Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital employees choose JABA

Charlottesville, Virginia, June 2, 2022 — One of the questions on Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital's annual Employee Satisfaction Survey asked employees to identify a local organization they value that exemplifies Sentra Healthcare’s mission and values.

"JABA got one of the highest vote totals in the survey," says Johnsa Morris, Vice President of Patient Care & Chief Nurse Executive at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital. "I think it's because the population that JABA serves aligns with one of the main populations that Sentara serves - the elderly and disabled. Our employees frequently use JABA as a resource. So it did not surprise me that JABA would receive such a high number of votes."

As Morris points out, the $65,000 grant to JABA is unrestricted, which will allow JABA to freely direct those funds to areas where it's needed most. Sentara Healthcare gave more than 50 million dollars to the community in 2021, says Morris, and she believes it's important that grants like this given to trusted local organizations are unrestricted.

"Who knows best how to fulfill their mission than the folks receiving the gift," says Morris.

Marta Keane, JABA CEO, expressed gratitude to Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital staff, as well as to the Sentara Cares Program.

“In this time of increasing needs, new unrestricted grants are most welcome," says Keane. "Senior isolation and its negative impact on physical, emotional, and cognitive health have been exacerbated during COVID. Both of our organizations have worked together to try to mitigate the impact.”

Indeed, the partnership between the two organizations has been strong for decades, and Keane recounted several of the tangible ways that JABA and Sentara have worked together.

"JABA supports patients upon discharge with our programming to assist with the social determinants that would prevent re-hospitalization," says Keane. "This is key for the patient and for the hospital. Sentara has worked with JABA on increasing awareness of Advance Directives, and in supporting the Charlottesville Area Alliance, which is working to create a more age-friendly community.”

"Considering our employees are our most valuable asset, and they consider JABA a valuable asset in the community," says Morris, "I think that says a lot about who JABA is and who Sentara is. And that our partnership aligns with a mission and values we both share."

About JABA

The Jefferson Area Board for Aging (JABA) has been serving individuals and caregivers along the journey of aging since 1975. We are the gateway for information and support for seniors, adults with disabilities, and their families throughout central Virginia. In 1986, JABA created JABA, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit, to raise funds from private sources to enhance our programs and better serve the growing number of seniors in our area. Our mission is to promote, establish and preserve sustainable communities for healthy aging that benefit individuals and families of all ages.

About Sentara

Sentara Healthcare celebrates more than 130 years in pursuit of its mission – “we improve health every day.” Sentara is an integrated, not-for-profit health care delivery system with more than 29,000 employees (including 1,375 physicians and advanced practice providers), 12 hospitals in Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina and the Sentara Health Plans division which serves over 900,000 members. Sentara is recognized nationally for clinical quality and safety, and is strategically focused on innovation and creating an extraordinary health care experience for our patients and members. Sentara was named to IBM Watson Health’s “Top 15 Health Systems” in 2021 and 2018, recognized as a “Best Employer for Women” by Forbes in 2020, and ranked as one of Forbes “America’s Best Employers” in 2018.