The Spirit of Wesley House: Best Activity Director

Wesley House Assisted Living Facility on S. William Street in Atlanta takes the cake for having an array of professional, loveable, and fun staff and residents.

However, one particular staff member was described by coworkers as having the spirit of Wesley House.

Amanda Hinton won 2023’s People’s Choice award for Best Activity Director and is lauded by residents and staff alike as a key part of the overall mechanism that makes Wesley more than just a house, but a home.

“If Linda Hill, our administrator, is the ‘Heart of Wesley House’, I’d have to say Amanda would be the ‘Spirit of Wesley House’,” said LaNora Russell, the facility’s hard-working weekend manager who fills in for Amanda on her days off.

Hinton said that they offer four activities for their beloved residents each day, with coffee talk being an essential part of activities at breakfast time.

“We will have coffee talk up front, where we enjoy coffee and talk about a daily celebrity with a birthday or fun facts and trivia,” Hinton said. “We might look up what the day is the international day of or talk about this day in history.”

Typically, Russell said there would be a puzzle up front for residents to work on, as well, but the activity that seems to be the biggest hit with residents is Bingo.

The residents love Bingo so much, that when Hinton took over the position as activity director, she made sure they could play it every day.

“Our people love their Bingo,” Hinton said. “Bingo is every day at 11. When I took the position, it was twice a week.”

It was while having meetings with the residential council–where staff looks to residents for their opinions and advice on things they like or would like changed to ensure a greater overall living experience– that residents asked Hinton if they could have Bingo every day.

Of course, Hinton was happy to oblige them. “There’s nothing she won’t do to keep our residents in high spirits,” Russell said. “It’s just one part of what makes this place less of a facility and more of a home.

“Amanda does so much more than just her job title. She goes above and beyond for our people. She fixes Wi-Fi, fixes TVs makes runs to Wal-Mart … she checks on residents who she hasn’t seen in a while at activities to put eyes on them and make sure they are doing okay or need anything.

Activities throughout the day often vary, depending on the day of the week, however, certain days have extra special activities, including some light exercise.

For instance, around 2:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. on a Tuesday, you would find the group having an ice cream social Hinton said, “Even throughout the wintertime,” Hinton said. “Bingo, and ice cream on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the 2 o’clock activity is always Bible study with Tim Brown from Heritage.”

On Sundays, when Russell fills in, residents worship with Beaulahland Baptist church.

“It’s so nice to have the community support,” Hinton said. “I have a lot of help with my job in that way. It’s all community and family.”

On Saturdays, bands come out to play for everyone such as 95-year-old Jim Eaton will play gospel and a little bit of older country ballads. Every other Tuesday Walter Evans and Doug Glover play.

Hinton is no stranger to country or gospel music. Her mom, a huge country music fan, wanted to call her Jolene, like the Dolly Parton hit, but couldn’t find a middle name that she felt would fit with it.

“So I was called Amanda Jolene,” Hinton laughed. She said the name has grown on her through the years and she has come to appreciate its country roots. She grew up in Queen City, after all.

Speaking of names, a lot of the residents will insist that staff members refer to them by their grandmother’s names, such as ‘NeNe’, ‘MiMi’ or ‘Nanny’.

“And they will treat you just like you’re their granddaughter,” Hinton said. “It’s definitely like real family and, again, it’s not a house it’s a home.”

For instance, Russell and Hinton talked about how some of the residents would go out for the day and say they were ready to come home to Wesley House.

One such resident, Dr. Delores Woodfork, or ‘Dr. D’ would often do just that.

“Take me home to my people,” Dr. D. would sometimes say.

“Even coming to work it’s just like you’re coming home,” Hinton said. “People who don’t even live or work here feel at home here, and that’s really the goal.”

Hinton said that staff try their best to make holidays, such as Mother’s Day or Father’s Day special for residents by holding big luncheons or banquets.

Each month, they have a themed meal, and from time to time they have cosmeticians come in to make over residents for ‘Gorgeous Grandmaw’.

A monthly birthday party is also always planned, in which single rosebud vases are given out to those celebrating their birthday that month.

Hinton said there are pets at Wesley House, such as Lucy the Cat and Shorty the Dog.

“I’m a big animal person myself and I know the benefit that has for some of the residents to be able to have their special pet with them,” Hinton said.

Russell and Hinton said that the staff at Wesley House are all about working together to ensure the best quality of care for residents and to make their house a home.

Recently, Hinton made strawberry pizza for residents, which included ingredients such as sugar cookies, bananas, strawberries and more.

Hinton did not actually plan to get into this line of work but felt she was more or less called.

She got her degree in secondary education at Henderson State University, where she earned a full ride playing volleyball after graduating from Queen City.

Her first job with Wesley House was when she reached out on Facebook for a job and a medication tech position was open.

“I went and interviewed Linda and she called me back the same day to start orientation,” Hinton said fondly. She has been with Wesley House going on 10 years and has been activity director for a little more than five years.

Though she enjoys group activities, she said she loves going and visiting with the people who she doesn’t see as much... just to check on them, bring them goodies like popsicles and have one-on-one time with them.

The hardest part in working in elder care, according to Hinton, is getting close to some of the residents and eventually that resident’s passing. Hinton’s eyes filled with tears as she reminisced on her first big loss at Wesley House.

“Her name was Faye Surratt,” Hinton said. “It was like losing my grandmother. It was very hard.”

She remembered something her grandmother used to say that helped her look at things in a different light: “She used to say, ‘Poppa is on the other side of the Jordan River fishing and here I sit,” Hinton recalled.

Hinton said that, in other words, you eventually reach a place of peace and understanding.

“Being here for the family when the family needs you is a blessing, because (residents’) family becomes family, too,” she added.

Hinton described her job in elder care as sometimes tough–when you lose someone you care a lot about–but also very rewarding.

“Theres not a day you don’t go home from this place feeling appreciated,” she said.

New resident Daphene Bailey, 84, strolled into the front room looking to say hi to Amanda.

“Well, I have to keep her straight sometimes,” Bailey said. “But I have to say she is an excellent activity director. She’s just sunshine to me–so precious and kind.”

The two embraced as Bailey talked about her transition there and how much easier it has been because of staff members like Hinton.

“I count on her to keep me busy,” Bailey added. The two then continued to hug and talked about the new trend of diamond paintings as a fun activity.

Hinton is engaged to Justin Clark and is the proud mama to daughter, Bailee and son Corey. Bailee is a freshman, involved in volleyball, basketball and varsity cheer, while Corey, a junior is into trapshooting and archery.

“Borh of my kids have volunteered with Wesley House being the Easter Bunny for our residents and community,” Hinton said. “When they have to run in with me, they will play board games and even help clean the dining room”.

Wesley House cleaned up in the 2023 Cass County Reader’s Choice Awards, not only with Hinton being lauded as Best Activity Director. Wesley House also swept the contest with awards for Best Boss, Best Place to Live, Best Place to Work and, overall, Best Business.

However, awards are not why folks like Linda Hill, Amanda Hinton, LaNora Russell and other staff at Wesley House do what they do. They strive for excellence and give elder care in an environment that feels like home.

“God has a plan for all of us,” Hinton said. “It might not always be our plan, but it’s the right one. Working in elder care is definitely a calling.”