Kansas City, MO — Bickford of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake’s Family Advocate Heather Starr-Cress was recently honored as the winner of three nominees for 2023 Family Advocate of the year at the company’s annual Pearl Ceremony in Kansas City. As part of the annual awards ceremony, Bickford headquarters sent a video crew to capture Virginia Beach’s residents and resident family members talking about the impact she’s had on them, and why she deserves the recognition. Here’s what they had to say. Congratulations, Heather! We’re proud to have you on our team.

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Kay Hess: The staff here, they’re wonderful. They are. And Heather, she is the top. I shouldn’t say that. Should I? She sort of knows when you’re a little bit down and she always perks you up, not that I get down that much. But, I’ve seen her with other people in the building and she would sometimes just put her arm around their back and they cheer up. You’ve made my stay here very special and I thank you very much.

Barbara Crane: Heather is one of my favorite people just because she’s Heather. Nothing put on her about her. She’s Heather. She seems to know a little bit of something about everybody. And she could apply it when it’s necessary. I love her. She’s a lovely person. She’s one of a kind. She’s a lovely, lovely person. A sweet person, one that you’d be be happy to call your friend. Oh, Heather, thank you for having me be part of this interview and I hope you get the job.

Lonnie Clement: There’s so much to say about Heather. She is an outstanding person. First of all, a professional of the utmost quality. She shows compassion and integrity. You always feel like she’s looking out for the best interest of your loved one. And and you also as a family member. I beg her not to leave. If that tells you anything, Heather. We want her to be here always for us. And I know that’s not fair to ask that of her, but she is just such an asset to the facility. Happiness of the residents is really the utmost priority for her.

Janice Brothers: Basically, I don’t think she meets a stranger. When they come in, she does everything she possibly can to make them feel at home. She’s just an all around good person. If somebody’s got a problem, she’s got a listening ear.

Diane Darcy: She’s just an amazing human, and we love knowing her and knowing that she’s here for the residents, particularly our mother. I just cannot sing her praises enough. She is the epitome of what you would expect a family advocate to be. She’s a wonderful human. We love Heather and she’s a person you don’t even need to say her last name. You just say Heather. We all know who she is. She’s famous to us.