Kirca Earns Employee of the Month




Image of Sandra Kirca

/ Community News /

Kirca Earns Employee of the Month




September 26, 2022

Sandra Kirca, RN has earned the August Employee of the Month award for Country Living at Westview Commons. She takes on important roles and responsibilities as the Nurse Supervisor of Westview Commons’ Assisted Living Services Agency; strategizing and implementing additional health care provisions for the residents who utilize assisted living care within this Dayville living community. Sandy started with the Westview family of companies at Westview Health Care Center in August of 2019; initially providing nursing care at the skilled nursing facility. In April of 2021, as Westview Commons’ assisted living services expanded in capability and demand, Sandra accepted the offer for the position she currently holds as the Nurse Supervisor of Westview Commons’ Assisted Living Services.

No matter what her role is, Sandy will always remain a nurse in her heart and mind....

Sandy’s career has accumulated to this point with complementary experiences leading to her present role. She began her professional path as a Certified Nursing Assistant in another skilled nursing facility, and while working there, she pursued a degree as a Registered Nurse from the Community College of Rhode Island; graduating in 2001. At other stages of her career, she has also provided nursing services in patients’ own home-care settings. According to her, she loves how her position at Westview Commons aligns some of her favorite aspects of senior care: personal connections established by caring for residents in their individual units, while simultaneously having a centrally-organized facility to make the logistics of multiple care cases that easier.

No matter what her role is, Sandy will always remain a nurse in her heart and mind. “Although Country Living at Westview Commons isn’t a skilled nursing care setting, my work here still benefits from the critical thinking I have learned to apply from my experiences as a Registered Nurse at places like Westview Health Care Center,” Sandy stated. “When someone is having a medical issue in either setting, I always take a careful look at the patient or resident themselves; directly analyzing their appearance and presentation with as much concentration as I use when I am looking at their health records and laboratory results.” Her education provides her with the knowledge to understand complex medical issues, and her experience provides her with the wisdom to use common sense when applicable.

Sandy lives in Killingly, CT with her German Shepherd “Leyna” and her Silky Terrier “Bella.” Her parents, Janice and Arthur Craven, Jr. live in nearby Willimantic, CT and she appreciates spending time with them as often as she can. She and her two sons, Jeremy and Seth, share strong bonds together and are very proud of their collective accomplishments in life. Sibling harmony is felt throughout many generations in Sandy’s family. She cherishes her connections with her sister Carolyn Shegonee and her brothers Arthur Craven III, George Craven, Michael Craven, and Robert Craven.

For recreational activities Sandy enjoys playing disc golf, card games, and pool—particularly, in competitive pool tournaments that have provided her with the chance to travel all across the United States. She loves to throw rounds of disc golf at the numerous public courses in Connecticut and Massachusetts, or at the private course that a friend recently built on their property. Aerobic dance classes are another favored athletic venture for her; with Sandy appreciating its unique blend of exercise and fun. To nurture her creative passions, she reads fictional murder-mystery novels, and delights in acrylic painting and household do-it-yourself projects like refurbishing furniture. Sandy has fun attending sporting events to root for baseball’s Boston Red Sox and football’s Pittsburgh Steelers whenever possible. She finds further entertainment through her passion for planning robust concert experiences with her friends and family; especially appreciating the contemporary country music artists and classic rock legends that she has been fortunate to see performing live.

Sandy hopes to continue evolving her work with the residents at Westview Commons by sharing more education about their individual and group needs. She believes that many of the challenges that seniors deal with can be alleviated—and in many cases, prevented—with proper knowledge. In receiving this Employee of the Month designation, her reaction reflects her satisfaction and sureness in the daily joy she finds at Westview Commons. “Earning Employee of the Month was a complete surprise to me—and it is well appreciated! It is such a pleasure coming to work here at Westview Commons each day; working with a great group of residents and working alongside a great group of colleagues! I’ve never seen a happier and more helpful group of people. It’s great to see how our staff help residents to accomplish their goals, and it is especially heartwarming when I see residents helping other residents,” she remarked.

Country Living at Westview Commons’ Executive Vice President David T. Panteleakos has high praise for Sandy in achieving this accomplishment. “Sandy offers a tremendous resource to our residents here as our Assisted Living Services Nurse Supervisor with years of experience in senior care settings. Our residents are well considered and cared for by our leadership team, and I am very appreciative of Sandy’s thoughtful insights during our discussions. I celebrate this recognition for her—congratulations to Sandy!”

Country Living at Westview Commons is a 75-unit independent and assisted living community conveniently located in picturesque Northeastern Connecticut. Affiliated with Westview Health Care Center, a nationally-ranked nursing facility according to CMS and U.S. News and World Report for the past years, Westview Commons is a 115,000 square foot catered living facility dedicated to a genuine 5-star experience including outstanding service, culinary expertise and professional in-house entertainment. Located in Dayville, CT, Westview Commons combines convenience, tranquility and comfort; providing a lifestyle that seniors deserve.