Editor’s Note: McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, McKnight’s Home Care and McKnight’s Senior Living are profiling the McKnight’s 2024 Pinnacle Awards honorees daily in April and May. For additional McKnight’s Pinnacle Awards content, visit this page.

Wendella “Wendy” Blackman carries the weight of responsibility in her heart. As the director of Reflections memory care program at senior living community The Bristal at North Woodmere, NY, the residents with whom she works have shaped her outlook on life as much as she shapes their care. 

She holds a deep appreciation for happiness and good health and her empathy toward residents’ families has made her a beloved caregiver. 

In the 23 years she has worked at The Bristal, Blackman has been a resident service aide and assistant director of wellness before taking over Reflections, the memory care program, in 2005. 

“Wendella exemplifies the dedication that all at The Bristal provide to our residents each and every day,” Amy Silva-Magalhaes, the company’s chief operating officer, declared after Blackman was announced as a Pinnacle Award winner. “Her compassion for those in our Reflections communities ensures that our residents are receiving the best care possible. Her efforts set the standard that her colleagues strive to meet.” 

As for Blackman, she said that she truly looks forward to being at The Bristal every time she enters the doors. 

“At the end of the day, when I go home, I leave here satisfied knowing that I have made a difference in the lives of our Reflections residents and also in the lives of family members who love them so dearly,” she said in a local news report. 

Blackman hosts monthly support group meetings for residents’ families. She has an unwavering devotion to providing the highest level of care to some of her community’s most vulnerable older adults and frequently mentors new employees so they learn to provide care with similar empathy and grace. 

  • Blackman said she is guided by three mantras. The first: “Caring for others is not just a job, it’s a calling.” 
  • The second: “Every day is a new opportunity to make a difference,” a reminder to inspire her colleagues and the families she supports. 
  • The third: “Knowledge is to be shared,” which explains her commitment to continuous learning and her passion for imparting knowledge to others around her. 

The McKnight’s Pinnacle Awards program is jointly administered by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Home Care. Honorees were recognized March 21 at a dinner and awards ceremony in Chicago. Omnicare was the Silver sponsor for the 2024 Pinnacle Awards program. Parker Health Group and Sentrics were event sponsors.