Jim: Welcome to The FOX Five, the series that explores the world of FOX Rehabilitation through an original list created by a FOX colleague. Today I am joined by former FOX occupational therapist, Dianne Jezak. Dianne, welcome.

Dianne: Hi.

Jim: Now, some people may be wondering, “former” FOX occupational therapist? Well, Dianne recently retired. That's why you're “former.”

Dianne: I did. I was an occupational therapist for 30 years.

Jim: You went out like a baller because you went out being our Colleague of the Month.

Dianne: Yeah, thank you so much.

Jim: Dianne, I thought it would be interesting having you on The FOX Five because you know, a lot of times we talk about people just starting out with FOX, I want to hear the story from the other end. You worked with FOX Rehabilitation, your colleagues loved you, you were Colleague of the Month your last month here, so I want to know, what is your FOX Five?

Dianne: My FOX Five are the 5 Things That I Miss Most About FOX.

Jim: Alright, [we’re] looking back! Let's start with Number One. What do you miss most?

Dianne: Number One is my team. I was a rehab director at an ALF for an FOL program and I had the most awesome team.

Jim: You just shouted out a lot of acronyms right there. ALF is “assisted living facility,” and FOL is FOX Optimal Living.

Dianne: Yes.

Jim: I saw pictures of your team often because you would send them to me, and it seemed like you had a really tight unit there.

Dianne: We had the best team. We had so much fun with each other, there was so much respect. I was always bouncing ideas, working together, if someone's having a problem with something, we work together at it. It was just the best team, I couldn't ask for a better one.

Jim: Do you still stay in contact with your team?

Dianne: I do. We've gone out to dinner once already. We have our second date planned.

Jim: That's good, and you're going to a lot of concerts now that you're retired. You should bring some of them to your concerts.

Dianne: I'm going to concerts and I'm golfing now.

Jim: Take to them to see Styx.

Dianne: Love them!

Jim: What is Number Two on your FOX Five?

Dianne: Number Two on my FOX Five is actually the patients and the residents. At the ALF, when you're working in an FOL program—which is very unique from a lot of other rehabs—you become a family and you can see things. You know how people are working and then you’re kind of going, “Hmm [they’re] not looking that good today or this [patient’s] not using their walker and they're supposed to.” Or, you just can pick out like, “Oh, they're getting a little bit more confused in the dining room.” You know, I really love that aspect of FOX.

Jim: Being on top of it, working as a team?

Dianne: On top of it, being proactive, seeing things—they all knew that we were there for them. I will say the comments that we often got was, one, “I'm alive because of FOX Rehabilitation, and two, they're living at that specific ALF because of FOX. So those are two major things that really make your job feel like it’s beneficial.

Jim: I love that. That's our motto: Be Stronger. Live Better Longer.

Dianne: Yes.

Jim: It's nice to see that it was put into action. It's put into action every day, but it's nice to hear it. Dianne, that brings us to Number Three.

Dianne: Number Three, I would have to say our FOX gatherings. Not just my team at the ALF, but my regional director would organize these events after work where all of the local—like the southern New Hampshire team—would get together. It got us to really know each other and be able to reach out, and I thought that was huge because if someone was on vacation or we were low or overflowed [with clinicians], we could contact other people. There were times where I was the only OT in the building and I could reach out to other OTs with OT-related questions and feel comfortable about it, because I've already met them.

Jim: That's why those after-hour get-togethers are so important because it's great to hang out and establish those friendships, but you can also use these friendships as resources.

Dianne: Yes, and that's huge. I really miss that.

Jim: Hopefully they still pick your brain and hopefully they still invite you out. If they don't, you let me know.

Dianne: I got a lot of phone calls and texts after I left.

Jim: Okay. I feel like you should still be invited to these, because they could use you as a resource. Although, I should point out that you are retired, so don't use Dianne too much as a resource. Give her space to breathe! That brings us to Number Four on your FOX Five.

Dianne: Number Four, I would have to say is the management team. By doing the Face-to-Face meetings, you really feel like you get to know upper management. I actually felt comfortable reaching out when I had a question, and I talked to my regional director and you know—he'd give me the name of the person to reach out to. They always made you feel welcome, and I have to say—total surprise—but my last week, I got a call from Lisa McDonald (Senior Regional Director) and then Brian Fusetti (VP of Operations), and I was just like, “Whoa, who does that?” It made me feel really good.

Jim: I don't think enough people realize that our leadership team, and I say this with the truest sincerity, they care. If you ever have any type of problem, big or small, there's always somebody to talk to and that's what I love about our leadership team. You spoke about Brian Fusetti, did you know he's one of my BFFs in life? Solid person, so I love your Number Four, because our leadership team is solid and people need to know that.

Dianne: That's huge because it starts at the top and trickles down. They're making you feel important.

Jim: The biggest tragedy, I think, is if someone would leave, and I'm like, “No, if you have a problem talk it out and we'll fix that problem.”

Dianne: Yes.

Jim: That brings us to Number Five.

Dianne: So, this this might sound a little odd, but actually MedBridge, because I think that's a huge benefit from FOX.

Jim: Break it down for those not familiar with MedBridge.

Dianne: MedBridge has continuing education and FOX covers the cost of that and there's so much that you can choose from. I'm keeping up my license, but now I'm like, “Oh, I have to pay for it myself.” It’s online learning, you can go on whenever you want, you don't have to finish at a particular time, you can go back, and it's just great. I've used that a lot. The presenters on there are really good.

Jim: It's a nice perk.

Dianne: It’s a huge perk.

Jim: A nice and a huge perk.

Dianne: Yeah.

Jim: Dianne, thank you for doing this FOX Five.

Dianne: You're welcome.

Jim: Be honest, when I called you—you, now being retired—were you like, “They keep bugging me, they keep wanting me to work?” Did you, did you mind doing this?

Dianne: I did not mind doing this at all.

Jim: Good, maybe we'll have you back for a "Top 5 Things You Enjoy About Retirement?"

Dianne: Oh, yes.