Generation Connect: A Summer to Remember

Last month, A.G. Rhodes welcomed high school students to our Atlanta community for the Generation Connect Summer Service Camp, part of our broader Generation Connect intergenerational program in partnership with Pebble Tossers Inc.

Throughout the week, students spent time with A.G. Rhodes elders and Care Partners through service projects, oral histories, shared activities and opportunities to learn more about each other, as well as careers in healthcare and aging services. The week culminated in a special outing where everyone hit the lanes and bowled together!

Check out some of our favorite photos below and click here to learn more about the program, and see a few social media videos from this summer's camp.

From Ms. A.G. Rhodes to a Statewide Crown!

We’re thrilled to share that Sandra Farris, an elder at A.G. Rhodes Cobb, has been crowned 2026 Ms. Georgia Health Care Association! Ms. Farris advanced to the statewide pageant after winning the Ms. A.G. Rhodes title earlier this summer. She then took top honors among residents representing long-term care communities across Georgia.

Ms. Farris previously shared that she hopes the pageant helps people see elders as “active, giving members of society.” We can’t think of a better representative to help shine a spotlight on the vibrant lives and contributions of older adults!

In Case You Missed It: See where Ms. Farris' journey began! Watch highlights from the 2026 Ms. A.G. Rhodes Pageant and celebrate all of the incredible women who made the day so special.

Essie Knows Best:
The Lesson Only Nursing Home Residents Can Teach Georgia Tech Design Students

What happens when Georgia Tech design students bring their ideas to A.G. Rhodes elders? Everyone learns something.

A new feature from the Georgia Tech Research News Center highlights a unique collaboration in which industrial design students worked alongside A.G. Rhodes elders during Horticultural Therapy sessions to develop and test tools designed to support greater independence. Just as importantly, the students learned firsthand the value of designing with older adults, not simply for them.

Read the full story and watch the video to see A.G. Rhodes elder Essie Bailey-Demic and our Horticultural Therapy program in action.

Building Leaders from Within

Congratulations to the Care Partners selected for A.G. Rhodes’ 2026 Leadership Development Program. Each year, Care Partners from across our three communities apply for this competitive, months-long program designed to prepare front-line staff for future business or clinical management roles in health care. Through specialized training, mentorship and professional development opportunities, participants build new skills, explore career pathways and prepare for future leadership opportunities at A.G. Rhodes and beyond.

We’re excited to support this year’s participants as they take the next step in their professional growth!

Participants pictured left to right: Cinader “CJ” Jordan, Culinary Supervisor, Atlanta; Chandra Lumpkin, LPN, Atlanta; Yolande Richmond, CNA Team Leader, DeKalb; Rica Stroud, Therapy COTA, Atlanta; Avinash Talasila, RN, Cobb; Shirley Terry, Culinary Supervisor, DeKalb

From a Career Change to CNA of the Year

Employee Spotlight: Yolande Richmond, CNA, A.G. Rhodes DeKalb

Among our latest Leadership Development Program participants is this month's employee spotlight feature, Yolande Richmond, whose own career journey is a great example of growth and leadership.

After making a major career change just a few years ago, Yolande found a new calling as a Certified Nursing Assistant and was recently named CNA of the Year at A.G. Rhodes DeKalb.

Celebrating the Class of 2026!

Family is an important part of the A.G. Rhodes community, and each year we’re proud to recognize the children and grandchildren of our Care Partners who graduate from high school. Congratulations to the Class of 2026! We celebrate your accomplishments and wish you all the best as you begin your next adventure.

Team Welcome & Accolades

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Welcome to our newest A.G. Rhodes Care Partners! See our latest staff updates HERE.

We know how wonderful the A.G. Rhodes community is. We want everyone to know! Kind words mean a great deal to our Care Partners. If you have some kind words you'd like to send a staff member, you can send them a Care Partner Praise HERE!

" Thank you for making a difficult recovery a little easier and for treating our mother with the dignity and kindness she deserves. Our family sincerely appreciates you!"

~ Natara B.

In Memory Of...

Our condolences go out to the family and friends of our residents who have recently passed away. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. 

• Helen Benefield, A.G. Rhodes Cobb
• Earline Baylark, A.G. Rhodes Cobb

If you have a loved one who was an A.G. Rhodes elder and recently passed away, please email us at communications@agrhodes.org if you would like to include their name and link to the obituary in the next issue.