Tom Corcoran, admissions director at Life Care Center of Citrus County, Fla., stepped up to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy. His wife’s family lives in the affected area, and he initiated a supply drive. The facility banded together and collected more than 1,000 pounds of much-needed supplies, including blankets, coats, jeans and shoes. As if this were not enough, Corcoran packed up his pickup truck with the donations and drove to New York and New Jersey on a weekend to deliver the supplies to a Salvation Army center there.

Steve Alvarez, a certified nursing assistant at Mountain View Care Center in Tucson, Ariz., helped a Muslim resident maintain dignity while she received care in a culturally different environment. Alvarez treated her with respect, including her need to keep her body covered whenever possible. It was he who gained her confidence and trust in getting her to take a shower. “He made me feel respected and not different because of my religion,” the resident said. “He honored my beliefs while taking care of me with the assistance of the other CNAs.” When the resident went home after graduating from therapy, the family thanked Alvarez for his role in attending not only to her physical needs but her social and emotional needs as well.

Darrin Ogilvie, a physical therapist at Life Care Center of Stoneham, Mass., found out a resident’s family didn’t have a turkey for Thanksgiving. When the facility gave its associates turkeys for the holiday, Ogilvie turned around and donated his bird to the family. “The family was so delighted and speechless that they hugged and thanked him for his generosity,” said Amy Johnson, occupational therapist.