Founded in 1984, Springmoor is celebrating our 40th aniversary this year. Our community has thrived in large part due to the dedication of our extraordinary employees. One shining example is Priscilla Frazier, who has been on the Springmoor staff for 37 years. (Priscilla is pictured above with Kyle Dilday, former Vice President of Management/Operations for Retirement Living Associates, Inc. at our 40th Anniversary Barbecue in September.)
Priscilla will celebrate her 38th anniversary as a member of our Dining Services Team on March 17, 2025. Originally from Grove Hill, Alabama (a small town close to Mobile), Priscilla came to Raleigh when she was 23.
Some of her high school friends had moved here and were working at Springmoor; they told her the community was hiring. Priscilla lived with her grandparents in Alabama and didn’t want to leave them, but her grandmother encouraged her to “go and see what it’s like.”
Her first boss at Springmoor was Ed Thorn, and she began her work at the community in one of our satellite kitchens. As a kitchen host, she served residents their food and beverages, bused tables, and generally attended to residents’ dining needs.
After being a kitchen host for several years, Priscilla began taking on increasing levels of responsibility. “The residents took to me,” she says. “They loved that I listened to them.” Residents shared their appreciation of Priscilla’s good work with management, and she was promoted to supervisor. “Things continued from there,” she says with a smile.
Priscilla’s current title is Lead Supervisor for Dining in Springmoor’s Stewart Health Center (SHC). She has cared for thousands of residents during her tenure at our community, and she says the best part of the job is developing relationships. She loves talking with residents, hearing about their lives, and sharing her experiences with them.
When asked about a typical day, Priscilla says she arrives at the community at 7:30 am. She checks in at the main kitchen on the north side of the community where all residents’ meals are initially prepared.
In addition to breakfast, lunch, and dinner, snack is served at SHC and in Supportive Living. Priscilla is responsible for making sure that everything is running smoothly in all satellite kitchens that serve these areas. “I basically make sure all residents are happy and have the foods they want,” she says. She also prepares the salads.
Priscilla explains that every SHC resident has a personalized weekly menu. “Every Thursday, we print out their menu for the week to come, and each resident selects the appetizers, entrees, fruits, veggies, and desserts they’d like.”
If a resident is unable to fill out their menu independently, sometimes family members do this for them. Of course, staff are always there to assist as well.
The Springmoor dieticians supervise the content of each resident’s menu to ensure everyone is offered a healthy diet customized to their needs. “The dieticians make sure each resident is being served the right amount of protein and other nutrients,” Priscilla says. Any food allergies are noted on each resident’s medical records, as well as being printed on their personalized menus.
Priscilla monitors all four of the kitchens in SHC, as well as the tray line on the hall that serves residents who are at the Health Center temporarily to recover from illness, injury, or surgery. She usually leaves work about 4 pm but sometimes helps with dinner as well. She supervises about 10 full- and part-time staff. “I really enjoy working with all my staff,” she says.
She is an invaluable compendium of information regarding residents’ likes and dislikes. “I keep a lot of information in my head,” Priscilla says. “I remember what flavors of ice cream different residents like. I’ll tell other staff, for example, that a resident likes a certain food cold but that they shouldn’t give it to her hot. I’m generally responsible for making sure all residents are happy and eating well.”
Priscilla shares that some of the residents’ favorite dishes include catfish, Salisbury steak, and smothered pork chops. Corn bread, coleslaw, cooked greens, succotash, and glazed carrots are other items they enjoy.
And don’t forget dessert! “Residents love a pound cake,” she says, adding that chocolate chip cookies and cobblers—especially peach and apple—are always big hits.
Priscilla adds, “Most of the residents love traditional Southern dishes. We provide these, and we also try to change up their tastebuds with new recipes.”
Another change in recent years has been the transition from a medical model to person-centered care. This holistic approach gives residents more freedom to direct their own activities and make their own decisions.
SHC residents now live in “neighborhoods,” Priscilla explains. Meals are served to smaller groups of residents, and they can sit together and chat over coffee. “This concept of care really makes you feel like you’re at home. I love this for the residents.”
You’ll often hear residents and staff alike say our community is “like a family.” Priscilla says, “The residents have always been very special to me, and they treat me the same way.”
Marshall Evans, a former Executive Director of Springmoor, originally hired Priscilla 37 years ago. Marshall is now a resident. “I really enjoy seeing him around the community,” she says.
Phyllis Mayo, a resident who was also Springmoor’s chaplain and worked at the community for 36 years, has known Priscilla for decades. Phyllis recently asked Priscilla why she has stayed so long at Springmoor. “I told Phyllis that it’s simple,” she says. “I stayed because I love all of you.”
Priscilla attended the 40th Anniversary Barbecue held in September and enjoyed the festivities. “It was good to see David Ammons and Kyle Dilday and the other leadership all in one place.”
In her free time, Priscilla enjoys going out to eat or just staying home and watching a good movie. She also has a godson she helped raise who is now 21.
Give us a call to schedule your visit today!
Springmoor is a nonprofit Continuing Care Retirement Community offering seniors a variety of residence options that range from apartments to larger villas and homes. If you’re looking for an active senior living community in Raleigh, call us at 919-848-7080 with your questions.
You can also click here to fill out a short online form to receive a free information packet or schedule an appointment for a personalized tour. Our friendly team looks forward to meeting you soon!
Springmoor currently has approximately 50 employees who have served residents for 20 years or more. Are you interested in becoming part of Springmoor’s exceptional team? Visit the careers page of our website to view our current job openings and apply online.
