We want to give a shout out to Nick Begane and Mariposa this month!
Nick has been with Mariposa for two years and in that time has worked with his whole team to make Mariposa the wonderful place it is today.
Nick has been promoted and will be moving to parts north soon, so we wanted to take a few minutes to chat with him and thank him, and everyone at Mariposa, including Michelle Figueroa who will be replacing Nick, for the excellent work they do to make sure their residents have the best quality of life possible.
Nick, over the last two years, you and your team have gone from a low occupancy to becoming virtually full, with satisfied residents. What do you think are the main reasons for this?
It comes down to culture. How people feel when they arrive. Our place feels like home. Residents ask, “can I do this?” The answer is, “It’s your home.” They feel like it is their home after being here a short while, making new friends in a welcoming atmosphere that is not at all stuffy.
Another crucial thing is that our food is exceptional. It’s integral to anyone’s quality of life.
We just had a candlelight dinner for our residents and their families. We want to make sure they enjoy their food.
Activities are also elemental. We have daily activities as well as regular celebrations. For example, this month we are doing an Octoberfest. We make sure that residents whose families cannot be there in person can see them enjoying themselves through social media. So their families can be right there with them, virtually.
We adhere to the strictest safety protocols to protect everyone from COVID, so right now, all of these events are held strictly outdoors.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Simple. Connecting with the residents. They tell me they will miss me, and I will definitely miss them.
Michelle Figueroa feels the same way. She put it this way:
“It is my goal to meaningfully be of service to both residents and staff. Providing the quality of life anyone would want for their loved ones.”
Michelle is caring for her mother right now, while her father who has dementia, is in a wonderful community in another city. She is so happy to see how well he is cared for. “I want to be a part of this” she said.
Nick, what will you miss the most about not being on site at Mariposa?
I will miss the residents the most, and also, the culture of Goleta and Santa Barbara. I feel like everyone is very down to earth and family oriented here.
Nick asked us to come by and see some of the residents we placed that he is particularly close to and give them his best. We will certainly do so and wish Nick the very best with gratitude for all he has done to make Mariposa a wonderful community!
