At Amica, our team members make a meaningful difference in our residents’ lives every single day. To celebrate and recognize team member contributions, we created the Hero of the Year award in 2017. The annual winner consistently goes above and beyond their assigned duties to make residents feel seen, heard and cared for.
In 2022, the Hero of the Year award was presented to Massi Dehghani of Amica On The Avenue. Initially hired to be a dining room supervisor, Massi has taken on many other roles in the residence, including concierge, activity facilitator and dear friend.
After we spoke with the Amica On The Avenue community, it was clear Massi has proven herself to be an incredible team player, always having her colleagues’ backs and filling in for others when they need a helping hand.
One of the residents spoke very highly of her: “She greets me every morning with a big smile. She has such grace ... such humility ... and I’m so pleased that I’m her friend.”
And this is just one small example of the seniors who appreciate her so much. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when salons were closed, a resident wanted to continue with her weekly hair appointments. It was especially important to her because, as a Holocaust survivor, her head had been shaved in a concentration camp; these regular hair appointments contributed to her sense of self in a big way. Understanding this, Massi made a commitment to do the resident’s hair in her suite on a weekly basis.
Shortly after, the resident passed away, and today, Massi keeps a photo on her desk to remember their special bond. This resident was able to live her final days with dignity in large part because of Massi’s kindness.
When asked about her position at Amica, Massi says she couldn’t do her job without the wonderful seniors and support of her fellow team members. She is grateful to be surrounded by such a loving group and relishes in the opportunity to get to know each resident, while growing both personally and professionally from her experiences alongside them.
Watch below as residents and team members light up while talking about Massi, highlighting her kindness, respect, conscientiousness, teamwork, leadership skills, willingness to learn and desire to make everyone around her happy and fulfilled.
Amica Hero of the Year from Amica Senior Lifestyles on Vimeo.