Williamsburg, Va. – Patriots Colony At Williamsburg, a Riverside Health System continuing care retirement community, is pleased to announce it has named Josephine Fuller, RN, AAS, BSN, MSN its Director of Nursing.
Patriots Colony At Williamsburg offers independent living, assisted living, memory support, short-term rehabilitation, nursing home and respite care for those 55 and older. Patriots Colony’s independent living residences are reserved for retired military officers of seven uniform services, civil servants, their spouses or widow(er)s.
Its care residences like assisted living, memory support, short-term rehabilitation, nursing home and respite service are open to all with no prior career eligibility required.
Fuller is no stranger to Riverside, having worked with the health system at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News in pediatrics, mother-baby and other acute care settings.
She was drawn to working in lifelong health with older adults thanks to a blend of professional and personal experiences.
While working at Regional, Fuller said, she had the opportunity to interact with nursing students from Patriots Colony.
“I saw the care that the residents received and that there was a need to serve people in our community at the other end of the life spectrum,” Fuller said.
Fuller’s parents also both suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia.
“My father was living in a facility in another state and knowing that we were relying on others to care for him showed me there was really a need,” Fuller said.
“This, working with older adults in this setting, is something I knew I wanted to do to finish out my career, especially with Riverside because their mission statement – a promise to care for others as we would care for those we love – really speaks to me.”
Service to others has defined much of Fuller’s life. Originally from Michigan, Fuller made her way to Virginia with the military.
“I was the daughter of a military member, served in the Army myself and married an Army man,” Fuller said. “It was in the military – during my first rotation to Germany – that I met my husband.” Fuller started her career in nursing as a Certified Nursing Assistant for Riverside. She went on to study at both Thomas Nelson Community College and Virginia Commonwealth University, and then earned her graduate degree from Walden University.
At Patriots Colony, Fuller aims to help “older adults successfully navigate the aging process” throughout the various levels of care offered at the community. “I want everyone to live successfully and age gracefully,” Fuller said. “What I've learned over the years is that everyone should have the opportunity to age respectfully and have their choices honored.”
For more information about Patriots Colony At Williamsburg, visit riversideonline.com/patriotscolony.
Published: August 26, 2019