When Mustang Creek Estates of Allen Caregiver Supervisor Gwen Chipango goes to work each day, she looks forward to seeing her friends and making sure they enjoy their day. Her friends just happen to be senior residents in their 70s, 80s and 90s at the residential assisted living and memory care community, and she really sees them more as family. Chipango has worked at Mustang Creek Estates of Allen for almost nine years, and her co-workers voted her Employee of the Year in 2015. She leads by example and shows compassion for everyone, demonstrating loving care not only to the residents, but also to her fellow team members. For these reasons, Chipango was nominated by Mustang Creek Estates of Allen to receive the 2016 Texas Hero Award given by the Texas Assisted Living Association (TALA) annually, amongst numerous nominees across Texas. Chipango took the highest honor in her field and was presented with an award for the top caregiver in the state at TALA’s annual conference in April. The senior living community will honor Chipango for her achievement at a celebration held on Friday, June 10at 2:00 p.m. at Mustang Creek Estates of Allen (720 Creek Valley Court in Allen, House 2). At the party, Chipango will be honored by her co-workers, residents and family, and presented with a $1,000 check by the owners of the community. Mustang Creek Estates, owned and operated in North Texas, wishes to thank her for her dedication to the residents and the families she serves, as well as her commitment to Mustang Creek Estates of Allen as a whole.
“When I found out I had received this award, I was truly shocked,” said Chipango. “This is such an impressive award, and I never dreamed anything like this would happen to me. You never know who is noticing your efforts. I was just doing my job by treating these seniors how I would want members of my family to be treated. I have a passion for these residents, and while the work can be challenging at times, like any job, showing love and care to the residents is what motivates me to do my job each day.”
This award is presented to one caregiver annually by TALA and is meant to recognize employees in assisted living communities who go the extra mile, give award-winning performances and are considered heroes for what they do on a daily basis.
“Gwen acts as a role model for all of our team members,” said Angella Horton, executive director of Mustang Creek Estates of Allen. “She gives them confidence in their new role, leads morning meetings, creates the team schedule, and provides solutions to improve care for residents. She truly leads by example. We love having her on our team, as do the residents, and her positive attitude truly makes a difference. We can’t imagine any better way to honor her work than through this award and a party in her honor. She deserves all that and more.”
“We are so proud to have Gwen on our team and out there representing Mustang Creek Estates in such a positive way,” said Renee Ramsey, CEO and co-founder of Mustang Creek Estates. “Her bright disposition is truly one-of-a-kind, and she is one of the reasons the Allen community has been so successful when it comes to the satisfaction of our residents and families. We’re constantly looking for ways to encourage our employees to grow themselves personally and professionally, and Gwen is the perfect example of someone growing in her role as our communities continue to grow.”