Physical Wellness

90-Year-Old Woman Rejects Retirement: Elena Griffing Wants To Be With Alta Bates 'Forever'

By George Houston | Update Date: Apr 18, 2016 05:10 AM EDT

Elena Griffing has been a dedicated hospital figure at the Sutter Health Alta Bates Summit Medical Center for an astonishing 70 years and the 90-year-old has no plans yet of giving notice to her employers that she will be retiring.

The tireless employee who is now a patient relations coordinator has included in her long-list of jobs at the Alta Bates health institution in the San Francisco Bay Area as being: a secretary, a laboratory auxiliary handing-out results, an endocrinologist's assistant, and a staff at the hospital's burn center, according to Easy Bay Times.

"When patients lose things, I try to find them -- dentures, hearing aids, coats -- I know all the hiding places!" she enthuses about her current position to the website.

Michael Tatum, a member of the security staff of Alta Bates gleefully mentioned that the post-Octogenarian who still prefers high-heels is a case in point on how to be alive in this world and still love to continue working:

"I'm half her age and I can't keep up with her. She's just a wonderful person to be around."

Last week during Women's History Month, Griffing who began walking down the halls of Alta Bates in her 20s was honored for her loyalty by more than 3,000 Sutter Health leaders. In all the 70 years of being with Alta Bates she has had only four days of sick leave on her record.

The Berkely native also holds pride that she worked at close quarters with then nurse-anesthetist Alta Alice Miner Bates, considered as the hospitals primary forerunner.

Griffing's initial union with Alta Bates began out as a blessing in disguise when she had regular weekly blood transfusions due to an illness that doctors could never pinpoint and made her back then continually listless.

President and CEO of Sutter Health, Sarah Krevans brought up in a statement during Griffing's awarding for her continued service, as cited by Alta Bates Summit blog:

"By pushing the boundaries of opportunity, Elena-and so many other influential women across the United States-shaped the destinies of future generations of women. I'm so thankful for their determination and drive."

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