Farella to lead Manor

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
Allison Farella has officially taken over as the long-term care director at the Weston County Manor, a long-term care nursing home with 58 beds.
Farella said she recalled going to work with her mother, who was a nurse, at the Cedar Hills Clinic (now Rapid City Regional Clinic) and considered it her introduction to the health care field. 
“I also had a babysitter who became a nurse. She was a big role model for me,” Farella said. “I have always liked caring for people, helping them and fixing their problems, so it was natural for me to go into this field.” 
Farella graduated from nursing school with her associate’s degree in 2007 and more recently received her bachelor’s degree in May of this year from the University of South Dakota. Farella said she went back to school to get her bachelor’s degree in order to advance her career. 
After receiving her associate’s degree, Farella took a position at Cedar Hills Clinic in Newcastle before going to work in the neonatal intensive care unit in Gillette. After working in the NICU for a year, Farella said she decided to come back to Newcastle, where she worked at Weston County Home Health for
three years. 
Farella said that because she has always had an interest in leadership roles in her field, she decided to take the leap and apply for the long-term care director position after being encouraged by coworkers and others. 
“I really like continuing education and making things better for both the residents and employees,” Farella said. 
According to Weston County Health Services CEO Maureen Cadwell, Farella’s experience in nursing, the NICU and home health made her a great candidate for the position. 
“In addition to that, she has been involved in our (WCHS) service excellence program as an adviser. Through that process, she has helped to educate our staff here about service excellence and our expectations for our employees. Because of that – and the abilities she possesses – made her a very good candidate.”
That she is a lifelong resident of Newcastle is also a plus, according to both Farella and Cadwell, because she is a familiar face for both residents and patients. 
Farella said she is planning a family picnic as a way of introducing herself to residents and their families. She also said that families can talk to her anytime. 
“I want to have an open door — someone who is friendly and someone they (families) can call on or come to,” Farella said. 
Farella said she hopes that outreach and availability will improve the Manor’s survey scores, regarding resident satisfaction. One component of this, Farella said, is making sure the staff is providing the service that residents and patients deserve. 
“When you educate your staff, then you are more likely to keep them,” Farella. “If you invest in them, they will invest in us.” 
Cadwell said that Farella will be an asset for many reasons.   
“We are hoping she can continue to raise the bar of expectations for the staff while caring for patients,” Cadwell said. “With Allison’s knowledge and energy, I don’t have any concerns. We are proud that we could help one of our own grow and educate, something we would like to do more.” 
Farella was a recipient of a Weston County Health Service Foundation scholarship to help continue her education, Cadwell said. 
Farella will oversee the nursing home operations, from staffing to clinical skills, and making sure residents are having their needs met. 
“She is to be that contact for families of residents and to direct that whole area of the facility,” Cadwell said.