Ginger Harris: a Hometown Hero
Ginger Harris was honored for her longtime service as Taylor House administrator as she was awarded the Hometown Hero award.
The honor was presented during National Assisted Living Week by WSPC & WZKY Radio at Stanly Community College Thursday.
Ginger has been at the helm at Taylor House assisted living in Albemarle for nearly 20 years. It’s a demanding job, but an incredibly rewarding one.
“I can see how we help people here,” she said, explaining why she’s dedicated herself to this work. “You can put your hands on it, it’s very tangible.”
When a resident moves in, Ginger said, it’s often a huge life change for both them and their families, sometimes even leading to a loss of identity for residents for a time. Ginger said she and her team help them adjust and find a beautiful new life and identity at Taylor House.
“We’re just a part of their life journey,” she said.
A lifelong Stanly County resident, Ginger attended Stanly Community College and then trained as a healthcare administrator. She started her career in home health and hospice, but has been working in assisted living since 2000.
As Executive Director, Ginger leads a team of 22 and ensures the daily care of up to 28 residents.
One thing she loves about her job is that Taylor House helps people who might otherwise not be able to afford assisted living, including those who don’t qualify for Medicaid but can’t afford normal fees. More than half of Taylor House residents pay discounted rates, subsidized monthly by the Baptist Retirement Homes Foundation.
Despite her nearly “all-consuming” job, Ginger finds time to be involved at her church, Harvest Church. Ginger has been married to husband Tim for 41 years. She has a daughter Milea, step-son Michael and daughter-in-law Lindsay.
She grew up in a large family, the youngest of eight, and credits this with being about to work well with anyone. She said the success of everything they do depends on their hands-on team working well together.
“I like that we mesh so well together here,” Ginger said.
Taylor House was originally built a century ago as a hospital, and she said that legacy carries through to this day.
“I feel like this is still a place of healing,” she said. It’s a place for team members to find a supportive family, and residents to come home.
“Every day is different, and we’re always helping people,” Ginger said.