ORIGINALLY WRITTEN BRENDA CONYERS
Cindy Tapphorn, new executive director for Marion Manor, says once the love of working with the senior population gets into your heart, “you always come back.”
Tapphorn, who replaced retiring administrator Ken Vinduska in February, is glad to be a part of the Manor team and part of the Beverly Enterprises system.
After being an administrator at Peabody Memorial for three and a half years, Tapphorn accepted a position at Wellsville.
“It was kind of rough for a while,” Tapphorn said. “I stayed up there during the week and came home to see my husband, David, on weekends, or he came up to see me.”
They had been house shopping, in the Wellsville area, but just hadn’t found the “right house” when the position became available in Marion.
“We were so glad to be able to stay,” she said.
Tapphorn and her husband own one of the oldest homes in Peabody and have done a great deal of work remodeling the home.
“We hated to give that up,” she said. “We have worked so hard on our home for so long. There are a lot of memories there.”
She started her career as a certified nurse aide in 1979 and loved working with the elderly, so she decided to continue her education.
Tapphorn graduated from Kansas Newman College in Wichita with a bachelor of science degree in 1991, and received her Adult Carehome Administrator license in 1993.
“There have been times I went away from this line of work, but only for a while,” she said. “Then I would come back. I love this work.
I say I will just move from this office to a room.”
She is proud of the Marion Manor Nursing facility and says she has no agenda for big changes.
“There is a home atmosphere here,” she said. “The residents know this is their home and the staff care about them. There is no need for big changes.”
Tapphorn says she has heard a number of positive comments about the home’s staff from residents and their families. She is also pleased to have all staff positions filled at this time.
“I like to hear some laughter when the staff is working,” Tapphorn said. “They laugh with each other and with residents. If they are laughing and enjoying their work, they aren’t looking to go elsewhere.”
She said with increased gas and utility prices that people want to work close to home, and the staffing shortage crisis, which has been experienced by many homes throughout the country, has stabilized, at least, for right now at the Manor and in the Marion area.
She also said former administrator Vinduska and Director of Nursing Cathy Cleeton had done an excellent job of implementing the systems designed by Beverly Enterprises for the operation of a nursing home.
“This was a very easy home to come into because those two had done such a good job of running things,” Tapphorn said.
On her first day on the job, Tapphorn was saddened to receive the resignation of Cleeton, who, after nine years at the Manor, had received a position as a nursing consultant with another firm.
“I was happy for her, but sad for me,” Tapphorn said.
Cleeton said her job change was all a matter of “timing.”
“Ken had gone, she was here; the offer was there-it was just all timed right.”
When asked what, besides the people, she would miss at the Manor, Cleeton quickly said, “After nine years? My comfort zone!”
Cleeton’s last day was Friday, April 20.
Sonya Gore, a registered nurse, will take over the position as director of nursing, effective immediately.