Staff at Bexton Court plan to fund a garden in memory of popular team leader Gina Tucker.
Last year Gina, who spent many years looking after the old and needy, collapsed as she cared for two young men shaken in a road accident. She was 59.
"We don't want to forget Gina or what she was striving for," said ex-colleague Phil Tyrrell.
"She spent her time here transforming the image of somewhere that used to be seen as a place where people simply came to spend the last years of their life.
"We want that aim to be remembered and continued."
Staff hope the garden - complete with benches, pool and fountain - will be in place at the nursing home by spring.
But first money must be raised through a series of sponsored events.
First to take the plunge is old people's services manager Mr Tyrrell, 44, who is to parachute from 4,000ft in aid of the cause.
"I'll be nervous because I've only jumped once before and that was several years ago," he said.
"Dangling your feet over the edge of an aeroplane at 4,000ft isn't the sort of thing you do every day, but it'll be worth it if we can get things off to a good start."
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