Things might start to look a little different around Oakdale Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and if Will Pringle has his way, those changes will happen sooner rather than later.
Pringle was recently named Vice President of Longterm Care for ONRC, a position he shared he is both thrilled, as well as eager to step into.
“It was an excellent opportunity to find a leadership position like that in Oakdale,” Pringle shared of joining the ONRC team.
With over 20 years of experience in senior care, working for facilities throughout California, Pringle has not only a lot to offer, but a lot he plans to implement.
More specifically, Pringle is excited about working on opportunities for residents and their socio emotional experience, aiming at providing the best nursing care.
“What I’m looking to really improve upon is the resident experience,” he said, sharing plans to reach out to Oakdale High School and 4H groups to create a relationship for volunteer opportunity.
Through these types of partnerships, the senior care specialist plans to bring intergenerational activities to the facility. Activities such as: sponsor a student raising an animal, inquiring on having the OHS band play for residents, or taking residents to OHS to watch the band practice.
Pet therapy he also feels is important. ONRC currently has resident cats. Pringle would like to add therapy dogs and mini horses, to visit with the residents.
“If there’s someone in the community that has therapy mini horses, I’d love to hear from them,” he said of launching the program.
Not only is Pringle focused on the intergenerational activity, he’s also focused on the aesthetics of the facility and visual appeal. He has an interest in inviting local artists to display their work as for a period of time, as well as making some aesthetic updates.
“I’m really focused on a new area in senior health, it’s called biophilic design,” he said. “It’s the use of plants and green materials used mostly inside, in an effort to bring the outdoors in.”
According to Pringle, studies show people feel less anxious, less depressed when surrounded by plants and flowers. He and his team are currently working with representatives of Modesto Junior College on a vertical garden. However, he would like to also have OHS or the Boy Scouts help with raised planters.
“We want people … while they may have medical conditions that prevent them from doing certain things in life, we can still create joy,” he stated. “We can still create relationships and that’s kind of the focus.”
Yet this is all no small feat and while he brings with him a wealth of previous experience, Pringle noted it’s the team he’s inherited which will help make it all possible.
“Fortunately, I have great support staff managers that will help me with these projects in their respective areas,” Pringle stated, noting his amazement with the tenure of the staff he works with at ORNC.
“I’m incredibly lucky to have such a group of people that are so committed,” he said. “It’s not what I’ve seen around the state. It’s impressive.”
As the new vice president, the longtime Oakdale resident and OHS alum shared he’d equally like to hear feedback and ideas from the community on improving the socio emotional experience for the residents.
“That’s the goal really, we want to get the community back in here,” he said.
As for his passion and drive toward serving the seniors of Oakdale, the former Mustang shared it’s a natural fit. He explained that a fourth grade teacher at Cloverland once shared with Pringle’s mother his nature of being an ‘old soul.’
“When I’m with seniors, I’m truly with my people. That’s my group,” he stated. “I feel most comfortable working with seniors, it’s truly what I love.”
Community members with leads in any of the mentioned areas or with feedback for Pringle may contact him via email at williampringle2@gmail.com.
