll be out there in that dining room talking to residents making sure whatever they need, they are going to get. It’s just the culture of that facility there in Wamego,” says Randy Fitzgerald, Good Samaritan vice president of operations in the region.
Receiving the leader award is a great honor, according to Reves.
“It made me feel very warm and happy,” Reves says. “I was beyond humbled. It was something I never thought I’d win.”
When asked what makes a great leader, Reves reveals it’s the ability and willingness to listen to others. He credits his team with coming up with great ideas that impact residents every week.
“He’s very calm. You ask him about anything, he listens and thinks about it,” cook Krista Cowan says.
After just a few years at Good Samaritan, Reves thinks it’s very much where he belongs.
“I just love this place. I love working for Good Sam. I love working here in Wamego,” Reves says. “A dream come true.”
Learn more
- From CNA to nursing director, Kansas RN earns national honor
- 10 Good Samaritan nursing homes earn Best Nursing Home honor
- Three neighbors spend 40+ years serving up food, friendship
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Posted In Awards & Recognition, Nutrition, People & Culture, Sanford Stories, Senior Services, Thought Leadership
