As we move through this holiday season, many of us find ourselves reflecting on what truly matters: family, health, and the care we show one another. It is in that spirit of gratitude and renewed purpose that I want to share why my vision for Jenkins County Medical Center’s swing bed program comes from a very personal place.
Andrea Graham with her father, Jimmy Peek, in June 2022 while he was in a swing bed program recovering from a stroke and undergoing rehabilitation.
After losing my mother, my father struggled in ways I didn’t fully recognize. I tried to give him his independence, assuming he was compliant with his medications and managing his health. But behind closed doors, he was lost, somewhat depressed, not taking his medications, and his health began to decline. Eventually, he suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA) and had to enter a swing bed program for rehabilitation.
That experience changed everything for me.
The staff in the facility where he received swing bed care gave him what I can only describe as life again. They were attentive, compassionate, and filled him with hope. They encouraged him when he had none and became a true resource not only for him but also for me as his daughter. They included me and my siblings in his treatment, walked us through his limitations, and helped me understand what his “new normal” would look like.
Together, we evaluated everything from his home environment to his daily routines, his grooming, feeding, and safety needs so that he could regain as much independence as possible while staying safe. When he completed rehab, I felt peace of mind knowing that I could leave him alone and trust that he was set up for success.
Although I have been in healthcare for over 20 years, I realized that when it is your own family, it is different. You see things not only from the clinical side, but also from the patient and family perspective. That shift gave me a deeper understanding of what true patient centered care looks like and why it matters so much.
That experience shaped my commitment to building a swing bed program at JCMC that feels like home. We have designed a space where patients feel safe, cared for, and supported where families are not just visitors, but partners in recovery. By incorporating a newly completed Activities of Daily Living (ADL) space, we are able to help patients practice real-world skills in a supportive environment, preparing them for a safe and confident transition home.
Everything I do as a leader in healthcare has been shaped by personal experiences like this. I know firsthand what it feels like to worry about a loved one, to want them treated with dignity and compassion, and to pray that someone will see them as more than a diagnosis. That is why I am committed to ensuring JCMC’s swing bed program provides not only quality care, but also peace of mind for both patients and families.
At the heart of this vision is a simple belief: every patient should be treated the way I would want my own family to be treated.