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New Woodbury Nursing Center Director Russell Caughron shares a laugh with Katie Smith during a welcome reception in his honor June 9.
After a recent coffee/dessert reception to meet employees, patients and community residents, Caughron spoke about replacing Adkins.
“James and I are good friends, and were very good competitors for many years,” Caughron added. “We both love the industry and nursing care residents and believe in good patient care. He’s already missed greatly, but we know he’s enjoying his well-earned retirement. I hope to carry on the many good things he started at Woodbury Nursing Center…”
Caughron, a former state director of the Tennessee Health Care Association, took the reins of the 102-bed facility two weeks ago. He formerly served as administrator at the Peachtree Nursing and Rehabilitation in Smyrna before recently serving in a similar post in West Tennessee.
“It’s good to be back home, since we’ve always maintained our residence in Murfreesboro,” noted Caughron, who ran a strong, but unsuccessful campaign for state representative back in the 1990s. “The Woodbury Nursing Center is known for high-quality, very personal care of its guests…”
Caughron, a licensed Tennessee nursing home administrator since 1986, served as vice president of the Tennessee Health Care Association in 2008-09, and as president of Nashville District THCA in 2005-06, and received the industry association’s highest Distinguished Professional Association Award in 2008.
He comes to a health care facility that had its own winner, Barry Bucey, who achieved THCA’s ‘Caregiver of the Year” in 2007.
Woodbury Nursing Center has two other “legendary” employees.
“Betty Reed, who has been here 32 years, is our quality assurance director,” Caughron chronicled. “She and (business manager) Helen Davenport, who has been here since the doors opened 38 years ago, are known as the ‘dynamic duo.’ They are the reason everyone likes to come to the nursing home. They are the ‘go to’ source for information, both for patients and fellow employees…”
The daughter of a longtime patient agrees with Caughron’s assessment.
“It is like family here,” agreed Readyville resident Katie Smith, whose 93-year-young mother, Evalena Muncy, has been a patient at the Woodbury care facility the past 2 1/2 years.
“We know firsthand how well they care for Mother,” Katie confirmed. “Me or my sister, Becky Hayes, visit Mom every day. Plus, Mother really likes it here…she feels loved…plus she knows bunches of the other patients, since we’ve lived here all our lives.”
Cannon County native Tammy Gaither is a 33-year veteran employee of Woodbury Nursing Home.
“I love my patients,” noted Gaither, who serves as the facility’s activities’ director. “My own mother (Shirley Rogers) comes in and serves as a volunteer with the patients, many of whom have been lifelong neighbors to us. So yes, it is ‘like family’ here.”
Gaither’s sister, Tina Miller, wife of former Woodbury Mayor Danny Miller, also works at the healthcare center located at 119 West High Street.
