Libby’s Retirement
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This first blog pays tribute to Elizabeth “Libby” Bowerman, our fearless leader who will be retiring as CEO of Keswick Multi-Care Center at the end of the year. For more than 12 years, Libby has led Keswick through steady growth, unveiling new programs and facilities, spearheading renovations, expanding Keswick’s reach into Baltimore’s senior care community and advocating for the geriatric nursing profession. In essence, Libby has helped to raise Keswick’s profile and position the facility as a leader in senior health care and caregiver resources within the greater Baltimore region.
The path Libby took to get to where she is today was somewhat unconventional. Libby didn’t realize senior care was her calling until she turned 40. At that time, she was in graduate school for social work, realized she truly enjoyed working with seniors and decided to make them her professional focus. In addition to having her masters in social work, Libby is also a licensed nursing home administrator.
Some of the highlights of Libby’s tenure at Keswick include the creation of a Memory Care Unit that is the first of its kind in the area. With three floors dedicated to varying stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia care, Keswick’s Memory Care Unit offers an engaging program of daily activities that stimulate individuals with specific cognitive needs. Libby recognized that the Baker Rehabilitation Unit, a highly-regarded go-to facility for hospital discharge planners and physicians, needed a renovation. It had been consistently overflowing with patients for years and there was a need for a more updated, larger facility. Under her direction, the Baker Rehabilitation Unit has enjoyed a transformation into a state-of-the-art, 68-bed facility designed specifically for those patients with medically complex care issues requiring a higher-level of care. Keswick’s Adult Day program is another example of Libby’s expertise at work. By hiring Adult Day program director Marina Tompkins, whose specialty is early onset Alzheimer’s, Libby recognized that Keswick could now gear its popular Adult Day program toward younger patients, filling a community void. Strategic partnerships have also been formed with Johns Hopkins Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital and Brightwood, which falls under the umbrella of Keswick Management – yet another Libby initiative.
Libby has accomplished much beyond the campus of Keswick, too. She was in the Leadership Maryland Class of 2008, the Baltimore County Leadership Class of 2002, on the Baltimore County Leadership Board of Directors and a participant in the Maryland State Task Force. She is also on the Board of Directors of Windemere Long Term Care, which is a fully owned subsidiary of GEDCO, the owner and developer of the Green House Residences at Stadium Place in Baltimore. She was on the Board of Baltimore Clayworks for 5 years, serving as Board Chair for 3 years and was selected as one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women in 2007.
As she prepares to say goodbye to Keswick, Libby is not going quietly into the night. As she embarks on this next chapter of her life, she is looking forward to enjoying her home, her three acres of property and the gentle changing of the seasons. She also plans on getting a puppy next spring and will take the puppy on trips to visit grandchildren who live from Long Island to North Carolina.
As for her greatest moments at Keswick, Libby recalls two fondly. One is the annual Halloween party when the staff and residents dress up and parade in the auditorium. Judges are selected from Keswick’s volunteers and there are lots of smiles and cheers as residents get prizes for their costumes. She also enjoys the Volunteer Appreciation event each spring where the residents acknowledge the volunteers and all of their good work.
Keswick will miss Libby greatly, but she has left an indelible imprint on the facility, the staff and the campus that will help remind us of her legacy each day. We wish her the best on her next adventure and thank you, Libby!