Staff Q&A: Housing Director Linda Bristol
Helping out-of-town families feel at home at Shepherd Center
What is your role at Shepherd Center, and how did you get started in this role?
I’m the housing director, and I’ve been here nine years. When I was first introduced to Shepherd, the housing manager at the time took me on a tour. I remember walking down the hallways and her saying “Hi” to everyone and telling me, “We say ‘Hi’ a lot here.” It was very welcoming, and I thought, “This place is awesome. I would like to work here.”
What does a typical day in your role look like?
Normally, we evaluate who’s being admit-ted that day, and we plan on greeting those families. In the Irene and George Woodruff Family Residence Center, we house patients in the Day Program and Pathways in addition to families, so we work with the therapists to make sure we have the appropriate equipment in their rooms. We also take care of maintenance with help from engineering. We encourage families to reach out if they see any issues with the apartment. We want to make their stays as positive as possible.
How does housing impact patients and their families?
With most hospital stays, you’re relatively close to your hospital, and you’re not there very long. Our patients’ stays are much longer. Having your family member right there with you makes such a huge difference. They’re really grateful. When they come in, they’re so overwhelmed and tired — they’ve been sleeping in an ICU room or traveling back and forth from a hotel or home. They are so happy to have a place close by to stay.
How has the new Arthur M. Blank Family Residences changed your role?
It’s been busy and exciting. I’ve been hiring new people and helping train them. The building itself is amazing. And the whole housing team — Willie Brooks, Raeshonna Corder, Patrice Alexander, Carroll Griffin, Aungrae Elliot, Regina Sanders, Rondone Shaw, and Larry Robinson — they're awesome. They just take people under their wings, and they keep this place clean and moving.
What is one of the biggest challenges you face in your role?
The most significant challenge was telling someone we couldn’t accommodate them the entire time the patient was here. Before the Blank Family Residences opened [in October], we could only house families for 30 days. So, we had people coming in and out a lot. We worked with them as they would check out and check back in to spread out their days. That’s why it’s so great that we have the new facility, and we’ll be able to house families for the entire time they’re here.
Interview by Erin Kenney
With five decades of experience, Shepherd Center provides world-class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. An elite center ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation’s top hospitals for rehabilitation, Shepherd Center is also recognized as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems. Shepherd Center treats thousands of patients annually with unmatched expertise and unwavering compassion to help them begin again.