A clean and comfortable environment plays a vital role in the well-being of residents and in the peace of mind of their families at Grand Oaks. Helping lead these efforts is Polima Sanvil, Environmental Services / Laundry Manager, who oversees environmental services operations, including laundry, cleaning, disinfection, and staff training.

Learn more about Polima, his recent additional education, and his work supporting residents and families at Grand Oaks in our Q&A below.

Can you tell us about your educational and professional background?

Polima: Before working in senior living, I spent nearly 10 years as a French and literature teacher, completing my training at the State University of Haiti.

Recently, I earned a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification from Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School, helping me better understand the importance of waste reduction—time, supplies, etc.—and directly benefiting the community.

Also, I obtained a Certificate in Non-Acute Care Cleaning (CNACC) Train-the-Trainer (T3) from the Association for the Health Care Environment (AHE), which has enhanced my ability to train my staff to elevate their performance in cleaning and disinfecting.

Currently, I am studying for my Certificate of Mastery in Infection Prevention (CMIP), Certified Health Care Environmental Services Professional (CHESP), and Project Management Professional (PMP)® program.

What inspired you to work in senior living, particularly in environmental services and operations?

Polima: After many years of working in school environments with young people and adults, and volunteering in church for over 10 years leading Bible studies for adults and senior citizens, working in senior living was not a challenge for me; it was my main inspiration.

How would you describe your role and responsibilities?

Polima: My role consists of managing internal and external stakeholders and overseeing environmental services operations, including staffing, laundry, cleaning, disinfecting, inventory/supplies/tools/equipment, budgeting, and payroll.

Above all, my responsibilities require me to ensure that our residents and families receive outstanding service. While doing this, I ensure my staff is fully supported in performing their jobs to the highest standard.

Creating a clean, comfortable environment is so important to residents and families. How do you work to ensure those standards are consistently met?

Polima: I make sure:

• My staff receives standard and ongoing training.
• Staff are supported and have the necessary tools and supplies they need.
• They practice a culture of collaboration and teamwork, while understanding the importance of safety.
• They promote a culture of exercising customer service and respect for everyone.

How does your role contribute to the overall resident experience at Grand Oaks?

Polima: My role contributes greatly to the overall resident experience by routinely visiting residents and ensuring they are satisfied with the service they receive.

How do you collaborate with other team members to support residents? Can you share a time when teamwork really stood out?

Polima: We always speak up when concerns arise and follow up with the relevant party to resolve the issue. For example, a team member once called me on my day off to help escalate a situation involving an A/C concern in one resident’s apartment. 

This demonstrated that the team truly cares about the well-being of our residents. Even though she is not a maintenance staff member, she understood the importance of reporting the issue so it could be resolved.

What was the most memorable interaction you have had with a resident or their family?

Polima: When I helped a resident set up a doctor’s appointment. She was very happy, especially when I followed up to make sure everything was set up correctly.

What part of your work do you find most rewarding, and why?

Polima: I am very passionate about cleaning and disinfecting. I have been working in this field for over 13 years, including almost eight years at Grand Oaks. For me, doing something you like and doing it with passion is very rewarding.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Polima: I like to spend time with my family, cleaning and organizing my house, reading the Bible, and watching educational videos.